Côte Saint-Luc helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions through city-wide organic waste collection program

Côte Saint-Luc, January 19, 2009 – In the first 12 weeks of organic waste collection in Côte Saint-Luc, the city has collected 215 tonnes (472,000 pounds) of kitchen and garden waste—which is more than the weight of a Boeing 747 aircraft.

“We have surpassed our goal for the amount of waste being diverted to compost facilities,” Mayor Anthony Housefather said. “Our residents have demonstrated that people on the island of Montreal are ready to make a small change in how they dispose of household waste.”

Côte Saint-Luc estimates that the average household produces about 40 pounds (18 kilograms) of household waste each week. The 5,000 single-family homes and duplexes who participate in the organic waste collection program—sometimes called the brown bin program—put about 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms) of kitchen and garden waste into their brown bin container each week—which represents about 50 percent of all their organic waste. The rest of their waste goes in blue boxes, in the garbage or in the case of household hazardous waste or construction materials is brought to the Côte Saint-Luc Public Works depot at 7001 Mackle Rd.

Côte Saint-Luc transports the organic waste to a composting facility in Montreal East, which run by the company EBI. The waste is transformed into nutrient-rich compost. By comparison, when organic waste is sent to a landfill (garbage) site, it decomposes and releases methane, which is about 25 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. About 38 percent of Canada’s total methane emissions come from landfill sites.

“Every time you put your table scraps into your brown bin, you are helping reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the Montreal region,” said Councillor Dida Berku, the council member responsible for environmental issues. “So, Côte Saint-Luc residents aren’t just helping produce compost for gardens. We are also helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

According to a 2007 report published by Recyc-Québec and Éco-entreprises Québec, 47 percent of household waste can be composted and another 40 percent can be recycled.

Côte Saint-Luc was the first city on the island of Montreal to introduce to all single-family homes and duplexes curbside collection of organic waste, such as leftover fruits and vegetables, pasta, tea bags, meat, grass clippings, flowers and much more. Similar programs are already underway across Canada.

“Our organic waste collection program was relatively easy to start, less costly than many believe thanks to provincial funding, and popular with residents,” said Councillor Steven Erdelyi, who researched other programs before helping launch it in Côte Saint-Luc. “We hope to become one of the first municipalities in Quebec to reach the provincial goal of diverting 60 percent of its waste. Based on the positive feedback we have received from our constituents, I think we’ll make it.”

Residents can visit ecoCSL.org or call 514-485-6868 for more information.

For more information: Darryl Levine, Director of Public Affairs and Communications, 514-485-8905, dlevine@cotesaintluc.org