Citizen advocacy group the Kincardine Environmental Action Network is calling on the municipality to implement a curbside organics program.
Amanda Saxton, who is part of the KEAN, says that following a pilot program where residents were provided with a discounted FoodCycler, the overall outlook is positive.
“By instituting organic waste collection across Kincardine, Tiverton – our whole municipality – we can enhance our community’s environmental stewardship, reduces landfill pressures, which are a real problem, and pave the way for a greener, more sustainable future,” Saxton said in her presentation to council.
Diverting food waste from the local landfill also helps reduce the amount of garbage that is put out each collection day.
“In Canada, food waste constitutes at least 35% of a typical household’s trash. I argue that may even be a little bit higher,” she said.
Saxton explained that the solution is easy – to have organic food waste collected separately, to allow
“In 2021, 65% of Canadian households composted their kitchen waste. Of those composting, 79% of them were using curbside composting. Kincardine doesn’t have that. So a large portion of those who might be composting are not because it’s not available to them.”
She said that organic waste in landfills emits a high quantity of methane, which is a greenhouse gas.
In 2022, Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory, showed that emissions from Canadian landfills accounted for 17% of national methane emissions.
During the municipality’s pilot program using the FoodCycler, 72% of participants said that they had an increased awareness of their household food wastage, and it motivated them to waste less.
After the pilot, 90% of those who took part said that their friends and neighbours would participate in a waste diversion program if it was available.
