As B.C. continues with planned reopenings, the City of Vernon is ready to launch the second phase of its pilot community composting project.
“I’m glad we’re able to continue to provide this service,” said Mayor Victor Cumming. “Our residents have demonstrated strong support for composting and continuing the community bin program will divert a substantial amount of organic material from the landfill. Organics diversion through composting can reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions by more than 90 per cent compared to sending the same waste to the landfill.”
The project is an effort to reduce the amount of food waste going into landfill. Residents are encouraged to fill the community compost collection bins with their household organic materials.
Starting Monday, June 22, four locations will be available for use until November, weather permitting. Those locations are:
- City Centre: along 29th Street railroad tracks across from the 33rd Avenue intersection
- Recreational Centre: on gravel area just north of the 35th Avenue parking lot entrance
- Operations: on 47th Avenue just east of 20th Street
- Kin Race Track: south west corner of parking lot off of 43rd Avenue
Food scraps including vegetables, fruit, meat and bone scraps are all compostable items that residents are encouraged to dispose of in the shared bins.
Yard waste should be taken directly to the landfill yard waste collection facility, and the composters will not accept commercial materials and any kind of metal, plastic, glass, Styrofoam, or pet waste.
Due to COVID-19, residents are asked to take care when using composting sites as equipment is not sanitized. Signage will be in place to remind residents of Provincial health guidelines to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
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