Green Bin Program Hits Condos, Apartments

While homeowners across the city have felt both the joys (the self-righteous feeling that comes from studious recycling) and the sorrows ( when is that grey bin going to arrive) that comes with Toronto’s new garbage collection plan, apartment dwellers have been left out of the fun.

The same goes for those who live in condos or co-ops: the convoluted, albeit beneficial, plan never touched their homes.

That’s going to change, promised the Mayor.

David Miller revealed Wednesday that more than 4,500 multi-unit residential buildings will soon begin receiving City collection services.

It’s a small dent of the 510,000 single-family homes that keep organic, compostable material out of landfills – but it’s a start.

And when the program is at full capacity, hitting every single high rise, it will take 30,000 tonnes of waste out of the garbage and turn it into something green.

The project will be phased in over the next year and a half, with approximately 300 buildings added each month.

“Toronto is a North American leader in recycling and composting programs,” Miller states in a press release. The “Target 70” plan was implemented to divert 70 per cent of trash from landfills by 2010. According to the city, organic materials comprise approximately 30 per cent of household waste.

But in apartments and those buildings like them, residents recycle only 13 per cent of it.

“Our citizens have a long proud history of environmental commitment. Approximately 95 per cent of eligible single-family households participate in the Green Bin Program,” outlined Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker, Chair of the City’s Public Works and Infrastructure Committee.

“We know that residents living in apartments, condos and co-ops want to recycle and do the best for our environment. Participating in the Green Bin Program is one way they can reduce the amount of garbage they send to landfill.”

How Will It Work?

• At the launch of the program, building owners will receive one small kitchen container, an information card and a newsletter for each unit in the building. Buildings will be responsible for delivering the launch packages to each resident.
• Residents collect organic household materials, such as food waste and soiled paper food products, in the kitchen container. The kitchen container can be lined using a plastic bag (used grocery bags are fine). Once full, residents remove the plastic bag with the organics and toss it in the large Green Bin(s) stored in the central waste/recycling collection site at the building.
• There are no changes to the recycling program. Garbage is disposed of in the same location currently used (possibly a garbage chute or in the central waste/recycling collection site).
• City-wide front-end bin Green Bin collection is done by Miller Waste. Green Bin collection is weekly.
• Recycling is collected weekly. Leftover non-recyclable/non-compostable garbage (e.g. old running shoes, furnace filters, light bulbs, etc.) is picked up bi-weekly. Bulky items (e.g. mattresses, furniture, etc.) are collection upon request by calling Miller Waste.
• The City uses five facilities to process the green bin organic material. Operators inspect the organics and remove large, unwanted items. The organic material is then converted into clean, rich compost.
• Finished compost can be sold in bags or in bulk for use in landscaping, agriculture, soil erosion control and to improve soil quality

What Goes In The Green Bin (Do’s and Don’ts)

City Struggles To Keep Up With Demand As New Garbage Collection Program Begins