YELLOWKNIFE - Starting this week, city hall is going to take a closer look at how composting could cut down on household waste going into Yellowknife's dump.

City employee Kate Thomson shows off one of the 50 composter/bucket combinations that were given to Yellowknife homes this week to study what difference composting can make. - Adam Johnson/NNSL photo

The city distributed 50 free outdoor composters and indoor buckets to homes across Yellowknife on a first-come-first-served basis, asking ressidents to record what they put into it over the next year.

Co-ordinator Kate Thomson said there was a waiting list for the composters, which were to be distributed this week.

"When they put waste in the outdoor bin, they tally how much is being diverted from the landfill to the composter."

Thomson was stumped when asked the size of the bucket , which aside from being used to carry organic waste to the bin, allows owners to better measure the amount being diverted from the city landill.

The purpose of the study, she said, is to determine just how much waste can be diverted from average homes by composting - which she said could be 30 per cent or more.

Money for the study comes from a $5,000 grant from the Shell Environmental Fund.

Councillor Shelagh Montgomery, who spoke in favour of the project on Monday, said she would like to see it go further.

"I'd like to have something that is much more city-wide," she said, such as drop-off points around the city and curbed pickup.

"It's of need in the North, because we don't have a lot of topsoil we can use again for own gardens."

She said the bin being used in this program was an "aeration" composter, as compared to the worm-driven one she uses.

While this can run outside, it does pose some challenges in cold weather, according to Thomson.

"The only difference is that it freezes solid in the winter and in the spring you have to mix it well," she said.

"You also need to add water because it's so dry in the north," she added. "It takes a little bit more attention in the few months that it's worm enough."

Thomson said she had equipped her home with one of the composters in recent weeks to help monitor the study.

"I find it cuts my waste (output) into almost half," she said.

However, Thomson said she tends to cook from ingredients, and buys very little packaged food.

"It really depends on the lifestyle of the person."

She said the composters come with instruction booklets, and that she would make herself available for owners who have questions.

For other people interested, she said, the composters could be had for about $55 in various Yellowknife locations.