1. Multi-Residential Green Cart Program
200 Buildings and Counting!
Melynda Paterson
Halton Region
Good Morning,
My name is Melynda Paterson and I am a Waste Management Program Coordinator for Halton Region.
This morning I will be discussing Halton Region’s Multi-Residential Green Cart Program, 200 Buildings and Counting!
MWA Spring Workshop May 2018

2. MWA Spring Workshop May 2018
Agenda
Green Cart History & Implementation
Resources
Current Status of Program
Challenges & Successes
Examples
Evaluation & Next Steps
Questions
Today I will talk about:
The history of the Green Cart program in Halton
Resources used for the program
Where Halton is at with implementation
Some Challenges we have faced/are facing and successes we have achieved!
I will provide some examples of MR set-ups and discuss Evaluation and next steps for the Region
And finally take any questions you may have at the end
MWA Spring Workshop May 2018

3. MWA Spring Workshop May 2018
History of the Green Cart
Single Family Homes
School program
Townhouse program
Apartment pilot – 2010
Multi-Residential
program
Halton Region consists of 4 municipalities Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills and has a population of _______ Of that population, ____ % live in Multi-Residential units. Halton as approximately 500 high rise MR properties, with more being built!
The Green Cart program was first introduced into SFH within Halton in 2008, ten years ago.
The Region then followed with the program being implemented at all publically funded schools, and townhouse complexes in 2009.
A pilot of 4 buildings was conducted in 2010, after which we achieved council approval for the program and added Enhanced multi-res diversion initiatives to the Halton Region Waste Wtrategy. Official implementation of the Green Cart program at MR locations began in 2014.
MWA Spring Workshop May 2018

4. MWA Spring Workshop May 2018
Green Cart Implementation
Site Visits
Green buildings and new builds
2018 –Yellow & Red buildings
Prior to the start of implementation, from , staff were conducting site visits to MR buildings. At these visits the Green Cart program was discussed and staff used a Stoplight system to determine and label a buildings “readiness” for the program. GREEN meaning ready to go, YELLOW being hesitant towards the program or having constraints such as space, and RED meaning not ready at all. This data was recorded in our Access MR Database and with it we were able to generate a list of the GREEN, YELLOW and RED buildings. In 2014 we started with the Green buildings for implementation, and are now working down the yellow and into the Red list.
From staff had a goal of starting one building per week, and we bumped it up to two buildings per week for 2017/18.
MWA Spring Workshop May 2018

5. MWA Spring Workshop May 2018
Resources
Each building receives:
Green Carts
P&E
Superintendent's Guide
Compostable Liner Bags
Collection
Halton provides resources and tools, free of charge, for both the property and the units participating in the program.
Each building upon implementation receives:
Large Green Carts (we offer two size options to help accommodate space issues)
Updated P&E items such as indoor and outdoor posters for all 3 streams
A Superintendents guide that includes some troubleshooting tips for managing the organics program
A sample box of 50 Large compostable liners to fit inside the carts
And finally collection of the carts (the same day as the recycling carts are collected) option to increase collection frequency to accommodate space or odour issues
MWA Spring Workshop May 2018

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Each unit receives:
Notice
Kitchen Catcher
Compostable Bags
Program Information
Stickers
Information Guide
Sorting Guide
Upon start of the program at their building each unit receives:
Notice of the upcoming program start (usually a week prior) which notifies them that materials will be delivered to their door and it also invites residents to an information session “open house” in the lobby or common room the evening of the program start day. Halton staff host a table with poster boards and information and more sample compostable bags.
- Each unit also receives a Kitchen Catcher container, an envelope of program information and sorting guides and 5 7L compostable bags.
MWA Spring Workshop May 2018

7. MWA Spring Workshop May 2018
Staff Resources
Multiple staff assist with implementation process of:
Site visits/board meetings
Delivery of notices and material
Open houses/information session
Follow up visit
Along with program resources, staff time is required to both implement and maintain the organics program at MR locations.
3-4 Halton staff are currently working on program implementation, alongside their other duties.
Staff time is needed to complete the following tasks related to program implementation:
1.) Site visits to each building to discuss implementation (sometimes multiple visits or attendance at a Condo board meeting is necessary as well)
2.) Delivery of notices the week prior and all materials on the program start day (as Halton staff deliver the notices and materials door to door this can sometimes take ½ a day if the building has 100+ units)
3.) Conduct the open houses/information sessions in the evenings (or afternoons if that timing works for the building)
4.) Follow up site visits to check on program/deliver more materials for building etc.
In addition there is always the administrative ascpect and organizing, as well as monitoring and ordering supplies that also takes up staff time.
MWA Spring Workshop May 2018

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Current Status
Multi-residential buildings: 225
Multi-residential units: 14, 400
So far to date, Halton staff have implemented the Green Cart program at 220 buildings or (14,400 units)
With, like I mentioned before, two buildings being added per week.
MWA Spring Workshop May 2018

