THE CORPORATION OF THE
CITY OF PORT COQUITLAM

MEMORANDUM

B.R. Kirk February 9, 1989

City Administrator FEB 20 1989

FROM: Environmental Protection Committee

SUBJECT: Alternatives to Residential Burning

Recommendation:

l. That Council reverse its decision of October 3, 1988 prohibiting
residents from placing their burnable garden wastes out for pick-up
with their normal domestic garbage.

That advertisements be placed in the local newspapers advising
residents that they may place garden wastes intended for back yard
burning with their regular domestic garbage for pick-up by City
crews.

Background ane Comments:

As Council is aware, residential backyard burning has been totally banned
in the City effective January 1, 1989. At the Regular Council Meeting of
October 3, 1988 a resolution submitted by tne Environmental Protection
Committee "that advertisements be Placed in iocal newspapers advising
residents that material intended for backyard burning he placed in the normal
domestic garbage for pick-up by City crews starting January 1, 1989" was
defeated.

The Environmental Protection Committee has been investigating alternatives
to pick-up of burnable waste so that residents can be instructed as to what
they should do with this material.

Composting was evaluated by staff in some detail last summer with the
conclusion that any potential Savings in tipping fees would be offset by the
cost of handling the compost. Moreover, with the exception of leaves,
material normally burned would not be suitable for composting without some
kind of pretreatment such as shredding, which adds to the cost. With the
recent increase in tipping fees at the Wastetech Transfer Station, the
economics of composting may have changed, and staff is studying the matter
further. However, it is expected that it will be some time before the
necessary research has been completed, and that a solution to the disposal of
burnable garden waste will not be determined in time to handle spring clean-up
wastes.

Presently, much of the burnable waste such as tree Prunings, shrubbery,
etc. is being picked up from those residents who have not chosen to burn the
wastes. Although it is difficult to quantify the increase in tonnage of this
material which will be added to the waste stream by the ban on residential
burning, the Committee feels that the impact will not be significant.

a an 4
Wo eee OK
M.C. Farnworth, Alderman --—~

Chairman,
05 Environmental Protection Committee