Hi there, thanks for the question, and apologies for the delayed response. 

Indeed, understanding the full life-cycle emissions and economic costs of waste management systems is important, and is also extremely complicated.

 It is widely understood that preventing methane generation from landfilled organic waste is a priority. We know that methane is produced from rotting organic waste landfills (landfill emissions account for 23% of national methane generated). We also know that methane as a greenhouse gas is up to 80X more effective than C02 at trapping heat in the atmosphere over a 20 year period.

 A few other things to consider:

• Organic waste takes up space in landfills, which are finite facilities that once full, have to be closed and remediated, which is extremely costly
  1. Finding a new site for, and building a new landfill is astronomically expensive, a scenario we want to avoid/prevent for as long as possible
• Organic waste in landfills also create challenges with managing the liquid run-off that oozes out from them over time. Reducing the amount of organics landfilled reduces the cost and challenge of managing this material (known as leachate).
• Diversion of organics for the production of compost at commercial facilities creates a valuable soil amendment that is otherwise going to waste. We lose a football field of soil every hour on planet earth, so anything we can do to replenish soils through sustainable, circular systems is a win for both people and the environment.
  1. Healthy soils where compost has been applied has more nutrients, better water retention, and C02 capture capabilities. Farmers truck in compost from out of region. Is it not a benefit to have a source of locally produced, high quality compost made from a material that is currently being landfilled? How do you quantify the value of local soil improvement and reduced trucking of out of region compost?
     
     

As for life-cycle costs for collections and processing infrastructure in comparison to letting organics rot in our landfills, we are not able to conduct such a detailed assessment. We do know that based on significant federal, provincial, and local funding to get these facilities and program started that organics diversion is a shared goal that will benefit the whole region at a reduced cost. Continuing to landfill organic waste is not an option. 90% of BC already has centralized organic waste processing capacity.

At a high level, we know that the prevention of methane via landfill diversion has a greater emissions reduction impact that the emissions associated with collections, transportation, and processing. We used GHG emissions calculators from the Federal and Provincial governments to make these determinations during initial design and system selection for composting.

In doing a bit of digging, I wonder if this article would be able to address some of your skepticism and questions: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652620308039

Thanks again, we hope this response adds to understanding on the “why’s” of organic diversion in our region.
Feel free to get in touch directly to discuss further.

 Matt, and RDCK Resource Recovery.

Hi there,
Thanks for the great question. Organics diversion services for Nakusp is part of the RDCK's Resource Recovery Plan, and work is being done to support options for the Nakusp area to participate. We agree that keeping as much waste out of landfills as possible is essential, for many reasons including wildlife, pests, and environmental issues. Stay tuned as we work towards expanded organic waste diversion services. For now, disposal of organic waste is only available at the following sites:
- Grohman Narrows Transfer Station
- Ootischenia Landfill
- Central (Salmo) Transfer Station
- Creston Landfill

Hi there!
Any container that meets you needs in terms of sizing etc. can be used. A 5 gallon bucked with a clasping lid works really well and usually won't be too heavy to lift into the car or dump at the disposal facility. Something like this one would work well. https://www.homehardware.ca/en/24l-white-maxi-garbage-can-with-lid/p/4438371. As long as the container is less that 120 liters, it can be disposed of at the container price ($2.50, or 1 disposed of for free if brought with mixed waste). 

Hi there,
Sorry for the confusion. You can bring any amount of organic waste to any of the four organic waste disposal facilities, with or without other waste categories. There is a per container charge, and a charge by weight if you exceed 4 containers. 

The per container fee is $2.50. The minimum weight charge is $9.75. 

That said, if you bring in organic waste by the container, with any amount of mixed waste (garbage), you can dispose of one container of organics for free. For example, if you bring in a bag of garbage to Grohman, it would cost you $4.00 for the garbage, and $0.00 for the container of organics. If you had one bag of garbage, and 2 containers of organics, it would cost you $4.00 for the garbage, and $2.50 for the 2 containers of organics. 

Hope that makes sense, let us know if not and we'll try to clarify :)
Cheers,

Hello!
Thanks for the feedback, Disposal of waste at all RDCK sites is very similar. You enter the site and are charged by the Attendants either by weight or by volume.
A container of organic waste can be up to 120 liters, but more likely it will be something like a 5 gallon bucket. Staff at the sites will direct you to the correct bin, and there is also plenty of signage. You will need to lift it over the safety gate railing and dump into the organics bin, just like any other waste category. 

Once full/when needed, bins are transported to a composting facility for processing.
Let us know if any of that is unclear!
Thanks, 

Hi there,

The distribution plan for compost to make it to residents in the RDKB is still being developed. Given programs to accept and process organic waste into compost at our facilities has just started up, it will take some time before there is a supply of compost available for residents. Once there is a plan, both the RDCK and the RDKB will be notifying residents who have an interest in purchasing or receiving compost. Stay tuned!  

RDCK Resource Recovery

Hi there, 

Thanks for your question. The RDCK is not involved in the City of Nelson's program to supply appliances to residents for organic waste diversion, and does not have a program to provide units to RDCK residents. 

If you possess an appliance that grinds and dehydrates food waste, that material can either be composted at home, or if available in your area, brought to an RDCK facility that accepts organic waste for disposal. Please visit our website for up-to-date information on which facilities accept separated organic waste. rdck.ca/organics

If you are wanting to bring your regular organic waste to RDCK facilities, such as kitchen scraps, cooked foods, meats and bones, food soiled paper, and other accepted organic wastes, you can either bring in your material by the container, or if you have more than 4 containers, you can drop it off by weight. 

If you are bringing in your containers (max 120L) with your regular garbage, the first container is free to dispose of. After that, containers are charged at $2.20 each.

Thanks again,

RDCK Resource Recovery

Hi, thanks for your questions, 

Information for the City of Nelson Organics Program can be found at nelson.ca/organics. The RDCK is working with the City of Nelson to support receiving the pre-treated material collected from their residential program, and composting it at the RDCK composting facility in Salmo. The City of Nelson program is only for residents of the municipality, and the RDCK has determined that the same method would not be as cost-effective as providing 3-stream curbside services to the Electoral Areas, at this time, and would likely divert less material from the landfill. The RDCK composting facility in Salmo will also be receiving organic wastes from the City of Castlegar and Regional District of Kootenay Boundary Greater Trail Area curbside collection program, as well as the commercial and institutional sectors, including grocery stores, over time.

Hi, thanks for the question,

The RDCK currently relies on municipalities with curbside services, haulers, and RDCK facility staff to ensure only acceptable materials are received into the composting facilities through education and waste-spotting. Contamination that makes it into the facilities is removed by operators who screen every load, and remove non-compostable items throughout the entire composting process.