Toronto condo goes green, cuts garbage to 1 bin a month

A Scarborough condo building is getting a lot of attention for going green and reducing its garbage alone, from 24 bins a month, to just one.

"It goes once a month," Princely Soundranayagam, the Superintendent at the condo on McLevin Avenue in Scarborough, told CBC. 

His efforts have helped drastically cut down on the waste generated.

In Soundranayagam's building, which is home to nearly 1,000 people in 282 units, recycling and composting efforts have become routine.

Their collective efforts have made the building one of the greenest condos in the city.

'Not hard to do'

"It's good for everyone. It's easy. It's not hard to do. It's better to separate the food from the cans and everything else," said Paul Eriwa, who lives in the building.

"I think it's good," she said.

One compost bin is picked up every month and so are as many as 12 recycling bins.

The reduced garbage has been an easy sell since it means reduced collection costs and a savings of about $100 a month for every resident.

"If our maintenance fees can be held in check -- or even reduced -- because of the recycling program people can readily relate to the fact and get on board," Ed Lynn, the property manager said.

Residents also get free clear plastic recycling bags and the building has a service that disposes of used cooking oil.

City officials and other condos are now modelling themselves after the building.

Soundranayagam says the push to go green is part of a personal philosophy to make life better.

"I want my future generation to enjoy the country like what I am doing here. I want to be a model to the people."