Recycling Issues

[Acitta]

Given the number of 40+ storey towers in various stages of proposal/approval/construction in Kitchener, I am wondering about impact on waste management, organic waste in particular. The hue and cry about extending the lifespan of our landfill and achieving waste diversion seems at odds with the lack of organics collection options in multi-residential buildings. I'm a tenant in a large complex and have, for five years, been creeping out under cover of darkness along side streets to put our kitchen scraps in one of the neighbourhood green bins. (...)

You (together with the other residents) should lobby the landlord or condo board (depending on the type of building) to implement green bin collection. Our building has had green bins for about three years now. Yes, they habe an incremental cost, but there is also the tangible benefit of reducing the garbage volume (and the occasional garbage chute back-ups due to an overflowing garbage bin).

In my small building, the building manager has had to post a notice complaining about residents (probably new tenants) putting their garbage in the recycling bins. The garbage is supposed to go into a big bin at the end of the parking lot. Next to it is a bin marked cardboard only. I see a lot of cardboard going into the garbage bin, including from contractors installing new appliances or whatever. I don't know how tenants will be persuaded to separate their organics as well. I lived in a house which I shared with a couple of other people, and getting the others to properly use the green bin was difficult.