Whereas burning of yard waste is no longer an option for municipalities; And whereas disposing of yard waste at landfills is both cost prohibitive and not environmentally friendly; And whereas the cost of composting yard waste is prohibitive without a reliable end-user market: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the Ministry of Environment provide communities with a solution based way to facilitate the disposal of yard waste.
Ministry of Environment Government is interested in supporting and encouraging local governments to improve air quality, increase recycling of organic waste and decrease GHG emissions. These goals can be advanced by composting of yard waste rather than by burning or disposing in landfills. Ministry staff is undertaking amending the Organic Matter Recycling Regulation OMRR, which governs composting and land application of organic matter including yard waste, to update standards and increase public transparency. This could lead to increased marketability of composting end products. The Ministry of Environment has conducted informational webinars and presentations for local government and the public, and has shared scientific and technical information on the Ministrys website: http:www2.gov.bc.cagovcontentenvironmentwaste-managementrecyclingorgani… Regional Solid Waste Management Plans may include strategies to increase the marketability of organic matter end products. The Guide to Solid Waste Management Planning: http:www2.gov.bc.caassetsgovenvironmentwaste-managementgarbageswmp.pdf was updated in September 2016 to streamline the process for regional districts to update plans and includes guidance on roles and responsibilities for stakeholders, including municipalities. The 2016 Climate Leadership Plan highlights actions the B.C. government is taking to help meet our 2050 emissions reduction target of 80 per cent below 2007 levels, while building a clean economy. In the area of the Built Environment, the plan outlines actions to create a waste-to-resource strategy that reduces GHG emissions from organic waste.