A plan to bring a county-wide green bin program to Norfolk will go ahead despite concerns raised by some councillors.
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Implementation of a program that separates household organic waste from regular garbage is one of the recommendations of county staff as Norfolk embarks on a new multi-year contract for its curbside waste collection.
While implementation of a green program isn’t currently mandated, Merissa Bokla, the county’s supervisor of waste management, said there are rumors the province is “really going to push it next year.”
“It may also force its own hand when we run out of landfill capacity and then what are we going to do with our garbage?” Bokla said at a council meeting this week.
But Coun. Chris VanPaassen questioned the cost of the green bin program and the need for it in rural areas.
“Are we really willing to spend $4.5 or $5 million a year for the next seven years just to comply with a government regulation written by some bureaucrat in Toronto?” he said. “There will be no difference at the end of seven years. The landfill will still be full and we’ll have done nothing to remedy that.”
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VanPaassen suggested the county consider alternatives, such as having a private company build a biogas operation to take the organic waste. Biogas is a renewable fuel that’s produced when organic matter is broken by microorganisms.
Coun. Doug Brunton questioned the need for an organics program in rural areas where he said residents are already composting their waste.
“I have a difficult time supporting this countywide,” said Brunton. “I find it difficult the province would force on us something I suspect people in the rural area are looking after now.”
But Bokla said a waste audit conducted by Norfolk staff in various parts of the county determined there was little difference — 0.6 per cent or 30 grams less in rural areas — between the organic content in garbage in rural and urban areas.
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Bokla said the only numbers available on who is composting are based on the number of composters purchased from the county.
“It’s tough to know who is backyard composting,” she said.
Andrew Grice, Norfolk’s general manager of environmental and infrastructure services, bonded there are costs associated with a contractor providing different services in various areas of the county.
“Although (the green bin program) is not mandated right now, it may be that way in the future,” Grice said. “The declining landfill capacity is really key right now. Tipping fees to move your waste elsewhere are escalating drastically.”
Coun. Alan Duthie said implementing an organics program is “the right thing for us to do.”
“I think it’s on us to be stewards and to set an example for other municipalities and our community,” said Duthie, noting a survey with 16 comparator municipalities showed 11 have a current organics program and two others are considering it.
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Coun. Adam Veri said council asks staff for data “to avoid anecdotal information to make decisions.”
Coun. Kim Huffman said councilors need to trust information from staff is accurate.
“It strikes me as strange that whenever, around this council table, when we look at trying to be progressive there’s always backlash,” said Huffman.
Mayor Amy Martin said an organics program will divert waste and preserve the lifecycle of landfill sites.
“This is going to take a few years to come into play – to prepare and get ready,” she said. “But we know it’s not just an urban service. Rural residents are also not composting and diverting their waste.”
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