Mixed results for downtown composting project

ACity of Sherbrooke pilot project has diverted hundreds of kilograms of compostable material from landfill sites over the past two years, but the project’s results have earned only mixed reviews from the main stakeholders.

In 2015, the City wanted to encourage composters on Wellington St. North and six compost bins were installed in the La Grenouillère parking lot, but only a small portion of the restaurateurs actively participated and still participate despite the fact that the project officially ended last December.

Among the shortcomings that the City now hopes to address through the Estrie Regional Environmental Council of the Eastern Townships, as part of the Zero Waste project, raise several issues. Including which materials should be recycled, which should be sorted, and how to help merchants and companies install internal procedures to facilitate sorting, recovery and transportation to the bin.

The Quebec government plans to banish organic materials from landfills by 2020 and. merchants have decided not to wait before taking action. The Delta Hotel makes compost, as does the Café Singing Goat, on Alexandre Street, which uses its compost in its collective garden.

When questioned about the costs that could be involved in collecting compost from merchants, the City indicated that it was unable to establish them at this time as no inventory has been done of the number of restaurateurs, merchants and industries that compost in the municipality.