$3 million for organic recycling

St. Albert should have automated garbage trucks and organic recycling next summer, says the city's finance committee, and should spend $3 million to get it.

The standing committee on finance recommended the city spend $3 million next year to create a fully automated biweekly trash collection system by June 2011, one that would include yard and organic waste recycling. The recommendation follows through on a 2009 motion to make this switch.

This would be the biggest change in trash collection since blue-bag recycling if approved by council. Instead of slinging bags by hand, trash collectors would empty carts using a robotic arm. Instead of putting out two containers — a blue bag and a trashcan — residents would put out three: a blue bag, a trash cart and an organics cart.

And instead of having two trucks pick up junk every week, there would be three trucks every other week — one for trash, one for blue bags, and one for organics.

Lower operating costs mean the city could recover its $3 million in as little as five years, the Gazette estimates. But the average two-bag-a-week household would have to pay about $2.23 more a month.

Coun. Carol Watamaniuk said she was excited about the proposal. "This is a huge move forward in our waste collection."

Save more, trash less

St. Albert is switching to the Roseridge landfill in 2011, said Glenn Tompolski, public works director. As it's farther away, the city would need to buy seven new trucks and hire four people to keep its current trash system working. "It is the most expensive option," he said, and would cost about $3 million a year to operate. The monthly trash bill for a two-bag family would rise to $22.16 from $18.30.

At the same time, said environmental manager Leah Jackson, the city is working to reduce its trash loads. The city has committed to compost or recycle about 65 per cent of its trash by 2020 and currently sits at 37 per cent. "If you look at a typical household … over 50 per cent of what people throw out is actually organic material."

Tompolski and Jackson recommended the city switch to fully automated trucks. The trucks are bigger than the current model, meaning fewer gas-burning trips to the landfill, and have mechanical arms to pick up trash, reducing worker injuries.

If the city also brought in organic recycling at the same time, it could also start collecting trash every other week. Once you take organics and recyclables out of the trash, Jackson explained, there isn't a lot left to collect, so you don't have to collect it as often. Organics and recycling would be collected every week from April to October to avoid smell problems, which should eliminate the need for more expensive vented carts.

The city would need to hire two people and buy five trucks and 19,400 carts to make these changes at a cost of $3,042,000, according to a report presented to the committee. "Although your capital cost increases," Tompolski said, "your operating costs decrease."

This system would cost about $2.4 million a year to run, saving the city about $640,000 a year. Staff recommended this money come from internal borrowing.

The changes would raise the monthly trash bill for a two-bag family to $24.39, according to the report. Strathcona County and Spruce Grove pay $21 to $26 a month for similar services.

The cost of extra tags, curbside recycling and all current subscription levels would stay the same under the proposed new system; the price difference is the result of a change in the flat rate plus $4.93 for organic recycling. The cost to run the compost depot (currently $1.51 a month) would drop to $0.85 due to decreased use.

Training required

The city would need an extensive public education campaign to prepare people for these changes, Jackson said. Residents would have to learn when and where to put out their carts and what to put in each. Soil, diapers and rags would still go in the trash, for example, but all kitchen waste would go into the organics cart.

The proposed changes are set to go before council on June 28. Full details can be found in the most recent finance committee report at www.stalbert.ca/standing-committee-on-finance.