The Ralph Thornton Community Centre is committed to promoting environmental awareness and taking action on environmental sustainability in daily operations.
As part of these efforts, effective 1 July 2018, the Ralph Thronton Community Centre has instituted a Solid Waste Levy on garbage generated by space users.
All private parties, licenced events, first-time large events, and other users deemed likely to produce a significant amount of waste are charged a Solid Waste Levy of $10 per bag of garbage.
At the time of booking space, these users will be required to pay a $100 deposit to cover the levy. Following the completion of the event, the number of garbage bags will be documented and any fee will be deducted from the levy. Any unused portion of the deposit will be refunded to the user, but the user will be charged for additional bags not covered by the deposit. (Full details on the Ralph Thornton Community Centre’s Solid Waste Levy process for space users.)
No fee will be charged for recycling or organic waste. However, contaminated recycling or organics (such as organics mixed with recycling, or garbage mixed with organic or recyclable waste) will be treated and billed as garbage.
Users that generate little or no garbage – like a yoga class or a meeting – will not be required to pay the deposit. However, if these groups generate excess waste, they will be required to pay the levy.
The Centre is charging this fee to make users aware of—and responsible for—the waste they create.
Confused about what goes where? Here is an easy waste diversion chart.