It appears blue bins have been a good investment for the Town of Rocky Mountain House.

That according to Town officials who recently received its waste audit, indicating as much.

According to the waste audit in 2019, Rocky Mountain House’s single family waste composition study found about 60 per cent of the waste stream consisted of organic material (by weight). This recent study found the garbage stream to consist of fewer organic materials, at 47 per cent. This is a reduction of 13 per cent, note Town officials.

An additional 12 per cent was identified as eligible for the curbside recycling program, which is less than the 2019 results (17%). The 2019 results also displayed significant construction and demolition material at 17 per cent. Construction and demolition material was minimal this year at only two per cent.

Previously only four per cent of the waste stream was deemed “general waste” or “residuals”, compared to 30 per cent in 2023. The Town says this shows a progressive trend of material that cannot be diverted making up a larger portion of the garbage stream. Ultimately, the entire garbage stream should only be non-divertible material and be reduced in weight.

The report does provide four recommendations with three being programming focused on recycling, organics and beverage containers. The fourth recommendation is to conduct spot checks (audits) every three years to monitor progress.