City explores ‘pay-as-you-throw’ garbage collection to increase waste diversion
NANAIMO — As Nanaimo residents continue to familiarize themselves with the last major change to their garbage collection, the City is already turning attention to another ambitious sanitation project.
A staff report presented to Council this week outlined the concept of transitioning to a “pay-as-you-throw” system, reducing the number of times garbage would be collected and charging extra fees for more pickups.
“This is the most progressive way we can manage our waste collection and I think the best way we can increase diversion in our community. It certainly represents a big change,” Charlotte Davis, manager of sanitation and recycling, told Council.
Davis said Nanaimo’s diversion rate (the amount of waste diverted away from the landfill) remained stagnant at 64 per cent since the green bin program was implemented in 2012. The Regional District of Nanaimo’s long term goal is a 90 per cent diversion rate.