The Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO) is one step closer to implementing a curbside food waste collection program for Central Okanagan residents.
During the board meeting on Thursday, February 22, the Regional Board was presented with results from recent public engagement on a curbside food waste collection program. The purpose of the initial engagement was to gain an understanding of public acceptance of a curbside food waste collection program as well as identify concerns residents may have. Results of the engagement show a high level of support for a curbside food waste collection program.
“We’ve heard loud and clear the support from residents to manage food waste differently and responsibly to protect our environment and combat climate change,” says Loyal Wooldridge, Chair of the Regional Board. “What we’ve discovered through this engagement is that people enthusiastically support a curbside food waste collection program in the Central Okanagan. We’re excited to see this initiative advance with staff exploring creative and economical options for a curbside program to minimize food waste in the landfill.”
The engagement was conducted in the fall of 2023 and included a statistically valid survey of over 1800 residents, as well as education and engagement opportunities through the Regional District’s engagement platform yoursay.rdco.com. 2700 residents visited the site, providing feedback, asking questions or participating in an online forum.
Key findings of preliminary engagement:
- 73% of respondents are enthusiastic about a curbside food waste program.
- Primary concerns include cost and pick-up schedules.
- Barriers include wildlife & pests, plus odors & mess.
Based on engagement results, which can be viewed at yoursay.rdco.com, the Regional Board has now given staff the green light to proceed with developing a curbside food waste collection service. The service design phase will include determining where composting of food waste will take place, if a transfer station is required and considerations for siting, costs related to collection, transport, and processing of food waste, frequency of collection and identifying further public consultation and education needs.
The service model will then be presented to local levels of government and include additional feedback from the public. Continued feedback from the public will help staff design an effective program, including how often garbage, recycling and organic waste should be collected and how to address barriers.
Residents are encouraged to stay up to date on the project by visiting yoursay.rdco.com.