Food & Yard Waste

• Organic waste is not garbage
• Organic waste makes up about 50 per cent of residential waste.
• The City's residential waste diversion rate has remained static at 20 per cent since 2015. A curbside service moves Regina closer to City Council's target of diverting 65 per cent of household waste from the landfill.
• Among Canadian municipalities with populations over 150,000, Regina is one of the only cities that does not have some type of curbside organic program.
• Organic waste is a valuable resource that can be used to make products like nutrient-rich compost and energy.
• Year-round collection will achieve the highest diversion, resulting in less waste going to the landfill.
• Diverting organic waste will reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions and extend the life of the landfill.

2019

• Replace the current yard waste depot program with a single-site location for spring 2019.
• Begin the competitive procurement process for a consultant with expert knowledge and experience in the implementation of residential organic waste diversion programs.
• Begin the competitive procurement process for the collection of residential curbside organic waste for the pilot period only.
• Begin the competitive procurement process for the construction and operation of an organic waste processing facility.

 2020

• A pilot curbside organic waste service will be initiated to finalize operational details.
• The pilot project will give residents the opportunity to use the service and provide feedback that will be incorporated into the City-wide implementation.

 2021

• Evaluate the pilot and adjust the final implementation plan.
• Prepare and present the final implementation plan to City Council.

2022 or 2023

• Roll out curbside organic waste collection service to everyone who receives City garbage and recycling collection service.

• Allows all yard and food waste, including meat, dairy, produce, fats, oils and grease to be disposed in the organic waste cart. The “scrape the plate” program also can extend to compostable products, such as pizza boxes and paper towels.
• If it can be eaten, grown or composted, it can be disposed in the organic waste cart.
• Residents that do not have yard waste can divert food waste.
• Residents that compost at home can dispose of food waste that is not recommended for backyard composting, such as meat, dairy and other cooked foods.
• A weekly curbside organic waste service would reduce the need for weekly garbage collection.
• Biweekly garbage collection could be extended to a year-round schedule.
• Landfill space is beneficial for long-term waste management and should only be used for materials that cannot be reused, recycled or composted.
• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

• Implementing a third cart for organic waste is a successful model in other municipalities. The City will be testing out this model along with other models as part of the pilot project.
• Estimated annual costs of a curbside organic waste service, and accounting for reduced garbage collection frequency, there would be a $36 increase to property taxes on a home assessed at $350,000 or an additional $51 annual user fee.

Guidelines

• This is a self-serve depot
• You will need to remove your yard waste from plastic bags at the site.
• Plastic bags are not compostable. Consider using paper yard waste bags or reusable containers.
  • Paper yard waste bags can be purchased from many local retailers.
• Tarp and secure loads when transporting
• Commercial load are not permitted
• No hydraulic trailers

Acceptable Materials

• Leaves
• Grass clippings
• Sod
• Garden waste (plant and vegetable waste)
• Bush/tree trimmings
• Branches (not from elm trees) up to 1ft thick and 8ft long
• Logs and stumps (not from elm trees) up to 1ft thick and 8ft long

Unacceptable Materials

• Branches/logs/stumps from elm trees (elm leaves and small twigs are allowed)
• Sand
• Gravel
• Rocks
• Kitchen food waste
• Pet waste

View our Guide to Backyard Composting to help get you started, tips on what material to compost and trouble shooting tips. Reduce your household waste and make great soil for your lawn or garden!

The Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council offers further information to help determine which household composting style works best for you as well as educational videos to get you started.

Advantages

• Reduces need to fertilize – Nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, are returned to the soil. This reduces the cost and work of fertilizing. As well, it prevents fertilizer runoff from polluting lakes and streams.
• Returns organic matter to the soil – The organic matter increases the ability of the soil to hold water. As well, the organic matter feeds earthworms which aerate the soil.
• Reduces water consumption – The clippings act as mulch, protecting grass roots from the sun and reducing having to water your lawn as often. You save money and effort by not raking.
• Reduces work – You don’t have to rake. And you don’t have to water or fertilize as often. There’s more time to enjoy our beautiful Saskatchewan summers.
• Reduces pollution – Using a push mower reduces the amount of hydrocarbons produced by a gas-powered mower.
• Increase your fitness – Get some exercise by using a push mower, use muscles ordinarily not used and enjoy the sounds of nature.

How to Grasscycle

• Mow your lawn regularly
• Mow the lawn when it is dry
• Remove no more than 1/3 of the length of the blades of grass
• Keep the mower blade(s) sharp
• Just let the mower spread the clippings evenly on the lawn. They will settle in quickly and will disappear in a day or two.