Many questions are raised when we talk about composting: What’s the point? Doesn’t it smell bad? Don’t you need a backyard?
To start, it’s important to know the benefits of composting. To give you an idea: 36% of trash produced in the average Montreal household can be composted. The environmental impact is obvious, including decreased trash in our landfills, increased fertility of our land and helping us grow beautiful and nutritional organic vegetables.
For those new to composting, it’s basically the process of taking food scraps (fruits, vegetables, and even eggshells), adding them to a compost heap, and allowing the food to naturally decompose and turn into fertilizer, for use in a garden. It’s giving back to earth what we’ve taken from it!
This [PDF document (French only)] will provide you with some basic composting information.
Composting in an apartment is not as difficult as some might believe. There are many ways to compost, but today we’ll focus on the easiest method: Composting with your Eco-Quartier.
Not everyone wants to have worms wiggling around under their kitchen sink. Not everyone has the time to build a compost heap. Not everyone is interested in caring for their compost, but carefully balancing the nitrogen and carbon levels is very important (i.e: watch what you add).
Step 1.
For starters, you’ll need two things:
- a plastic or stainless steel container with a lid
- biodegradeable bags
Biodegradeable bags are not necessary, but it’s nice to know that they can safely be trashed without hurting the environment. Best of all, they can be reused quite a few times!
Step 2.
This part involves visiting your Eco-Quartier (it’s better to call first). They will ask you to sign up to participate in local composting. The process is very simple, it doesn’t take much time, and it’s free. You will be given a code to access the compost bin nearest you, and some minor guidelines.
- 255, rue Ash – 514 925-3339 [map]
- 75, square Sir-George-Étienne-Cartier – 514 935-8120 [map]
- 6071, boul. Monk – 514 768-2709 [map]
Step 3.
Once that is done, you will need to familiarize yourself with what can and can’t be composted. The links below have lists of items which are accepted, but for the most part you will need to use your judgement. The last thing we want is to attract rats, raccoons, and other wild animals.
- www.compostthis.co.uk
- gorilla.mcgill.ca/howtocompost.htm
With the above information, all you need to do is add your items to the bag in your bin, and regularly drop it off at your nearest compost bin. Please make sure to EMPTY the bag and don’t just leave it inside the bin… even if it is biodegradeable.
Composting is easy, it’s fun, it’s great for the environment and it doesn’t cost anything. There are no excuses not to do it.
So, what are you waiting for? 
Wow! I’ve never heard of an Eco-Quartier, but I do compost in my apartment and I’ve found it really easy. I wrote a how-to, also (including a PDF that’s in English instead of French
): http://www.simplemakes.com/2008/09/apartment-composting-how-to-start-now.html