Commercially generated waste that could be recycled is instead going int0 Shuswap landfills.
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District has appealed to the B.C. Ministry of Environment to help put a stop to this by permitting the regional district accept commercial recyclables – commercially generated printed paper and packaging – at its depots the same way household recyclables are.
Read More: CSRD wants commercial paper and packaging accepted for recycling
Read More: Expanded opportunities at recycling depots
The regional district board received a response to their request on March 8, in which the ministry made no commitment to allowing commercial recycling, but stated that local governments will be consulted on expansions being considered.
“Changes in market conditions have made recycling extremely challenging and many commercial recycling programs are no longer economically viable,” the CSRD’s initial appeal to the province reads. “Consequently, an increased amount of commercially generated recyclable materials are being disposed of at landfill sites, rather than being recycled.
“An expansion of the program to include commercial PPP (Paper and Plastic Packaging) fully supports the ministry’s goal to divert waste being deposited at landfills wherever possible.”
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At their Jan. 10 meeting, the board was told by CSRD staff that Recycle BC would be able to handle any extra volume of commercially-generated recyclables at CSRD disposal sites.
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