The owners of multi-family dwellings will be required to provide tenants with curbside recycling options beginning in 2016 after Airdrie City council unanimously approved a staff proposal at its regular meeting Nov. 16.
Kathleen Muretti, manager of Waste and Recycling Services, said while the City would mandate the provision of recycling options for multi-family dwellings, the service itself would be provided by private companies.
“I’m here this evening asking council to incorporate multi-family dwellings into the proposed curbside collection program so that we can create a common community recycling expectation and create opportunities as well for private recycling contractors,” she said.
Council approved moving forward with blue box curbside recycling at its meeting Sept. 21, and directed staff to look into bringing the program to multi-family dwellings as well.
Multi-family dwellings are defined by the City as being any dwelling that currently does not receive curbside garbage collection and includes apartments, some condominium buildings and some townhomes. There are more than 4,300 multi-family households in Airdrie making up approximately 20 per cent of all households in the city.
According to Muretti, 6,200 tonnes of blue box type waste could be diverted from the landfill if these dwellings are included in the curbside program.
Under the new program, these dwellings will be required to have an on-site recycling service. Materials that would be accepted into the recycling program would be the same as those accepted in the proposed single-family recycling program.
Muretti said mandating recycling services in the multi-family sector will drive competition in the recycling services industry. She added the City would not set or collect fees.
The program could be implemented in 2016 upon budget approval; however, Muretti said the multi-family dwellings would have a grace period of 12 to 18 months to set up individual recycling service before facing penalties for non-compliance.
Muretti said the cost to the City is estimated at $100,000 for 2016 – to pay the salary of a dedicated staff member to meet with all the building managers and owners as well as with the private recycling contractors and to set up the program – and $50,000 in subsequent years for maintenance and enforcement.
Mayor Peter Brown asked how implementation of the program can be monitored.
Muretti said other communities rely on residents to call and report if the service is not implemented.
“That is how it is monitored and then it is investigated. We’re working with the building owners to provide support for them to put a program into place,” she said.
Carolyne Christie, owner of Kick it to the Curb, which provides curbside recycling to more than 2,000 customers in Airdrie, said she would be interested to see how the City would enforce the program and would have to wait and see how the situation plays out.
“Obviously, it’s good to hear,” she said. “Clearly, we want everyone recycling as much as possible.”
