Fall 2012 Waste Reduction Newsletter Volume 15

Chetwynd

The Chetwynd NEAT office is pleased to have launched the much-awaited Multi-Unit Residential (MRU) recycling Pilot Project!

In 2011, NEAT conducted a study on the recycling levels of residents in apartment buildings. Even those buildings with on-site, outdoor recycling bins were showing low volumes of recyclables in comparison to the number of people in the building.

After speaking to residents, it was discovered that a) many are “transient” shift workers in the mining and oil & gas industry, therefore, felt little pride of ownership over the local environment; and b) due to limited space inside of the apartments, recycling was seen as inconvenient and messy.

NEAT concluded that the best way to encourage and assist MRU residents was to provide them with in-apartment recycling blue bins in order for them to have a small designated area where they could easily toss recyclable until

News Near You Fort St. John

The kids at Wiggles & Giggles Group Daycare received a certificate and #1 Recycler stickers on August 23, after spending the summer recycling the garbage from their lunch kits. Earlier this summer they decided to try out recycling at the daycare. Janice Gibos contacted NEAT for recommendations and a presentation on how to recycle.

They bought three blue bins to collect paper, cardboard, and plastic because these were the waste streams that they found most predominant at the daycare. Every day the kids volunteer to wash, squash and sort the recyclable materials, giving them the opportunity to learn about the importance of recycling, how to recycle and what the recyclables could become. Many of the kids took home this new found knowledge and were able to share it with their parents. This daycare has opened up a new way of thinking about garbage for these kids, which will hopefully continue with them as they grow up.

Dawson Creek

Since July 1st many new products have been accepted for recycling at local recycling depots such as DC Recycling in Dawson Creek or the Eco Depot in Fort St. John. The expanded product list now includes most home electronics and small appliances along with newly accepted exercise equipment and power tools. The new expanded list has over 300 different recyclable products, so it’s so long we can’t reasonably fit it here! However it is available online at www.electrorecycle.ca. Products not accepted under the new program include prod-ucts not powered by electricity of batteries, large appliances (such as stoves and washing machines), appliances with re-frigerant (refrigerators, air conditioners), built in appliances, industrial quality appliances, and appliances with food resi-due. When asked about the success of the program so far, DC recycling has noted that they’ve almost received double the amount of electronics for recycling than they had seen last year during the same period. While small appliances still lag a bit behind the progress with electronic recycling, the pro-gram is a promising success. A noted problem is unaccepta-ble products, such as refrigerators, water coolers, or air con-ditioners being dropped off. They only add extra costs to the program as they must then be disposed of.

they were ready to take them down to the outdoor bins. Windreme A & B and Parkwood Manor were selected to receive free blue bins, which were generously donated by the Eco-Depot in Fort St John. As these buildings already have outdoor recycling facilities in place, courtesy of Lion’s Recycling in Chetwynd, they were ideal for this project.

Blue bins were distributed on Thursday, August 25th and from the looks of the outdoor bins, residents are already taking advantage!

Photo provided by Wiggles & Giggles

RECYCLING AROUND THE PEACE

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BINS

Bessborough Landfill

Charlie Lake-

Mile 54 Shell.

Dawson Creek-

No Frills ( Extra Foods ) ,

Wal-Mart, Transfer Station

Hudson ’ s Hope-

Shop Easy Foods

Mile 62.5 Transfer Station

Moberly Lake-

Adjacent to Fire Hall

Pouce Coupe-

Elementary School

Rose Prairie-

Curling rink

Taylor

Willow/McMahon Dr.

Tumbler Ridge

Shop Easy Foods

DEPOTS

Chetwynd

250-788-1111 4824 - 54 St

Dawson Creek

250-782-2020 925-100 Ave

Fort St. John

250-785-0300 10107-94 Ave

Tumbler Ridge Trans. Site

250-242-3638 103 Ridge Rd.

Recycling

Locations

Material How to Prepare

Newspaper

Newspapers All Inserts

Flyers

Separate bin at depots

Paper

Calendars Office Paper

Phone books Envelopes

Dry

Clean

Shredded Paper in bags

Plastic containers, bags and milk cartons

Yogurt tubs, ice cream pails

Detergent bottles, milk jugs/cartons

Plastic bags, shrink wrap etc.

