Office and commercial renovation projects are continuing in the Metro Vancouver area despite the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, bringing a unique challenge to the Green Coast team in terms of staying safe while continuing to provide zero-waste recycling solutions. The City of New Westminster recently came to us with just such a project – and this is how we did it, keeping zero waste and employee safety in mind!
The Challenge
New Westminster City Hall called us because they were about to undertake an office renovation and wanted all of the existing office furniture and equipment to be 100% reused or recycled. This zero-waste project is right up our alley – but with the pandemic in full swing, we needed to ask ourselves how we could do it safely?
Firstly, Green Coast has adapted and strengthened our safety policies and protocols during the pandemic to ensure the health and safety of our staff and customers. We have shifted to a curbside only pick-up model as well as asking prequalifying safety questions recommended by Health Canada and WorkSafe BC upon booking.
However, for this project, having all the office items put out on the curb wasn’t practical. Instead, we adapted our no-contact policy and requested that the entire floor of the building be vacant from the time our teams arrived and for the duration of the multi-day project.
Photo Gallery
Recycled That:
This zero-waste project involved recycling 100% of the materials at the site! We removed and recycled 5.65 tonnes of wood or wood composite furniture like desks, workstations, bookshelves, and cabinets. We also removed and recycled 2.68 tonnes of metal-based furniture including cabinets, dividers, and chairs.
When all was said and done, the office space was empty – vacuumed too! – and ready for the upcoming renovation.
Notable Quote:
“We are very grateful that we’ve been able to adapt our business model to provide contactless zero-waste recycling services during the current pandemic,” says Eamonn Duignan, President & CEO, Green Coast Rubbish. “Our team really enjoyed working on this City of New Westminster initiative – it’s always hugely satisfying to achieve zero waste on such a big recycling project.”
Get in touch!
If you have a commercial, retail or residential demolition or deconstruction project in Metro Vancouver, Green Coast Rubbish has an experienced team and will make sure all the materials we remove are dealt with in the most environmentally-friendly manner. Safety during the pandemic for our staff and customers is first and foremost in our minds, and we will follow strict safety policies and protocols for COVID-19 to make sure everyone remains safe during the project or curbside pickup. Contact us at 604 230-4530 or pickup@greencoastrubbish.com for more information.
