The waste sector is the fifth largest GHG emitter in the province. It is responsible for the emission of approximately 4.55 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year. Organic materials make up about 60% of the 5.8 million tonnes of waste disposed of each year in Quebec.
Did you know that many organizations across Quebec will soon be obliged to sort their organic waste?
By the end of 2024, all businesses in Quebec that have commercial activities or that own high-rise buildings that generate organic waste will be subject to new legislation, as part of ongoing reform of the Quebec selective collection system announced by the CAQ government in 2020. The new legislation is an amendment to the Quality of the Environment Act as regards bottle/can deposits and selective waste collection.
What do the new obligations entail?
Starting in 2025, organizations will be required to have a private or municipal collection service for organic materials (paper, cardboard, food and green waste) in their establishments, or face fines.
In order to comply, several options are available to building managers. There are the traditional bins of course, but that approach has its shortcomings and is not optimal, in addition to putting a lot of pressure on municipal waste collection and management systems. An interesting solution is to rethink our approach. I would like to focus on two very intriguing innovations, one of which was recently the subject of a BOMA presentation.
The first is a new technology introduced in 2016 by Solucycle. It eliminates the need for composting bins as well as the need for a refrigerated room for organic waste, and the attendant odours and vermin that come with that.
Summed up very simply, this technology allows organic waste to be liquefied. The liquid is then collected, processed in a plant and sold as agro-food fertilizer or as renewable natural gas. The system is a perfect loop and has many benefits for buildings: saves space, is more efficient, offers improved hygiene and a 50-70% reduction in the number of annual collections, to name just a few. It is estimated that 60 to 80% of food waste will no longer be sent to landfill sites.
The second innovation is equally inspiring and comes from the Complexe Desjardins. It has completely revamped its waste management system, relying now on an in-house team of sorters. The three different waste bins have been replaced by bins where everything is thrown together. It may seem counter-intuitive, but the results are excellent because the waste is better used and controlled.
A mini-sorting centre designed specifically for the recovery of compostable materials was set up in the basement. From there, employees manage residual materials conscientiously. Table scraps, paper napkins and other organic materials are shredded and sent to a composting centre, while returnable containers are recovered and sent to a cooperative, to cite just two examples.
In short, everything that can be recycled is recycled whereas before, it all went to the landfill. Thanks to this system, the recovery rate of recyclable and compostable materials at Complexe Desjardins has made extraordinary leaps in a very short time.
Two approaches, two winning initiatives and, above all, proof that several solutions exist. A little research will certainly allow you to find the solution that best suits your context and your operations.
You have less than two years to research, plan and innovate.
Linda Plante
Chairman of the Board, BOMA Quebec
Senior Director, Real Estate Management, Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