Residential Recycling Collection

Residential Recycling Collection

Notice – Route E: Since January 2021, Route E has been on a pilot program to help determine if weekly recycling collection will be offered city-wide.

Because of the large volume of recycling that is collected, and the staff overtime required, the Route E recycling pilot project is to test if a weekly recycling collection will enhance service for all residents and at the same time ease the overtime burden on operations staff.

Route E was selected because it is the closest to the recycling drop off point, and the least exhaust and fuel would be expended during the trial. This route regularly incurs operational overtime and typically has the highest collection volumes in the City.

For all other routes, recycling pick-up is bi-weekly.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Put Waste in its Place

The City of Powell River is working toward becoming a Zero Waste community.

Did you know you can help achieve the goal of zero waste?

• Consume less.

• Reuse what you have.

• Recycle everything you can.

• Avoid single-use items.

• Always go for reusable items.

• Stop buying single servings. Buy in bulk.

• Bring your lunch and utensils. Disposable lunches (to-go packaging, traditional plastic utensils, etc.) generate 45 kilograms (100 pounds) of trash per person annually.

• No plastic bottles.

• Avoid products wrapped in plastic.

• Support local farmers.

The city has made available a variety of online resources for information about what is and is not accepted in the garbage stream.

• Waste Wise Guide online

• Waste Wizard

• qathet Waste Wise app available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

• Let’s Talk Trash Team

Since 2019, the City of Powell River has been part of the RecycleBC program. Powell River is one of 176 other communities across BC consistently working to improve our recycling system.

RecycleBC has two processing sites in BC where solid waste collected materials are mixed with other communities’ products, then sorted and baled with similar materials. Once baled materials are sold to make new products or packaging 98 per cent of plastic collected stays in BC. Most of the plastic, metal and glass currently have North American end markets, working towards paper staying within the Pacific Northwest.

We can do our part by:

• setting out materials accepted in the RecycleBC program to keep contamination low.

• Using curbside collection before depots to help curb emissions, and

• being conscience of the recycling options of your purchases.

What To Do?

• Have materials at the curbside by 7:30 am on collection day.

• Do not leave carts out overnight before your collection day.

• Ensure materials are placed in a clearly visible location at the curb.

• Place items loosely and neatly in bin.

• No plastic bags.

• Bins to be at curbside with 1 meter (3 feet) space from any other object (including your waste bin).

• All cardboard/boxboard must be flattened. Flatten and bundle corrugated boxes. No items larger than 8” thick, 30” wide and 30” tall.

• Make sure recyclables have been cleaned.

• Ensure bin is only full of acceptable materials and not placed in plastic bags, or it will be left at curbside, tagged as contaminated and rejected.

• Bins are not provided but please keep in mind they are manually lifted by staff and will be left behind if there is potential for injury.

• Carts meant for automated collection (containers with wheels and hinged lids) are to be used at homeowner’s risk. Carts collected with automated arm will not be replaced by the city if damaged.

• Recycling materials are not limited; volumes will be accepted within a reasonable amount.

• Large volumes are to be taken directly to a recycling depot.

Curbside recycling collection schedules and route maps are available here.