The City of Medicine Hat aims to lengthen the life of the landfill. (Photo by Emmet via Pexels)

By Eli J. Ridder | @EliRidder

CITY COUNCIL

Food waste curbside pickup pilot approved by Medicine Hat city council

Nov 7, 2023 | 2:28 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Select residents will soon have their food waste picked up at the curb after city council on Monday approved a $1-million composting pilot program as part of the city’s plans to manage garbage for the next 10 years.

The trial program’s approval came after council passed a new 2023-2032 waste management strategy to replace a previous plan established in 2012.

The City of Medicine Hat will now apply to get matching funding from the federal government with plans to kickstart food waste collection during the second quarter of 2024.

The city will develop a pilot project plan, a technical review, implement a small-scale community pilot and begin community engagement as part of the initiative.

Mayor Linnsie Clark said Tuesday diversion techniques like the pilot program will help with the Medicine Hat City Landfill’s longevity.

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“The food waste program is going to help to add to the life of our landfill,” Clark told anchor Dan Reynish during an interview on CHAT News at Noon.

Clark also spoke to plans to create a new space for garbage at the landfill.

“We think we have about until 2039 with no further action on our landfill so we’ll add a new cell to extend it a bit,” she said.

City of Medicine Hat map of where the new landfill cell will go. (City of Medicine Hat photo)

Developing a circular economy roadmap, creating a construction and demolition waste policy, increasing tipping rates for certain materials and examining ways to reduce wind impact at the landfill were also included as initiatives the city could pursue as part of the new waste strategy.