Organics pickup should be next on the list for City of Kamloops recycling

Jul 13, 2018 | 5:00 AM

WHEN YOU PUT YOUR City of Kamloops curbside recycling bins out on the street, how much do you think about what happens next to that material?

And how much are you stockpiling at your property that can’t go into the recycling bin?

Or maybe it’s just going in the garbage, when it could go elsewhere.

In my garage, you’ll find garbage bags stuffed with soft plastics and the odd glass jar.

One day, I’ll get fed up with the amount of space they’re taking up, and trundle them off to the recycling depot.

And that’s fine, because plastic bags and glass containers don’t cause any problems just by sitting around for a while.

But if the City of Kamloops really wants to make a big difference for residents, it could adopt curbside organics collection.

It’s not a foreign concept, as communities of various sizes have already implemented organics pickup.

Take the Regional District of Nanaimo, for example.

In its organics pickup, Nanaimo collects food waste like chicken bones and apple cores and moldy bread.

It also collects paper products soiled by food waste, like used coffee filters and pizza boxes.

It’s extremely convenient for users, and keeps certain materials out of the landfill that have a composting utility.

Glen Farrow with the City of Kamloops says it wouldn’t be difficult or expensive to stagger recycling, garbage and organics pickup to make an efficient service.

The problem, according to Farrow, is what the city does after it’s picked up.

Kitchen waste can’t simply be dumped at a composting facility because it would quickly become a feasting ground for vermin.

Even so, this is something Kamloops should consider seriously, and would be a terrific platform plank for a candidate in the upcoming civic election campaign.