Wanting to become more eco-conscious doesn’t have to be radical, and trying to become so doesn’t have to be a radical change.
In a partnership between the City of Winnipeg and Compost Winnipeg, locals can now bring organic and food waste to 15 locations across the city for composting. The goal is to keep food waste out of landfills to reduce the impacts of climate change. Every metric tonne of food waste kept out of a landfill equals approximately two tonnes of CO2 kept out of the atmosphere.
As organic waste breaks down in a landfill, it does so anaerobically, a process of decomposition that does not require oxygen, resulting in methane gas.
“We all know methane is a powerful greenhouse gas. It is also what lends to making our landfills smell horrible,” says Karrie Blackburn, sales and customer service lead with Compost Winnipeg. “When we also consider that 44 per cent of our household waste is organics, it also means filling our landfills twice as fast as is necessary.”
Compost Winnipeg, a social enterprise of the Green Action Centre, focuses on organic waste collection for residents, businesses, events, and, most recently, the new community food waste drop-off locations.
These locations include three 4R depots, collection centres for items which are recyclable, reusable, or compostable:
- Brady 4R Winnipeg Depot – 1825 Brady Rd.
- Pacific 4R Winnipeg Depot – 1120 Pacific Ave.
- Panet 4R Winnipeg Depot – 429 Panet Rd.
And 12 community locations:
- Corydon Community Centre – Sir John Franklin site – 1 Sir John Franklin Rd.
- Garden City Community Centre – 725 Kingsbury Ave.
- Sturgeon Heights Community Centre – 210 Rita St.
- River Osborne Community Centre – 101 Pembina Hwy.
- Lindenwoods Community Centre – 414 Lindenwoods Drive West
- Glenwood Community Centre – 27 Overton St.
- Dakota Community Centre – 1188 Dakota St.
- Turtle Island Neighbourhood Centre – 510 King St.
- Valley Gardens Community Centre – 218 Antrim Rd.
- South Winnipeg Community Centre – Waverly site – 1885 Chancellor Dr.
- Roblin Park Community Centre – 640 Pepperloaf Cres.
- Transcona Collegiate Institute – 1305 Winona St
The collected organic waste is then processed and turned into a finished compost. You can compost all food scraps, including fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, meat, fish, bones, solid fats, baked goods, grains, coffee grounds (including filters), tea bags, pet food, and food-soiled paper products. Items like plastic bags, coffee cups, glass, metal, and compostable containers (such as food containers, cups, straws, and utensils) are not permitted in compost.
Blackburn says these collection locations are just a start, with plans for the city to implement curbside composting by 2030, awaiting the development of a large-scale processing facility to manage Winnipeg’s organic waste.
“When everybody heard about the community composting coming to be a thing, they were asking, or at least the buzz was about, well, why aren’t we getting curbside? This is not, instead of, this is an interim solution until then. So, what people don’t realize is that, on an annual basis, Winnipeggers produce about 38,000 tons of organic waste. So we need a facility large enough to process all that waste.”
“Give yourself a chance to create an educated opinion about whether you want to participate or not.,” says Blackburn, as you may not realize how much of an impact it can have. She suggests starting with small, manageable steps, like separating organics, which can greatly reduce waste output and odours. For beginners, she recommends using any container with a lid, like a simple ice cream pail and suggests storing it in a cool place. Residents can use paper bags or certified compostable bags if desired, avoiding traditional plastic bags, which contaminate the compost.
“What you’ll notice is your garbage is considerably less. Your garbage doesn’t smell. You’ll have this immediate realization that it’s not as hard as it might seem, and you’ll actually feel really good about it because you’ll realize how little you send to the landfill with this teeny, tiny daily habit change.”
Compost Winnipeg’s website has all the information you need for composting, and the Green Action Centre has resources on sustainable living in Manitoba. The city’s website also lists the composting locations, with plans for expansion in future phases.
– Ryan Funk, U Multicultural
