If you are like me, and haven’t gotten around to making that first trip to the new Eco Depot in Louis Creek, you may be unsure of what sorts of things they will take, and what items they will charge for and what items can be dropped off at no charge.
For those of you with an Internet connection, the TNRD has a variety of information available on its website. But not everyone has a computer, so here it is in a nutshell.
Items that can be dropped off at the Eco Depot at no charge include: non-CFC appliances; batteries, both lead acid and household; corrugated cardboard (flattened please); glass containers (cleaned jars and bottles only - no beverage containers); propane tanks; scrap metal; tires (not on rims); used oil, filters and containers; and yard waste - provided it is under 1,000 kg or five cubic metres. Also, of course, anything that can be put in the Blue Bags, which includes all plastic containers with the recycling symbols numbered one through seven (no beverage containers), paper and newspaper, paperback and hardcover books and magazines, cleaned tin cans, and cereal and shoe boxes.
Regarding yard waste - the TNRD defines “yard and garden waste” as: organic refuse, no component of which exceeds 200 mm (eight inches) in diameter, and which originates from household, commercial or municipal gardening or other horticultural activities”. So if you’ve trimmed the hedge - it is yard waste, but if you chopped down that huge evergreen in the back yard - it isn’t, as it would exceed that eight inches in diameter restriction. Mind you, that tree would likely make great firewood, so why would you want to dump it?
Anything and everything else will cost you. If those old tires are on rims, it will cost you a fiver per tire. If you have a huge heaping load of yard waste, over 1,000 kg, it will cost you - unless you split it into several loads and do just one load of under 1,000 kg per day, in which case, over the course of the week, you can get rid of it all at no charge. CFC appliances, mattresses and other large and bulky furniture will cost you.
And remember - the Eco Depot does not take cash (go figure, since when is cash not legal tender?), but does take debit, credit cards, and eco cards.