City of Vancouver staff has outlined a strategy to expand waste collection in condos and apartments ahead of a ban, starting in 2015, on sending organic waste to landfills. The city’s current green bin program serves 1,800 multi-unit buildings in Vancouver.

“Our green bin program is diverting food scraps from the landfill, and moving us closer to our Greenest City goals,” says Mayor Gregor Robertson. “We increasingly hear from people who live in apartments and condos that they want to have their food scraps collected. The City is taking further steps to help make that happen, and will be working with private waste collectors to expand service to all buildings in advance of the 2015 ban.”

To prepare for the ban, the City is amending its bylaws to make the collection of food scraps mandatory for all sectors, including multi-unit residential buildings, by January 1, 2015. The City has also met with the Waste Management Association of BC, Building Owners and Managers Association, and Landlord BC to increase awareness of the upcoming ban and discuss plans for waste collection.

Through the Greenest City 2020 Zero Waste initiative, the City hopes to reduce the total amount of waste going to landfills by 50 per cent by 2020.