Mixed-use buildings to get new trash treatment
Street front businesses and residents in apartments above stores will now have garbage, recycling and organics from the entire property picked up collectively.
Since November 1 owners of these types of buildings have had to sign up to the same user pay system used by residential dwellings use, but how they divide up any associated costs between the various tenants will be up to the landlords.
Here’s how the new system works.
“Through the owner they get access to garbage bins, free recycling, free white goods collection (of large appliances), free leaf collection and free green bins,” says Rob Orpin, director of collections for the city’s Solid Waste Management Services.
Previously residents in apartments above stores were not charged for garbage based on the size of bin, they would throw out trash in bags for free. But they didn’t have access to services such as collection of organic waste.
Now, they get the same service as people in single family dwellings only on a weekly basis for all collection.
Apartment dwellers and small businesses will share the same garbage bins, organics and recycling containers. Or if there is no space for these bins, they can use the yellow bags for garbage at $3.10 each and put recyclables in clear bags for free.
Orpin is convinced the new system will work better because it streamlines collecting waste and recycling from apartments and businesses into one weekly visit rather than four as in the past.
Businesses are appreciative because there is no collection on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays when street traffic is busiest, Orpin tells me.
“It keeps the streetscape cleaner,” he says. “We cut the down the number of nights city vehicles are on the streets.”
There are about 20,000 small businesses and 1,200 apartments impacted by these changes.
For businesses such as restaurants and grocers that need green bin pick-up more once a week, they can receive premium organic service for a fee.
Green bin collection five times a week costs $1,200 a year, which translates into $5 per collection. And collection six days a week costs $1,600 a year.
If you live above a store and aren’t sure what night to put out recycling, organics and garbage, call 311 and ask for a collection calendar or go to http://www.toronto.ca/garbage and print one off for your area.
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