Revelstoke is one step closer to seeing a commercial organic waste and compost facility built.

The Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) announced on Thursday that the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) is the recipient of $30K that will go toward developing and implementing an education and outreach program intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by diverting organic waste from businesses to a compost facility.

CSRD Environmental Health Services Team Leader Ben Van Nostrand said there is strong support for the program in Revelstoke, and that the funding is part of the CSRD’s plan to build a compost facility at the landfill.

“There’s strong support from Revelstoke residents to implement organics collection,” said Van Nostrand.

“There is also an appetite to conduct the compost process locally as opposed to hauling food waste to the nearest facility, which is a three-hour round trip from Revelstoke. This will reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with transporting organic waste.”

Van Nostrand said the CSRD is currently putting together its tender documents for the compost facility to be built at the landfill, which should be completed this spring.

He said they are hoping to complete construction on the facility this fall.

Van Nostrand said the education initiative will be geared toward commercial business,’ but that the facility would be open to residential use as well.

According to CBT, within the City of Revelstoke the commercial sector generates 1400 tonnes of food waste annually.

The funding is part of CBT’s Climate Action program community grants.

A total of $540K was given to 12 climate action programs across the Basin.

“It’s really good news for Revelstoke to be piloting the collection of commercial food waste,” said City of Revelstoke Environmental Sustainability Coordinator Penny Page-Brittin.

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