Kicking the can (garbage that is)

The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) is aiming to divert 75% of the waste in the Regional Landfill by 2010. They have done a pilot project with over 2000 homes and want to implement the program district wide in 2010, Gabriola will be included in this. The idea behind the program is to take items such as food scraps (even cooked meat and bones), soiled paper, and dairy products and turn them into a resource at the International Composting Corporation's (ICC) processing facility, located at Duke Point in Nanaimo. The finished products include compost, fertilizers, and soil amendments. My friend in Nanaimo was one of the participants in the pilot project, she has a family with two small kids and says she's amazed how this has impacted what she takes to the curb. For those already composting in their backyard, you'll want to continue to do that as it is more cost-effective and good for your garden, but for items that aren't suitable to place in your backyard composting bin, this offers an interesting alternative to throwing it in the garbage bin.