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Discussion with the garbage collection crews indicates
that most of this extra weight in the summer time is grass
clippings. Since grass clippings are easy to dispose of via
composting, it makes sense to consider alternative means of
disposal in order. to reduce the high cost of dumping and
collectidn.-

Solutions

The simple solution is to amend our by!aw so that we would
no longer accept grass clippings In the curbside pickup. The
residents would then have to provide their own composting or
dispose of the grass clippings at the land fill. The problem
with this simple solution is that the clippings could possibly
end up In the lanes and ditches. Some peopie would no doubt
compost their own but others would have no space or incentive
to do so. .

The other solution would be for the City to open a site
for free disposal of grass and compostable garden refuse but
not tree prunings, In conjunction with the bylaw amendment.
The problem with this solution is that if would require an
attendant to prevent dumping of other garbage and even then
there would be no guarantee that people would not simply throw
the grass over the fence.

‘A proper site for composting needs space for windrowing
the material, needs the means of locking the site “o prevent
unauthorized disposal, and should be away from people and homes
since composting material does produce a certain amount of
odor. The only reasonably suitable site ‘in the City would be
¢he former land fill site at tne end of Weilcher Avenue but you
will recat! that certain residents along Welcher Avenue did
object to the weekend traffic using the site.

°

Mechanics of Composting Operation

The following key steps would have to be taken in order to
establish a composting operation.

1e Counci! would need to make a decision on what days the
site would be available to the pubiic.

The City would advertise for a contractor to supervise the
site on the specified days.

The contract would be written In such a way that the
contractor was entirely responsible for ansuring only
grass clippings and compostable garden refuse are disposed
of and a clause In the contract would require fne
contractor to remove any unacceptable material which
inadvertently gets dumped while the public has access
under his supervision.

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