Steinbach compost depots launch this weekend, 2 million pounds collected annually

The City of Steinbach is starting up their compost depots this Saturday, May 4th, inviting residents to join in eco-friendly practices. 

A compost depot is a location where residents can drop off their organic waste. 

Steinbach has three locations, the Smith Neufeld Jodoin Law Office, Woodlawn School, and Stonybrook Middle School. You can also drop off your compost directly at the landfill if you prefer. 

Eldon Wallman, Manager of Solid Waste for the City of Steinbach, informs what items you can compost. 

“And residents can bring their grass clippings, leaves, yard cleanup. We can take food waste from the kitchen, we just don't like meat and bones, but we'll take coffee grounds, egg shells, fruit, vegetables. Anything that's leftover on the table we will gladly take that in the compost pile.” 

He also notes that if you have a chipper at home, you can chip up all your brush, as those wood chips are good for compost. 

Wallman promotes the use of compost as an incredible way to take care of the environment. 

“Organics that go into the landfill site create greenhouse gas, and that is a nasty word. Across the world, we're trying to get rid of greenhouse gases and all the carbons and everything, and that's a major contributor, is the organics that we put into a landfill site.” 

Compost collected this year so far. Wallman notes although these white bags may look like your average plastic bags, they are made of compostable material.

When you visit one of the compost depots throughout Steinbach, they have volunteers who do the work for you. 

“You don't even have to do anything, they'll take it out of your vehicle for you, empty out the bags, and throw the plastic away because we don't want that in the compost, but they take care of it for you.” 

He explains that all of the volunteers are from church groups. 

"They get their staff to volunteer their church members. We give the church money for their time that they do for the whole summer.” 

Wallman says their role in this is extremely appreciated. 

"They divert things that people think is compost, and it's not, like twigs and brush and stuff like that, that belongs in our wood pile, not in the compost. So they’re our eyes and ears at the compost site. They take care of stuff for us.” 

Volunteers will be working at all three compost depot locations from 9am-3pm until October 12. 

Wallman says they receive a large amount of compost each year. 

"On an average year with average rainfall, we get 1,000 metric tons a year in our compost section. If it's a dry, hot year like it was last summer, then we lose about 30 percent of the volume, it goes down to 700 tons.” 

He notes that as the compost decomposes and matures into the finished product, it becomes 1/6 of the size of when it came in.  

Compost collected last year. Wallman notes this pile used to be six times larger than the current size.