This week, Multi-Material BC (MMBC) published new recycling guides and collection calendars for its direct-service communities: the Village of Anmore, Coquitlam, Quesnel, Prince George, Langley, and the University Endowment Lands; and the Regional Districts of North Okanagan, Central Kootenay (Areas H, I, J), and Kootenay Boundary (East Sub-Region). While most BC communities continue to provide their own curbside and multi-family recycling services, with local governments receiving financial incentive to help offset the cost, MMBC is directly responsible for recycling services in ten BC communities via contracts with private collection companies.
Guides will be delivered to resident’s homes during the month of April, or can be downloaded from the “Recycling Where I Live” section of recyclinginbc.ca. Collection schedules in the new guides cover the period of May 2016 to April 2017. (The City of Revelstoke’s 2016 collection schedule was distributed in December, and is also available on-line.)
In this year’s recycling guides, MMBC is taking the opportunity to remind everyone that it is important that only accepted packaging and printed paper recycling are included with curbside recyclables. Some materials are accepted under other stewardship programs, other materials are accepted but must be brought to a depot, and others should be put in green waste or garbage carts. Including only accepted materials, and following sorting instructions specific to your community helps ensure a positive end of life for every material collected.
In particular, MMBC asks residents to exclude ALL hazardous materials – which are dangerous for workers, and also harmful for the environment if not handled and disposed of properly in a facility specifically designed to manage these materials. Hazardous materials include batteries; medical syringes; bleach or aerosol containers with any contents remaining; propane cylinders or tanks; containers for paint, motor oil, vehicle lubricants, or anti-freeze; or containers for pesticides with the words danger, warning or poison, and precautionary octagon or diamond symbols with skull and cross bones. Please contact the Recycling Council of BC for recycling any of the hazardous materials noted above.
Residents are encouraged to download MMBC’s app (search for “Multi-Material BC” in Google Play or the iTunes App Store) to sign up for collection reminders, search for the nearest depot and use MMBC’s waste wizard to help determine if an item is accepted or not.