The Houston bottle depot now accepts milk jugs, cartons, tin cans and all plastics.
Services expanded July 7 when the depot switched to Cascades Recovery based in Prince George, said Owner John Koo.
Koo says the change was prompted last December when they could no longer recycle milk jugs and cartons.
In the past, Houston recycling was collected and then shipped by Westbin to the Smithers Recycling Centre.
When services shrunk, Koo and the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako (RDBN) started looking for other options.
“Since December, my depot and the Regional District were trying to find a solution for milk jugs and cartons and the #2 plastics,” Koo said.
With Cascades Recovery, they ship to Prince George and collect all plastics, aluminum containers, metal cans and milk jugs.
They accept soup, milk and ice cream cartons, plastic or paper take-out cups, frozen juice concentrate containers, and plastic pots and trays for garden plants.
They cannot collect glass, styrofoam or plastic bags.
The expanded recycling runs parallel with RDBN concerns about the volume at landfills.
RDBN Chair Bill Miller says they will issue a complete cardboard ban from landfills soon, likely early next year.
They will work with municipalities and commercial and industrial constituents to ensure a system to deal with cardboard is available before the ban, Miller said.
“Many of our commercial businesses and institutions already have in place pickup for cardboard and we will look at helping expansion of those opportunities,” he said.
For now, Houston Depot owner Koo says his customers are very satisfied with the newly expanded recycling program.
Local resident Sue Olsson says expanded services are great and she loves what Koo has done with the depot in the last year.
“They should be commended,” she said.
“Inside is spotless. They wash the floor and polish the floor and everything is so neat.
“They are very nice people… I say thank you every time I go there,” she said.
