Vernon council has tossed around some ideas for extensing the full compost bin program until household organics collection starts, as anticipated, in May.
Council supported the extension of the program at its regular meeting Feb. 14, providing a bin at a central location for those who will not have household collection.
At the time, council wondered about a need to have a garbage bin placed at the compost bins to reduce plastic litter and bin contamination.
Service provider Spa Hills told the city there is “very little plastic contamination in the bins and any present is removed when the organics are dumped (at their facility).”
“Additionally, placing a garbage bin with the compost bin may increase illegal dumping at the organics bin site,” said city long-range planning and sustainability manager Laurie Cordell in a report to council.
Staff does not recommend placing a garbage bin with the organics bin.
The central location suggested for the short extension was the Vernon Recreation Centre, but council wondered if the Schubert Centre or Kin Race Track might be more suitable.
“All the community bins are well used,” said Cordell. “The program previously had a bin behind the Schubert Centre but it was removed at the request of the centre and its neighbours. There have been no further requests for a bin at this location.”
A partnership with the Vernon School District was also nixed by staff.
“The program has not supported schools with their organic diversion to date,” said Cordell. “The bins have been sited to avoid school sites so as not to draw additional traffic to the schools.”
The Regional District of North Okanagan, said Cordell, is currently planning to bring in an institutional, commercial and industrial organics ban that wold require schools to address organics diversion.
Cordell’s report was unanimously received by council. The location of a central bin will be determined at a later meeting.
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roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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