Food scraps are officially banned from the garbage, following the passage of Metro Vancouver's new rules. he first six months of 2015 will be an education period with no penalties until July.
The rules will be enforced when waste haulers deliver garbage to regional facilities for inspection. While single-family homes on the North Shore have been separating food from regular waste since May 2012 - along with 95 per cent of single-family residences across the region - businesses, schools, multi-family residences and malls will now have to follow suit, according to Aaron Bichard, community programs co-ordinator with the North Shore Recycling Program.
"Basically, Metro Vancouver made this move and all the different garbage generators throughout the region need to separate out their food scraps," he said. "It's new for some people, but it's very simple once you start doing it." Food waste makes up 40 per cent of residential garbage, and almost a third of food groceries end up in the bin, according to Metro Vancouver data.
Metro Vancouver has one of the highest recycling rates in North America at 60 per cent. Its goal is to reach 70 per cent next year and 80 per cent by 2020. M or more information, visit metrovancouver.org, or northshorerecycling.ca.
