Curbside recycling and organics pickup is the Town of Creston’s end game.
Creston’s Manager of Engineering Colin Farynowski, staff and Council have discussed the transition in a positive light in multiple meetings.
The regional District of Central Kootenay’s new partnership with Recycle BC was a crucial step.
As for the Town, separating solid waste management from property taxes and instead billing each household was also a vehicle for allowing new curbside services.
Many more steps will be taken to should the Town move forward as was highlighted in their July 21, 2020 Committee of the Whole Meeting.
Waste management specialist, Carey McIver of Carey McIver & Associates Ltd. outlined her delegation’s work and agenda.
They included:
- current collection program
- collection options for a new program
- a Request For Proposal (RFP) to go out and ask the industry what it would cost to provide the service.
- Proposal evaluations and cost implications
- community consultation and assistance and recommendations to Council
“While some programs have gone out to the community before they know they true cost, we recommended that you get the actual cost and go out and consult and ask the public what they would like and then you would be ready to make a decision in November as you’re considering your budget for the next year,” said McIver.
A multitude of collection options were displayed during the meeting with a varying degree of estimated costs. However, until the RFP is finalized, those costs won’t be truly known.
Methods of collection and the entire presentation may be found in the following link.
SEE: COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING CURBSIDE PICKUP PRESENTATION
It weighs manual vs. automated collection. In-house collection versus securing a private company. Frequency of pickup and size of containers for solid waste, organics and recyclable materials.
Already, TOC staff and the RDCK have been working in partnership with McIver & Associates Ltd.
For the new system to work in Creston, varying ideas were discussed by staff and McIver’s associate, Jeff Ainge.
- yard waste being also ‘allowed’ in the organics bin
- using a hybrid system of manual recycling pickup and automated solid waste pickup
- making the garbage and organics waste bins bear proof
- lowering cost of organics pickup versus solid waste to incentivize the program
Staff has been directed to continue to work with Carey McIver & Associates Ltd. and once the RFP yields results, a decision will have to be made by Council on the next step to take.
Until then, the current system in town will remain in place.
