The local Waste Management firm is putting finishing touches on a new community recycling depot set to open April 30.
The depot, located at the firm’s Terrace location on the north side of Keith Ave, needs a little paint on the new recycle bins and the drive-in lot there to be leveled before it’s ready to go.
The free-to-use site will include seven bins and will be open dusk to dawn, said Waste Management’s northern B.C. district manager Jay Maybin.
“There’s lots of space for up to three cars at a time,” said Maybin. “It’s easy, it’s all in one spot.”
Three of the bins will be dedicated for cardboard, three for mixed use which means paper, plastic and other fibre material, and one bin for metals.
“We really want to try to keep it clean metal,” said Maybin, adding that includes items from tin cans to bed frames. “(But) we don’t want overly large pieces, anything you can carry.”
The drive-in area will be marked by signage directing recyclers where to go, said Maybin, adding that unlike the city’s current pilot depot there will be on-site staff ensuring bins are always emptied and the site stays clean.
The company is still looking to hire one of the three staff members who will be responsible for this, locally.
To get ready, Waste Management purchased a bailer, which is a machine that compacts recyclable materials in preparation for shipping.
The company is already testing out the bailer with materials not related to the drop-off site.
“They’re going to bail it up and store it on the site until we have enough products to ship,” said Maybin. “From there, it goes on to a 53 foot truck and it goes down Vancouver to be recycled.”
