“Starting November 1, we’ll provide on-site recycling collection to all Winnipeg apartments, condominiums and townhouses, servicing as many as 85,000 units in total,” said Murray. “This is a critical step forward in making our city more sustainable, and it demonstrates Council’s commitment to protecting our environment, reducing ever-increasing amounts of garbage, and reducing the rising costs of garbage collection and disposal.”

Participating in the program is easy. Residents simply deposit their recyclable materials into large bins conveniently located on the property of their apartment block. Small apartment complexes, with 7 or fewer units, will be incorporated into the existing residential recycling program and will receive a blue box. Participation is voluntary for both the blue box and apartment recycling program.

Councillor John Angus, Chair of the Standing Policy Committee on Public Works, said, “we hope to recover more than 4,500 tonnes of recyclable material annually through the apartment recycling program. This is in addition to the 28,000 tonnes collected through our existing residential recycling program.”

Angus added, “The net operating cost to the City of the apartment recycling program is estimated to be $600,000 annually. The Province of Manitoba is making a one-time contribution of $685,000 toward the $700,000 start-up cost of the program.”

Throughout October, the City will deliver large blue recycling bins to 1,950 apartment blocks, and blue boxes to about 360 smaller complexes. The bins and blue boxes are provided at no charge to property owners. The City urges apartment residents to avoid placing materials in the large bins until October 25 – this will avoid overfilling before the first collection begins.

Beginning today, the City will launch a major advertising and public information campaign in support of the apartment recycling program. The campaign will include radio, television and newspaper advertising. Also, information brochures that explain how to participate in the new program will be delivered to all apartments from October 22 to 25. Complexes participating in the blue box recycling program will receive brochures with their blue boxes, which will be delivered from October 23 to 31.