Arguing there's value in kitchen scraps, Saanich Coun. Vic Derman says homeowners should have the opportunity to opt out when the region starts collecting organics with recycling.
"The problem with organics is that it's something that has value to all sorts of people," said Derman, adding that he has already received 20 to 40 phone calls and e-mails from people who say they don't want the CRD collecting it or to have to pay for that service.
"There's no way we can say you must give us something that is of value to you and pay us for the privilege," Derman told members of the CRD's environmental sustainability committee yesterday.
Derman said he, like many others, already recycles everything from his kitchen through composting. "These are people who, fundamentally are already doing the right thing. They are doing it at no cost to us in fuel, in conservation or any other thing. They are environmentally much more sustainable than those participating in the collection program.
"So to say to them: 'You must pay for other people's less-than-desirable practices, even though you are not in any way going to participate, I think is a real problem."
CRD staff are putting the final touches on a request for proposals asking for costs to collect and process the kitchen waste. Those figures will then go to the CRD and municipalities, some of which are considering taking on the collection.
Household organics take up about 30 per cent of the Hartland landfill. The CRD's goal is to divert 60 per cent of all waste from the landfill by 2013.
Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins said people should be rewarded for doing the right thing. "It's the right thing to do to return it to your own soil if you have the opportunity. I don't have that opportunity, so I would need to pay for this service and I recognize that it is a good service, particularly for my situation," Desjardins said.
Colwood Coun. Judith Cullington said opting out is an individual choice -- the question is how to work out the costing.
"I don't feel that just because I have a green box means I have to put my kitchen waste into my green box," Cullington said. "I have a choice to put my newspapers into my blue box. I actually choose to use them in part of my garden practices. So I already have that opportunity to opt out."
Two-year pilot kitchen-waste programs in Oak Bay and View Royal wrapped up at the end of 2008.
About 4,000 homes separated out their kitchen waste, placing their leftovers in containers that were picked up by the municipality or the CRD.
