This fall, the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD) will be delivering new green roadside organics carts in Tofino, Ucluelet and some surrounding west coast communities!
The introduction of an organics (food/yard waste) collection service is part of larger waste updates for the region, which includes a transition to an automated cart collection system. This means that along with the green carts, new (blue) recycling and (black) garbage carts will also be delivered ahead of the Sort’nGo service launch in November. As well, significant upgrades are underway at the West Coast Landfill, which will include a new public waste diversion drop-off area and compost processing facility, with funding provided through the Federal Gas Tax Fund.
Over the coming months, residents will receive regular updates on what to expect with plenty of information on what and how to sort items for collection, schedule updates, staying bear smart and more – as we undertake a learning journey together to ensure the Sort’nGo West Coast program is a success!
Why should we divert organics?
By removing organics from the garbage stream, where it doesn’t belong, we can divert up to 43 per cent of existing residential household waste from the landfill. In the first six months of the City of Port Alberni’s Sort’nGo program, which launched in September 2021, residents diverted 690 tonnes of organic waste (and counting) from the Alberni Valley landfill – that’s 172 orca whales worth of food and yard waste currently being transformed into nutrient-rich compost that can be recycled back into the community.
When we divert organics, we extend the lifespan of the landfill, while decreasing the amount of harmful methane gases that are emitted when organic waste is left buried under garbage. As we move forward, proactive measures must be taken to ensure the emissions limit is not triggered – requiring a costly gas capture system far more expensive than the introduction of a roadside organics collection.
What will be collected?
Curbside organics is a ‘scrape the plate’ program that allows residents to dispose of all food waste, including bones, meat, dairy, grease, and soiled paper-based items (paper towels, tissues, and greasy pizza boxes). As well, yard waste (grass clippings, tree trimmings and garden waste) will be collected at the curb, providing it fits into your organics cart.
About automated cart collection
Ozzard Environmental will continue to provide waste service for Tofino and Ucluelet, and are acquiring the necessary equipment needed as we upgrade to an automated cart collection service. Currently, the method for waste collection on the west coast is manual, where the driver exits the vehicle and physically empties each bin. With automated collection, a truck using a mechanical arm picks up and empties carts.
About the carts
The default service will include one 120L organics cart (42Lx19Hx22Din), one 120L garbage cart and one 240L recycling cart (43Hx24Wx35Din) at the cost of $200/year unless otherwise specified by residents who placed cart requests for additional capacity before the March 15, 2022 deadline. Residents can still request additional capacity after launch, which will be supplied with an additional service fee and an adjustment to the annual service cost.
Food waste for thought:
When we look at the data from Port Alberni, we saw garbage cut almost in half since launching Sort’nGo, that’s a 46 per cent decrease of garbage disposal volume! This is important when we consider our cart sizes and needs. The more we divert, the less garbage we will have for our black carts – which is why we can move garbage collection to a bi-weekly schedule, with organics and recycling pickup every week.
Visit www.letsconnectacrd.ca/sortngo-west-coast and follow for updates, event notifications, ask the project team questions and more.