City looks to talk trash with public

By Jensen, Randy on July 15, 2020.

The City is looking for input on how waste is handled in the community as part of the creation of a new Waste Management Master Plan. Herald file photo by Ian Martens

LETHBRIDGE HERALD

From now to Aug. 14, Lethbridge residents, institutions, businesses and industry groups will have a chance to share their ideas on how waste is handled in the community. The “Let’s Talk Trash” community engagement program has been developed by the City of Lethbridge to ensure everyone has a voice in the creation of a new Waste Management Master Plan.

In a 2019 survey, 87 per cent of Lethbridge residents told the City it’s important to reduce the amount of food and yard waste that goes to landfills, the City said in a release. The City is looking forward to hearing how the community feels about current waste management options, ideas to improve these services, and how to best respond to the changing needs of the community.

Waste comes in many forms – from garden and food waste to paper products, industrial waste, product packaging, electronics and even furniture. While some of this waste can be recycled or composted, 85 per cent of Lethbridge’s current waste is going to landfills. Landfills are expensive to maintain, and often come with long-term negative impacts to the environment.

Currently, the City is providing garbage collection and curbside recycling through the blue and black cart programs. Additional waste management services include large item service, yard waste collection sites and various services provided at the City’s Waste and Recycling Centre.

The City of Lethbridge is inviting the community to share their ideas about how to better manage waste, finding approaches that make the most of limited dollars and which protect the land and natural areas. Public input will help shape the new Waste Management Master Plan, which will provide sustainable options for the community and help achieve Council’s strategic priorities around environmental protection.

The Waste Management Master Plan is one of several steps the City of Lethbridge is taking to achieve its sustainability goals and support a circular economy. A circular economy focuses on making the most of all resources, eliminating waste and finding reuse options whenever possible.

To respect the current physical distancing requirements, community engagement for the Waste Management Master Plan will be focused online. In addition to the online survey now available, key stakeholders will also be invited to a series of focus groups that will take place later this summer.

To participate or learn more, visit the project Get Involved Lethbridge website at https://getinvolvedlethbridge.ca/waste-management-master-plan. There you can: Complete the survey; reserve a spot at virtual workshops; and get updates on the virtual open house opportunities.