Pre-treatment is an alternative method to a weekly curbside organics collection program. Pre-treatment works by mashing and dehydrating household food waste and produces a dry and odor-free soil amendment that is ~90% less in weight and volume. Pre-treatment is easy to store and requires fewer collection days than other curbside programs. By pre-treating organic food waste, we can reduce problematic wildlife encounters. Through this program, the City will be able to eliminate most food waste from the waste stream as part of the City's goal of becoming a model Bear Smart community.
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The City conducted a feasibility study comparing data from the small initial pilot project in 2020 with regional data. This study found that a residential pre-treated organics program has the potential to be less expensive, divert more waste, and reduce more greenhouse gas emissions. A 2023 study on the initial program rollout will verify these projections.
The program is in full swing! Our phased rollout started in summer 2023, initially serving our Early Adopters. With this phase now complete, our attention has shifted to the pilot neighborhood of Fairview.
For those eagerly waiting, all remaining units are reserved for residents on the Waitlist. Secure your spot now for priority access! We'll start contacting Waitlist residents in early 2024, following the order of registration—first come, first served
The City of Nelson owns the FoodCycler™ appliance, as stated in a bylaw amendment presented to City Council. The bylaw encourages proper use and care of the appliance, which will be registered to the user and civic address. When a resident moves, the appliance stays at the property unless authorized by the program, and residents must inform the program when they move in or out. Removing the appliance or misusing it may result in replacement costs for the registered user. This bylaw was created to prevent FoodCycler™ appliances from leaving the community and to promote responsible use to maximize diversion rates and avoid unnecessary replacement costs.
Both homeowners and tenants are eligible for the program. This bylaw applies to both.
See the Waste Management and Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 3198 (2011) for more information.
For Property Owners:
If you are a property owner interested in learning how the program works for your rental property, please refer to our Landlord FAQs by clicking here.
For Tenants:
If you are a tenant curious about how the program will impact the property you rent, you can find information in our Tenant FAQs by clicking here.
All residents living in single-family homes within Nelson's city limits, including both renters and homeowners, are eligible to participate. However, if you own a home within the City and rent it out, you are not eligible for the program as it is for occupants only.
Select multi-family buildings with more than 10 dwellings will be contacted to participate in the program. While we recognize the potential benefits of the pre-treatment appliance in these buildings, a thorough evaluation will be conducted to determine if it is suitable for our community.
Please be aware that the Early Adopters List is now full. However, if you would like to be considered for future program openings or receive updates, please sign up for our waitlist by clicking here.
Currently, residents in Fairview are receiving appliances. For all other residents on the waitlist, we will reach out in 2024 for the distribution of remaining units.
Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email acknowledging your application. If you do not receive our email, please check your spam folder or contact us to verify your registration. Depending on your location within the City, our staff will contact you regarding pick-up details.
For Fairview Residents (Friday waste collection route): Expect to hear from us within a few days of your registration. We will reach out via email first, followed by a phone call to coordinate your pick-up or drop-off. Alternatively, you can attend one of our Open Drop-In sessions; check our Program Page at nelson.ca/organics for an up-to-date schedule.
Other City Residents: Please note that spaces for non-Fairview Residents are filled for 2023. However, a waitlist opportunity is available for those who missed the initial registration and reside outside the pilot neighbourhood of Fairview. We will contact Waitlist registrants in 2024 to distribute all remaining units.
We have designed our program with accessibility in mind. We have several options for you to get you set up with your appliance. Appliance pick-up events will take place at a City of Nelson facility with an access ramp to the main door. Registration tables and appliances will be on the first floor of the building, and staff can assist residents with carrying their appliances to a vehicle. Please note, a video tutorial will be displayed on the upper floor of the building, which is accessible only by stairs or chair-lift. If you would like to attend a pick-up event, and the second floor is not accessible to you, please let us know at the time of booking.
Residents requiring accommodation can schedule a home drop-off of their appliance. Program staff will deliver an appliance and educational materials, and assist with appliance setup if needed.
For other program accessibility inquiries, please contact organics@nelson.ca
In creating a first-of-its-kind program, the City is in a unique position to obtain grant funding for the pre-treated organics program. The City has secured roughly $700 000 in grants to support this program from funders such as Environment and Climate Change Canada, Columbia Basin Trust, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. The remaining costs will be covered by the City’s Resource Recovery fund which is built from residents’ annual waste collection fee and garbage tag fees.
Once the pilot of 1,600 units is proven successful, additional funding will be considered and the City will be in an excellent position to pursue other grant funding opportunities for this program.
A pre-treatment appliance is an in-home clean technology that transforms food waste into a natural soil amendment. About the size of a bread maker, pre-treatment appliances pulverize and dehydrate food scraps breaking them down in a matter of hours. The weight and volume of food scraps are reduced by ~90%, leaving users with dry material that is easy to store and can be used in backyard gardening or collected by the City.
Council is launching this program with circularity and sustainability in mind. Through the purchasing process, both the City and the manufacturer have committed to sustainable practices throughout the span of the program. This includes:
The program will pilot Drop-Off Locations for pre-treated organics only. Because of the versatility of the soil amendment, we still have much to learn about residents need for collections.
Organics collected in the Drop-Off Location will be taken to the Regional Compost Facility in Salmo where it will undergo aerobic digestion and make Class A Compost.
FoodCycler Sciences (FCS) has been awarded a contract through a successful public bidding process. FCS has incorporated feedback from the initial pilot and has redesigned its product. The new version is the Eco5, it comes with a 7-year warranty, a larger capacity (5L), and a full list of food waste that it can process, to see what it looks like and more details, click here.
Each cycle consumes approximately 1.5 kWh - this is roughly equivalent to having a desktop computer running for the same amount of time as the cycle. Residents can expect to use 1kWh for every kilogram of food waste processed.
In Nelson using the FoodCycler regularly should not cost you more than $2 per month. The FoodCycler is comparable in CO2e emissions to central composting (before transportation emissions) and backyard composting (if done correctly). FoodCycler offers a >95% reduction in CO2e compared to sending food waste to landfill.
In addition, the City is powered by clean, hydro-electric power generated from Nelson Hydro’s Bonnington Dam power plant.
One of the benefits of this program is the access it gives residents to a nutrient-rich soil amendment. It is important to note that although the amendment is partially decomposed, it still needs to mature and does not have the same characteristics as finished compost. FoodCycler recommends the user add it directly to their soil a few weeks before planting or further process it in a well-managed backyard compost system. Detailed instructions can be found in your Program Guide. If you would like more information on the end product of the pre-treatment appliance, please click here.
Each resident will be provided training and educational material upon pick-up. The training will show residents how to set up and use their appliance, access the program and store/use the nutrient-rich soil amendment.
The appliance has a refillable carbon filter to ensure that the smell doesn't bother your household. Once processed the user is left with an almost odorless soil amendment that is much easier to deal with than wet food waste.
If you are moving it is your responsibility to notify us.Click here if you are moving and fill out our online form.
You can also contact program staff at organics@nelson.ca to notify us on your move.
The filter will need to be refilled every 3-6 months (depending on use) or approximately 500 cycle hours (whichever comes first).
The FoodCycler™ uses refillable carbon filters to neutralize odours while processing food waste. If your appliance notifies you that a filter change is needed or if you begin to notice odour, follow the instructions on page 8 in the FoodCycler™ Manual or watch the Program Tutorial to learn more.
Please check here for updates.
The pre-treated materials have significantly less odor, and if not properly stored and used this can still attract pests. There will be education and training to promote optimal use and tips for success.