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.