Funding to help improve recycling at apartment buildings

Jackie Brown, of Quinte Waste Solutions, showing the new space-saving recycling bag

Quinte Waste Solutions is improving recycling at apartment buildings one cart and bag, at a time.

Dan Orr, communications co-ordinator, said funding of $15,000 from the Continuous Improvement Fund, an organization dedicated to improving efficiency of municipal Blue Box programs, will help to improve sorting behaviours at apartment in the region’s nine member municipalities, including Prince Edward County.

“There are many barriers to recycling properly in apartment buildings,” said Jackie Brown, special events and multi-residential co-ordinator for Quinte Waste Solutions. “Garbage chutes on every floor, outside depots and limited indoor space to keep recyclables are the biggest hurdles, but the main issue for us is incorrect sorting. The lack of sorting is getting worse, which causes big problems at the recycling plant in Trenton.”

To improve sorting, QWS chose four buildings in Belleville to test some techniques used in other municipalities. QWS delivered space-saving apartment recycling bags to all residents in each test building.

“The bags are divided in two, and clearly marked as to which side to put either their paper products or their plastic and metal products. The intention is that this will help residents throw their recyclables in the right cart when they bring them down to the depot,” said Brown.

QWS also switched lids on paper designated carts from blue to grey to further help residents differentiate where to put plastic and metal containers, and where to put paper.

“We’ll know soon if these techniques worked. The good news now, is that we have enough recycling bags for all apartment buildings for our entire service area, and will begin delivering them throughout the summer months.”