We have gotten a lot of questions especially after the holidays about garburators. “Should I remove my existing unit?” “Should I install a new one?” “What is the alternative to an in-sink garbage disposal?” When it comes down to it, there is no right or wrong answer but there are several matters of personal preference and local impact that should be considered. We’ve outlined a few key points for you here.

What happens to the waste that goes down the garburator?
In Metro Vancouver, the organic matter from your garburator typically gets treated by way of sewage processing. A report from 2015 showed that filtering the organic material that comes from household garburators can cost the City up to $2M per year. As the population in Vancouver grows, many local City officials would like to see a ban on garburators to mitigate these costs (some parts of the US do not allow them), but it’s not likely that they will be banned here in the Lower Mainland any time soon. Waste from a garburator that is small enough to get past the sewage processing filters does eventually make its way to the composting facility.

What is the benefit of having a garburator?
One of the greatest benefits of having a garburator is convenience. Multi-family or multi-person households with children often find it exceptionally challenging to ensure that every member of their household is sorting food waste separately into the compost bin. The other benefit comes from having the garburator break-down larger food scraps. Especially after the holidays, many homeowners have clogged kitchen drains that result in expensive drain cleaning efforts (we see this most around the holidays).

Should I have my existing garburator removed? What is the alternative?
This is ultimately the homeowner’s decision to make, with the alternative of course being sorting your food scraps in your own compost bin. Across much of the Lower Mainland, the implementation of curbside compost pickup makes it easier than ever for homeowners to deal with food scraps in a convenient and affordable way. The Metro Vancouver’s Utilities Committee estimates that it costs roughly $1,800 per tonne to process food waste at a sewage treatment facility, vs $70 from curbside pickup.

Whatever you decide to do, the experts at Marvel Plumbing & Drainage can provide you with knowledgeable advice, and affordable and friendly solutions that suit your specific needs. Give us a call today at 604-729-3864, or email us at info@marvelplumbdrain.com

Sources: Cbc.ca Calgary, Cbc.ca BC