New Release: City Reports Forecast the Future of Waste in Edmonton

On Thursday, August 29, the City's Utility Committee will discuss five reports about the future of waste management in Edmonton.

Of the five reports, Utility Committee will be asked to do the following:

• Approve proposed changes to single-unit waste set-out
• Endorse the 25-year Waste Strategy

"Through two rounds of public engagement in the past year, Edmontonians expressed passion for waste management in their city and a strong desire to get it right," said Michael Labrecque, Branch Manager, Waste Services. "The 25-year Waste Strategy and accompanying reports chart a clear path forward within a generation."

Below is a summary of what Edmontonians can expect to see debated at Utility Committee:

• 25-year Waste Strategy: Charts a broad course for managing waste and increasing diversion through a variety of actions aligned with a Zero Waste Framework, and ceasing commercial waste collection services.
• Single Unit Waste Set-Out Business Case: Recommends expanding a four-stream collection system (organics, seasonal yard waste, recycling and residual garbage) to all single-unit residences by the end of 2022. It also recommends a rate variability structure (in the range of $5-6 per month) based on the size of black cart selected (120L or 240L), and an Extra Waste Program, which will allow residents to occasionally set out excess waste for a fee.
• Waste Transition Plan: Provides a strategic overview for 2020-2022. The report outlines the priorities for short-term implementation plan of the 25-year Waste Strategy with a focus on waste diversion and reduction programs, citizen and community support, interim organics management, fiscal accountability and more.
• Waste Services Supplemental Capital Budget Adjustment: Recommends that $51.5 million (which already exists in the Capital Budget) be added to the 2019-2022 Waste Services Capital Budget to fund the capital costs of implementing a Source Separated Organics Program, as detailed in the Waste Set-out Business Case.
• Bylaw 18590: Facilitates proposed program changes including the introduction of automated collection and required source separation of waste for residential households. A number of residents who live in multi-unit residences but receive curbside collection (about 27,000 households) will see their rate adjusted to reflect their service type.

To visit the reports, visit edmonton.ca/meetings (under August 29, 2019 - Special Utility Committee).

For more information: visit edmonton.ca/futureofwaste