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The state of the world market for recycled materials now has Mayor Gary Barton of Champlain Township concerned.
“Recycling is a bit of an issue right now,” Barton said during the June 19 township council session. Both the mayor and council were reviewing the May summary reports from the Joint Recycling Committee, which includes representation from Champlain and East Hawkesbury Townships and the Town of Hawkesbury.
The report included an update on Recycle Action’s various recycling collection programs, including the one dealing with collection of farm plastic used to protect hay bales from the weather. “There’s absolutely no market for it, none whatsoever,” said Barton regarding farm plastic.
The report noted that Recycle Action has begun stockpiling the farm plastic and other materials it collects in anticipation of new markets for these recycled materials opening up. So far there are 75 tonnes of materials in storage and Recycle Action has on-site storage capacity for 200 tonnes under its Ministry of Environment certification.
The drop in demand from China for recycled materials has caused market prices to tumble with the value of cardboard dropping from a high of $200 to $118 per tonne, and the value of hard-pack paper from $130 per tonne to $36 per tonne. Other recyclable materials are also dropping in value, though the seriousness of the decline varies.
Municipalities still face demands from the province to reduce the amount of garbage going into their landfills. The province also continues to encourage recycling through its public ad campaigns.