The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD) rolled out roadside organics collection last week with help from Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation maintenance crew, Surfrider Pacific Rim, and WildSafe BC.
Most residents in Ucluelet, Tofino and some of the surrounding West Coast communities received three new carts with certified bear-resistant locks for organics, recycling, and garbage. The first organics pickup for Ucluelet is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 5 and Tofino’s inaugural organics collection will be on Tuesday, Dec. 6.
Residents of the communities of Esowista and Ty-Histanis in Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation territory and residents of Hitacu in Ucluelet First Nation territory launched the pilot project about a month ago.
“We’re here to save the earth and make it more green,” said Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation maintenance crew Francis Howard as he delivered new carts to a Ucluelet home on Marine Drive.
ACRD organics diversion co-ordinator Jodie Frank says food waste like bones, meats, fats, oils, greases and dairies and garden clippings can go in the green bin.
“Forty per cent of what’s going in the garbage right now is actually food waste or organic material. Now with the new green bins, we’re able to divert that material into the green bin and compost it out at the landfill. Things like greasy pizza boxes that had to go in the garbage before can now go in the green bin,” said Frank.
Ozzard Environmental has been contracted by the ACRD to collect the organics, and they acquired two automated trucks to do the job. With automated collection, a truck using a mechanical arm picks up and empties carts. Currently, the method for waste collection on the west coast is manual, where the driver exits the vehicle and physically empties each bin.
The default waste collection service includes one green, 120L organics cart, one black, 120L garbage cart and one blue, 240L recycling cart at the cost of $200 per year per household. According to Frank, the additional cost per year for the organics collection service is about $75.
Visit www.letsconnectacrd.ca/sortngo-west-coast for more information and updates related to Sort’nGo Organics.
nora.omalley@westerlynews.ca
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