A CLEANER GREENER SPACE FOR COMMUNITIES

Beautiful shared outdoor areas help revitalize apartment complexes with EarthBins.

With over 50 years of experience and nearly 14,000 residential suites across Quebec, Ontario, and B.C, CLV Group/Interrent REIT has gained valuable knowledge on what it takes to keep them running smoothly. They take pride in revitalizing once undermaintained apartment complexes into secure, well-maintained, and vibrant communities where people are eager to live.

Whether they’re adding amenities like on-site laundry, dog parks, playgrounds, gyms, locker rooms, party rooms, media rooms, BBQ areas, basketball courts, tennis courts, etc., or updating building infrastructure to lower carbon emissions and making it more energy efficient, the organization is always looking to make life better for its residents which includes getting rid of unappealing garbage containers that are difficult to access and do not effectively contain their contents.

At SWO properties managed by CLV Group/Interrent REIT, one recurring issue that was frequently raised was the disposal of trash. Traditional dumpsters were often seen as unsightly for several reasons: visually, they had a large footprint, and the metal rusted easily. From a usability perspective, the openings needed to be lowered for many people to reach, and the lids needed to be lighter to open, sometimes resulting in piles of refuse outside the actual bin. In addition to other concerns, the open containers used for garbage was scattered across the property when it was windy or, in some cases, mishandled by residents.

When CLV Group/Interrent REIT was looking for a better waste bin in 2015, they discovered EarthBin and decided to try it at one site. The difference, noted, was significant. “They’re partly concealed – you don’t need a fence around them, so they look good. It’s also much easier for people to use them because the lids are lighter and lower to the ground.”

The fact that EarthBins are so much easier for tenants to use has meant that, as CLV Group/Interrent REIT has installed them in more and more locations – 16 so far, with more to come in 2023 – due to secure bins, property managers have experienced a reduction in the amount of stray garbage they need to handle as animals are unable to access the containers. Wind can no longer scatter plastic or paper on the ground.

Not only do EarthBins offer aesthetic improvements, but they also provide a safer solution for the environment compared to regular dumpsters, as they prevent harmful waste from leaking into the ground, a problem associated with traditional garbage containers.

“We all want to live somewhere clean and beautiful,” explains Selim Dedej, Regional Property Manager for South Western Ontario. “EarthBins help to make our residential properties a better place to live – they’ve transformed them into a place to build community.”

CLV Group - Installations

MAKING HIGHER EDUCATION LESS WASTEFUL

A leading Canadian University is improving Waste Collection Practices by adding more EarthBins® on campus.

Western University, situated in London, Ont., is the quintessential post-secondary campus, with 1,120 acres of sprawling green fields and snaking footpaths amid ivy covered Gothic-style academic buildings and residences. Founded in 1878, the school’s located on what is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful university campuses in Canada.

With more than 33,000 students, approximately 1,400 faculty and nearly 2,600 full-time staff, it can be challenging to maintain all of that pristine property, notes Mary-Lee Townsend, Manager of Sustainability and Compliance at Western. “Our campus is full of 18-year olds that are out of their home for the first time. 

Townsend has worked in sustainability and waste management her entire career, and since she started at Western in 2020, she’s been paying close attention to which waste solutions are the most successful. While the first EarthBin was installed in 2019, before she joined the university, she’s seen first-hand how much better they perform. In fact, EarthBin was reviewed by a Western committee in which they compared similar products on the market, and selected them as a “Vendor of Record” for three years.

“If you put an old ratty garbage bin with no signage, toss it in the corner, it’s going to get very little attention,” she explains. “People are going to walk by it and just chuck whatever they want into it without much thought.” A strategically placed waste station, Townsend continues, that looks nice and has proper signage, tends to attract more attention and encourages people to use it more effectively.

Believe it or not, the aesthetic appeal has been an important deciding factor as the University has increased the number of EarthBins on campus over the past three years, with 42 installed throughout residences and at various administrative and academic buildings, and more to come in 2023. In the past, typical dumpsters have been an open invitation for students to throw anything and everything at them. This not only made waste collection a challenge, it also created the perfect environment for dumpster diving, which was a safety hazard on a campus filled with thousands of teenagers.

Ease of use is also an important part of encouraging those on campus to place their garbage in EarthBins, but Townsend says it goes beyond just the students. “Our caretakers definitely prefer them, from an ergonomics standpoint. They’re easier to open because the EarthBins themselves are lower to the ground, the lids are lighter and they can be propped up for multiple trips.”

Beyond the functionality of EarthBin containers, what has made the biggest difference on campus is the company’s commitment to fast, reliable service. No one thinks about waste until it’s not picked up or something isn’t working, explains Townsend, and on a university campus, that can spell disaster quickly. Now, it’s something she doesn’t have to worry about.

“Waste and recycling in public spaces is one of the hardest things to manage. EarthBin definitely makes it easier.”

University of Western Ontario Installations

Accora VillagE

At Accora village, GREEN isn’t just a colour—it’s a lifestyle.

Accora Village, located in Canada’s Capital Region, is its own little sanctuary close to the Ottawa River, surrounded by tree-lined residential streets, serene beaches and landscaped parks. Enter the village grounds and you’ll find yourself in a vibrant community made up of modern homes, revitalized eco-friendly high-rise buildings, and thriving gardens all nestled on a 100-acre park-like property. You’ll see residents using and enjoying the clean and well-maintained premises surrounding their homes. You’ll see why “Love Your Community” is the perfect trademark for Accora Village.

What you won’t see are above ground dumpsters enclosed by unsightly fences that do little to contain the waste scattered about by winds and scavenging pests. You won’t see Accora staff and residents struggling to lift garbage over the sides of tall metal bins, and stepping over the broken glass and hazardous materials collecting around dumpster enclosures. You won’t be accosted by the odour of waste leaking out of corroded dumpsters onto the pavement.

Outside is a much nicer place to be for Accora Village residents and staff now that EarthBin meets all of their waste management needs.

“We set out to find the very best waste solutions that would mesh with our vision for the properties,” says Alain Bolduc, Director of Operations.

“We are very pleased to have chosen EarthBin,” reports Bolduc. “They are high quality, stand up well against our harsh winters, and our service providers love them because a standard front load truck is all that is required. Most importantly, they allow us to serve our residents well and maintain our high property standards.”

Succcess Highlights

University of Guelph

Imagine this: a leisurely stroll around the University of Guelph’s pristine, idyllic campus. You’re taking in the buildings, greenery and wandering academics when you spot them: ugly, steel dumpsters covered in rust. That’s what used to be situated near several main buildings, including the campus pub. The unsightly old dumpsters had no lids to keep the smell of waste contained, or pests and insects at bay. Not only were they unsightly and stinky, but they were also a safety concern. Dumpsters would often be moved into the roadway where they posed a risk to drivers and pedestrians. Illegal dumping, unsightly rusted dumpsters, and pests posed a problem that seemed almost impossible to solve.

university of Guelph Installations

University of Alberta