Image via: Toronto Environmental Alliance

The reality of waste for apartment buildings...

Often, the biggest challenge for multi-residential buildings is that many were designed before recycling and organics collection existed. Consequently, they make increasing waste an issue, instead of recycling. Convenience is replacing sustainability.

In Toronto, the majority of highrise residents only divert 27% of their waste away from landfills. This is less than half (65%) for those that live in houses.

A game changing highrise...

A building with more than 1000 residents is kicking this statistic to the curb!
It has managed to divert 85% of its waste to recycling and composting instead of landfill.

This saves them $15,000 a year in waste fees as they only have to dispose of 1 dumpster instead of 20 a month!

How they achieved this...

Mayfair on the Green significantly reduced waste by implementing the following practices: 

• Converting their garbage chute into an organics chute (and making people take their garbage).
• Creating a main floor recycling room to handle a variety of waste, including cooking oil, e-waste, hazardous waste and reusable items that could be offered to other residents before being donated to charity. 
• Doing door-to-door outreach so residents understood proper disposal for each kind of waste.

How awesome is that?! Saving money and waste!

If you live in an apartment and would like to start composting your food scraps, check out our apartment-sized composter here.

Share this article with those who would be interested, the more awareness that is raised the better 💓 🌏

Thanks for reading, if you have any questions or would like help on where to begin your zero waste journey, please don't hesitate to reach out via askusanything@goforzero.com.au

With love,

Ellie & the GFZ team xx

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Source:

www.cbc.ca/