252 tonnes of recyclables have been collected in Cranbrook over the past six months, as the City celebrates the six month milestone of the new curb-side recycle program.
6,236 households are part of the curb-side program, which began on May 3, 2021.
Contractor GFL has picked up 44,376 recycling carts worth of material, diverting the weight of nearly 52 elephants from the landfill, the City explained in a press release.
Mayor Lee Pratt says that the community has really embraced the new service.
“I am very happy to see the success we’re having with curb-side recycling for our residents,” said Pratt. “I want to again thank our staff for all their hard work and thank the RDEK and RecycleBC for working closely with us funding the purchase of the recycling carts, and special thanks to RecycleBC for funding the majority of the collection fees.”
READ: City of Cranbrook reminds residents of proper curb-side recycling procedures
The program is not perfect however, as residents are still putting materials in their carts that shouldn’t be there. The City explained that the average contamination rate in the recycling collection stream is just over six and a half per cent. The goal is three per cent.
The most common materials found that are not suitable for the bins include hardcover and softcover books, flexible packaging such as chip bags, materials with food residue such as pizza boxes, and scrap metal and glass.
Most of those materials can be recycled at the RecycleBC depot at the Cranbrook Transfer Station.
RecycleBC routinely completes random audits from curb-side recycling to determine the contamination rate, explained Katelyn Pocha, Water and Wastewater Project Manager with the City.
“A sample of the daily curb-side collection recycling material is collected, and that material is categorized and weighed to determine the contamination rate,” Pocha said.
Things like glass bottles and jars, plastic overwrap, foam packaging and plastic bags are all accepted at the RecycleBC depot. The City asks that residents do not put those items in their curb-side recycling. A full list of acceptable materials and the ‘what goes where’ guide can be found at cranbrook.ca/recycling.
“We still have some work to do, but the community really has done a great job at placing appropriate materials in their curb-side recycling carts, and I want to thank them for that,” Pocha said.
The City also reminds residents that they can download the 311 app onto their smartphones to receive text or email reminders about collection days.
corey.bullock@cranbrooktownsman.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
Want to support local journalism during the pandemic? Make a donation here.