Canada – Toronto taking aim at high-rise garbage

This summer, residents in 30 apartments and condominiums will be the first to help Toronto spur high-rise buildings to "go green" – so kitchen scraps head to a compost bin and not down the garbage chute.



The Toronto Globe & Mail reports that at city council, works department officials have outlined plans for the pilot project to be launched by late summer.



Toronto homeowners now recycle almost 60 per cent of their household waste, using the blue and grey box for paper, bottles and cans and the green bin for organics. However, multi-residential dwellers do not have access to the green bin program and recycle only about 12 per cent of their garbage.



Angelos Bacopoulos, general manager of solid waste management services, said the city is working with representatives of apartment and condominium owners and others in identifying buildings to test composting options.



"We want to have a good cross-section before we bring in a full-scale project," Mr. Bacopoulos said.



The pilot project is expected to last up to one year, with citywide implementation to be phased in from 2007-10.



Finding ways to bring Toronto‘‘s 5,100 high-rise buildings on board is critical to the city‘‘s goal to divert 100 per cent of its garbage from landfill by 2012. In theory, Toronto expects to reach at least 60 per cent of the total through beefed-up recycling and composting, with the remaining 40 per cent through other means yet to be determined.



Brad Butt, executive director of the Greater Toronto Apartment Association and a member of a city committee advising on the pilot project, says his members are willing to participate, but are skeptical.



"We‘‘re happy to provide facilities," he said. "But if we don‘‘t get buy-in from residents who generate the waste it will be very difficult to make the program a success."



But Gord Perks, a member of the Toronto Environmental Alliance, also represented on the city committee, said he is confident tenants will get on board for composting.



"Torontonians love to divert waste. When you give them a good system they will overachieve."



The green bin introduced last year has been successful with homeowners. In October, when North York joins, all homeowners will be able to compost kitchen scraps, diapers and pet waste