City wants public input on waste diversion from Saskatoon condos, apartments

The City of Saskatoon wants to hear from people living in condos and apartments on how to divert waste from the landfill.

The goal of diverting 70 per cent of Saskatoon’s garage waste by 2023 was set by the city.

READ MORE: Pilot project diverts waste from Saskatoon landfill and offers free compost, mulch

City officials said six per cent of Saskatoon’s trash comes from multi-unit residential buildings, which is estimated at 8,600 tonnes annually.

They added 61 per cent of this waste, primarily food and recyclable materials, could be diverted through programs, policies and participation.

“Approximately 34 per cent of housing in Saskatoon is multi-unit residential,” Brenda Wallace, the city’s director of environmental and corporate initiatives, said in a press release.

“To extend the life of our landfill, it is critical to add multi-unit organics collection, review current waste services, look for innovative diversion ideas from our residents, and develop a sustainable funding model for waste.”

READ MORE: How a Saskatoon organization is hoping to repurpose 24K tonnes of food waste

Wallace said the cost of closing the existing landfill and establishing a new one is estimated at $126 million.

Property managers and people living in multi-unit buildings are invited to participate in a series of engagement activities this month as part of the city’s ongoing “Saskatoon Talks Trash” campaign.

The project aims to identify barriers and ideas for organics collection programs, improving recycling services, and other ways to divert garage.

Public engagement events start Sunday and conclude on June 15. Online surveys will be open between June 3 and June 22.

For information on event locations and dates, visit the city online.