Multi-Residential Waste Diversion Strategy
The City of Ottawa is developing a Multi-Residential Waste Diversion Strategy as a component projects of the broader Solid Waste Master Plan. The Strategy will provide recommendations on how to increase waste diversion in the multi-residential sector by reviewing, enhancing, and developing pilots, policies and initiatives designed to increase participation and engagement in programs offered by the City.
The City provides waste collection services to approximately 2,150 multi-residential properties. Waste audit studies show that 74% of all waste disposed of at multi-residential properties is thrown in the garbage, and 58% could be diverted through recycling and green bin programs.
Aiming to increase waste diversion supports both provincial direction and City initiatives:
- The Province’s Food and Organic Waste Policy Statement provides direction to multi-residential properties to increase waste reduction and resource recovery of food and organic waste. The Provincial target for multi-residential properties is 50% waste reduction and recovery of food and organic waste by 2025.
- The Province of Ontario is committed to phasing out food and organic waste from landfills by 2030.
- The City’s Energy Evolution project calls for 98% organics diversion from landfill and 100% diversion of paper products.
The project is recommending five pillars to support increasing waste diversion at multi-residential properties. Each pillar will include project recommendations to support the pillars:
- Expanding organics diversion to all multi-residential properties
- Enhancing promotion and education (P&E)
- Exploring pilots
- Dedicating and redesigning space for waste disposal programs
- Driving change moving forward through the collection contract
If you would like to receive updates on waste management projects, subscribe to the Solid Waste Master Plan newsletter
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Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkView All Ideas11 months ago
Have some Carleton School of Industrial Design (SID) students look into issues and opportunities and present some solution insights.
I am a design prof at SID. Our students are very keen on sustainability issues and could be very helpful in generating and exploring certain ideas. I'd love to chat with someone about the potential. I have a 4th year group starting in the Fall of 2023. Maybe there is a project here. It would certainly be an amazing experience for the students. Thanks in advance for some feedback - either way. Appreciated, Rob
about 2 years ago
Separate Chutes
In my building often one annoyance is going to the basement to deposit my recyclables, another is that in the room, most bins are free for all of recyclable items thrown each and every bin defeating the purpose of recyclable categories. requiring all new buildings to have three separate chutes, trash, recyclables, and compostables. This, I believe would encourage more people to use recycling and compost and deal with hesitancy to keep degrading food waste in a bin in a small apartment
about 2 years ago
Put the Onus on Landlords, not residents.
Speaking from experience, most residents in my building can't even separate their papers from plastics correctly in giant clearly marked bins. Relying on residents to correctly sort and implement the program will result in failure. Scorecards and such should all be the responsibility of the landlord. If they face fines, or penalties for failure to execute well on diversion they will either A) take on the onus of educating tenants, or B) manage and sort themselves. Carrots (incentives) are wonderful but landlords aren't going to follow through unless there's also sticks (consequences) for failure to do so.
about 2 years ago
All high rises must offer composting to residents!
Apartment buildings, condos etc. must include options for residents to use the city's composting service; the city should work with managers and owners to mitigate issues they describe as deterrents, such as pests.
Who's Listening
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Email wasteplan@ottawa.ca
