North Battleford says they’ve had to bring over 12,000 kilograms of rejected recycles to the Waste Management Facility over four days.
The city has recently begun a recycling enforcement program, designed to cut down on garbage improperly disposed of in recycling bins. Over the period of May 25th to 28th, around 12,700 kilograms of non-recyclable contaminated waste materials were placed in the blue recycling bins.
They say that improperly disposed of trash in recycles requires the entire batch to be transferred to the landfill, causing a quicker end of lifespan for cells. Budget estimates put the cost of a new cell at around two million dollars.
On June 2nd, approximately 578 recycling bins were inspected before pick-up. 68 of those bins were flagged for having non-recyclable materials. Crews found that styrofoam, clothing, aerosol or paint cans and trash were some of the most common improperly recycled materials. North Battleford has also sent out $100 first offence tickets and information about the issues.
They encourage residents to make use of their online Recycle Coach to help determine what should be recycled. Residents can find that on North Battleford’s website, or the Android or Apple app stores.