The Comox Strathcona Waste Management service is growing its food and yard waste program. Beginning in the New Year, CSWM will receive organic materials from an expanded partnership with the City of Campbell River, City of Courtenay, Town of Comox and Village of Cumberland.

Starting Monday, Jan. 9, CSWM鈥檚 contractor will be delivering new kitchen bins to eligible households within each partner municipality. Those eligible for curbside collection service in Courtenay, Comox and Cumberland should receive a bin by Feb. 17. If not, contact the CSWM at 250-334-6016 or email cswm@comoxvalleyrd.ca.

Campbell River residents will be introduced into the program in spring. More information on specific rollout dates and kitchen bin delivery will be coming out at a later time.

The kitchen bins are to collect food waste in your kitchen before transferring into a larger bin mixed with yard waste to be set out at the curb on your collection day (please refer to your local municipality for curbside collection set out instructions). Diverting food and yard waste helps reduce pressure on the landfill, as well as the creation of harmful greenhouse gases.

Methane created by food and yard waste at the landfill creates greenhouse gases that have roughly 30 times more warming power than carbon dioxide (CO2). By using the Food and Yard Waste Program and properly disposing of your unneeded waste, you are helping to avoid the generation of landfill methane by turning your waste into nutrient-rich compost.

鈥淔ood and yard waste 鈥� organics 鈥� make up about 30 per cent of what our region sends to the landfill. It can be better managed by composting, and the CSWM is committed to expanding our organics program to improve our sustainability in waste management,鈥� said CSWM co-chair Will Cole-Hamilton.

鈥淭he new CSWM composting facility in Campbell River and transfer station in the Comox Valley will be fully operational in 2023 and be able to process the food and yard waste from the 30,000 residents in the region participating in this service,鈥� CSWM co-chair Mark Baker added.