9. MWA Spring Workshop May 2018
Challenges
Buy-in
Space
Contamination
Odour & Pests
P&E Challenges
With having implemented the program at over 200 buildings of various sizes and demographics, there have been some challenges along the way.
1.) Buy-in – as the Region is not at the point of forcing buildings to partake in the program, buy-in can be a challenge. As most of you know, having the support of the onsite staff or property management is important when rolling out the program to ensure it runs successfully – to address this Halton Staff conduct in-person meetings, with all stakeholders (superintendents, boards, property management) several if necessary, to encourage a good working relationship with the building. I have found it’s also harder for people to say “NO” to your face, than over or phone call.
2.) A common MR challenge is space, space for the extra cart or two and space that ensures accessibility/ convenience. – to address this challenge Halton offers two sizes of carts (360L & 120L) as well as increased collection frequency if needed, which cuts down on the amount of carts needed. (we typically recommend 1 360L cart per units and have found that the less carts to start the better to ensure they don’t fill up with garbage or recycling)
3.) One of the biggest challenges for any diversion stream and especially in the MR sector is contamination, those items that people think will magically be composted or recycled. After conducting follow up site visits to several buildings, the number one contamination item for MR organics in Halton is plastic bags. – as we do not accept these in our Green Cart program, Halton has opted to purchase 5 bag sample packs of compostable bags to give out at the start of the program and to any buildings that are having contamination issues if needed, staff also ensure recycling capacity of adequate (as recycling material ends up in the green carts if the blue are full), and targeted letters with pictures of the contaminated material can be delivered in an effort to educate the residents.
4.) The biggest concern we hear from property staff is the fear of odour and pests. By placing carts in a well ventilated area if available and providing large compostable liners and encouraging residents to use the small liners, odour is significantly diminished. Staff also recommend swapping out for a fresh cart half way through the week, or increasing collection frequency to get the material moving out quickly. Staff can also provide a 1L sample bottle of odour eating enzyme cleaner to a building if they are having odour issues. (alongside the usual recommendations of adding shredded paper or newspaper layers to soak up moisture)
5.) and finally P&E challenges. In Follow up site visits or open houses, staff were finding that either P&E (posters) were never put up at all, OR incorrect P&E was posted. This happened in several buildings that were all managed by the same property management company. The PM had made up their own tri-sorter chute guides, instructing the residents to place plastic bags and diapers into the organics chute, funny enough we had several calls from our collection contractor of their green carts being contaminated! So lesson learned, always check the chute rooms for rogue P&E materials!
MWA Spring Workshop May 2018

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Successes!
Maintaining relationships
Follow up visits
Increase in recycling capacity
Face time with residents
Saving landfill space
Making compost!
Even though there are many potential challenged related to an organics program at MR locations, the program within Halton has been very successful!
- For one, we have 220 locations using the program!
By taking the time to assess each building prior to the start up and making contact with the property stakeholders we are able to maintain a relationship with the property and gain a better understanding their needs and for them to understand how our programs run.
Conducting the follow up site visits allow the Region to address concerns/material needs and let them know we support them and the program
Often recycling capacity will be increased and recycling knowledge as well through the open house/information sessions
And again, the information sessions allow Region staff face time with the residents who are living in the multi-residential sector and using the programs. Staff can then address questions about all programs and residents often have suggestions on how to make the programs run better, whether we want to hear them or not!!
Along with these come the obvious benefits of increasing landfill space and making food waste into a usable compost product.
MWA Spring Workshop May 2018

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Set-Up Examples
Recycling Rooms and Indoor Enclosures
Here are a few picture examples of the 360L and 120L green cart at buildings around Halton Region. As you know well, each location is always a little bit different from the rest. We have outdoor enclosures, indoor rooms, underground parking areas, tri-sorter chutes etc. (ADD MORE PICS)
MWA Spring Workshop May 2018

12. Parking Lot Areas & Outdoor Enclosures

13. Tri-Sorter Chutes

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Evaluation & Next Steps
MR Audit in June ‘18
Creative & workable
solutions
Targeted P&E
Continue implementation to all 500+ buildings
For Halton Region, our next steps are:
We will have a third party conducting a MR audit in June 2018, auditing 10 buildings with the program in place. We are hoping to get some detailed info on contamination and perhaps suggestions on program improvements
staff will continue to try and find creative/ workable solutions to any issues that come up at the buildings. Even if the solution only works for that one location it is still valuble (ex. 288 reynolds, placing 120L GC on hooks on wall to get it off the ground due to squirrel issues/rats
Staff will be looking at creating targeted P&E items for the MR locations on the program (using the data/recommendations from the audit)
And finally, Continuing implementation to the remainder of the buildings, aiming for the 2 building start ups per week
MWA Spring Workshop May 2018

15. MWA Spring Workshop May 2018
For More Information:
Melynda Paterson
Waste Management Program Coordinator
Halton Region
(905) ext 8245
For more info:
MWA Spring Workshop May 2018

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Questions?
Thank you for your attention, I can answer any questions you may have?
MWA Spring Workshop May 2018