The Regional Waste Reduction Office is reminding residents of the curbside recycling collection program in the Central Okanagan that there is no change to the program, despite what you may be hearing about fluctuating markets for recyclable material.
What you have been putting in your cart with the blue lid as part of the curbside program for years is still accepted as recycling and is going to viable end markets for processing and recycling. For instance plastics go to Merlin Plastics in Delta and the majority of paper goes to end markets overseas, in the U.S. and in B.C. and can be made into things like egg cartons, boxes and other paper products.
“Residents of the Central Okanagan have been working hard for decades to be good recyclers, and we commend their efforts. Their actions make a difference” said Jodie Foster, manager of Corporate Communications for the Regional District of Central Okanagan.
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“We want to assure residents that nothing has changed with the curbside program”.
“With the recycling program, we are contractors to Recycle BC, which since 2014 oversees all recycling in the province. We collect recyclables on their behalf. We have no indication that recyclables will no longer be accepted from curbside locations. If the program were to ever require widespread changes, you would hear that from Recycle BC and the Regional District directly,” said Foster.
In a parallel program, multi-family and commercial recycling in the region is handled by commercial hauling companies, however the Regional Waste Reduction Office and the City of Kelowna-owned Glenmore Landfill have been emphasizing the need to continue to divert recyclables. There is a list of mandatory recyclables banned from the Glenmore Landfill including cardboard, paper, newspaper, tin, aluminum and plastic containers. The program has shown a reduction in recyclables going to the landfill by 20 per cent since the program started in 2011.
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“In light of recent reports in the community that some companies have reduced recycling services at multi-family buildings, we’ll be increasing our monitoring and fines for mandatory recyclables to make sure they are not being taken to the landfill for burial. Multi-family residents should check with their haulers to make sure they know what is happening with their recyclables. The option for residents to drop off materials to the depots is also still in place so no matter what, recyclables shouldn’t be going into the garbage,” said Foster
For more information on the curbside program, locations of depots and what you can recycle, go to www.regionaldistrict.com/recycle, or download the free MyWaste App from iTunes or Google Play.
For a current list of the mandatory recyclables at the Glenmore Landfill that are subject to a $150/mT surcharge if mixed with other material headed for burial, visit regionaldistrict.com/recycle
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