Halifax to seek input on new composting system

Halifax plans to overhaul its composting system.

"The existing facilities are at the end of their useful life," saidMattKeliher, head of the municipality's solid waste division.

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Halifax's two compost plants, inBurnsideandGoodwood, weredesigned to handle 50,000tonnesof food waste a year.

Thefacilities are now taking in 53,000 tonnesand the municipalitycontinues to grow.

What to allow in green bins

The province has also adopted new guidelines that lengthenthe time food waste should be processed before it's considereda quality compost.

A public meeting on the composting system will be held Mondayatthe DartmouthSportsplex. Halifax officials expect people will havesomething to say about what isallowed in the green bins.

"Knowing that residents want grass back in the system, or pet wastein the system, is extremely important to know so that staff can work to build a facility that can handle them,"Kelihersaid.

• Halifax council considers call for private sector compost proposals

There is also a groundswell of opinion that weekly green cart pickup,done in the summer months, should be extended into September.

Thatcould happen before a new facility is in place.

Designing new system

"We are having warmer Septembers," said Bill Karsten,councillorfor District 3, Dartmouth South-Eastern Passage,

"I've asked them tobuild it into the next budget."

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In developing a new composting facility, Halifax could eitherrenovate its two existing plants or build acompletely new facility at a different location.

"I think officials want to find out if people are at all in tune with the idea of awaste-to-energy program," said Karsten.

Residents have until Dec. 1to fill out an online survey aboutHalifax's composting system.

A report is expected to go to regional council by March 2017.