As planting season begins, Steinbach residents are once again invited to take part in one of the city’s most grassroots community efforts – quite literally. The city’s compost depots officially opened on May 3rd, and they’re now running every Saturday until October.
The depots are open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at three locations: Woodlawn School, Stonybrook Middle School, and the parking lot of Smith Neufeld Jodoin Law Office.
“Kudos to everyone at the law office and at the Hanover School Division for offering these spaces for our community compost depots,” says Eldon Wallman, Manager of Solid Waste for the City of Steinbach. “They’ve been really great partners in this.”
These compost depots are run by dedicated local volunteers from the United and Sommerfeld Churches. Wallman says their involvement has spanned six or seven years, turning what might seem like a chore into a community-building event.
“They have a lot of fun doing it,” Wallman explains. “I see them having barbecues out there, enjoying the sun and the neighbourhood. They make it a social event.”
The compost collected from the three drop-off points is brought to the city’s landfill, where it’s processed and eventually made available – free of charge – to the public.
“We nurture it, turn it, let it mature,” says Wallman. “It becomes really nice material you can use in your yard, garden, or flowerbed. There’s still some left from last fall if people want to come by and pick it up. Bring your kids, your grandkids, some pails and a shovel, and have at it.”
Wallman reminds residents that only yard waste like leaves and grass are accepted – hedge and shrub trimmings are not compostable unless chipped.
“Mother Nature can break those down eventually, but it takes years,” he says. “We do chip wood every year, and that’s where the hedge stuff ends up.”
In addition to composting, the City also offers several recycling and hazardous waste programs. One of the biggest concerns is improper disposal of lithium batteries, which can explode when cracked and exposed to moisture – a danger Wallman says is all too common.
“Even a small battery from a drill can cause a fire,” he says. “People sometimes toss laptops in the garbage because they’re worried about data on their hard drives. But rest assured – at our e-waste facility, that material is shredded into pieces so small, no one’s recovering data from it.”
The landfill’s scale office accepts batteries, paint, and fluorescent light bulbs for proper recycling. A special Oil Recycling Day is set for Wednesday, June 11, where residents can bring used oil to the landfill and receive fresh oil courtesy of the Co-op.
As Wallman puts it: “Bring us your leaves, your paint, your batteries – just not all in the same bag."