Maple Ridge residents have a few more details to add to their recycling chores starting this week.
With Multi Material BC taking over the marketing of recyclables as of May 19, people are being asked to scrunch up their soft plastic wraps and plastic bags and put them all into one bag which is tied at the top. That will make it easier for sorters to process at the depot, says the Ridge Meadows Recycling Depot.
Another new thing – remove the lids from all glass bottles and jars. Put the plastic lids in the pink bag and the metal lids in the orange bag.
The green bag that used to include office paper and magazines is disappearing. All of that paper can go into the blue bag (or tote container) that contains newspaper. You can also now throw large catalogues or phone books into that bag.
There’s also a selection of new recyclables that are now accepted. Plastics labelled No. 3, 6, & 7, aerosol cans (empty, no paint cans), aseptic (Tetra Pak style) soup cartons, and paper coffee cups are now accepted. The coffee cups go into the yellow, (cardboard) bag, while Tetra Pak soup cartons go into the orange bag.
The depot also takes Styrofoam and light bulbs, books and paint but you still have to haul that down to the depot on River Road yourself.
MMBC is a new non-profit industry organization that charges manufacturers for the packaging used in their products, with the goal of reducing the amount of waste going into garbage dumps. It’s paying the District of Maple Ridge about $1 million yearly. In return, MMBC gains the revenues from marketing the recyclables.
“We are ready to deliver blue box residential recycling services to nearly 1.25 million British Columbians in 88 communities,” said Allen Langdon, managing director for MMBC.
“We are looking forward to working in partnership with all those involved in delivering recycling services, and residents who are critical to helping us reach our goal of increasing recycling rates from 53 per cent to 75 per cent.”
The program will allow recycling of new categories of packaging not commonly included in current curbside or depot recycling programs, including milk cartons, plant pots, aluminum foil packaging, plastic film, and drink cups.
New Curbside Recycling Flyer – May, 2014 or New Apartment Recycling Flyer – May, 2014
However, several agricultural businesses are vowing to defy MMBC and refuse to pay into the new package recycling system.
As well, breweries are advancing their own system and talks are also underway with the newspaper industry which say the new system will hurt financially.
Newspapers say they face a $14-million-a-year bite out of their operations because of the 20 cents per kilogram they will pay on newsprint, compared to less than half a penny in Ontario.
