Province aims to increase community composting

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The province has released a green plan based on feedback and developing opportunities including the launch of a new $1 million annual fund designed to triple the amount of organics that Manitoba diverts from landfills by 2020.

"The positive response to TomorrowNow - Manitoba's Green Plan has been heartening but we have been urged to enhance several initiatives and add new priorities," said Conservation and Water Stewardship Minister Gord Mackintosh in a release. "Many Manitobans are demanding much more aggressive recycling and waste reduction.”

The newly announced additions to TomorrowNow include creating 'Manitoba Composts', a program designed to boost organic waste collection and processing of food, yard and wood waste, with a province-wide target of diverting 85 kilograms of organics per capita by 2020. The program is expected to create local jobs, states a release.

The additions also include developing what the province calls “an aggressive comprehensive recycling and waste strategy” to

significantly improve Manitoba's overall landfill diversion rate and an action plan will be proposed to Manitobans this year.

In 2013, more than 960,700 tonnes of waste was sent to landfills, generating almost $10 million in revenue.  

With files from Manitoba news release