I wish to add my voice to those who dislike the newly mandated recycling program in the province.
Every scrap of advance literature rammed home how many new items we would be able to recycle. Not once were the items we could no longer easily recycle mentioned.
Under the old system, if we needed to put out six bags of recyclable items, we could. With just one box for this and one box for that, what happens to our leftovers?
A clear plastic bagful of shredded paper will fill up one blue box, yet you will not recycle the plastic bag?
We can continue to recycle phone books, but not paperback books. If a phone book isn’t a paperback, I don’t know what it is. Why not simply ask us to remove the covers of paperback books, if indeed they are an issue.
We can no longer include chip or foil bags, liquid absorbing pads, kitchen plastic wrap or stretch wrap for meat, poultry, fish or cheese, or plastic bags.
Snow and rain are normal weather features of the North Okanagan, yet these new boxes are open to the elements. We’ve been advised to have our boxes outside at 7 a.m. only on the morning of pick-up, but unless the program is like Santa Claus’ Christmas morning parcel delivery, not every box will magically be picked up at 7 a.m. Mother Nature will have a field day with the paper items even if the second box is placed on top.
Fortunately, a friend lives in Spallumcheen where the blue box program is not in use and she has happily agreed to take some of these items. And Venture Training in Vernon will take other items. As long as I have and can drive a car, this will be my other back-up.
For years, I have recycled glass, juice boxes and many other items at our local recycling depot. Thankfully Armstrong is a small community and this is no chore. If I don’t accumulate too much, I can even cycle down to recycle these items.
Frankly, I think we’ve been sold a flawed system. I will continue to recycle but more grudgingly and there’s an election coming.
E. Suzie Sims
Armstrong
