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But that never happened, said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson.

“I wish Plasco had worked because I think it would have been a great accomplishment for the environment, for our local technology industry, but it didn’t,” he said.

“We will now have to find a new technology.”

In the meantime, the mayor said an increased focus on diverting as much waste as possible from the landfill could extend the lifespan of the city’s Trail Road facility even beyond its projected expiration date of 2043.

“The more we can divert, the better, so it’s in our collective interest and the fiscally responsible thing to do to continue to put as much as we can in the blue, black and green bins so that we can ensure that we’re not going the expensive route of incineration or gasification or landfill,” he said.

Both Watson and environment committee chair David Chernushenko said the city needs to do a better job of promoting the use of green bins and, in particular, consider expanding the program into apartment and condo buildings, despite the logistical challenges that might pose in terms of storing the bins.

Chernushenko said he’d “definitely love” to see an expansion happen during this term of council.

“We need to divert better and the city can and will work with citizens to make that not just possible, but easier,” he said.

Green bins were an issue during last fall’s election campaign, particularly among some residents who complained about smell, insects and lack of storage space for bins.