I got my blue recycling bin today

[Slava]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

I am assuming that those who live in condos wont be getting these, correct?

Correct. Its for single family dwellings only.

[Cheese]

Originally Posted by peter12

Actually alot of real economic/environmental analysis shows there to be very little in the way of actual benefit from curbside recycling. It's more of a fad than anything.

Poppycock. In my business i run into manufacturers weekly who use recycled plastics, cardboard, glass, etc etc etc. They also suggest this saves them thousands if not millions of dollars.

[Cheese]

Some Myths exposed. (Taken from my Region of Waterloo website)

Items collected in the blue box go to landfill.
Myth! Absolutely not true! This urban myth pops up every once in a while. We have a specific list of items that can go into the blue box and every item is sent on to processors to remake into new items. We collect only items that our processors use. By reusing recycled materials, these factories do not need to use more of our precious natural resources.

Did you know? It takes the same amount of energy to make one new can from natural resources as it does to make 20 new cans from recycled cans.


All plastics can be recycled.
Myth! No. All plastics are not created equally!

Plastics are basically a chemical composition and different compositions melt and blend at different temperatures and rates. For this reason, the recycle processors are very strict in the type of plastic we can send to them. This determines the type of plastics we collect in our blue box program --- only food, beverage, cleaning, personal and pet care plastic containers; as well as only grocery/retail shopping bags. We cannot collect any other plastics, such as toy and electronic packaging, salt or bread bags, even if it has the recycle symbol on it.


Waterloo is well into a Green Bin program, or Organics collection. This is a program thats well underway in many regions across Ontario.
(It collects household organic materials such as food scraps and paper towels)
The Green Bin program helps save valuable space in our local landfill and turns "waste" into useful compost.

In 20 years when Albertans are used to the Blue Box you can look forward to catching up on these as well.

[CGYTransplant]

Originally Posted by Slava

Correct. Its for single family dwellings only.

Some townhouse condo developments will be getting them as well, but the big condo towers won't be.

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by Tiger

Link for all the info of where to put you bin

From the handbook PDF:

Cart must be at least 30 cm (1 foot) from back hedge,
fence or garage and on level ground.

I wonder if they have ever seen the condition of half the back alleys in this city, including mine...

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Cheese

We cannot collect any other plastics, such as toy and electronic packaging, salt or bread bags, even if it has the recycle symbol on it.

What the hell is a "salt bag"?

[CGYTransplant]

Originally Posted by Shazam

What the hell is a "salt bag"?

A bag that salt comes in- either for cooking or for water softening.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Cheese

We cannot collect any other plastics, such as toy and electronic packaging, salt or bread bags, even if it has the recycle symbol on it.

They don't take Hermetically sealed plastic stuff? wtf mate!

[burn_baby_burn]

We have had these blue boxes as long as I have lived in Red Deer (7 years). I hate them. I put mine in the ally. If I don't rush out and collect it after the garbage man comes by, it either blows away or somebody steals it. I phoned to tell the city I didn't want to pay for this service since I wasn't using it and they said I had to pay it regardless of whether I was using the service or not.

[Flames_Gimp]

Originally Posted by Tiger

Link for all the info of where to put you bin

was it really necessary for them to put a pic of an old lady with a camel toe on the cover?. eww

[RougeUnderoos]

I got my blue recycling bin today.

I think it is a nice touch that they designed this bin for dual use -- recycling and bathtub.

Why the hell is it so big? The Brady Bunch wouldn't come close to filling this thing every week.

The most interesting feature (next to its size) is the inscription on the underside of the lid; "For your safety, keep lid closed"

Good to know.

[onetwo_threefour]

Originally Posted by Aeneas

But I buy my beer on my credit card. When I take back empties I get that $1.20 in COLD, HARD cash!

Oh yeah, I buy my booze with parking tickets. Then the man can pay me twice!

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Why the hell is it so big? The Brady Bunch wouldn't come close to filling this thing every week.

I think people are going to start recycling a lot more things when they have these bins. Seriously, throw a few cardboard boxes and some milk jugs in there and it\s probobly mostly full.

I've got a pile of cardboard boxes just waiting for a blue box to be thrown into.

The box might be way too big most weeks, but it's got to be big enough for when you want to stick a big cardboard box in there.

[edn88]

I have been doing my recycyling with a private company for last few years, and look forward to using the big blue box that the city has given me, but I certain that the first few weeks (if not months) is going to be a giant clusterfart.

People had their recyling bins out today (even though the start is not until next week in our area) and you can see that people don't get where they are supposed to put them, that they are not supposed to over fill them etc.

I wonder how they are going to police the people who are doing it wrong - stop collecting their recycling, fine them etc?

Hope that they can get the bugs worked out, but I think that it is going to be tough.

[Mad Mel]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

I think people are going to start recycling a lot more things when they have these bins. Seriously, throw a few cardboard boxes and some milk jugs in there and it\s probobly mostly full.

Like most cities, where we live this kind of program has been standard for years. I find that our volume of garbage vs. recycling is roughly equal. Add a big box, and there's more volume recycled.

The other thing they do differently here is there's no deposit on bottles, you just recycle them, which is a million times smarter than having separate bottle depots.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by edn88

I have been doing my recycyling with a private company for last few years, and look forward to using the big blue box that the city has given me, but I certain that the first few weeks (if not months) is going to be a giant clusterfart.

People had their recyling bins out today (even though the start is not until next week in our area) and you can see that people don't get where they are supposed to put them, that they are not supposed to over fill them etc.

I wonder how they are going to police the people who are doing it wrong - stop collecting their recycling, fine them etc?

Hope that they can get the bugs worked out, but I think that it is going to be tough.

Truly, the citizens of this city are stupid beyond belief.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Cheese

Poppycock. In my business i run into manufacturers weekly who use recycled plastics, cardboard, glass, etc etc etc. They also suggest this saves them thousands if not millions of dollars.

I bet they have found economic uses for them. Not all recycling is so efficient.

[Shazam]

So, it's started.

Anybody know of any depots that got converted yet? I've been hoarding my plastics and want to take them in.

And before anybody has a hairy fit, I work in the SW.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Slava

Correct. Its for single family dwellings only.

Do you know if there is a plan for multi unit dwellings. Right now I just throw my alcohol/pop/Arizona Iced Tea containers out because I went to one bottle depot in Calgary, and determinted that its not worth 17$ for all the hassle.

Its too bad they couldnt put on on each floor of my building in the room with the garbage shute. It would be so convenient.

[Russic]

I'm glad mine gets picked up on Friday. We've been filling it since we received it and after about 4 weeks it's finally full! Sorting my recycling was just one of those jobs that I grew to hate. Sure it didn't take long, but much like shopping for jeans ... it just made me angry.

My friend has a part time job working on this program. Apparently she's developed a whole new level of hatred for Calgarians (she has to deal with all the complaints). Sounds like she has dealt with some of the stupidest people this city has to offer.