The town’s new recycling contracts with Asselin Transportation and Metro Materials Recovery Inc. in Winnipeg kicked in Monday, meaning paper products and other recyclables no longer have to be sorted by residents.
While the town had announced a few weeks ago that it would be switching to a “co-mingled” stream, the contractor still had to separate paper and cardboard from plastics and so forth up until the end of October.
The former products were sent to International Bildrite in International Falls while the rest were stockpiled here in anticipation of hauling it to Metro Materials Recovery Inc. in Winnipeg.
Now, all recyclables, including paper products, will be sent on to Winnipeg. It’s estimated there will be 32 such trips a year.
Some residents have complained they’re having to stockpile recyclables because the pickup only is done once every two weeks—and will remain that way under the new five-year contract with Asselin Transportation.
Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown stressed Monday morning the town simply can’t afford to switch to weekly pickups.
But he noted one solution is to put any recyclables that don’t fit in your “blue box” into cardboard boxes, paper bags, or even reusable containers, like laundry hampers.
While a “blue box” is preferred because it’s instantly recognizable as containing recyclables, a cardboard box put out at the curb on recycling day is totally acceptable, he said, adding the size of the box isn’t an issue as long as it contains acceptable recyclables.
“As long as it fits in the hopper, it’s fine,” said Brown.
But, as always, he noted it’s preferred if items like cans are crushed and boxes broken down so the truck can carry more of it per haul.
Brown also stressed residents must never put their recyclables in a plastic bag, adding absolutely no plastic bags, whether they’re Safeway bags, garbage bags, or any other type, will be accepted.
Recyclables left in them will not be picked up.
Town residents have been encouraged to put out a wider variety of recyclables for pickup since late September.
These materials include pop/beer cases, cereal boxes, egg cartons (paper, not styrofoam), milk cartons, juice boxes (tetrapaks), tissue paper, plastics #1-7, paper bags, newsprint, office paper, magazines, corrugated cardboard, clean aluminum/steel beverage cans, and clean metal food cans (rinse and remove labels).
Brown noted people don’t have to worry about removing plastic tops from pop bottles and plastic spouts from juice cartons and tetrapaks because even if they aren’t recyclable, they’ll just get removed at the plant in Winnipeg.
Council decided Oct. 13 to stay on with Asselin Transportation as its contractor for recycling pickup and awarded a five-year garbage and recyclable collection contract at a cost of $203,949.15 (plus GST) per year.
The total cost over five years is $1,019,745.75.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
