New fee system for multi-unit buildings may boost dismal 16% diversion rate

David Rider – Toronto Star

About 75,000 residents of apartment buildings and condos across Toronto have lost access to the city’s recycling program in the past two years.

The culprit, city staff admit, is a confusing fee system that offers only skimpy rewards for recycling more diligently. It has driven about 375 of Toronto’s 5,000 multi-unit buildings out of the city system and to private removal companies.

“The waste rate program was unfair, punitive and untransparent,” Brad Butt of the Greater Toronto Apartments Association told the public works committee Wednesday, before its members voted to recommend that council adopt a new fee system as soon as possible.

“We have a considerable challenge in apartments to encourage residents to actively support recycling and waste diversion programs,” Butt said. “While we have made some significant strides, the goal of 70% waste diversion is still far off.”

Diverting 70% of household waste from landfill by 2011 was a re-election promise of Mayor David Miller in the 2006 campaign.

Halfway through 2010, the overall diversion rate stands at 44% — 60% for single-family homes and just 16% for multi-unit buildings. The city started rolling out green-bin service to buildings last year, with about 10% now participating.

Private haulers, by provincial law, only have to provide basic blue-box service, without accepting the electronics, organics and other extras the city recycles.

To stem the defection, staff consulted building owners and came up with a system they like.

The current system forces a building owner to make a significant cut in garbage produced per unit before they get a cut in the fee to haul it away. The new system would immediately reward even a small decrease in nonrecyclable waste. (Buildings aren’t charged for recyclables collected.)

Also, the confusing rate structure would be replaced with a basic one modelled on contracts offered by private providers.

Geoff Rathbone, the city’s general manager of solid waste management services, said he expects the loss of revenue from reduced fees under the new system will be offset by some of the 375 buildings rejoining the city system.

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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information  –  416-388-1960

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