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Curbside composting stalls over bear concerns
But City Council plans to act soon
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Supporters of a proposed curbside composting program for Boulder are worried it could get stalled until next spring — and also hold up the switch to single-stream recycling — after elected leaders delayed a decision on the program for the second time in a row late Tuesday night over bear concerns.
Gary Horton, president of Western Disposal, the city’s largest trash hauler, said his company is ready to make the switch to composting. That’s because trash haulers who now have to make two trips to pick up recyclables every month — once for containers and once for paper — will soon have to make only one stop now that Boulder County’s recycling plant has switched to single-stream recycling.
That frees up a second trip for hauling compost.
Horton said he’s hired 17 new employees to make the switch, which involves re-labeling old recycling bins and educating customers about the new program.
Making the switch across the entire city will take at least three months, and Horton said it needs to be done before winter weather hits — or it will have to wait until next year.
“If the city can’t make a decision about what they want to do until September, we cannot order the carts, we can’t get all the materials printed and sent to the customers fast enough to justify keeping all these people on staff,” he said.
But Boulder Mayor Shaun McGrath said he’s confident the City Council can make a decision by mid-August, in time for the composting program to get rolling this year. McGrath said he thinks elected leaders were close to making a decision at Tuesday’s meeting, which stretched into early Wednesday morning.
“We were at a point where we were all tired and still had a lot of questions that I think were legitimate,” he said.
At the meeting, representatives of the Colorado Division of Wildlife and Wild Earth Guardians asked the City Council to require compost customers to use wildlife-resistant containers.
“Boulder already has a significant bear problem and a significant trash problem related to bears,” said John Koehler, of the Division of Wildlife.
But acting City Manager Stephanie Grainger said requiring bear-proof containers would be too expensive.
“It does make sense that these groups prefer options that have the maximum protection,” she said. “And while we understand those preferences, staff had to balance the city’s waste-diversion goals and program affordability with wildlife concerns.”
She and other supporters said a pilot program to test curbside compost collection didn’t run into any problems with bears.
Jonathan Koehn, Boulder’s environmental affairs manager, said there are other ways to avoid tempting wildlife that don’t require bear-proof containers. He said the city could limit compost to paper and “plant-based” food items, and not allow meat scraps.
The City Council could also require owners to put out their compost no earlier than 5 a.m. and to bring the bins back in before 9 p.m., Koehn said.
Councilman Macon Cowles tried to amend the ordinance to require any outdoor containers — both trash cans and composting bins — that contain food waste be either locked up or replaced with bear-proof containers.
Cowles said he’s enthusiastic about encouraging more waste diversion, “but I’m not willing to do it at the cost of euthanizing more bears.”
But Councilwoman Suzy Ageton said she worries about the financial burden that could put on homeowners. The special bins would cost an extra $8 a month each, and trash haulers say they’d likely have to increase their rates because the containers can’t automatically be loaded onto trucks.
Cowles’ motion was voted down 2-7. Elected leaders were still struggling with how to deal with bear problems at 1 a.m., and they voted to continue the discussion later this summer.
If the compost program does get off the ground, the city would probably eliminate its annual spring cleanup program, and the $280,000 that’s budgeted annually for that program would be spent on other waste-diversion projects. Officials said most customers will be able to use the composting bins to get rid of their yard waste, so they shouldn’t need the cleanup program.
Posted by BoulderMayor on July 23, 2008 at 5:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Unbelievable. We are already keeping this stuff in trash cans, that for most people sit outside all the time.
How on earth does it make the "bear problem" worse to put the stuff in another container?
For the cost of $8 a month times the number trash cans in Boulder (100,000?) we could hire some full time "bear escorts" to drive around looking for bears and give them rides back home.
Posted by Candidate_Brigham on July 23, 2008 at 5:52 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by llweed on July 23, 2008 at 7:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I've been composting for over 15 years in my backyard. 2 years ago we had a bear who slept under the lilac bushes, within 20 feet of the compost bin. Bottom line? compost bins stink! Not even a bear would go close. The bear prefers the raspberry bushes in the front yard. So now, will the city council decide they have to do something about my raspberry bushes?
