One of the primary objectives of any apartment manager is to provide a positive residential experience. To ensure residents are comfortable and happy, it’s vital to provide a space where they can dispose of their garbage, in as sanitary a way as possible.
This isn’t always a simple or straight forward matter. New apartment managers, in particular, may have some significant questions about the number of dumpsters they need, the size of their dumpsters, and more.
Ultimately, the best way to provide tenants with a convenient and efficient trash solution is to contact a waste management service. At WasteXperts, we’re always happy to assess your needs and to develop a custom waste management program. In the meantime, here are some general tips to keep in mind.
Dumpsters are available in a wide range of sizes and capacities. Selecting the appropriate dumpster configuration is one of the first steps toward an efficient waste management program.
First and foremost, make sure there’s at least one dumpster close to each building in the complex. This prevents any tenant from having to haul big, heavy bags of trash across the property just to find an appropriate disposal.
As for capacity, we recommend a simple formula. First, take the number of tenants and multiply it by 4.9. (This reflects the average number of pounds of trash produced by each person in a day.) Then multiply that number by seven, to represent the span of an entire week. This should give you a general sense of the dumpster capacity you need.
Another important step is to inform tenants of what can and cannot be placed in each disposal area.
In particular, consider signage posted around the dumpster area and throughout the building, warning against improper disposal of hazardous waste. If tenants do dispose of hazardous waste inappropriately, it could be a real health concern for the entire community.
Some examples of hazardous materials include gasoline, fireworks, corrosive chemicals, and lithium-sulfur batteries.
Regardless of whether your state requires it, we recommend placing recycling containers next to each dumpster.
Providing on-site recycling will slightly complicate your waste management program, but there are also some potential advantages. For example, it can make your community more attractive to potential tenants who care deeply about environmental matters.
Additionally, having a recycling container for each dumpster can prevent those dumpsters from filling up so quickly.
Finally,remember that trash can at tract animals and insects. There are a few simple steps that can minimize your community’s pest problems:
● Encourage tenants to discard bagged trash only, which will cut down on odors.
● Avoid placing dumpsters near large shrubs or trees.
● Ask your maintenance team to regularly wipe down dumpsters using ammonia and other odor-reducing products.
Curious about additional ways to manage trash at your apartment complex? We’d love to discuss custom solutions. Reach out to WasteXperts at your convenience.
