Community gardens are sprouting up across Edmonton and some residents, including one city councillor, are wondering if they could also function as compost sites.

Coun. Aaron Paquette plans to bring a motion before council on Tuesday to allow community gardens to run their own composting programs.

"For those who are starting a community garden that gives them the compost they need," Paquette said. "But it can also be used as a fundraiser. They could sell their compost to other communities or individuals."

The change could divert organics from the landfill, Paquette said, and take pressure off the city's composting program.

Edmonton's 270,000-square-foot composting facility was permanently shut down in May after failing a safety inspection. Officials say the short-term plan is to divert organic waste to an anaerobic digestion facility until a new facility is ready sometime between 2023 and 2025.

"We just simply don't have the capacity to process all of these organics from single residential in the entire city until we build another composter," Paquette said.

Coun. Aaron Paquette, right, plans to bring forward a motion at city hall that could pave the way for community compost projects. (Peter Evans/CBC)

He said allowing communities to spearhead their own efforts would complement the city's green bin pilot program, which rolled out in April. Eight thousand homes received a 120-litre green bin for kitchen waste.

Paquette said he'd also like to see a simplified approval process for community gardens as interest grows across the city.

"Every community I go in to in the northeast, they're saying we want to start a community garden," Paquette said. "People are already right on their way but they are encountering a lot of red tape."

Paquette's motion notes that "a lot of residents want to take action, they just need a little support getting going." He said by bringing administration into the conversation they can help figure out how to offer that support — in most cases, funding for necessary supplies and equipment.

'You just don't generate garbage'

The Waldorf Education Society of Edmonton co-ordinated the installation of a community garden at the Waldorf Independent School of Edmonton last month. While it serves as a learning tool for students, the garden is open to anyone and fully accessible.

The garden is already producing fruits and vegetables, says Nora Shea (Manuel Carillos/CBC)

The garden is already producing fruits and vegetables, but co-ordinator Nora Shea says there is more they can do.

"Once we finish planting this big donation of trees and edible shrubs that we got, then we'll be starting to work more in the fall on establishing the compost program," Shea said.

The group of volunteers and community members have worked hard to collect donations to get the park blossoming.

They have also received $2,500 from Sustainable Food Edmonton, a non-profit charitable group that distributes city funding to community gardens, school programs and other urban agriculture programs.

Shea has composted for years and says her household creates almost no waste.

"You just don't generate garbage because all your wet waste is going into the compost," Shea said. "If you try not to use plastic bags and plastic containers … and you refill your glass containers, you don't have garbage."

Both Paquette and Shea also believe the projects help to build a sense of community while addressing the need for fresh local produce.