I’ve received this update from Waste Services with some highlights from the first 11 weeks (from March-May) of the Green Cart pilot program:
- Green cart tonnage continues to climb
In the first 11 weeks, 378,000 kilograms (378 tonnes) of food and yard waste have been collected in all four pilot communities – Abbeydale, Brentwood, Cougar Ridge and Southwood. This is enough material to produce more than 15,000 bags of compost.Residents have caught on very quickly to the program. They are making good use of the kitchen pail, compostable bags and paper yard waste bags, and we’re seeing very low contamination in the material we collect.
Weekly tonnages are already increasing and as summer approaches we expect they will continue to climb as grass clippings and yard waste are put in the green cart.
- Black cart tonnage is reduced by 40 per cent
In our pilot communities, the amount of garbage that is sent to our landfills per household decreased by nearly 40 per cent compared to households in other communities without green cart service. Despite higher seasonal volumes of garbage, residents have also adapted well to garbage collection every second week.This is enough material to produce more than 15,000 bags of compost
The Green Cart pilot program is an important step to reduce dependence on our landfills, minimize the harmful environmental effects of food and yard waste in the landfill and, like recycling, it gives us an opportunity to produce a beneficial product from what would otherwise be waste.
If you would like more information about the Green Cart pilot program, I encourage you to call 311 or visit calgary.ca/greencart.