City of Kamloops plan for roadside compost pickup moves forward

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The city's plan for roadside compost pickup is moving forward today (Nov. 24).

A report is being presented by staff on a potential "residential organic waste collection program." The report offers a high-level view of what city staff are considering, and a broad budget of around $5.7 million for said plan.

"Staff are proposing a three-phase approach to developing and implementing a residential organics diversion program," states the report.

According to the document, phase one is currently underway and will continue until June of next year. If all goes well. phase two is expected in September 2021 and would last almost a year. Full launch in phase three could be just after Canada Day 2023.

The first phase focuses on two things: public consultation and an audit of the city's garbage collection routes. During the public consultation stage, the city will gauge the level of support throughout the community for different models of collection.

The second phase would see a limited level of service, with a couple of neighbourhoods acting as test markets. This would help staff figure out how much and what types of organic waste are being collected, what kind of carts would be best, how much it may cost to run and what sort of cross-contamination there may be.

Phase three would then be the full roll out of the program, once the details were worked out in the second phase, along with a budget.

There could be more phases after, potentially.

"Based on the information gathered, subsequent program phases could include expanding collection to the multi-family and commercial sectors. Staff could also explore potential partnerships with the Thompson-Nicola Regional District and Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc," states the report.

Currently, staff are recommending a mixture of food waste to be collected, including fruits, grains, meat, dairy and soups/sauces. Non-food items could include paper napkins (and similar items), waxed paper or boxes and garden waste in limited amounts. Staff note further discussion is needed on larger amounts of yard waste — like grass clippings — and pet waste.

Most of the costs associated with the plan would come in phase three when the city-wide launch happens. Ongoing costs are expected to be around $1.7 million, though precise staff numbers aren't known at this point.

"Staff have researched grant funding opportunities for residential organic waste collection and have identified two funding sources through federal and provincial agencies," states the report.

Today, council will vote on whether to green light the continuation of the planning phase and research into grant funding options.