Coquitlam looking for organic solution to waste pickup
You take 15,000 tonnes, what do you get? A contract with the City of Coquitlam.
The city is on the lookout for a contractor who can handle organic waste from single-family and some multi-family housing across the municipality, according to Coquitlam’s recently issued request for proposals.
Currently, Coquitlam’s organic waste is trucked to Augustine Soil & Mulch in Pitt Meadows. However, the new contractor could take organics to their own processing facility.
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Coquitlam will produce approximately 15,400 tonnes of food waste, garden trimmings, and other organic waste each year, according to city projections. The city’s preference is for a “closed loop system,” where compost is trucked to a nearby facility, cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions and lowering the chances of organic trucks being snared in gridlock.
Avoiding a long haul is also meant to help Coquitlam hits its target of cutting emissions by 45 percent between 2007 and 2030.
That facility must also control odour and manage any wastewater. The contractor has to be able to accommodate the city’s seasonal yard trimmings collection, which generally lasts for six weeks in the spring and fall.
The city is also looking for added value in the form of a maximum of 1,000 bags of compost that can be distributed to Coquitlam residents.
The deadline for submissions is Nov. 6.
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