The Town of Ponoka is looking to make some changes to their waste management and recycling program, with one suggestion being giving residents a green full organic compost cart they can use year round.

Currently, the town diverts around 35% of their household waste from the landfill through their recycling program and composite yard waste that picks up waste like grass and tree branches during the summer.

Operations Manager for the Town of Ponoka Chris McKenna says according to their surveys, residents are generally happy with their recycling and waste management, and they would like to see it expanded.

“The green carts right now, are picked up every week in the summertime, grass clippings and branches and things like that. We want to be able to add is food scarps, pork chops bones, soiled pizza boxes, tissue paper, all kinds of things like that. What that will do is increase our diversity rate, which is how much recyclable we are not putting in to the dump, it will increase it by at least 15%.”

McKenna spoke at a waste and recycling open house Wednesday evening.

Ponoka resident Jeff Ellison was there, and he's thrilled with the proposed changes.

“I think that this is way late, they should have done this a long time ago. So the fact that they are starting to do this now is wonderful, I’m 100% for it.”

Ellison's concern was that it's currently not mandatory for businesses to pay for recycling, like it is for citizens. Business pay on a per dump basis.

The proposed program would also add to what you could throw in the green cart to include things like bones, fruits and vegetables, eggs, grains, and dairy products.

McKenna says this would help cut back on odors.

“We pick up the grey carts every second week, and some people complained about meat and everything getting hot and starting to smell and attract bugs. Well you put it in the green carts, and it’s picked up every week.”

Next step for the town is review citizen input and make final recommendations to the Utilities and Environmental Council Advisory Committee, and present it to council later on this fall for approval.

No word on the cost of this program until a tender can be released.

For more information on Ponoka’s waste management and recycling program and their proposed changes, you can click here to go to the town’s website.