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Given all the fuss to get people to use the green bin, you might wonder why you’re throwing your apple core and kitty litter into the garbage at your apartment building or condo. It becomes frustrating if you’re interested in adopting a zero waste lifestyle or have recently moved out of your single family home to enjoy your retirement in a condo.

You may then be one of the people trying to figure out how to get organic waste collection at your building or complex, only to find out that it’s next to impossible.

How could this possibly be? We know that our local landfill is fighting hard to avoid reaching capacity that is anticipated in 20 years. We also know that organic waste creates methane which is a particularly nasty greenhouse gas. And we know that time is running out to avoid the worst of the impact of climate change, which is irreversible.

So why doesn’t the Region of Waterloo collect organic waste from multiple unit residential sites? It’s own official plan limits urban growth and calls for intensification.

The answer is simple. The Region doesn’t have to collect organic waste from these properties.

While that may not make sense, it’s perfectly legitimate. The Region of Waterloo is only required by the province to collect garbage from single family homes and small multi-unit properties with six units or less. Anything larger is considered a business and is served by a private waste collection firm.

Still you’d think that one resident or a group of residents who care about living sustainably could at least make a difference in their own building or complex. Private firms offer the service but it is priced dramatically higher than collecting the garbage and taking it to a private landfill — possibly even one they own. And the Region of Waterloo’s tiny pilot program isn’t accepting more participants.

That makes it an expensive option for even the most environmentally-friendly condos or property owners. On top of that, it is a risky option since only a small minority is likely to participate. Quality of waste is an issue, too, if people don’t understand what is compostable.

So all the local people whose home is in one of the large apartment buildings or condos that are popping up are forced to throw their organic waste into the garbage which is then trucked outside Waterloo Region — racking up greenhouse gas emissions to transport it and as it decomposes.

But you may be thinking, why does the Region of Waterloo collect my building’s recycling? I’m sure it was due to public pressure to offer the service. It probably helped too that materials collected for recycling can be sold whereas there is a cost for disposing organic waste.

To their credit, the Region of Waterloo does plan to initiate a study next year about offering organic waste collection to all homes in Waterloo Region. Still, a report to Regional Council isn’t expected for a couple years with implementation still further down the road.

Public pressure is the best way to get this service offered sooner at your building or complex. Start with your landlord, property manager or condo board. Even better, make sure provincial politicians looking for your vote in June know you want the province to require this service. Then in the fall, let your regional council candidates know that you want the Region to provide you with organic waste collection as soon as possible.

And in the meantime, perhaps a grassroots initiative can provide a solution.

5 responses to “WR & Howe: Managing Waste in KW Condos and Apartments”

  1. Bill Armstrong Avatar

    Same in Ottawa. The city collects dry recyclables because the yield is low, probably about 10% of eligible materials. (Remember,recycling costs a lot more than land-filling.) Property owners and managers will not spend to retrofit adequate facilities or for staff time to properly manage what can be a messy business. Filling a commercial dumpster is the cheap, simple minded preference. Making it harder to recycle than to dispose guarantees that this will continue. The municipalities (Hello AMO!) need to assume authority for these buildings and the Province need to grant this. Of course the downside is that a significant new flow of trash will arrive at MUNICIPAL landfills instead of the private ones where it goes now. In Ottawa more than 40% of households fall into this category and while they produce a little less waste per unit, the totals are significant. The opportunities to collect wet waste are limited. Depots are too inconvenient (see dry material rates) and anonymity allows misuse and contamination and putrification to flourish. Nothing short of daily collection of wet waste from units or garbage rooms will do and you can see how costs start to spiral. Freezing is expensive too and if residents let compostables rot or don’t precisely follow rules, nuisance ensues. This could all be addressed in new buildings and some retrofit might occur under tenant or condo owner pressure but most older buildings are more or less doomed. Consumer Reports noted that in 200 US cities, and for reasons more to do with vermin control than waste diversion, garburaters, or similar in-sink disposal devices are mandatory in high rise buildings. Where sewer and wastewater treatment facilities are adequate this could be considered. Municipal sewage sludge is as beneficial as compost though used under tighter restrictions. Removal of much of the wet waste makes managing the dry residual stream much easier as well. We need to get away from “one size fits all” solutions and embrace a diversity of tactics. Full disclosure. I was contracted to set up recycling in Ottawa apartment buildings. Later I wrote a proposal to pilot test garburators in medium sized buildings. Ottawa endorsed this, punted it up to the Province and no funding was forthcoming. Unfortunate, because data is lacking and that should be the basis for such initiatives. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Ontario households get shoddy and inadequate waste services.

  2. James Howe (@JamesHoweWR) Avatar

    Thanks for all the great info and insight Bill! Lots to consider. One idea I’ve looked at is to have a collection service for individual units. I also think certified compostable bags for organic waste can go a long way to avoiding some of the potential problems.

  3. Rich Reist Avatar
    Rich Reist

    In Toronto apt building green bin programs are required and handled by the city. They allow for some plastics to go in the green bin since they want to get disposable diapers and have a system for separating plastics from organics though it can miss tiny bits of plastic. It’s a good system since it diverts so much, especially cobsconside how many multi unit buildings there are in that city. When I lived there I only three out a shopping bag of garbage about every two weeks. I have pet rabbits so generate massive amounts of organic waste.

    Having a system that removes the plastic also helps with inevitable contamination problems. I imagine it’s an expensive system but Toronto is desperate to divert as much waste as possible since there is no landfill space in the city and finding willing hosts, especially after the US banned it, is very difficult. WR isn’t as desperate yet.

  4. Jennifer Freitas Avatar

    I have a solution. Replace almost everyone in City Hall.

  5. Nancy Avatar

    This was a great read! As someone who lives in a condo, waste management can often be a bit of a headache. I appreciated the information about how waste management companies are increasingly using technology to improve their operations and reduce waste. It’s encouraging to know that there are innovative solutions being developed to help tackle the growing issue of waste management. Thanks for sharing!

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