RDN Residential Food Waste Collection Pilot Project

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are the Regional District of Nanaimo and its municipal partners, the City of Nanaimo and the Town of Qualicum Beach, conducting the pilot project?

The region's Zero Waste plan has set a target of reducing the region's garbage by 75% by 2010. Food waste and other compostable organics comprise up to half of household waste. Diverting these materials from the waste stream for processing into compost is a key part of achieving our waste reduction goal. Recycling food and other organic compostable waste will conserve landfill space, save in landfill disposal costs, reduce greenhouse gases and create a more sustainable region.
Food waste and other compostable organics provide valuable feedstock for International Composting Corporation the region's only licensed composting plant. Since 2005, restaurants, grocery stores and other businesses in the region have been recycling their organic waste at this facility. The next step is developing a residential curbside food waste collection program.
Information gathered through the pilot project will be used to develop a curbside food waste collection program for the region as a whole. Your participation will help develop an effective and efficient program.

How were participants selected for the pilot project?

A consulting firm was engaged to design the pilot project. Their report recommended representative urban, suburban and rural routes, with varying distances from the region's licensed composting facility. Information gathered from the participating Chartwell (Town of Qualicum Beach), City of Nanaimo (Route E-3) and Cedar (Route 52) routes will help assess collection equipment required, scheduling, costs and other operational issues.

How is the pilot funded?

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities' Green Municipal Fund, which provides grants and loans to support municipal governments and their partners in developing communities that are more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable, has contributed up to half the cost of the residential food waste collection pilot project. The RDN has provided matching funds.

Should I continue to use my backyard compost bin?

Continue to compost materials such as yard and garden waste and fruit and vegetable peelings in your backyard composting bin. Home composting is the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to recycle these materials and produce a beneficial soil supplement for your yard and garden. You will want to use the curbside food waste collection service for materials such as meat and fish scraps, food-soiled paper products, bread and other items that aren't suitable for backyard composting.

Is using my green bin to recycle food waste better than using a garburator?

Yes, collecting food waste in your green bin is more cost effective and environmentally sound than using a garburator. Food waste disposed of in garburators uses valuable resources such as water and electricity and puts an added load on sewage treatment facilities where it must be processed at a higher cost than recycling. Waste from garburators, which ends up in sewage treatment facilities, can clog filters, can increase requirements for more chemical processing and decrease the quality of effluent that is eventually discharged into the Strait of Georgia. When you collect food waste in your green bin instead of using a garburator, your household organic materials become a valuable resource that will be turned into a useful saleable product-compost, rather than becoming waste that requires greater cost and energy to dispose of.

Where does food waste collected go?

Food waste and other acceptable household compostables go to International Composting Corporation's (ICC) processing facility, located at Duke Point in Nanaimo. ICC's fully enclosed plant uses ground yard and garden waste, household and commercial food waste, and fish waste. These materials are composted using an in-vessel process that generates temperatures sufficient to ensure maximum pathogen reduction. The finished products include compost, fertilizers, and soil amendments, all of which meet international standards. For more information, visit ICC's Website at www.internationalcomposting.com

Where can I buy compost made from the residential food waste collection pilot?

The finished "R-Earth" brand products can be purchased at International Composting Corporation (981 Maughan Road, Nanaimo), Thrifty Foods and soon at other retail locations.

What can I put out for collection in my green bin?

The decal provided for the lid of your green bin provides a list of acceptable materials. A more complete list is included on the back page of the start-up guide that you received with your green bin and kitchen container. Click Here (Acceptable/Not Acceptable Materials) for an on-line list.

Why can I put dairy product cartons in my green bin but not juice cartons, drink boxes and soy milk cartons?

Milk, cream and ice cream are packaged in waxed cardboard cartons that can be composted at International Composting Corporation's plant. Tetra Pak containers, such as drink boxes, and juice cartons and soy milk cartons have linings and spouts that are not suitable for the composting process. Juice cartons and drink boxes can be taken to local Return-It depots for a refundable deposit. You can also return soy and rice milk beverage containers to Return-It depots.

Do I have to use a liner in my kitchen container?

