The District of Barriere is advising residents that curbside collection service as of July 1, 2020, will no longer be permitted to accept recycling material in single-use bags, such as the blue bags that are placed curbside for municipal collection.
“This requirement is a new Recycle BC Regulation,” tells District of Barriere Legislative Services Manager Tasha Buchanan, “As of July 1st, all recycling material must be collected from a reusable container or tote.”
She notes that starting the beginning of June, the District will be distributing to each residence in the municipality a “compliant” clear tote with a lid, at no cost to the resident. The totes will be marked with a logo, and will also be marked with the house number of the residence that the tote was delivered to.
“In order to make this required change as convenient as possible for our residents there will be no change to the collection schedule,” said Buchanan, “The only change will be that instead of tying up the scheduled material stream in a blue bag and putting it curbside, residents will be putting that material into the clear tote provided and placing that curbside.”
She also advises that the lid that comes with the clear collection tote must be used to keep the contents dry, “As soaking wet paper and boxboard is not compliant with Recycle BC regulations”.
“Using the lid will also help prevent any material that wants to hitch a ride with a friendly gust of wind and go for a leisurely stroll down the street,” said Buchanan, “The material should be loose inside the tote and will be emptied, loose, into the District’s collection vehicle. As with the current policy, if the collector notices non-compliant material in the tote, the tote will be tagged and the material will not be collected.”
Once residents receive their clear recycling tote they can start using it right away. Any resident who has not received a tote by the last week of June should contact the District office. A fee will be charged for additional totes or replacement totes.
Buchan also noted that people who livein the apartment complex will be contacted separately with information on how this regulation change will affect their recycling collection.
Asked if there be any changes as to what materials are allowed, or not allowed, to be collected curbside, she answered, “Nope. All that stuff is staying the same. The only thing that is different is that the recycling material will be inside the new tote, instead of a blue bag.”
For more information contact the District of Barriere at 250- 672-9751, or go to: www.barriere.ca