Duane Hicks
While the new “blue box” recycling bins on Sixth Street West have been getting plenty of use this week, already some garbage has begun to show up in the mix—and the town wants to send the message that this isn’t acceptable.
Environmental and Facilities superintendent Doug Herr said that when the four large blue bins were emptied of recyclables yesterday morning, several plastic bags of garbage were discovered inside a couple of them.
While it was first thought that perhaps the garbage bags contained recyclables, further investigation revealed they contained household waste, he added.
“We don’t know if they were from the same person or not. That’s something we don’t know,” admitted Herr, adding the bylaw enforcement department is investigating the matter.
“If we find out who it is, we’ll probably press some charges on them.
“But if they are going to spoil it for everybody else, that’s what is going to happen,” he stressed.
Herr said the town wants to send a message loud and clear that it will not accept the public getting rid of garbage in this manner, and doesn’t want to see it again.
“We don’t want to go to surveillance cameras unless we really, really have to,” he remarked.
“If we have to do that, we will be charging people and everything else.
“It will be forcing us to do something we don’t want to do,” he added.
The bins continue to be well-used, and nearly were full again by the end of yesterday.
As reported yesterday, people can drop off their recyclables 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The recyclables acceptable at the depot are the same as those allowed in your “blue box” for curbside pick-up.
There’s really no limit to the amount of recyclables the public can drop off as long as they are of the type that would be picked up at the curb.
As well, since there’s currently no way to monitor whether drop-offs are made by residents or non-residents, anyone is welcome to use the bins.
While the bins are meant for residential “blue box” recyclables, a quick survey of materials that have been dropped off so far indicates local businesses also have been making use of the depot.
But those wanting to recycle glass still must bring it to the glass recycling bin located just around the corner at 900 Wright Ave.
