Thank you for your questions. Methane recovery at the Glenmore landfill (3 year average 2019-2021) was calculated at 70.7% and 68% of that was processed into renewable natural gas. Remaining captured methane was destroyed through on-site flaring therefore 29.3% of methane produced from the landfill is entering the atmosphere. 

The landfill will continue to generate methane gas for decades to come, from material that is already landfilled. 

Composting facilities are regulated and the finished product must meet certain criteria before it can be offered to the public for use. It has yet to be determine how the compost would be used. 

Costs for a curbside food waste program are expected to increase in the range of $66 - $90/year for weekly organics collection, biweekly garbage collection or $94 - $118/year for weekly organics collection, weekly garbage collection.

Thank you for commenting. If you mean small kitchen buckets to collect food waste before taking to the curb, this is yet to be determined.  If you mean a counter top kitchen appliance that breaks down food waste, this is not being considered as a solution for single family homes that have yard waste carts.  

Thank you for commenting. Residential recycling in the British Columba is the responsibility of Recycle BC and in order to ensure the cleanest product for market, glass, plastic bags and styrofoam are collected at depots only. Each of these items present unique challenges for recyclers when mixed with other recyclables in a curbside cart. Glass breaks and gets imbedded in cardboard and paper as well as putting workers at risk for injury. Plastic bags act like paper on the sort line and end up mixed with paper bales being sent to mills. Styrofoam is very bulky and light and takes up space in carts and trucks. It also breaks easily and clings to other recyclables. These are the reasons Recycle BC requires this material to be collected separately at depots.  

Thank you for your comment. Wildlife is a concern for many and occurs today, even without a separate food waste program. We will work to find the best solutions that could include education and/or enforcement around managing wildlife attractants.

Thank you for your question,

Glengrow would still be available at the landfill as it would still be produced from commercial yard waste however it would be produced in smaller volumes as curbside yard waste would be sent to a different composting facility if food waste was included. Annual revenue for GlenGrow compost is around $340,000 annually and does not fully cover the cost of the composting operation at the Glenmore Landfill and therefore would not be able to offset the cost of an expanded organics program that includes food waste.

Using a separate food waste bin was included as an option during our food waste collection feasibility study. Adding food waste to existing yard waste carts however came out as the top ranked option for managing our food waste. 

Yard waste will continue to be composted and it is yet to be determined if this finished compost will be made available to residents in the region.  Yard waste that is not collected curbside (i.e. from landscapers etc. or self hauled from residents) will continue to be composted into Glengrow at the Glenmore landfill.

Thank you for your question. The number of trucks, distance etc. were all included in GHG calculation portion of the feasibility study to determine preferred method for food waste collection.  Four different methods of managing food waste (status quo, separate food waste container, adding to yard waste and using a kitchen appliance).  If looking at GHG alone, some of these options were better than others however when looking at all the criteria that we evaluated each of these methods on (financial, environmental, social impacts and policy and adaptability) adding food waste to existing yard waste carts rated as the preferred option.

You are correct that methane generated from decomposing food waste is captured as RNG however it is not 100% and there is still methane that ends up in the atmosphere.

Items currently accepted as garbage will remain much the same, other than materials that will become part of the food waste program.

What will be included as food waste will depend on the final processing facility and what they accept. Other curbside food waste programs typically include a wide range of material such as all food scraps, cooked meat, bones, grains, fresh fruits and vegetable peelings, soiled paper (paper towels, napkins, dirty pizza boxes). 

Multifamily is not being considered at this time but will be a future consideration. Most multifamily waste management is currently handled through private waste haulers and will require working with private haulers and multifamily buildings to come up with a solution for food waste.

If your strata unit currently has yard waste collection, you would be included.