The City of Saskatoon has come out with a plan to require businesses in the city to recycle.

Next Monday, councillors will consider three plans presented by city administration. The recommended option states all businesses in the city would be required to have separate containers for their recycling.

As well, any business that generates food or yard waste as part of its operations would need a third, separate bin by 2022.

"We see about 24 per cent of the materials coming into [the city landfill] from the ICI [industrial, commercial and institutional] sector," said Jeanna South, director of sustainability for the City of Saskatoon.

"That creates a very significant opportunity for diversion."

The initiative is part of a wider goal by the city to divert 70 per cent of its waste from area landfills by 2023. While many city initiatives have focused on homeowners, Smith said it was also important to focus on the business sector.

"Our research shows that without changing to a regulatory environment, it's unlikely that we would be able to move the needle on a voluntary basis," she said.

According to the city, businesses and industry generate 68 per cent of the refuse sent to all Saskatoon-area landfills — including the city's, and privately operated landfills. That means about 75,800 tons of recyclables could be diverted from the system, the city says.

Enforcement would start one year after the initiative began, and would be driven by complaints. The city would also plan education blitzes.

The city says a similar program has been adopted successfully in cities like Calgary and Halifax.

South said the proposed plan would not involve the city picking up any more garbage than it currently does, but would instead focus on a regulatory approach.

She said the current plan would give private waste companies extra time to come up with a plan to adjust to the new regulations. Conversely, small businesses would be allowed to come up with plans on their own, including on-site composting.

The city believes the plan would raise the civic garbage diversion rate from 22 per cent to 27 per cent.

Last year, the city asked businesses and institutions about what they wanted to see in a recycling plan. About 870 people gave their feedback.

Other options presented to councillors include screening followups from city environmental officers rather than relying solely on complaints, or ordering all businesses submit a waste diversion plan to the city, rather than having mandatory separate containers.

Councillors will discuss the plan at the city's Jan. 13 environment committee meeting.