12°c Partly cloudy
6°c Clear
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Blue boxes to garden boxes?
City considers options as containers phased out
A recent phone survey found one-third of Winnipeg residents want to see their blue box or trash can recycled. (JANEK LOWE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES) Photo Store
What once held old newspapers and empty soda cans could soon be used to grow a garden.
Coun. Paula Havixbeck (Charleswood-Tuxedo) wants the city to consider donating unwanted blue boxes to Winnipeg Harvest for a program that uses the containers to help inner-city children grow everything from corn and beans to squash and tomatoes.
Next month, Winnipeg will start to replace blue boxes and garbage cans with automated garbage and recycling carts in an effort to improve the city's dismal trash-diversion rate and get residents to recycle more and throw out less. The city plans to start delivering the carts in June and start collection in autobin areas in August and elsewhere in Winnipeg on Oct. 1.
Winnipeg plans to collect all unwanted blue boxes later this fall, but how to do it -- and where they will go -- is still undecided.
Havixbeck said donating them so Harvest can expand its existing blue-box gardening program could help more children learn about where their food comes from and families in need grow their own vegetables. She said the need for food hampers has grown city-wide, noting two food banks have sprung up in her south Winnipeg neighbourhood.
"It's relatively inexpensive," Havixbeck said of using the containers to grow food. "You can grow pumpkins, tomatoes, you name it."
Catherine Wirt, director of client and community relations for Winnipeg Harvest, said many low-income families rent in areas where they do not have access to a yard or good-quality soil. She said having access to more blue boxes could help expand the program throughout schools and community centres across the city.
"Really, the aim is to educate kids and help them learn that food doesn't just come from the grocery store and also give them some practical skill and a deeper connection with their food," Wirt said.
Solid waste manager Darryl Drohomerski said it's one option Winnipeg could look at as the city gears up to roll out recycling carts.
There are an estimated 500,000 blue boxes across Winnipeg, and the average home has two. While some residents may want to keep them for yard waste or other uses, Drohomerski said officials are trying to figure out what to do with the unwanted ones.
City waste officials say it's difficult to know how many blue boxes would be donated and how they could be collected.
Randy Park, the city's supervisor of waste diversion, said no one has ever seen hundreds of thousands of blue boxes stacked in one spot, and he's not sure how much space is required to collect them at a drop-off site for community organizations or charities.
A recent city telephone survey of 1,200 people found one-third of residents want to give their old blue box or trash can away so they can be recycled.
"Realistically, we think there's at least half a million blue boxes out there," Drohomerski said. "We have to look at all the options."
Drohomerski said the city has been contacted by a group that wants to send blue boxes to several First Nations communities in need of better containers. A group in Dauphin is also interested in receiving some, he said.
Winnipeg plans to issue a request for proposals at the end of June to see what other potential options there are.
Winnipeg sorts and compacts plastic and other waste and sells it to companies as far away as China, which convert it into other goods. The blue boxes are made of recyclable plastic, but Park said the city would rather investigate how they could be reused locally instead of selling and shipping to an out-of-province plastics-processing facility.
"We're pretty much open to anything, any potential reuse," Park said.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 26, 2012 B1
More Local
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
Poll
Most Popular Local
- Firefighters pull man from submerged vehicle
- Rainfall warning issued for southern Manitoba
- Apple trick on Ellen falls short for city woman
- The end of the credit card?
- Mourners line up to pay respects to Elijah Harper
- Couple faces new charges of sexual assault
- Power restored to Linden Woods after goose collides with lines
- Gentle, humble native leader who made history lies in state
- Police identify slaying victims
- WAG's 100 Masters exhibit drawing more than art aficionados
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- '2 minutes after I read the winning numbers, I retired': Winnipeg lotto winner
- Sex charges for ex-club boss
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- Police identify slaying victims
- 'Responsible Winnipeg' ads appear on sign run by mayor-owned Goldeyes' baseball park
- Woman killed in head-on crash in southwestern Manitoba
- Headingley grass fire destroys dealership's cars
- Province removing red tape in alcohol sales
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- A child-custody catastrophe
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Co-worker 'sick' today? Maybe it's the $17M flu
- '2 minutes after I read the winning numbers, I retired': Winnipeg lotto winner
- Parents, community relieved and elated as missing boy found safe
- No threat from bag found at Winnipeg Square
- Man missing since 2009 found safe
- Earls on Main going, but new one coming
- Power restored to Linden Woods after goose collides with lines
- Firefighters pull man from submerged vehicle
- Accomplished Paralympian wins seat in B.C. legislature
- Elijah Harper: The humble man who said no
- WAG's 100 Masters exhibit drawing more than art aficionados
- Rainfall warning issued for southern Manitoba
- Police identify slaying victims
- Goose gets cooked in Linden Woods
- Tuxedo residents allege nightmare neighbour
- Was it a dust-up or an assault?
- Province introduces changes to rules governing landlords, renters
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- Fishing for fashion
- Woman killed in head-on crash in southwestern Manitoba
- Sex charges for ex-club boss
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Newly minted MD a beacon for kids in youth program
- Power restored to Linden Woods after goose collides with lines
- North End proud
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- Mental-health patients get own ER
- A child-custody catastrophe
- Black market in moose thrives
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Steen invests $1M in family entertainment centre
- Earls on Main going, but new one coming
- Province introduces changes to rules governing landlords, renters
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Boost same-sex curricula: union
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.