Food scraps recycling a challenge for Metro Vancouver condos

Condominium residents across Metro Vancouver are struggling to comply with the new ban on putting food scraps in the garbage, according to one spokesperson.

New rules requiring apartments and businesses separate all food waste for composting went into effect on Jan.1.

But the head of the Condominium Home Owners Association of B.C. Tony Gioventu said there is a lack of receptacles for individual condo owners, and a lack of instructions.

"It's been a little confusing for people because one of the challenges is municipalities. Each deal with waste management and waste disposal in organics differently," said Gioventu.

That is why Gioventu is calling for all cities to roll out a coordinated plan for condos across Metro Vancouver with a public education campaign.

He says it's important condo owners get instructions on where to get composting bins and what should go in them.

"Where do we get our kitchen waste containers? We seem to have a little bit of a shortage of them in the industry right now ... We're looking at literally several hundred thousand kitchen receptacles so people can manage their organic waste," said Gioventu.

No surcharges in 2015

Paul Henderson, the solid waste manager for Metro Vancouver, said it's up to each municipality to deal with how the waste ban is implemented.

He says condo owners should contact their own strata council or municipal government for more information.

In the meantime, he said there is plenty of time for condo strata boards to get their programs up and running before surcharges are levied for organics found in garbage.

"It won't happen until next year or potentially even the following year. so there is lots of time for getting those systems in place at the multifamily level," said Henderson.

On mobile? Watch Metro Vancouver's explanation of the organic waste ban.