District directors balk at expanding recycling service
Foam, glass and plastic bags will remain outside the Fraser-Fort George Regional District’s purview after directors rejected proposals Thursday to expand the body’s recycling services.
Directors looked at two scenarios pitched by Recycling B.C. beginning with adding the items to the materials accepted at the facilities in Mackenzie, McBride and Valemount.
Doing so would cost an additional $186,632, according to a consultant’s estimate while the revenue FFGRD would generate would decline by $97,841 for a total loss of $284,473.
Most of the extra costs would come in the form of extra staffing required to supervise the sites and make sure the material dropped off is appropriate and properly sorted.
The revenue decline would be due to the fact the FFGRD could no longer sell any of the material collected. Instead, Recycle B.C. would get that money, although the agency would also pay more for transportation costs and provide incentives and top ups based on the amount of material collected.
The second scenario directors looked at was even less attractive. In addition to Mackenzie, McBride and Valemount, foam, glass and soft plastic would be added at the FFGRD’s 13 other landfills, transfer stations and depots.
But the cost would rise to $2 million per year, compared to $704,222 under the current system, with staffing accounting for $1.3 million. As well, costs of upgrading some of the facilities to handle the items would run at about $240,000.
Revenue, meanwhile, would work out to just $87,000.
By comparison, the FFGRD took in $120,638 from the sale of recyclables in 2017.
“It’s just not cost effective for us at all,” said Terry Burgess, the director for Crooked River-Parsnip (electoral area G) and chair of the environmental and parks standing committee.
The Hart Return-It Centre at 6665 Hart Hwy. and PG Recycling and ReturnIt Centre at 2614 Peterson Rd. continue to take foam, glass and plastic bags while the FFGRD will still take in paper, cardboard and various types of containers.