New Stewardship Program Starts May 20!
Positive changes for Recycling on Pender coming up!
The new Packaging & Printed Paper Recycling Program starts this week, Tuesday May 20 at the Pender Island Recycling Depot, and will be bringing some positive changes in terms of what we take and how we take it.
We will be accepting more materials and require less sorting. This week we will start taking styrofoam and paper cups, there will be no more sorting different types of plastic and no need to remove labels from cans!
The new Packaging & Printed Paper Recycling Program is a result of the BC provincial government turning over responsibility for the recycling of Packaging & Printed Paper to the businesses who are responsible for creating it. For an explanation of this fundamental change in recycling in British Columbia please see the Multi Material BC (MMBC) website recyclinginbc.ca. MMBC is the organization established by industry to create and manage this new recycling program.
Starting May 20 we will be accepting clean polystyrene/plastic foam, commonly known as styrofoam. This will include meat/fish trays (without the shrinkwrap and soaker pad) as well as styrofoam cushion packaging with the exception of foam peanuts. Styrofoam will be separated as white or non-white. We will also be accepting paper cups and some other items we have not been able to accept in the past. Plus, we will no longer be separating plastics #3 and #6 from other plastics, and there is no need to remove labels from tin and aluminum cans! Milk cartons (dairy, soy, rice, almond etc.) and soup/broth containers will go together in one bin. Keep an eye out for further details as we roll out the changes!
All other parts of the Pender Island Recycling Depot will continue to operate as usual, accepting a wide range of recycling beyond just packaging and printed paper, like we always have.
We now have a Facebook page, look us up (and “like” us) on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PenderIslandRecyclingDepot.
The month of May is tire drop-off month! If you have old tires to get rid of, bring them to us before June 1. The first four per household are free, after that there is a $2 per tire charge. No rims, please.
Summer hours of operation start June 1 and are as follows: Tuesdays 8am - 3pm, Fridays and Saturdays 9am – 3pm, and Sundays 1pm – 5pm.
Household Hazardous Waste Day is Sunday September 28, 11am - 2pm at the Depot. Save the date, and bring those toxic mystery liquids you have been storing.
We at the Recycling Depot are looking forward to answering your questions as we begin to implement the changes under the new Packaging & Printed Paper Recycling Program. As the program evolves, you will see information being posted on our new website and Facebook page! See you at the Depot.
Cheers,
Your Recycling Depot Staff