With concerns about climate change and the city’s corporate GHG footprint, with signals from the province’s organics strategy, and concerns about the life expectancy at Trail Road landfill, the continued collection of large quantities of organic waste from high rise apartments and townhouse complexes and sending it for landfill disposal is no longer sustainable.

There is public demand for multi-residential green bin service. A city survey of residents reported that over 80% indicated a willingness to participate in a green bin program in their buildings, this, despite the concerns that some expressed, regarding such issues as access, convenience, and smell. Similarly, representatives in the property management sector also showed strong support for an organics collection program with almost 70% of those surveyed responded positively to the idea.

WWO supports making organics collection in multi-residential buildings mandatory as a condition of receiving city garbage collection service and with piloting new collection initiatives such as switching the use of garbage chutes to organics collection chutes.

The Toronto Environmental Alliance has worked with condominium boards and resident associations in Toronto to help design and implement new approaches to managing waste and recycling in high-rise apartment buildings and townhouse properties.  TEA’s successful efforts to reduce waste generation and enhance recycling and organics collection can be viewed at: https://www.torontoenvironment.org/toronto_high-rise_communities_prove_zero_waste_buildings_are_possible