Saskatoon residents still refusing green bins: City of Saskatoon

The city of Saskatoon says some residents continue to refuse the new green bin upon attempted delivery.

The bin is designed for food and yard waste and is part of the city-wide composting program that aims to divert waste from the landfill.

The city says of the 32,000 bins delivered so far, about 120 residents have refused.

Brendan Lemke, the city’s director of water and waste operations, says the main concerns he’s hearing is around space.

“Everybody’s got to figure out where to put that third cart, and sometimes it’s easier than for others. For those who have front-street collection, you might have to get a little bit creative,” Lemke said.

The fee for the new green cart program will show up on utility bills, costing the average homeowner $6.73.

But those who refuse the bin will still be charged for the program.

The city is urging people to try the new composting program before writing it off.

In the fall, the city will begin a formal process where people can request to refuse the green cart.

As a result of the new green cart, the city is moving to bi-weekly collection. The bi-weekly and green cart collection is scheduled to begin in May.

The city says it has a third-party contractor who is responsible for cart deployment. The cart delivery has been delayed because of weather, according to the city, but staffing has increased to ensure delivery remains on schedule.

The city says about 57 per cent of what’s thrown in garbage bins can be composted. It estimates the green bin program will divert 20,000 tonnes, or about 3,300 garbage truck loads, from the landfill every year.