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Weekly yard waste/compost collection too expensive

WINNIPEG — City waste managers say the curbside collection of yard waste and compost is too expensive and are asking councillors to approve a spring-and-fall organic-waste collection program instead.

Over the past few months, solid waste managers have been studying ways to deal with the collection of yard waste from Winnipeg homes where the weekly load of leaves, grass and branches may not fit into the new rolling carts.

In a report to city councillors, the water and waste department recommends spring and fall organic-waste pickup, which would cost $232,000 a year in northwest Winnipeg -- the area currently served by automated carts -- and $1.04 million city-wide.

Collecting compost and yard waste all year would cost $4.9 million and also require the city to spend $5 million in capital upgrades, the report states.

In a separate report, solid waste managers have chosen National Waste Services to collect recycling from Winnipeg residences this fall using automated rolling carts.

The company's $4.67 million a year bid was lower than bids put forward by BFI Canada and Halton Recycling.

The National Waste Services contract has a total value of $35 million over 7.5 years. It will begin collecting recycling using 240-litre carts this September.

The move means the city will begin phasing out conventional blue boxes, much the same way it's phasing out conventional garbage cans.

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