Recycling program off to fast start

After the first week of the program, administrators are reporting very high levels of participation

Last Monday at a budgey presentation by the Public Works Department, it was divulged that the early days of the door-to-door recycling program are an unqualified success.

Wilson Bell, Executive Director of the Greater Miramichi Regional Service Commission (GMRSC) said the commission set a goal of 20% for a diversion rate.  "This means we would be landfilling about 80% versus about 96% under the depot program."

The city pays tipping fees to Red Pine (the big dump near Allardville) that bury the garbage in large engineered underground cells. The city pays $72.80 for every metric ton (MT) of waste. But the city only pays $54.00 a ton for tipping recyclable material. Before the program began, the city only recycled about 3% of the 6000 MT of household waste it produces each year. In the past those recycled materials went into the big blue depots like you saw in the parking lot at the mall or at NBCC. 

Now everyone in the city has a blue bin that they use on alternate weeks to put out recyclables, the first week of operation saw the amount recycled in the city be equal to  amount recycled the entire previous month.

"If we reach our goal of 20% diversion; there is a total savings of $230,000 for the entire region served by the GMRSC," explains Bell

Melanie Cripps, Waste Reduction Manager for the Greater Miramichi Regional Service Commission, says that "Our first cart pick-up resulted with a total of 39.5 MT of recyclables collected even though not all residents participated. This is equivalent to the same amount collected in the depot program in September."

Cripps wants to remind everyone to consult their calendar so they know when recyclables will bepicked up in their area.

"Residents should consult their Collection Calendar to determine their region and the alternating collections (i.e. which week is recycling week and which week is garbage collection)," she explains.

Garbage is picked up one week, recyclables the next.  Same day, same hauler.

View information on recyclable items HERE
View collection schedule HERE
View region description HERE
 

Other Reminders

Garbage will not be picked up on recycling day and recyclables will not be picked up on garbage day. These collections rotate weekly.

Carts are not to be used to hold garbage. Carts containing garbage will not be collected.

Items should be loose in the cart.  No need to bag, tie or bundle recyclables.

Materials should be clean, rinsed and dry, flattened or crushed.  Lids, caps and labels don’t need to be removed.  

Items left next to the cart will not be collected as they may become contaminated by weather and/or pets.

Limited quantity of grey carts will be available in the near future, at cost price, at the GRMSC – Solid Waste Services office located at 505 Old King George Hwy.  Cash & carry – While supplies last!  Call ahead to ensure garbage carts are available