The Cowichan Valley Regional District is ready to collect food and yard waste, glass bottles and jars, recyclables, and garbage from all eligible dwellings in the district’s nine electoral areas.
In preparation for the service launch on June 2, all electoral area residents are currently receiving their new bear-resistant organics totes and glass and food scrap bins, with residents in Areas A, B, C, and H also receiving bear-resistant garbage totes.
The new curbside service consists of weekly collection of organics (food and yard waste), alternating bi-weekly collection of garbage and recyclables, and monthly collection of glass, such as glass bottles and jars.
While many residents are excited for the enhanced curbside service, some have opposed it because they are unsure of its value.
“According to the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities’ solid waste committee, the province of B.C. only has 23 years of landfill space left,” said Ilse Sarady, senior manager of recycling and waste management at the CVRD.
“While we are collaborating with other jurisdictions to address this landfill capacity issue, everyone can play an important role in reducing needless land-filling of reusable material, particularly compostable waste.”
Currently, compostable material represents more than 30 per cent of the regional district's land-filled waste, and on average households in the CVRD produce of 440 kilograms of waste materials annually.
This material can be composted on Vancouver Island instead of exported to a contracted landfill in Washington State.
“Our solid waste management plan sets ambitious targets,” said Kate Segall, chair of the CVRD.
“We recognize that introducing this service has been divisive, but reducing the amount of waste we send to landfill is something we all need to take seriously. This is a necessary step toward a more sustainable future.”
To learn more about the three-stream service, visit www.planyourcowichan.ca/curbside-collection and subscribe for project updates.
Questions about the program should be directed to the CVRD by phone to the recycling hotline at 250-746-2540, or email at curbside@cvrd.bc.ca.
