Editor, The News:
Most other cities or municipalities in the Metro region have already implemented the green waste ban and it has been fairly seamless because they have municipal garbage and recycling curbside pickup.
Homeowners and renters were issued green buckets and instructions and the buckets are collected once every one or two weeks.
That all makes sense and they have been successfully doing this in advance of the mandatory Jan. 1, 2015 deadline set out by Metro.
In Maple Ridge, I have been waiting patiently for information or guidance from city hall as to what our household should be doing, but received nothing.
We contacted city hall by phone and on the website and were informed it has nothing to do with the city and directed us to our private garbage hauler for further instructions.
Like many homes in Maple Ridge, we choose not to pay additional taxation for a service the city should provide, so we transport our waste to the transfer station and recycling depot, although recycling does provide curbside pickup weekly.
I contacted recycling and was referred to the waste transfer station. It had not circulated any information to the homeowners by Dec. 31.
Finally, I rounded up all of my waste, under the old rules, and drove down to the transfer station and waited in line.
On reaching the scales, I asked the scale operator if there was any information available and she handed me a simple, concise card outlining the program.
I asked if these had been distributed to homes and she responded that she thought not.
I asked where the organic waste was to be dumped and she told me that it would be in the shed, where all the waste is dumped and the charge would be the same as regular garbage.
While off-loading, I spoke to the waste inspector and asked again and was directed to two signs mounted on the wall and he told me that Metro had dropped off some containers to be used for the new program.
This whole process is a communication nightmare.
As a taxpayer, I could care less who the city thinks is responsible for garbage and recycling.
The city belongs to Metro, so it is the city which is responsible.
As a retired school principal, I bet it’s exciting in schools, as they try to figure out how to separate all their organic waste.
Ian Strachan
Maple Ridge