2 hours Ago By Nicole Buffie
Winnipeg’s compost program has been so successful, it has had to nearly double its capacity in six weeks. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * Winnipeg’s compost program has been so successful, it has had to nearly double its capacity in six weeks. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Winnipeg’s compost program has been so successful, it has had to nearly double its capacity in six weeks.
The program has rerouted more than 22 tons of food scraps from landfills since the city set up drop-off bins at 15 locations on Oct. 15, as per data from Compost Winnipeg. “The public is responding very enthusiastically,” said Compost Winnipeg general manager Amanda Wolfe.
“This to me, shows that Winnipeggers really want to compost.” MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg’s compost program has rerouted more than 22 tons of food scraps from landfills since the city set up drop-off bins at 15 locations on Oct. 15.
Compost Winnipeg signed on with the city to oversee the program, which is in place until 2030 when green carts will be made available to every residential home inside the Perimeter Highway. The bins, which are located at community centres and 4R depots, collect food scraps and other compostable material that’s picked up weekly and taken to the Prairie Green Landfill for processing and use as remediation material. Wolfe said most of the locations have had to nearly double the number of carts because of demand.
Dakota Community Centre, with seven bins, is among the most popular locations. “When we were setting this program up, we weren’t sure if people were actually going to walk their compost or drive their compost to drop-off stations,” she said, adding people say they’re grateful for the green option. “They’re just really excited to have the opportunity to bring their food waste to be composted instead of putting in the landfill.
” Produce scraps, coffee grounds and filters, teabags, pet food and food-soiled paper products are among the items that can be collected and stored in the fridge or freezer, then dropped off at one of the city bins. The program was launched after a two-year compost pilot project. As for the rollout of compost bins for all residents, the city will begin collecting a $9 fee per resident in 2025 to purchase the carts and deliver them to each household for the 2030 launch.
Coun. Evan Duncan said he has used the bins, but questions whether the green carts will be used widely by residents when they are introduced in 2030. “I still don’t know, citywide, if there was a cart program introduced tomorrow if everybody (would be) involved, but this is a good signal,” he said, referring to the popularity of the current program.
Data from the previous pilot, which ran from 2020 to 2022, suggested the new program would achieve a 35 per cent participation rate, Duncan said prior to the food waste program launch. Wolfe insisted Winnipeggers want to divert their food waste. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions.
Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Compost Winnipeg has been allocated as much as $160,000 for the program until its contract is up for renewal next fall. Wolfe said she would like more money from the city to expand to more locations.
Despite his skepticism, Duncan said he would support an expansion. “The more accessible it is, the more it’s out there, and the more people learn about it, we could get to a point where people are saying, ‘OK, when is the green cart coming? Because I’m sick and tired of driving this thing to my community club,’” Duncan said. A 2023 public engagement survey on the city’s pilot project found 89 per cent of respondents supported the program and 80 per cent would use a citywide food waste collection program.
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ca Nicole Buffie is a multimedia producer who reports for the city desk. Born and bred in Winnipeg, Nicole graduated from Red River College’s Creative Communications program in 2020 and worked as a reporter throughout Manitoba before joining the newsroom in 2023. .
Every piece of reporting Nicole produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism.
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Nicole Buffie is a multimedia producer who reports for the city desk. Born and bred in Winnipeg, Nicole graduated from Red River College’s Creative Communications program in 2020 and worked as a reporter throughout Manitoba before joining the newsroom in 2023. .
Every piece of reporting Nicole produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism.
If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
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