The City of Revelstoke environmental advisory committee has recommended the city explore alternating week garbage and recycling pickup once curbside recycling starts in 2012.
That would mean the same city truck would pick up garbage one week, then recycling the next. That means under the proposed system, garbage and recyling pickup would be every other week.
The city is scheduled to begin curbside recycling in early 2012.
Environmental advisory committee chairperson Danielle Backman explained the city is currently planning to use two trucks: a city garbage truck and another recycling truck operated by a private contractor.
“It’s more cost effective for the city,” Backman explained of the alternating-week plan, “more effective at meeting greenhouse-gas emissions.”
She said once the curbside recycling program is instituted, residents would have far less garbage. Backman added the committee is requesting a review one year after the new recycling system starts so staff will have a better idea of its impacts. Specifically, the environment committee hopes there will be lots of recycling diverted out of garbage bags.
At their Nov. 1 committee of the whole meeting, city councillors agreed to the idea of a review, but flagged many issues. They included bears, a three-year contract with the recycling provider, a mechanically troubled garbage/recycling truck the city owns, budget and other legal issues.
The committee members agreed to the review, which will now be forwarded to council for likely approval.
Backman said the review could include creative solutions such as an amended system for bear high season and concessions for trailer parks where garbage storage is difficult.