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4 + WATERLOO CHRONLCLE * â€" We‘ll bring your store to 32,000 doors. WarenRioo‘s Own Communtty Newsparen 519â€"886â€"2830 WATERLOO CHRONICLE Wednesday, May teve Lindt thinks that something stinks about S(he Region of Waterloo‘s waste management strategy â€" and the lack of a familiar odour this spring is a telling sign. Lindt, an avid gardener and longtime Waterloo resident, was upset when he discovered that the region isn‘t providing free compost at the Erb Street landfill on a daily basis this season. Last year, excess compost was piled near the dump and citizens could take it away at no cost. When Lindt visited the landfill this spring, he was told that comâ€" post would only be available for free on two designated days instead of every day. Lindt was disappointed by what he heard, and thinks thousands of other Waterloo gardeners will be perturbed as well. "I think a lot of people appreciâ€" ated the service," he said. And not only was the compost available at no cost, it was high quality, he added. Resident says something stinks about the end of free compost By Grec MacDonau Chronicle Staff it the Erb This year, waste management decided to manâ€" 3 ufacture the compost exclusively in Cambridge, where there is a market for the soil, "I had to spend _ Archibald said. "Last year we were unable to $140f0”,1300d find a market for (compost) in soil mix to bulk," he said. "But not all the material is in Cambridge now, make up f or we‘ve found a market." the stufi I used And even if there is excess comâ€" » post in Cambridge, it would cost to getf orfr ee. the region to transport it to Waterâ€" â€"Steve Lindt Concerned citizen while the region is making (money)," he said. "When the amount of revenues is probably small, always choose the citizens." But the costs of providing free compost on a daily basis were proving too much for the region, said Jim Archibald, director of waste management. After the region was not able to resell excess compost in Water|oo last year, it put out the extra soil for citizens. L citizen Archibald estimates that it costs about $10 per tonne â€" $300 total for a 30â€"tonne load â€" to get the sail to Waterloo. In Cambridge, however, they can retail the compost for about $8 per tonne, Archibald said. Moreover, the Erb Street landfill no longer has the capacity to hold excess soil and complaints from nearby residents prompted the region to rethink its policy. "Last year we were unable to find a market for (compost) in bulk," he said. "But not all the material is in Cambridge now, we‘ve found a market." And even if there is excess comâ€" post in Cambridge, it would cost the region to transport it to Waterâ€" loo.