Recycling plans disrupted by 2020 ban on blue bags
RDOS urged to lobby province against proceeding with ban
Blue recycling bags may soon be a thing of the past, which could curb the regional district’s plans.
A staff report to the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen’s environment and infrastructure committee recommends the board lobby the Ministry of Environment in the hopes that Recycle BC will revisit its decision.
New contract requirements are being developed by Recycle BC, which is expected to present its program changes in March following a 2017 announcement to ban customer-supplied blue recycling bags as an acceptable container by July 2020.
Recycle BC will require all local governments to supply either blue boxes or carts to homeowners.
“This announcement was unexpected and came after the RDOS had completed its procurement process for a new, seven-year collection contract,” read the report by Cameron Baughen, solid waste management co-ordinator, and Janine Dougall, public works manager.
All RDOS areas and the municipalities of Keremeos and Osoyoos opted to continue using customer-supplied containers, with Penticton, Summerland and Oliver transitioning to cart collection by July 2018.
A blue box program has been looked at many times but would raise serious issues in rural areas, including high capital and operational costs for weekly pickup in areas with few homes and long driving distances, the report states.
“When collecting every two weeks, the local government must supply very large or numerous bins to customers to store and put out two weeks of recyclables,” the report states. “Research has shown that there can be significantly less recyclables collected in a blue box program as compared to a blue bag program due to the lack of convenience.”
Regional district staff recommend a formal letter be sent to Recycle BC, the environment minister, ministry staff and the B.C. Product Stewardship Association.
The environment and infrastructure committee is set to vote on the matter at its meeting Thursday.