Posted by boulderhippie on July 23, 2008 at 8:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The garbage scent brings em, the raspberrys keep em.
Posted by kennyk on July 23, 2008 at 8:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Meat and dairy products are already not supposed to be composted.
Our neighbors share two compost piles and our garbage cans are permanent outside structures - I have yet to hear of a bear interested in either of those.
The numerous apple trees and berry bushes seem to tempt them more.
Posted by SoBoPop on July 23, 2008 at 8:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My spring cleanup pile amounts to about ten cubic yards almost every year, My lot is only 1/3rd of an acre. I don't think it would be possible to put tree limbs in the compost container.
I am very opposed to eliminating spring cleanup and raising monthly trash fees which are already obsenely high in Boulder.
Posted by zone913inc on July 23, 2008 at 9:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"we could hire some full time "bear escorts" to drive around looking for bears and give them rides back home."
Especially if the bears have been out drinking all night on the hill.
Posted by MikeEllis on July 23, 2008 at 9:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
One of the big reasons for curbside composting is that you can compost items that you can't put in your home compost bin. Things like meat and dairy waste, paper products, and those compostable plastic containers you get at Whole Foods.
I'm curious if anybody has done any studies into where this waste is being diverted from. How much is already on the curb in people's trash cans, how much is being put down disposals, how much is going into home compost bins? As has been pointed out, the first and last set are not adding a new bear problem.
Posted by Dinger2450 on July 23, 2008 at 10:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You know, The Camera never did say last week what happened to the bear at Lake Valley Golf course. Did it join a foursome or play as a single? Or was it hit by a bike or make a clean getaway? Wouldn't surprise me, it was a Boulder County law enforcement agency. Remember bears are also meat eaters, that would do away with the trash from about half the households in Boulder. Hey BooBoo want some tofu?
Posted by gomommago on July 23, 2008 at 10:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I totally agree, Boulder Mayor. Does CDW not realize that the scraps that would be composted are ALREADY in the regular curb-side garbage bins....which have no animal-resistant mechanisms. Seems to be a total disconnect with reality here.
Posted by 456ded on July 23, 2008 at 11:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Please keep the spring clean up and keep composting as a personal matter that people can choose to do on their own dime.
Posted by susan_g on July 23, 2008 at 11:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why truck the stuff to a composting center when it's so easy to do it yourself? You can make a simple bin out of a trash can.
Posted by sojourner on July 23, 2008 at 11:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I was just in Alaska and enjoyed a story from a local who said he'd forgotten to put his garbage out on the curb for regular pickup. He put it out late, woke up the next day to find both of his garbage cans gone. The bears had dragged both garbage cans up the hill! He walked up the hill to retrieve them and found not a stitch of garbage left, nothing, nada, no cans or paper or anything, clean as a whistle!! Bears, in his opinion, are the best garbage disposal system available.
Not that this has anything to do with bears in Boulder, but perhaps we can look forward to their assisting in our recycling effort? :-)
Posted by apricot_tea on July 23, 2008 at 11:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I thought bears don't eat meat...
(D)C: Was there any discussion about weekly vs. bi-weekly pick-up? I think the more often the compost gets picked up, the less likely the bears will have time to follow the scent...
Why aren't we looking at the incidence of bear sightings/issues with folks who already have outdoor compost piles?
Posted by boulderlover on July 23, 2008 at 12:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree - I participated in the pilot composting program back in 2006. Now, food material is going in the trash bin which is is absolutely identical to the composting receptacle. The City Council needs to address this issue while their minds are fresh and not after 10PM when they can't think straight. And susan_g - I commend you for coomposting yourself. However, the reason for this as well as curbside recycling is that they vast majority of the population will not take it upon themselves to divert the waste. If we make it easy for them, we can create a real impact on the amount of material going into the landfill.
