Beginning in early 2014, the Township of Esquimalt will be participating in the Regional Kitchen Scraps Strategy as part of a region-wide initiative to reduce the volume of kitchen scraps going to the Hartland Landfill. At the same time, Township crews will be switching from backyard to curbside pickup using new trucks capable of collecting both garbage and kitchen scraps.
An information session is planned for Wednesday June 19th, 2013 to present information on these new garbage collection methods and what the changes will mean for residents.
What: Information Session on Township Waste Management Changes
Where: Council Chambers, Municipal Hall, 1229 Esquimalt Road
When: Wednesday June 19th, 2013, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The information session will include opportunities for public input, including input on exemptions to curbside pickup for those with mobility challenges.
Background:
- Council voted to proceed with the new Waste Management Program at a Council meeting on Monday February 18, 2013. This decision was made in accordance with a Council strategic priority of providing efficient and sustainable waste management services to residents.
- The Township is currently in preliminary discussions with the City of Victoria to use its transfer station for kitchen scraps and garbage streams.
- New trucks capable of managing two waste streams and equipped to automate curbside pickup are replacing older trucks that were scheduled to be replaced as part of a fleet update. These trucks are expected to be delivered by early 2014.
- The Capital Regional District (CRD) estimates that 30 per cent of the waste sent to the Hartland Landfill is organic material. This material can be separated and converted into compost or fertilizer, supporting waste reduction and a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions. Using the CRD’s current estimate of organic waste in the landfill, the Township would be diverting approximately 510 tonnes of waste material per year from the landfill. Kitchen scraps will be banned from the Hartland landfill by January 1, 2015.
For more information on the CRD’s Kitchen Scraps Diversion Strategy, visit www.myrecyclopedia.ca or download the CRD brochure here.
For more information on the Township’s Waste Management Program, please contact:
Jeff Miller, Director of Engineering and Public Works
Tel: 250-414-7108