No. A limited supply of compostable liner bags was provided with the delivery of your green bin and kitchen container as a convenience during the start-up phase of the pilot project. Compostable bag liners can help prevent odours, insects, and help keep your kitchen container clean. If you prefer not to use a liner, you can place materials directly into your kitchen container and wash or rinse it out as needed.

If I choose to line my container, must I use "compostable" bags?

Yes. Compostable bags are created from plant starches and are specifically designed to break down during the composting process. To be certified as compostable, they must biodegrade in compost at a similar rate as paper products, must disintegrate so that no particles are visible within the compost and must not create any toxic residues while they biodegrade. Do not use plastic or biodegradable bags, as they are not designed to disintegrate adequately at the composting plant and may leave toxic residues within the finished compost.

Where can I buy more compostable liner bags?

A growing number of retailers are stocking compostable bags suitable for use in the food waste collection program. These include:

Fairway Market
49th Parallel Grocery
The Green Store (Port Place Mall)
Thrifty Foods
Wal-Mart
Save On Foods
Quality Foods
Shoppers Drug Mart (Country Club store)
Naked Naturals Whole Foods (Parksville)
Zellers
Home Depot
Canadian Tire
London Drugs
Home Hardware
and other supermarkets and retailers in the region such as some of the janitorial/cleaning supply outlets.
You should be aware that prices vary considerably between different stores and also between different brands of bags.
Acceptable brands include BioBag, EcoFilm, Compost-A-Bag, Eco-Safe-6400, Great Value and Al-Pak (Wal-Mart store brands), Glad Compost Bags, Bio Life (Shoppers Drug Mart brand), and BioSak.
Look for the "Compostable" logo to ensure the bags you buy are approved for use in a composting system.

What if my food waste exceeds my green bin?

Food and kitchen waste collected is limited to the green bin during the pilot project. Save your excess materials until the next collection day. By composting suitable materials in your backyard compost bin, you can reduce the amount taken to the curb.

A split-packer truck with the food waste compartment on the right.

Why is garbage and food waste being collected in the same truck?

The pilot is testing the feasibility of using a vehicle with two compartments to collect garbage and food waste in a single pass with one truck.

Why is garbage collection being changed to one container collected once every two weeks?

Studies have shown that up to 50% of what is now being collected as garbage can be recycled through your green bin curbside collection program. Remaining garbage is mainly dry materials without odour problems and can be stored for two weeks. If you have extra containers of garbage, you may as usual, buy $2 garbage tags and attach one to each additional standard-size container. A maximum of two additional standard-size containers will be collected.

What if I don't have a full green bin on food waste collection day?

There is no need to wait until your green bin is full. Put it out weekly even if it is not full.

Can I get additional containers?

No, each participating household is supplied with one green bin and one kitchen container for the pilot project. No additional containers will be distributed.

What if my green bin is stolen, lost or broken?

Contact RDN Environmental Services at 250-390-6560 (Nanaimo area) or 250-954-3792 (Parksville-Qualicum area) to report stolen, lost or broken green bins.

When will the pilot project end?

The pilot project will last 12 months to provide reliable data and account for seasonal variations. Staff, the Regional Board and Municipal Councils will review the results and determine the next steps.

How will the pilot project be evaluated?

Issues to be assessed include evaluating operating constraints, cost effectiveness, reliability, volumes diverted, ease of implementation, participation and program acceptance. Your input is an important part of the evaluation process. Participants will be invited to complete a survey mid-way through the pilot project. Reports will be prepared and presented to the regional board at the mid point and end of the pilot project.

How can I provide feedback on the pilot project?

Receiving feedback from residents about the pilot project is very important to us. We will be sending surveys out to residents who are participating in the project midway and likely nearing the end of the project. We will also be conducting focus groups. We encourage you to participate as your feedback will help us understand how well the project is currently working and also help us to create a successful region-wide program in the future. You can also email us with any comments you may have at: zerowaste@rdn.bc.ca
Or call us at:
Ph. 250-390-6560 (Cedar/Nanaimo area)
Ph. 250-954-3792 (Parksville-Qualicum area)

How can I receive updates on the pilot project?

We will be mailing a project update to participants midway through the project. To receive email updates, please forward your email address to zerowaste@rdn.bc.ca