At the most recent Winkler City Council meeting, Peter Froese, a councillor with the City of Winkler provided insight into a new composting initiative spearheaded by SWAMP (Solid Waste Area Management Project) which serves the municipalities of Morden, Stanley and Winkler.
Froese detailed the board’s decision to begin processing compost on behalf of these communities, and the benefits that are hoped to come along with it.
Addressing a growing need
Froese explained that the three municipalities have been faced with an unexpected challenge. As he described, “Due to circumstances beyond our control... all three municipalities are looking for someone to process compost.”
This led to the municipalities approaching the SWAMP Board to see if they could take on the task,
“We have space, we have people, we have most of the equipment we need. So now it’s a matter of learning it and processing it properly.”
After discussions with the board and the team, it was decided that SWAMP would move forward and will now be handling compost processing for the municipalities, ensuring that organic waste is diverted from the landfills and used sustainably.
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Training for success
As with any new venture, Froese acknowledged that there would be a learning curve involved, “It is a new waste stream for our staff especially.” he said, explaining that composting requires proper mixing and regular turning of the material to ensure the right conditions for decomposition.
Froese, who has prior experience with composting from his time with the City of Winkler, plans to pass on his knowledge but also indicated that further training would be necessary.
“We’re going to send somebody to get some training and just fine-tune it.”
Froese also mentioned that there could be potential for expanding the service to other municipalities in the future, though he acknowledged that the full scope of the project is still uncertain at this stage.
To hear the full interview with Winkler City Council member Peter Froese, click below.