Councillor Peter Hume stands on the edge of his lawn and surveys the recycling bins that line the street of his leafy Alta Vista neighbourhood.

Ottawa residents are learning about organic recycling, thanks to the launch of the Green Bin program, the City’s new composting plan. Collection is slated to start in January, 2010 and Councillor Hume, Chair of the City’s Planning and Environment Committee, admits he can’t wait to see the new green bins on his street.

Hume has been a strong supporter of the Green Bin program from the start. He believes September’s delivery of the green bins to City residents is proof of the City’s commitment to sustainability. “Bringing organic waste recycling to Ottawa is a significant step in the City’s overall waste strategy,” he says. “We wanted Ottawa to have a model composting program – one that will be sustainable for the future.”

Ottawa’s program is modelled after a successful, long-running program in Halifax, Nova Scotia and the Regional Municipality of Halton, Ontario. Like these programs, Green Bin Ottawa is designed to convert organic waste into compost for agricultural use. The program will not allow plastics or diapers.  For Hume, the elimination of plastic is an important distinction.

“Our research shows that 70 per cent of Ottawans already want the green bin. Now we want them to be confident with the quality of our program. They need to know that green bins will be a big benefit to our city and an integral part of our existing recycling programs. ”

To make for a smooth transition, the City has enlisted councillors and select Ottawa residents to test green bins in their homes over the summer. The City says the Green Bin Champion pilot project has provided valuable feedback.

Councillor Michel Bellemare of Beacon Hill-Cyrville participated in the Champion pilot project.“I, like  some other residents, may have been  concerned about extra work and odour, but I’m happy to report that that using the green bin is simple and the holes in the top of the kitchen container keep odour at a minimum,” says Councillor Michel Bellemare. “Best of all - my actual garbage volume has dropped dramatically. I can see how this program will really make an impact.”

Come January, Ottawa residents will contribute to what the City expects to be a big year in composting. City officials estimate that 45 per cent of the garbage produced by the average Ottawa household is made up of compostable organic material. These organics will be converted to usable compost at the local Orgaworld facility located on Rideau Road.

Still composting isn’t new to Ottawa. A small number of Ottawans use backyard composters. Dixon Weir, General Manager of Environmental Services at the City of Ottawa, says the City has gone to great lengths to ensure that the green bin complement the existing composting routines of all Ottawans. “By adding the Green Bin program to current efforts, they can actually recycle more. The green bin can handle what the standard backyard composter cannot, such as meat, dairy, bones and even soiled pizza boxes and paper coffee cups.”

The Green Bin program is part of a larger, ongoing initiative to get Ottawans to “RETHINK” garbage. The City wants to get in step with committed composting communities like Halifax, Halton, Kingston, and Edmonton. And Councillor Hume sees the potential pay off in extending the life of existing area landfills.

“If we can change people’s perception of organic waste – not as garbage, but a reusable resource, that’s good for the city,” says Hume. “We’ll succeed not only extending the life expectancy of our landfills, but we’ll also be giving back to the earth through the compost we’re creating. “We have good recycling programs in place and we’re going to divert even more with the new Green Bin program.”

To find out more about the Green Bin program, when bins will be delivered and when collection will start, visit ottawa.ca/greenbin