Curbside recycling causing concerns for Plus Industries
With blue bins being delivered to Melfort residents this week, Melfort’s multi-stream recycling agency is worried about its future.
Plus Industries has been the city’s largest recycler since the late ’80s. The agency has depots located around the city and provides jobs for people with intellectual disabilities. General Manager Lanny Baerwald said the move to curbside collection was completely driven by council and not by local residents. Their funding from the city totals more than $50,000 annually, he said, and sustains 16 jobs at Plus Industries.
“The community didn’t initiate this,” Baerwald told northeastNOW. “This was completely driven by the desire of certain members of council to have blue boxes in the community.”
The city’s funding to Plus Industries will remain in place for 2018, though Baerwald said what happens next year is still not known. He said his organization will continue to work with city staff and council, but wished their concerns were taken more seriously prior to the program’s implementation.