Heaps of praise for compost program

North Kildonan

St. Vital

Garden City

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This article was published 29/01/2025 (559 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Local community centres are seeing encouraging signs that residents are embracing the food waste drop-off stations that were introduced last October.

Compost Winnipeg, in partnership with the City of Winnipeg, is spearheading the initiative, which aims to keep food waste out of landfills and reducing greenhouse gases by using the drop-off stations to help reduce the impact of climate change.

The program is expected to run until a city-wide green cart curbside food waste collection program is introduced, which is expected to be in 2030.

There are currently 15 drop-off locations across the city, at 11 community centres, three 4R Winnipeg depots, and Transcona Collegiate.

Karrie Blackburn, sales and customer service lead at Compost Winnipeg, said a number of factors were considered when choosing the locations, including population density.

“We’re hoping to expand, and we’re trying to find a balance,” Blackburn said. She said Compost Winnipeg is collecting between five and six tonnes of food waste a week from the bins, a total which has surpassed their expectations as they pass the three-month mark of the initiative.

“It’s been very well received, and interest is growing still.”

Blackburn said organizers have also been pleased by how respectful users have been:

“There’s been no illegal dumping so far, nobody dumping couches or anything,” she said.

As well as traditional composted food waste items such as fruit and vegetable scraps, meat, fish and bones are also accepted in the new green bins, as are solid fats, including butter, cooled bacon grease and meat trimmings.

In the paper products category, items such as food-soiled paper towels and napkins, paper plates, and greasy paper takeout bags and pizza boxes are also accepted.

“If people are curious, I’d encourage them to just try this for a week and see what happens,” Blackburn said.

“A lot of people are amazed and surprised when they find out what they’re not sending to the landfill and composting instead,” she added. “We’ve been seeing an impact in an immediate way, and it’s good for the environment, as things are going back into the earth.”

Mandy Furney, general manager at Valley Gardens Community Centre (218 Antrim Rd.), said some community members have quickly taken to the bins. The centre currently has four of them.

“When I talked with people who were coming to drop things off, they really appreciated this option,” Furney said.

Despite some initial concerns from the centre’s board — surrounding issues such as wasps, potential mess and the size of the bins — Furney said once more information became available, “we thought we should at least try it.”

“The response to the program has been great, and some people were ready for this in advance,” she said.

Glenwood Community Centre (27 Overton St.) also has four bins. The centre’s president, Shawn Fraser, said one of the benefits of having the bins on-site is convenience.

‘It’s nice because things are being picked up and taken away to a facility,” Fraser said, noting there was an abundance of pumpkins in the bins after Halloween. “It’s also good that they’re taking pizza boxes.”

“Things are going really well,” he added. “Some weeks they come twice to collect the waste. Less garbage in the landfill is a win-win for everyone involved.”

Fraser said the bins also bring people to the centre.

“It’s another reason for people to come to the community centre, as lots of them are already coming take part in sporting events or use the rink,” Fraser said. “We try to encourage people in the area to come to the centre and come and see what’s going on, such as our community gardens for example.”

Margie Reis, general manager at Garden City Community Centre (725 Kingsbury Ave.), which has two bins, said some neighbourhood folks quickly got on board.

“It was actually used very quickly. Word got out fast,” Reis said, noting there was a little hesitation at first, which didn’t last long. “It’s been amazing, and news travelled fast. Our staff haven’t had any issues, and the bins take care of themselves.

“Kudos to the program — they’ve definitely followed through on their promise about it being minimum work for the host facilities,” she added.