News:

Green Carts Have Arrived in Ward 1!

April 3 , 2006

The delivery of Green Carts to Ward 1 started on Monday, April 3 with delivery to the area west of Hwy. 403.  The rest of Ward 1 will receive their Green Carts in early May. 

Councillor McHattie and City of Hamilton Waste Management Staff deliver the first Green Cart to Ward 1. Photo credit: Banko Photographic Ltd.

“This is a monumental step in moving toward our goal of 65% diversion from landfill by 2008,” said Ward 1 Councillor Brian McHattie who was on hand to present West Hamilton resident Loreen Jerome with a ceremonial first Green Cart deliver.  “Our ability to extend the life of our landfill and mitigate effects on our environment depends on everyone's participation in the Green Cart organics program and the Blue Box recycling program.” Hamilton's rate of diversion from landfill currently stands at 30 percent. The Green Cart program expects to divert an additional 30-35 percent of waste from landfill.

The Green Team, a group of co-op students, will be in the area while carts are distributed. You'll recognize them by the green safety vests they will be wearing. You are encouraged to ask them questions about the Green Carts and the program.

Residents are reminded to look inside your cart for your mini-bin with a sample liner bag, Green Cart Smart booklet and fridge magnet. The Green Cart Smart booklet is your manual to the program - the "how to's" of the program.  The fridge magnet is a list of acceptable items. Green Carts are for household organic waste and can be topped up with leaf and yard waste.

The week following Green Cart delivery, the organic waste material will be co-collected with garbage in new split trucks. Although it may look like the materials are emptied into the same part of the truck, the compartment is divided into 60% garbage and 40% organic waste. The organic material will be processed at the new Central Composting Facility on Burlington Street. The Green Cart program is a key component of the City's Solid Waste Management Master Plan and our goal of achieving 65% diversion of waste from landfill by 2008.

Green Cart collection will start the week after the Green Cart is delivered on the same day as garbage and Blue Box collection. It is important for residents to have their containers at the curb by 7:00 a.m. as routes and times may vary with the new collection system. With the introduction of the Green Cart program, there will be limit of three garbage containers in accordance with the Waste Management By-Law passed by Council in June 2005.

See your 2006-07 Waste Collection Calendar for detailed information on all City of Hamilton waste management programs such as Green Cart, Blue Box, Leaf & Yard waste, bulk, white goods, household hazardous waste and the locations of Community Recycling Centres and Waste Transfer Stations.

Residents can call 905 546-CITY (2489) or visit www.hamilton.ca/waste for more information including a schedule of planned Green Cart deliveries updated weekly.

Councillor McHattie and City of Hamilton Waste Management Staff
deliver the first Green Cart to Ward 1.
Photo credit: Banko Photographic Ltd.