Saanich will pick up garden waste along with kitchen scraps when it rolls out its organic collection program in 2014.

Saanich council this week approved the program which also will see the district move away from backyard pickup of garbage to curbside pickup of both organics such as kitchen scraps and yard waste and garbage beginning in March/April of 2014.

Fewer than a half dozen residents spoke at a meeting about the proposed changes this week.

“I would have never have imagined that Saanich would change to curbside [garbage pickup] and only have four speakers at a committee of the whole meeting,” said Mayor Frank Leonard.

He attributed a good communications program and a high awareness of the kitchen scrap collection pilot program the municipality ran as easing the acceptance.

“People are really welcoming the introduction of kitchen waste collection. We’re also going to accept backyard [waste] — so grass clippings.”

 The pilot program carried out in 2012 showed that 37 per cent of household waste could be diverted from the landfill with the collection of kitchen scraps and yard waste.

Saanich will buy and distribute more than 62,000 carts and 13 new collection trucks to implement the program.

Residents will be able to choose between 120-litre and 180-litre wheeled totes for garbage and between 80-litre, 120-litre and 240-litre wheeled totes for organics.

Annual household collection fees will depend on sizes of totes chosen —  ranging between $156 and $210. The average family will pay $177.

On collection day, residents will be asked to take their carts to the curb or the entry of driveways, with lids open toward the street.

Assistance programs will be provided to households where occupants are not physically able to place their carts curbside on collection day or have particular driveway access/grade issues.

The municipality has had calls, mostly from seniors concerned about how they would get their totes to the curb because some of them have very steep driveways, Leonard said. “We’ve assured them that once they sign a declaration that there’s no one in the home 18 years or older who’s physically able to get the totes to the curb then we will still provide backyard pickup.”

In 2013 and 2014, separated loads of kitchen scraps will be eligible for a $20 per tonne rebate from the Capital Regional District. In 2014, there will be a 20 per cent surcharge at the Hartland landfill on garbage loads containing kitchen scraps as way to discourage their disposal at as garbage . In January 2015, the CRD will ban kitchen scraps from the landfill.

The CRD has a contract in place with an organics processor for participating municipalities which ends on Dec. 31, 2014. It will then be up to municipalities to make their own arrangements for processing their kitchen scraps recycling.

Leonard is hopeful a local processor can be found so the material doesn’t have to be hauled over the Malahat.

bcleverley@timescolonist.com 

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