As of April 18, 2011, more than 7,000 apartment and townhouse residences can start recycling their food scraps, food-soiled papers, and yard trimmings through the City of Port Coquitlam.

Starting in late February, multi-family complexes that now pay for private waste services will be able to sign up for the City's curbside collection services. Green carts are picked up weekly between mid-May and mid-November and on alternate weeks the rest of the year.


Port Coquitlam is the first city in Metro Vancouver to offer curbside collection of food scraps and food-soiled papers to all multi-family households. Most apartment, condo and townhouses in Port Coquitlam currently pay for private waste collection.

Background
The decision to expand the program was based on a successful 10-week pilot in fall 2010 involving two multi-family complexes with a total of 117 units. On average, 69% of all units participated and most of the survey respondents wanted the program to continue.

On average, multi-family residents in Metro Vancouver divert 16% of their household waste away from the landfill.

By comparison, Port Coquitlam single-family residents have been able to achieve a diversion rate of 62-63% through curbside collection of recyclables, food scraps, food-soiled papers and yard trimmings, along with the region’s first alternate-week garbage pickup schedule.

After extending the service to multi-family homes, the City is expected to meet the Metro Vancouver target of 70% diversion by 2015.

Savings
Multi-family complexes switching to the City system could end up paying lower waste collection costs. Ever-rising landfill disposal fees are currently passed on multi-family customers through the fees they pay to private waste contractors.

Savings can be achieved through the City program because it diverts materials away from the landfill. In 2010 alone, Port Coquitlam’s single-family homes avoided $82,000 in landfill disposal fees by putting more into their blue and green carts.

The cost to participate in the City program will be $1 per unit per month, or $12 per year.

Multi-family program details

• Participation must be approved by complex strata councils or, in privately owned apartment buildings, the building owner.
• Each site will select a “Green Cart Champion” to serve as an ambassador for the program and act as the go-to person for their complex.
• Curbside collection will occur on the same days as existing pickup schedule for the area. 2011 waste collection schedule and zone map.
• Complexes will receive one 240-litre green cart for every 20 units, with each additional cart billed at $76.41 per year. (The number of carts/unit was selected based on the pilot program and the experience of other multi-family food scraps recycling programs in North America.)
  
• Carts must be stored in approved wildlife-resistant enclosures (e.g. gated underground parking or a shed) or must have a wildlife-resistant lock.
• Carts must be placed at an approved curbside location on collection day,
• The City will provide education materials, kitchen pails and sample kraft paper bag liners,
• The cost will be shared by all units in the complex. The 2011 cost is $12 per unit per year. 

Sign up or learn more

• Download the Multi-family Green Cart Handbook with application form (PDF).
• Download the Multi-family Green Cart Program application form - fillable onscreen (PDF)
  
• Learn what can go into a green cart.
• See how easy it will be to get started recycling your food scraps and food-soiled papers.

Printed copies of the Multi-family Green Cart Handbook and application form are also available at City Hall (2580 Shaughnessy Street), at the Engineering desk in the City Hall Annex (at #200-2564 Shaughnessy Street, next to the BMO), and at the Operations Centre (1737 Broadway Street).


For more information about the Green Cart Program, contact:
Tel 604.927.5267
Fax 604.927.5408
Email greencart@portcoquitlam.ca