Peterborough County mulls options for countywide organics program

Peterborough County councillors were presented with three possible options for a countywide organics program. The goal is to extend the life of the Bensfort Road landfill site.

Peterborough County could be following the City of Peterborough with its own curbside organics program to help reduce landfill waste.

On Wednesday, county councillors were presented with several options for a possible countywide organics program. The city began its own organics program last fall.

County staff said an organics study and trial programs estimate a countywide program could annually divert 4,500 tonnes of green waste. The city estimates up to 5,600 tonnes of organics can be diverted through its curbside program.

Kerri Snoddy, the county’s manager of waste management, says the goal is to help extend the life of the Peterborough County-City waste management landfill on Bensfort Road in the city.

“It’s not just us that has about 10 years left of capacity in our landfill,” she said. “All across Ontario, municipalities are facing the same issue.”

County staff say the program options include a curbside organics collection at all addresses that currently receive weekly curbside garbage and recycling collection.

The program would see the county spend up to $2.1 million to purchase and provide green bins and kitchen catchers to homes. Over a 10-year-period, the program is estimated to cost over $2.2 million annually.

A second option would have the county purchase and provide countertop composters to all households. The program would have a startup cost of $3 million to $4 million and cost over $1.8 million annually over a 10-year period.