An active Green Committee operates at 40 Homewood and encourages all residents to participate in the excellent recycling program. Since 2009, we have had an indoor recycling room with green, blue, brown and mini-bins for all recyclable articles. Our garbage pickup (which costs us money and goes to landfill) has been greatly reduced. Most residents conscientiously participate. The Recycling Room is on the ground floor, behind the elevators (go through the mail room).
The Green Committee is beginning a series of posters to help residents with sorting questions for the blue bin recycling. This is the first, introductory poster.
Garbage
For non-recyclable garbage (which will end up in the landfill), there is a garbage chute on each floor.
Appropriate hours for use of the chutes are between 7 am and 10 pm, the cutoff time being to prevent noise for the nearby residents.
Larger items may be taken to the brown bin for garbage in the recycling room. (If, however, it fits in the chute, that’s better because that material gets compacted, so we get more for our money on the take-away.)
Very large items, such as furniture and appliances, may be left at the back of the building INSIDE the garbage shed. Those bulk items may be placed in the shed (north end, slide the door open) any day between 9 am and 7 pm. Overnight, the shed is locked and so items should be held until the shed is open the next day.
One of the condo’s Rules states that items thrown in the garbage (bulk bin and otherwise) are NOT to be brought back into the building. This Rule was made to preserve hygiene and to prevent infestations.
The new shed opened in early September 2012 and is pictured here. All the bins which are not in the Recycling Room are kept in the shed.
Diagram of the Recycling Room
Located behind the service elevator. The entrance is to the right of the Canada Post PO Boxes.
Type of Waste
Common Examples
How to Prepare
Not Accepted
Tips & Tricks
Bulk Items
Use the shed in the back of the building.
· broken furniture
· pieces of wood
· large items
· large appliances
· doors
Place items in storage shed by the rear entrance to the building.
Items may be placed there from 9am – 7pm.
Place items in the shed M – F, instead of weekends, to ensure it is picked up asap.
Donate items still in good condition.
Clothing / Small Household Item Donations
Use the OASIS donation bin in the rear laundry room.
· clothing in good condition
· housewares
· sheets/linens
· shoes
· plates, silverware, mugs
· small kitchen appliances
Place items in tightly sealed bags.
Wrap glass items in bubble wrap.
· Books
· Large Items (furniture, large appliances)
· Office equipment
Use the bin in the
Deposit Bottles
Use the designated bin in the recycling room – see diagram.
· liquor bottles
· beer bottles and cans
Rinse and place in the designated area in the recycling room.
· Non-alcoholic beverage containers
· Cardboard drink containers
Beer bottles returned to the Beer Store get reused ~12 – 15 times before they are recycled. This helps to reduce bottles.
Ewaste or Electronic Waste
Use the designated bin in the recycling room – see diagram.
· anything with an electric component
· old appliances, printers, electronic devices
Place in the light green bins in the designated area of the recycling room.
Tie up cords and tape them to the device to prevent accidents.
Donate items that still work.
Repair broken items rather than purchasing something new.
Household Hazardous Waste
Use the designated bin in the recycling room – see diagram.
· batteries
· fluorescent light bulbs
· pesticides
· house paint
· household cleaners
Place in the appropriately labeled bin in the recycling room.
Keep lids on anything that is potentially toxic.
· Make-up
· Medication
· Medical Waste
Ensure containers are sealed tightly so materials don’t spill.
Landfill (aka Garbage)
Use the garbage chute located on your floor or the brown bin in the recycling room.
· anything that doesn’t fit into the other categories
· stiff plastic packaging
· household paper products soiled with cleaners or make up
· fabric & clothing
· wood, including fruit boxes
Place items in a small bag.
Tie the bag closed.
Dispose of in the garbage chute on your floor from [find out times].
· Recyclables
· Organics waste
· Bulk items
Use the garbage chute! It’s convenient and the removal of it costs 8 times less than non-compacted garbage.
Organic Materials
Use the green bin in the recycling room – see diagram.
· food waste (cooked and raw)
· animal waste
· used diapers
· certain types of soiled degradable food packaging like cardboard ice cream cartons and greasy pizza boxes
· tissues and paper towels that do not contain cleaners or make up
Collect organics in a regular, plastic grocery bag. Do not use biodegradable bags.
Tie the bag loosely, one twist of the handles will suffice.
Place in GREEN bin in recycling room.
· Containers (glass, plastic, etc. – soiled cardboard is acceptable)
· Toxic materials – see household hazardous waste
Ask the property management office for an organics collection container.
To avoid smells and fruit flies:
· make sure the container lid fits tightly.
· keep organics in the freezer until you are ready to dispose of them.
Recycling
Use the blue bin in the recycling room – see diagram.
· plastic containers
· cardboard
· stretchy plastics (e.g. shrink wrap coverings)
· plastic grocery bags
· cans
· glass bottles
· paper and envelopes
Leave items loose.
Dump items directly into the BLUE bins. Do not bag them (see exception below).
Shredded paper should be placed in clear plastic bags.
Flatten cardboard boxes and cans.
Place plastics together.
· Black plastic and Styrofoam
· Black plastic bags
· FOOD – including containers with food
· Packaging soiled by food (it’s either organics or garbage)
· Wood
Ask the property management office for a blue recycling collection bag.
Rinse and clean items before placing in your bag to avoid spills and insects.
Avoid using black garbage bags, as this contaminates the recycling and the building gets charged for the pick-up.
Here is a link to City of Toronto list of non-profit agencies for the reuse and recycling of many types of items. If you think that your item may fit, donate it, don’t trash it!
The energy efficiency of appliances is much improved in the past couple of decades. A typical refrigerator built in 1986 used (or still uses!) 1,500 kilowatt-hours, which could be costing up to $150 per year to run. A new fridge with ENERGY STAR qualification uses approximately two-thirds less energy.
That’s a saving of $100. If all 492 units saved $100 worth of energy, that would be $49,200, which amounts to 2% of the operating budget.
Many helpful hints are available from the City of Toronto.
Alcohol bottles (wine, spirits, beer) and cans (beer) have deposits paid at the time of purchase and the deposits are refundable when you take the bottles and cans back. Take them to the Beer Store.
Nearest Beer Stores are 572 Church Street (north of Wellesley), 800 Gerrard Street East (between Seaton and Ontario)
