The Town of Cochrane took a step toward improving its Zero Waste initiative March 24, approving the implementation of recycling program for residents of multi-family dwellings.
Representing approximately 12-15 per cent of residential dwellings in Cochrane, multi-family dwellings currently have no organized recycling pickup like single-family dwellings enjoy.
Sharon Howland, waste and recycling manager for Cochrane, said at present, she estimates that around 15 per cent of the recycling that is brought to the Cochrane Eco Centre is from residents multi-family dwellings, meaning the majority of recyclable material from these housing types are being thrown into the garbage.
With multi-family dwelling units only expected to increase in the coming years in Cochrane, Howland said now was the time to implement a program that would make recycling easy for residents.
“The more convenient you make it, the more likely people are to participate,” Howland said.
Howland pointed out that 90 per cent of residents in single-family dwellings participate in the town’s curbside recycling program, and that 95 per cent of respondents of a survey said the town should have a similar program for multi-family dwellers.
Councillor Morgan Nagel, however, had an issue with the avenue the town was looking to take to establish such a program.
Providing council with three options – one to implement a town-administered system for pickup and another to do nothing – Howland recommended passing a bylaw that would mandate a privately administered program that each building complex would be responsible for.
The reason for the suggestion, according to Howland, was that the one-size-fits-all approach to curbside pickup would not work for multi-family dwellings, as each pose their own unique challenges as far as access is concerned.
Nagel said he was opposed to passing a bylaw that would force multi-family homeowners to hire a private company to pick up their recycling and the town would have no power as to what that service would cost.
Howland estimated recycling pickup would mean an additional $3-$10 a month on an individual unit’s condo fees, but said they would also save money on garbage collection, as there would be less recyclables in the trash.
At present, garbage collection for multi-family dwellings is done through a private collector, as is single-family home curbside recycling, the only difference being the cost is administered through the town, not each individual unit.
Single-family dwellers cannot opt out of curbside recycling, nor will residents of multi-family dwellings under this new plan.
As the multi-family dwelling sector is diverse and challenging, the next step will be to incorporate elements of onsite storage, space allocation and acceptable materials for the program to be a success.
With the exception of Nagel, council voted in favour of directing administration to design a multi-family dwelling recycling program.
The next step in the town’s Zero Waste Framework initiative will be to address organics, which discussions will commence on this April.
