Trash in recycling bins; curbside containers to come under scrutiny
Inspectors will soon snoop through thousands of curbside collection carts, looking for banned items in the recyclables container.
Too many people are putting non-recyclables in the blue carts, regional officials say.
Banned items that frequently show up include household trash, glass, yard waste, books, clothes, small appliances, toys and old garden hoses.
People who've put banned items in their blue cart will find a sticker informing them what they've done wrong. If the cart contains only approved recyclables, a sticker praising the homeowner will be placed on the cart.
"Most people are doing a pretty good job when it comes to putting the right things in their cart," regional district environmental services manager Peter Rotheisler says in a release.
“But we understand there’s still a little confusion out there, that’s why we’re heading out again, ramping up the education campaign,” he says.
Last year, 3,000 blue recycling carts were checked in a similar enforcement campaign.
Each year, about 3,500 Central Okanagan residents get a letter informing them that they’re using their garbage, recyclable or yard waste carts improperly.
The contractor that manages the recycling program can fine the regional district when the level of contamination in the blue carts exceeds three per cent of total volumes.