Timmins considering options for city-wide composting program
Officials in Timmins say the city's main landfill site is filling up and they're studying the possibility of launching a city-wide composting program.
They said 43 per cent of the garbage going to the dump is food waste and it's time to consider how to bring that statistic down to extend the life of the landfill.
“There’s a growing concern when it comes to preserving resources and improving the environment," said Scott Tam, manager of environmental services for the City of Timmins. "Is it timely? I think so. There’s always better we can do."
Tam's department has worked with firms to conduct feasibility studies and he met with council this week to present the options.
“If the city does have an appetite to implement a composting program … then we can start rolling the logistic," he said.
"How does the municipality want to run it? Do we want to get into co-digestion -- that’s the other question -- or do we just want to run a run-of-the-mill curbside program? Once we get a couple of those questions answered, we’ll be able to facilitate or at least manage and plan what we can do in the next few years."
Coun. Cory Robin said composting is a good idea and that it's something the city should consider. But he has concerns about the costs, especially when the city is not mandated to do it, considering the population is less than 50,000 people.
“I think right now we don’t have information to determine if it’s too expensive," Robin said.
"I can’t tell you how much taxes will increase for it. There’s too many questions outstanding. But as these reports come in we’ll be able to figure out exactly what it’s going to cost and then we can make an educated guess. But right now I don't know."
Tam said the cost of a composting program depends on what council wants. He said he will be returning to council with an updated report in a couple of weeks.
In the meantime, people are encouraged to share with councillors and city officials what kind of composting system they would like for the city.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for 'all parties' to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.