Steinbach Could Save Money By Reducing Garbage Output

The City of Steinbach is looking for ways to extend the life of its landfill site. Eldon Wallman is head of the Solid Waste department. He told city council this week that the landfill has the capacity to handle another 14 or 15 years of garbage at current rates of disposal. Wallman says the city will face some significant costs at that time, around the year 2032.

"It has to then be de-commissioned. We've got to move to a different site, which is in the planning stages. You always have to be years ahead for something that substantial. But, yes, you have to get into de-commissioning and capping that side (of the landfill) like we are starting to do with this side, which we stopped using seven years ago. There's a lot of dollars involved with something like that, you could be looking at $20-$25 million."

But Wallman says that expense can be pushed years further down the road if residents make a commitment to further reduce the amount of garbage they put at the curb each week. He notes Steinbach is already a leader in the province when it comes to recycling but adds there is plenty of room to do even better. He gives some examples.

"Unfortunately, grass bags at the end of your driveway, that's a huge organic item that shouldn't be in here. They create lots of greenhouse gases which is something we don't want. There are lots of metals, there's wood and lots of recyclable products that are still coming in here that people are not aware could be used elsewhere."

Wallman says small steps like more composting would make a huge difference in extending the life of the landfill, saving money and freeing up tax dollars for other things. He notes there are communities that have reduced their garbage footprint to zero and Steinbach should strive for that goal.

"That would put us all out of jobs here. But you know, when I do school tours here, which we do quite a few of this time of year, I tell them that our ultimate goal is for all of us to be out of jobs. We want to shut the landfill down and not use it at all. It's possible. We see it, not just in Europe, but there are other places in Canada that have already done it."