Osoyoos Mayor Sue McKortoff properly removes the lid off of a glass jar to be recycled at the Osoyoos Landfill, kicking off Waste Reduction Week starting Oct. 21. Dale Boyd/Osoyoos Times
By Dale Boyd
Osoyoos Times
Recycling properly is crucial and just a few wayward items can contaminate an entire bin of reusable material.
That was the message Jill Beck, scale clerk at the Osoyoos Landfill, and Mayor Sue McKortoff were getting out Friday, declaring next week Waste Reduction Week in Osoyoos and across Canada.
Following the signs above the bins at the landfill to sort out different materials is critical to the collection of recyclable materials.
“Recycle as much as you can. Please read the signs when you are recycling to make sure you put the appropriate items in the appropriate areas. Whatever is in the tote, in the window, or in the bin when you look in, it doesn’t necessarily mean it was supposed to be there,” Beck said.
And the golden rule at the landfill: “at the scale house, we’re there to help, so don’t be afraid to come and ask,” Beck said.
Putting the wrong material in the wrong place can possibly contaminate an entire tote or bin of recycling. Just this past week, Beck had to take three full totes to the landfill “because there was gum boots rubber mats, Rubbermaid containers, PVC pipe, steel rods, tarps, sleeping bags,” Beck said.
“And sometimes it’s too contaminated and it has to end up in a landfill, not into recycling,” McKortoff said.
And not all materials that have a recycling symbol are accepted.
“And that’s the that’s the problem that most people don’t understand is that even though there’s a recycle symbol on the bottom of their plastics doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a recyclable item. RecycleBC restricts size. And it depends on a DNA makeup of it,” Beck said.
Waste Reduction Week takes place from Oct. 21 to Oct. 27 in Canada, where businesses, organizations and municipal governments come together to raise awareness of waste-related issues.
