City holds off on accepting recycling centre
The city is refusing to take delivery of its new recycling centre because the paper waste it produces is far too contaminated.
It isn’t mentioned here, but isn’t this problem partly due to the sloppy way we’re told to recycle? If we made more of an effort to keep paper and cardboard away from other recyclables, if people were educated a little better about garbage vs. compost vs. recyclables, that might automatically produce a better result.
Andrew 14:00 on 2022-01-13 Permalink
I only recently became aware of https://cavaouwebapp.recyc-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/accueil which seems like a good tool, but going by what I see in my building’s shared recycling bins a lot of people have no clue.
Ephraim 18:13 on 2022-01-13 Permalink
When you see the homeless peeing into the paper recycling in the park (green bins), you sort of understand that it’s not going to be what you expect it to be. But basically used paper goes into the compost, as long as it’s not plastified.
mare 18:52 on 2022-01-13 Permalink
@Ephraim The park attendants who pick up the garbage in ‘our’ park throw both bags (garbage and recycling) together in the back of their trucks. Both bags are black, so I doubt they’ll be triage later, so none of that is going to recycling. I just hope someone has picked the cans out because aluminium from returned cans is almost 100% recyclable. (There’s a reason tomato juice cans don’t have a refund charge, they’re too contaminated.)
Ephraim 19:05 on 2022-01-13 Permalink
All metals should be easily recyclable regardless of contamination. The temperatures of smelting should burn all contaminants.
John B 11:52 on 2022-01-14 Permalink
I have been told that, at least in Verdun, the contents of recycling bins in parks get put with the garbage. Too many people just use them as a second garbage can for them to to to the recycling plant.