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Home Composter Rebate Program

WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2022. WE WELCOME YOUR ENQUIRIES NEXT SPRING.

Apply before you buy!

The Home Composter Rebate Program is part of the Composting on the Coast Community Program. Visit letstalk.scrd.ca/Composting-on-the-Coast to share your composting journey and help other residents in the community get started.

Rebates of up to $100 are available from May 1 to Sept 1, or until the funding runs out. See below for elibility and how to apply.

Home composting provides your garden and home with a way to reduce your waste and build healthy soils.

Before you purchase your next home composter, see below for:

  • how the program and application process works
  • information on how to determine eligibility for receiving a rebate
  • things to consider when committing to home composting
  • choosing a composter

How the rebate program works

Follow these steps before purchasing a home composter.

  1. Determine if you are eligible.
    See below for eligibility.
  2. Choose which composter you would like to purchase and confirm it is available for purchase.
    There is a dedicated section below on composting options and some suppliers that may carry them.
  3. Fill out an application and provide staff with the required documentation.
    Links to the application are below, along the information on what documentation the SCRD will require to complete the process. It may take 1 week to recieve an initial reply from Staff, however, applications are reviewed based on the date received.
  4. Receive confirmation from staff that you will receive a rebate
  5. Purchase the composter and complete the Rebate Claim Form with the appropriate receipts attached to be issued a rebate.
  6. Start composting!
  7. Rebate issued via cheque.
  8. Share your journey at letstalk.scrd.ca/Composting-on-the-Coast

Eligibility

If you can answer yes to all of the following questions then you are eligible to apply.

  1. Are you a homeowner of a residential property on the Sunshine Coast? This includes if you live in any SCRD Electoral Area, District of Sechelt, Sechelt Indian Government District, Town of Gibsons, or any of the SCRD islands.
    If you are a tenant, contact your landlord (if they are the landowner) and they can apply for your residence.
  2. Will the composter be used on a residential property on the Sunshine Coast?
  3. I am waiting for my application and rebate to be approved before buying a composter.
    The rebate is only for the purchase of a new composter unit or the materials to build a composter.

CHOOSING A COMPOSTER

Review the information available on www.scrd.ca/composting or review our composting brochure for composting basics and visit WildSafeBC for information on creating a WildSafe yard that is friendly for composting at wildsafebc.ca/learn/wildsafe-yard.

REMEMBER! It is recommended to select a home composter that fits your household’s needs and that you have the time to maintain for a long-term commitment.

It is recommended that residents consider the following before committing to having a composter at home:

  • The type of food waste you want to compost will impact your selection. For food waste you won’t be home composting, place in your Green Bin www.scrd.ca/curbside-food or drop-off at Salish Soils for composting.
  • It is also important to consider the location where you place your composter. Outdoor composters will need to receive enough sunlight (generates heat) for the composting process and the moisture content needs to be monitored.
  • Not all products create "compost" some create soil amendments or only dehydrate your food waste - so be sure the end product is something you will utilize.
  • At this time plastic composters are not currently recyclable, so choosing a well built composter that will last for a long time is a good consideration for the planet.
  • Location – sunlight and drainage will affect your composter’s activity
  • Time – composting is easy, but time will still need to be dedicated to ensuring your composter gets enough oxygen or and indoor composters will need to be cleaned
  • Wildlife – some food waste requires a lot of heat to properly compost and not all composters are up to the task.
    • For food waste that attracts wildlife use your Green Bin curbside collection or contact your local municipality.
    • Grass and leaf piles can compost, but they also act as a nice home for smaller wildlife. Utilize the free yard waste drop off locations for the excess you won’t be composting or consider the process of grass-cycling when mowing your lawn. Visit www.scrd.ca/composting for a list of locations.

The SCRD’s Composting Website has a basic guide for composting and for helping residents work through the above considerations.

Composting Options

These options are meant to be a guide for residents in choosing the type of composter that works best for them. Detailed information about each composter type can be found at Compost Education Centre in Victoria’s website. If you are unsure if your composter does not meet the requirements do not hesitate to reach out to infrastructure@scrd.ca.

Outdoor Composters

These composters are designed to be located outdoors because they require natural occurring bacteria and worms that are located outside and placement location may affect functionality.

Traditional/Static Composter

Composting unit can be purchased or built and does not move. The materials must be mixed and moisture content monitored. Location of composter will affect the time it takes for materials to be turned into compost. Once composted, the compost needs to be removed from the unit.

Looking to build your own? The supplies to build your own composter can be covered by the home composter rebate, we just need the details on the application, including what you're going to build and an estimate of approximate material costs to get pre-approved.

If you need design inspiration or ideas about making your design rodent resistent, Metro Vancouver has well detailed construction plans for a single or 3 bin system. Click here for the 1 bin version and here for the 3 bin version.

In-Ground Composter/Digester

Designed to stay in one location for a period and utilizes the sun's heat to breakdown food waste. The materials are not removed from the digester. The Ridge Meadows Recycling Society has great information on how this type works.

Vertical Stacked Composter

Designed to compost in stages, requires similar conditions to on the ground versions of traditional composters and may require innoculation of dirt/soil/worms to work.

Tumbling

Rotating or tumbling composters use heat from the sun and make the mixing the material easier.

Indoor Options

These options are designed for indoor use or small spaces and if needed, can be scaled up. They do not create compost or nutrient rich top soils but instead create either a “soil tea” or fertilizer like substance that provides nutrients for your soil for both indoor and outdoor use.

If you are choosing an indoor option because you do not have an outdoor space please ensure you have reviewed your options for where the created materials will end up as these cannot go to garbage and may or may not be allowed in your food waste bin.

It is recommended that residents review available options before proceeding.

Worm Composting

A worm composter or a vermi-composter uses worms to breakdown food waste into “castings”. This type of composter can be a great indoor alternative and a fun family project. Fishing supply stores, garden centres and local farms can be contacted to find the “red wiggler” worm which is typically the preferred worm for this composter type. You can purchase pre-built or build your own using old rubbermaid bins.

Food Fermentation

Fermentation units like Bokashi do not make your traditional compost but turn your food scraps into nutrient rich materials to boost your soil's and plant health. Information about this process and how it works can be found here.

Electic Food "Recycler"

The material generated by electric food recyclers varies by the type of product. Confirm what you will do with the materials after they’ve been processed by the product.

Fill out an application - Note Program is closed for 2022.

Please follow these steps in order to apply and potentially receiving a Home Composter Rebate of up to $100.

  1. Review the Terms and Conditions of the Home Composter Rebate (click here to download)
  2. Fill out the Pre- Approval Application (click here to download)
  3. You will receive either a Pre-Approval Letter or a Waitlist Letter
    1. If you receive a Pre-Approval Letter proceed to the next steps (steps 4-6)
    2. If you receive a Waitlist Letter the SCRD will have allocated the avaialable rebate and you will be notified if you will be able to proceed with a rebate or if the rebate is no longer available
  4. Purchase the composter
  5. Attach the receipts and Complete the Home Composter Rebate Claim Form (click here to download)
  6. The SCRD will issue the rebate once the Claim Form from Step 5 is complete.