News Release
HRM COMPOSTING PROGRAM STRAINED BY LEAVES!!!
(Wednesday, May 2/2001)-- A long winter and damage from a recent ice storm have resulted in extraordinarily high volumes of leaf and yard waste for HRM's green cart composting system.
Brian Smith, Director of Solid Waste Resources, is encouraging residents to help out by limiting the amount of yard waste they set out at the curb during the month of May.
"Although we have made special arrangements for separate collection and composting of yard material this spring, our system is straining under the weight of what is really too much of a good thing," said Smith. "For example, last week our two HRM compost plants received approximately 750 tonnes of green cart material and yard waste. This compares to more typical weekly tonnages of 300 tonnes per week."
HRM is seeking the cooperation of all residents in trying to reduce the current peak demand for composting services at the curbside and smoothing it out so it is more manageable.
Councillor Reg Rankin, Chair of the HRM Solid Waste Resource Advisory Committee, said "HRM residents have been doing very well at separating their waste so valuable material can be turned into useful products like compost. Unfortunately, we now have peaks in the Spring and Fall where leaves, grass clippings and the like are coming at us all at once, making it difficult to manage this material effectively. "
HRM is encouraging residents to help reduce the yard waste peak by the following:
For further information, please visit HRM's Waste Resources website at http://www.halifax.ca/recycle/
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Jim Bauld
Coordinator, Diversion Planning
(902) 490-7176
John O'Brien
Corporate Communications Officer
(902) 490-6531