Posted by MikeEllis on July 23, 2008 at 12:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
susan_g, there's tons of stuff that can't be composted at home but that can be handled by a commercial composting facility. We compost at home, but we also collect stuff to bring to the drop off. This not only keeps our trash bill minuscule, but it also helps combat global warming.
Posted by boulderlover on July 23, 2008 at 12:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Also, I do appreciate that the council is considering the wildlife issues. We do live in a place where wildlife comes to visit, too often under the wrong circumstances. But in this case, I think they may be blowing the issue out of proportion. If they are worried about bears and others getting into the compost receptacles, they also need to worry about them getting into the trash and that doesn't seem to be an issue they are raising.
Posted by margaret on July 23, 2008 at 3:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So, they finally admit it. Boulder City Council wants to fund this dubious composting program by eliminating the highly successful spring pickup. Please don't!
Posted by nuggethillrd on July 23, 2008 at 6:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe the city could make the bears that wonder into the city doormen at the Nitro Club, to eliminate all of these supposed problems that are originating there.
Posted by BDRSth on July 23, 2008 at 8:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How about just making trash/recycling service cheaper for the end user rather than LOOKING for another pickup opportunity!!!?!?!?!? What in the world is Gary Horton thinking?
Further, just because curbside compost is a good idea in general doesn't mean it'll work for our community. Stuff this good, but poorly, matched idea in the can.
Posted by jadam12 on July 23, 2008 at 11:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not sure how most of the annual yard waste is going to fit in the compost container. I put out a lot of yard waste for spring cleanup because I have been replacing water thirsty grass with lots of shade trees and bushes.
Also, I compost most of my food stuff already. I don't want to have to pay more for a service I can't see using. Not much meat gets thrown out and we no longer eat dairy.
This should be optional, and there should be a price reduction for those who compost at home or maybe they could offer a spring clean up alternative too for those who don't need the compost bin but need spring clean up.
It's not fair to penalize those of us who have been composting for years and have been planting water conserving trees and shrubs to get rid of water thirsty grass to be charged more. I thought Boulder was supposed to be green and environmentally friendly.
Posted by jadam12 on July 23, 2008 at 11:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How much food waste is really being thrown out? That is a lot of food being wasted if it can fill up one of those bins weekly.
Posted by ladysilverhawk on July 24, 2008 at 11:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I object to curbside composting, additional trash containers to store, increase in an already too high cost for trash removal, and another draw for wildlife into town. Enough already! I will not participate in this scam and will refuse the composting container. Boulder's annual spring cleanup has been wonderful and it would be a shame for it to go away.
Posted by xyz on July 24, 2008 at 1:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
We were part of some composting pilot program. It was an awful waste of money.
We just assumed that the pilot was enough to convince the PowersThatBe to NOT start up a full-blown program.
Posted by MikeEllis on July 24, 2008 at 1:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Lady, did you read the story? There is no additional trash container, because two recycling bins will be combined into one. All your recyclables will go into a single bin, instead of having to separate paper and containers. And nothing in the story says there will be an increase in cost.
But don't worry. There will be no law forcing you to participate. So you can continue to send your compostables to the landfill. Your life will actually be easier, because you won't have to separate your recyclables.
But even if you don't care about diverting waste from landfills, think about this. Everything you don't throw away reduces your trash bill. Because we recycle and compost, we pay about $1 per week for trash removal.
Posted by MikeEllis on July 24, 2008 at 1:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm curious, xyz, what were the problems with the pilot program? Why was it a waste of money?
Posted by johnathan3x24 on July 24, 2008 at 1:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why the stall? DOW just kills the animals anyways!!
Posted by boulderlover on July 24, 2008 at 3:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yeah xyz, what was the issue? I was part of the pilot too and wasn't aware of any costs. Maybe when they changed my "co-mingled containers" sticker to a "Compost" sticker... a few cents? I freaking loved it when I participated. It was so cool to see how much of our trash was diverted.
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