Numbers 1—7

NO STYROFOAM

Rinsed clean

Lids off

Squashed

Stuff bags and plastic film

into another bag

Tin cans and aluminum foil

Soup cans

Pet food cans

Pie plates

Clean

Labels removed ( recycle

with paper )

Flatten cans

Cardboard and Boxboard

Corrugated boxes ( wavy in middle )

Cereal boxes

Cracker boxes

Paper rolls

Clean

Dry

Flattened

Glass

Food & makeup containers.

Clean

Lids off

Regional Recycling Program

This chart lists material collected through the regional recycling program.

Did You Know? On July 1, 2012, the ElectroRecycle Recycling Program was introduced in the Peace. This program collects & recycles electronics, small appliances, exercise equip-ment, power tools, and much more!

For more information on what items are accepted, visit electrorecycle.ca or pRRRdy.com for details.

LightRecycle

Starting October 1st, 2012 a large amount of light bulbs and light fixtures will now be recyclable at locations around British Columbia! All bulbs and tubes will now be accepted, including incandescent, CFL, halogen, HID, and LED. Fixtures such as lamps and ballasts will now be accepted including those from commercial or industrial sources. The quantities accepted have also increased to handle the industrial or commercial loads. For more information visit: www.productcare.org/BC-Lights-Expansion

Drop off locations:

Chetwynd Lions Recycling 250-788-1111

DC Recycling, Dawson Creek 250-782-2020

Eco Depot, Fort St. John 250-785-0300

Agricultural Plastics Recycling

A new program will help stop tonnes of plastics from entering our landfills or being burned!

Starting November 2nd, farmers around the Peace Region will be able to recycle their agricultural plastics. Bale wrap and twine will be accepted at select drop off sites. Plastics need to be free of heavy contamination, simply:

Shake. Bundle. Drop Off.

The Eco-Depot in Fort St. John and DC Recycling are accepting drop offs. Additionally, during November, drop off locations will include the Tomslake and Prespatou transfer stations.

There will be an attendant on site to help with any sorting as well as to stop any illegal dumping. So be sure to check out the drop off locations throughout November and start recycling your agricultural plastics!

We need feedback! If there are any suggestions from farmers on ways to make the recycling process convenient, we would love to hear you! See page 4 for contact

information!

pRRRdy says… Waste Reduction and Recycling Newsletter page 3

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This newsletter was prepared by

Northern Environmental Action Team

on behalf of Peace

River Regional

District.

pRRRdy says…This newsletter is printed

with vegetable based inks.

If you don’t want to save this newsletter

for reference, please

recycle it.

Every issue of pRRRdy says… includes some easy-to-do tips

to help you in an environmentally friendly way.

Contact UsContact UsContact Us

Waste Reduction Office In Fort St. John: 250-785-6328

Toll-free: 1-888-689-6328

Fax 250-785-6378

E-mail info@neat.ca

Main Office 10027-100 St.

Fort St John, BC V1J 3Y5

www.prrrdy.com

Eco-Advisors Dawson Creek & area

250-219-6328

email kayla@neat.ca

North Peace

250-785-6328

email info@neat.ca

Chetwynd/West Peace

250-401-1116

email jen@neat.ca

Peace River Regional District In Dawson Creek: 250-784-3200

In Fort St. John: 250-785-8084

Toll-free: 1-800-670-7773

www.prrd.bc.ca

Facebook: NEAT –Northern

Environmental Action Team

Twitter: NEATfsj

Car Seat Recycling Round-Up

The Peace region enjoys the addition of

approximately 1,000 tiny residents every year.

With those additions comes, infant carriers, car

seats, and booster seats. Multiply that by how

many kids are in a family and how many vehicles a

family has. After 7 years, those car seats expire

and what do you do with them then?

Local recycling depots are now accepting car

seats for processing. All fabric and cushioning

needs to be stripped off the seats. Metals can be

brought separately for recycling at the same lo-

cations.

There is no charge for this service.

Fort St. John—NEAT Office, 10027 100 St.

Dawson Creek—NEAT Office, 201-1005 102nd Ave

& Kiwanis Child Care Centre, 1100 95th Ave

Chetwynd— NEAT Office 5016 51st Ave

Try using reusable containers when making your child’s lunch; they can cut down on waste and help to teach a valuable lesson to your children!

Have a “Green” Halloween this year! Reuse decorations or use natural decorations such as straw, gourds, or pumpkins that can be composted afterwards! Try to give out waste-less goodies such as fruit or homemade treats!