Residential Curbside Organics Program
2025 Program Overview
Why do we need this?
From 2011 to 2023 the city observed a 54% increase of in-city refuse during the months of May to October relative to the rest of the year. During the summer of 2022 a waste audit was completed of in-city refuse and found that organic material (yard and food waste) made up 52% of the total refuse by weight.
Have Residents been asked about a potential curbside organics program?
Yes, in the spring of 2021 all Yorkton residents were invited to take part in a survey. Of the respondents 64% voted in favor of an organics collection program with an additional 26% responding ‘maybe depending on cost.’ In 2023 we completed a pilot project for a curbside organics program which encompassed 407 households. 89.5% of households participated at least once during the pilot duration. At the conclusion of the pilot project a survey was conducted with all participants in which 65% of the 119 respondents were in support of a seasonal organics program with another 28% stating ‘maybe depending on cost’.
Does this fit with the City’s strategic plan?
Both the City of Yorkton Strategic Plan and City of Yorkton Environmental Committee Strategic Plan include a focal point on the “Environment.” Both plans identify the Environment with a goal to “promote environmental responsibility, sustainability, and stewardship, reduce the impact on the environment, encourage the community to follow conservation methods, promote the reduction of waste and adopt environmentally responsible practices. This proposed program directly aligns with both the City’s and Environmental Committee’s current strategic plans.
Advantages to doing this?
1) Extends the life of the landfill by saving space.
Since 2011 we have observed an average increase of 1150 tonnes during the months of May to October.
2) Reduction of greenhouse gases.
Methane is produced when materials decompose in a landfill. Without oxygen, decomposition happens anaerobically which means that methane is produced. Methane is a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide and contributes to climate change.
3) Produces a valuable and useful end product.
With proper management organics can be turned into compost which is a usable product at the landfill.
Cost to Residents?
Residents will see a $2.00/month net increase to their solid waste management levy (garbage, organics, recycling) effective April 1st, 2025. The cost for rolling out this program is $3.00 per month BUT we have also included a $1.00 reduction to the recycling levy resulting in a net increase of $2.00 per month.
In an effort to keep charges to a minimum for residents the initial bin purchase was made through city financial reserves.
Program Details:
Scope of the Program:
Weekly curbside organics collection program.
• Weekly garbage pickup will also still occur.
Collection day:
Residents will be notified at time of bin deployment what day organics collection will occur.
Duration:
Week of April 14th – November 3rd annually.
Bin Delivery:
Now till early April.
Residents affected:
All single family houses and duplex households.
Products that will be accepted:
Leaves, grass clippings and garden/yard waste ONLY.
Excludes: Food waste, tree branches, plastic packaging/bags.
• Compostable bags will be allowed.
Why not food waste??
Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment regulates how organics must be handled/processed. Food waste would require additional handling and infrastructure requirements which would increase the program cost resulting in a larger levy to residents. Waste audits in past years found that 83% of the organic waste collected was specifically yard waste, so at this time we will focus our efforts to divert this larger percentage material.
Green Cart Size: 95 Gallon/360 Liter - same as our current black carts.
