WATCH: Elaine Yong reports on some unpleasant problems some condos are having with mandatory composting, and how to avoid them.
It’s four months into Metro Vancouver’s new rules around food scraps and organic waste, and the city admits they’ve encountered some expected hurdles.
“It’s important to remember that this has been done in many, many places across North America. Places like Boston and Seattle and Halifax, which did it 15 years ago. And they all had the same challenges with older, high-rise buildings,” says Andrew Marr of Metro Vancouver Solid Waste Planning.
Food scraps can no longer be thrown out with regular garbage, making composting mandatory. While there is currently a grace period to help educate people on the new rules, fines for excessive food waste dumpers will come into place after June 30.
WATCH: Asa Rehman explains how the program works and the penalties for not complying
While the Condominium Home Owners Association says there have been complaints about flies, cockroaches, rodents and poor ventilation, some places have enthusiastically embraced the change. The Newport on Main building now has six green bins in their basement, and property manager Serge D’Allaire says nearly everyone in the 164-unit building is on board. He says smarter use of garbage bins will save his building money in the long run.
“Having the two systems going right now, we’re still saving a little bit of money. Once we’ve fully gone ahead with the thing, we’re going to have good savings,” he says.
However, D’Allaire adds the biggest reason for their success was proactively educating residents before the changes were made.
“All it takes is a few people to make the whole thing derail. If you work with the system and you work with other people, it works.”
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