Food waste drop-off sites now in operation

Transcona

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This article was published 06/11/2024 (305 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The City of Winnipeg, in partnership with the Green Action Centre’s social enterprise, Compost Winnipeg, has rolled out a food waste drop-off program with 15 locations throughout the city. In Transcona, residents can bring their compostable food waste to drop-off stations at the Panet 4R Winnipeg Depot, located at 429 Panet Rd. or to the Transcona Collegiate Institute drop-off, located in the parking lot behind the high school. The Transcona Collegiate drop-off is available to residents at all hours.

According to a report presented in May to the standing policy committee on water, waste and environment, the program funding includes a $65,000 financial incentives for compost grant, administered by the city’s public service. The grant is expected to renew annually “until a city-wide green cart program is operational.” The green cart program was piloted in several areas of the city from October 2020 to September 2022 and is referred to in the report as a keystone project, without which Winnipeg will not reach the 50 per cent waste diversion target rate that city council approved in 2011.

Of the 25 most populated cities in Canada, only Winnipeg, the sixth most populous, and Windsor, Ont., the 23rd most populous, do not currently have green bin collection programs. Windsor’s food waste collection program is scheduled to begin in 2025. Winnipeg has committed to implementing a green bin collection program by 2030, at the latest, with the potential to begin food waste collection as early as 2026.

The city estimates that nearly one-quarter of all household garbage is composed of food waste products. While many Winnipeggers make use of backyard and community garden compost bins, the citywide food waste collection program can process organics that are more likely to attract pests in a traditional backyard setup. Meat, fish, poultry, bones, fats (including solid oils, grease-stained paper or cardboard containers, and greasy foods), eggs, dairy products, breads, rice, grains, cereals, candy, condiments, sauces, pet food, waxed paper, parchment paper, and plate scrapings can all be deposited in the food waste drop-off bins, alongside organics that could be processed in a backyard compost bin.

For a full list of acceptable food waste items, residents can consult a downloadable pdf available through www.winnipeg.ca/services-programs/recycling-garbage/food-waste, or use the Recyclepedia lookup tool for specific items, available as an app or at simplyrecycle.ca