Green carts for scraps could be next: city

Calgary homeowners could someday have a green bin to go alongside their blue and black ones.

The city wants to cut down on organic materials like grass clippings and food scraps ending up in landfills.

Dave Griffiths, director of waste and recycling services, said a green cart pilot project could take place in a select area of the city.

"It would be a group of homes," said Griffiths. "We haven't determined how big yet and how much variety that we would test out there yet, but the first stage is to actually have a few questions to our residents to talk about different styles of collection."

Grass clippings and food scraps produce greenhouse gases, and the city is committed to diverting 80 per cent of waste from its landfills by 2020.

That's why the council committee has approved the small pilot project next year to see if more organics can be diverted.

Griffiths said that could be accomplished in a number of ways.

"We've talked today about whether it would be another cart-based operation or opportunity, or if it's a leaf and yard bag the paper bag referred to as craft bags," he said.

The city estimates a green cart system could take 70,000 tons of organic material out of landfills every year.

The issue goes to city council next month.