Greater Sudbury considering expanding composting and recycling programs

Some Sudbury city councillors want to see changes to encourage more recycling and composting. Currently between 40 and 50 per cent of households in the city use a green cart.

Councillors and staff discussed the issue Monday evening. The city is preparing business case options to get more people to recycle and compost. Those options are expected to be deliberated later this year during 2018 budget talks.

Currently, only households on a curbside pick up route can participate in the green cart program. It's not available to industrial, commercial or institutional sectors or special events.

Councillor Fern Cormier says he has concerns about rolling out the program in other residential buildings such as high rise apartments.

"If we haven't got the participation rate from the single-family level yet, the easiest ones to engage in this program, I have grave concerns trying to get people in high rise buildings to do it," he said.

"It's a little more challenging for them given the infrastructure they have on their own individual properties."

Councillor Evelyn Dutrisac says education could help boost the current participation rates.

"I firmly believe that people are responsible, residents of the City of Greater Sudbury are, if they know the facts," she said.

"So if we educate them properly and you're out there on tax bills saying that if you don't recycle, we're going to have major costs."

Room for improvement

Chantal Mathieu, the city's environmental director, says Greater Sudbury was the first northern Ontario community to introduce the green cart program

"So I wouldn't say that we're far behind. Compare us to Toronto and the GTA, yes maybe, but other municipalities in Ontario I think we're ahead of it," she said.

"Is there room for improvement? Always."