KEEPING THE COMPLEX CLEAN
WASTE MANAGEMENT IN SECTIONAL TITLE PROPERTIES DURING THE HOLIDAYS
The holiday season is a time for relaxation, celebration, and enjoying quality time with friends and family. However, it can also bring about an increase in waste generation—especially in sectional title properties, where multiple households share communal spaces and facilities. Proper waste management becomes crucial during this time to maintain cleanliness, ensure hygiene, and prevent disruptions in the community. This article offers insights into effective waste management strategies for sectional title complexes during the busy holiday period.
1. Understand the Increased Waste Generation
During the holidays, residents may entertain guests, have family gatherings, and engage in activities that produce more waste than usual. Some common sources of increased waste include:
- Food packaging and leftovers: Festive meals often generate larger quantities of packaging, such as plastic containers, aluminum foil, and food scraps.
- Gift wrapping and decorations: Wrapping paper, ribbons, and plastic decorations often pile up as gifts are unwrapped and homes are decorated.
- Increased plastic and glass: Parties, barbecues, and celebrations often result in more bottles, cans, and disposable containers.
This surge in waste can quickly overwhelm the existing waste management systems if not handled properly.
2. Communicate Waste Management Guidelines Early
Clear communication is essential to ensure that all residents understand the waste management protocols during the holiday season. The body corporate or homeowners association (HOA) should send out reminders about the importance of responsible waste disposal and any temporary adjustments to collection schedules.
Key points to include in the communication:
- Collection days: Ensure residents are aware of any changes to waste collection schedules during the holidays, as some services may be delayed or altered.
- Waste segregation: Remind residents to sort recyclables, non-recyclables, and organic waste. Proper segregation reduces landfill waste and can even lower disposal costs in some instances.
- Excess waste: Advise residents on how to handle excessive amounts of waste. Some complexes may offer additional collection services during peak times.
3. Ensure Adequate Bin Capacity
With the increase in waste production, it’s essential that there are enough bins available in communal areas, especially for recyclables. Regular checks should be scheduled to empty the bins before they overflow. If necessary, request additional bins or larger containers during the busy season.
In addition to providing sufficient capacity, bins should be clearly labeled to encourage correct sorting, such as “Recyclables,” “General Waste,” and “Organic Waste.”
4. Encourage Recycling and Reuse
Recycling programs are especially important during the holiday season when recyclable materials like plastic, glass, cardboard, and paper are abundant. Encourage residents to:
- Flatten boxes: This saves space in communal bins and makes it easier for waste handlers to sort recyclables.
- Separate recyclables: Ensure that recyclable items are clean and dry to avoid contamination.
- Repurpose items: Encourage residents to think creatively about how they can reuse items rather than discard them. For example, leftover glass jars can be used for storage or as DIY decorations.
5. Dealing with Organic Waste
Holiday meals often result in a significant amount of food waste. In some areas, it may be possible to introduce or strengthen organic waste collection services (e.g., composting programs). Residents should be encouraged to dispose of food scraps and organic waste in the correct bins.
For those who live in complexes without a composting program, remind residents not to place food waste in the recycling or general waste bins. Providing a separate container for organic waste can help reduce landfill waste and provide an eco-friendly solution.
6. Special Waste Disposal
The holidays can also lead to the disposal of special items like broken electronics, old decorations, or large boxes from new appliances. These items may not fit into the regular waste collection streams and could require special disposal arrangements.
- E-waste: Electronic waste (e-waste) can be harmful if not disposed of properly. Sectional title complexes can arrange a specific collection day for residents to drop off unwanted electronics for recycling.
- Bulk waste: For large items like furniture or large household goods, consider organizing a bulk waste collection event or providing residents with information on local drop-off points for large items.
7. Managing Holiday Decorations and Tree Disposal
Holiday decorations, particularly Christmas trees, can create significant waste. Ensure that there is a clear plan in place for residents to dispose of their trees, particularly once the holiday season is over. If trees are not composted or mulched, residents should be directed to a designated disposal point or given a specific collection day for tree removal.
8. Involve Residents in Waste Management Initiatives
The holiday period is an excellent time to encourage a sense of community and environmental responsibility among residents. You could consider organizing:
- Waste reduction workshops: Hosting a short informational session about reducing waste, recycling effectively, and creating a cleaner environment.
- Waste reduction challenges: Organize a friendly competition to encourage residents to reduce waste. For example, a challenge to see who can recycle the most or limit their use of single-use plastics.
9. Hiring Extra Waste Collection Services
Given the increased volume of waste during the holiday season, sectional title bodies corporate might consider arranging for extra waste collection services. This could include:
- Additional pick-up days: Schedule more frequent waste collection days in the lead-up to and during the holidays.
- Specialized waste collection: If there is an increase in bulk or special waste, such as broken furniture, you may need to arrange for specific bulk waste collection.
10. Post-Holiday Cleanup
After the festive season ends, there will likely be a significant amount of waste generated as people clean up. The body corporate or HOA should plan a thorough cleanup of the communal areas, ensuring that all waste is removed, bins are emptied, and common spaces are tidied up.
Conclusion
Waste management in sectional title properties during the holidays requires proactive planning, clear communication, and the involvement of all residents. By anticipating the increased waste flow and taking action early, sectional title complexes can maintain cleanliness, encourage sustainability, and avoid the issues that often arise from waste overflow and mismanagement. In doing so, residents can enjoy the holiday season without worrying about the negative impact on their living environment.
