Curbside Residential Organics
Reporting & Decision Updates
On Monday, October 25, City Council approved the recommendation by the Administration to implement a fixed monthly rate for the curbside organics utility for January 2023 and a variable rate for the garbage (black cart) utility for 2024.
The administration will proceed with developing a waste utility affordability program focusing on a transitional approach and is scheduled to report back by Q3, 2022.
Curbside Organics Program (Coming Spring 2023)
The new program will be an increase in service from the current subscription-based program; accepting more organic material and introducing year-round bi-weekly collections. The additional organic material to be accepted includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Baked goods
- Bread, cereal and pasta
- Dairy products
- Salad dressings, and other condiments
- Meats
- Food soiled napkins
- Waxed paper
- Fats and cooking oils
Why is this important?
Approximately 32% of total regional waste is organic. Keeping organic waste out of the landfill reduces the strain on garbage collection systems and increases the lifespan of landfills. It avoids the creation of harmful greenhouse gases and leachate that occurs when organic matter breaks down in landfills.
Mandatory, co-mingled green cart for year-round collection of food and yard waste provides the highest waste diversion potential (estimated at 26,000 tonnes). It is anticipated that resident participation will be high as it will have less of a learning curve than recycling and residents will not be required to separate food and yard waste. The cart will also prodive adequate capacity for all property types.
For information on Organics, please see the Fact Sheet.
Decision History
In September 2020, the City announced a long-term contract with Green Prairie Environmental LTD for processing curbside organic materials from the single-family residential sector starting in 2023.
In 2020, $10,000,000 was allocated to the Curbside Organics Program from the Federal Gas Tax Fund for the purchase of green carts.
Council Reports
- Curbside Organics Program Waste Bylaw Change (December 2021)
- Waste Utility, Timing, Phase-In and Affordability Options (October 2021)
- Curbside Organics Collection: Affordability Threshold and Triple Bottom Line Approach to Tendering Collections (August 2021)
- Solid Waste Program Funding Models: Implications and Considerations for Change (August 2021)
- Curbside Organics Collection Options (June 2021) / June 16 News Release
- Curbside Organics Collection (May 2021)
- Curbside Organics Processing Contract (September 2020)
- Curbside Organics and Waste Funding Options (March 2019)
- Curbside Waste and Orgranics Programs Updates (January 2019)
- Additional Information on Waste and Organics (November 2018)
- Additional Information on Waste and Organics Cost and Funding (October 2018)
- Organics Program Update (August 2018)
- Recommended Changes to Waste Management in Saskatoon (June 2018)