(Cam Lee/northeastNOW Staff)

By Cam Lee

Recycling Do's and Don'ts

Melfort residents encouraged to avoid contamination of recycled materials

Feb 3, 2020 | 9:00 AM

The City of Melfort is urging residents to pay close attention to what they put in their blue recycling bins.

The message comes after Malaysia announced the return of 11 shipping containers of plastic garbage back to Canada.

“How that can occur is by improper sorting of recyclables and contaminating the containers with other waste products,” Director of Development, Planning and Community Relations Brent Lutz told northeastNOW.

Lutz said that can occur at the household, where the initial sorting of recyclables takes place.

The blue bin program has been in place in Melfort since April of 2018. Garbage and recyclable materials are put out on the curb in alternate weeks. According to Lutz, curbside recycling has significantly reduced the amount of waste going to the landfill, which means lower costs involved in managing waste, and expanding the landfill.

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“But if you contaminate the recycling container with products that cannot be accepted, then that…whole container ends up having to go to the landfill, or worse than that, ending up in a recycling processing plant where it contaminates all the other recyclable materials,” Lutz said.

He said most residents in Melfort have enough room in their garbage bins to last two weeks, and the same with recycling. The recycling materials are handled by the contracted waste collection company, Greenland Waste.

Greenland then further sorts and separates the recyclable materials.

“Not all those materials are recycled in the same fashion, and in the same facilities,” Lutz said. Once the materials are sorted and separated, they are sent out to the appropriate recyclers.

Some common items not accepted for recycling include clamshell containers, which are often featured in restaurant takeout orders, and plastic bags and stretch wrap.

A full list of recycling items accepted, and not accepted, can be seen here. Lutz said the City will also use media announcements and other circulations to remind residents to watch their recyclables.

Anyone with questions on whether something is recyclable or not can call city hall at 306-752-5911.

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cam.lee@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @camlee1974