GREEN & CLEAN
Green Chair has organized Sun Run’s waste management for years
Green Chair Recycling operations manager Isabelle Philibert has a simple request of all 2017 Vancouver Sun Run participants: Don’t bring anything wasteful, and only bring enough food to eat.
“Sometime people take too much, so we have to throw it away,” says Philibert, whose organization is responsible for all the Sun Run’s recycling.
“The best thing to do is do not have any waste at all. Only take what you can eat.
“The other thing is, use the recycling stations. Don’t put it in the garbage. If (runners) can bring water bottles, that’s awesome. Bring anything that’s reusable.”
Green Chair, a Vancouver waste management company that has organized the Sun Run’s recycling and waste management services for seven years, is handling this year’s event as well, including identifying“greening” opportunities and developing a Sun Run tailored waste and recycling management plan.
As well, Green Chair is providing all recycling equipment needed on Sun Run Day, April 23, including bins, signs and Dumpsters.
This year, about 20 employees along with additional volunteers will handle 27 recycling stations and bins along the route for thousands of runners.
At the 2016 Sun Run, Green Chair diverted 97 per cent of the waste — 722 large garbage bags — from the landfill.
A total of 6,271 kg of waste was recycled, compared with 190.4 kg that couldn’t be recycled.
Through its efforts, Green Chair says, 198 tonnes of carbon dioxide was saved, the equivalent of greenhouse gas emissions saved from driving 76,191 kilometres in an average vehicle.
Waste recycled in the 2016 Sun Run included 3,514 kg of compost; 1,212 kg of mixed containers; 1,020 kg of cardboard; 159 kg of refundables; 147 kg of soft plastics; 10 kg of clothes; and one kg of metal.
Philibert says that cardboard, organic materials — paper cups, bananas, orange peels, etc. — and refundable items like juice cartons are big recycling items.
“At the water stations, we will have a recycling station for the water cups and a team to encourage the runners to recycle.”
At the B.C. Place Stadium finish line, she says, there will be 20 recycling stations for five different types of material: compost, paper, mixed containers, refundables, soft plastics plus garbage and a liquid bin.
“We separate the liquids from unfinished drinks to not contaminate the mixed containers and refundables,” Philibert says.
“The ultimate goal is to achieve zero waste.”
Philibert says that volunteers at the recycling stations will educate the public on how to recycle by guiding them to the correct bin for their materials disposal.
“After the event, we perform a final check of the materials collected and remove any contamination, ensuring less than one-per-cent contamination rate for the recycling facilities.”
Philibert says that people often bring clothes, including sweaters, that are thrown away after the event.
“We find that some people don’t want to take it home, so we have bins for clothing as well. For example, after the run they might want to buy something (and) then donate the clothing they’re wearing.”
Used running shoes can be donated to stores affiliated with the Sun Run and they are subsequently handed out to local charities, she says.