Last years’ changes in waste collection successfully reduced Ottawa’s landfill-bound waste, but many small businesses remain unsatisfied.
The city boasts of a 17-per-cent increase in recycling and composting since October 2012. But Christine Leadman, executive director of the Bank Street BIA, says waste collection is challenging for businesses in downtown Ottawa. Even though they are taxed by the city, some businesses resort to hiring private services to remove their recyclable material. She calls this the “waste issue.”
“The biggest problem is cardboard waste,” says Leadman.
Marc Lepine, owner and chef of Atelier Restaurant, hired private services to begin collecting his recycling four years ago. He says the city would sometimes forget to come by. For this reason, he would rather pay to have his recyclable material picked up than have the city pick it up for free.
“That’s how bad the city is,” says Lepine.
Before switching to private waste collection, Lepine participated in the Yellow Bag program which allows for the removal of up to 15 black or blue boxes and three green bins per week. The program limits businesses to 16 garbage bags for bi-weekly pickup.
Lepine says these restrictions discouraged him from continuing with the city. Now he can simply put his boxes outside and know they will be picked up.
“We don’t even have to think about it,” says Lepine.
Capital Coun. David Chernushenko, a member of the city’s enviroment Ccommittee, says he will look into proposing an organic waste collection plan for businesses, when the current waste removal contract finishes.
“I’d encourage restaurants, fast food places and others to have recycling,” says Chernushenko. He says he understands why small businesses would make the financial decision to send waste to landfills. “I’d love to address that and change it.”
But the Yellow Bag program can be a hassle for other reasons as well, according to Leadman.
Businesses that are located in a multi-business building have to coordinate their waste pickup every week with other tenants. The limit of 15 recycle bins and three green bins applies to the entire building, not individual businesses.
For these reasons, businesses are choosing alternative methods for recycling and composting.
“Some take it home,” Leadman says.
Other businesses may have to throw more waste to the landfills, due to the lack of municipal services. Paying for recycling and compost pickup is not always an option.
Lepine has found his own solution. He composts his organic waste in a garden behind his restaurant, located on Rochester Street in Little Italy.
“We do as much of that as we can,” says Lepine.
Businesses are not sure what can be done to fix the “waste issue.” But, until the city addresses it, they may need to continue hiring private services or sending recycling to the city’s landfills.