Recycling in the new year could save Shuswap residents money when dropping refuse off at the landfill.
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District reports that as of Jan. 1, 2020, new rates will be in place at landfills and transfer stations for mixed loads. At scaled facilities, the rate is going up from $160 to $240 per ton. At facilities without a scale, the increase is from $25 to $30 per cubic metre.
The increase, says the CSRD, is to provide a financial incentive to remove recycling from waste going to landfill.
“If the loads are properly separated, the refuse disposal rate remains unchanged at $80 per tonne at scaled facilities and $12 per cubic meter at unscaled sites,” states a CSRD news release. “If your load contains recyclable materials mixed in with garbage, the entire load must be landfilled which costs more.
“For 2020, this means those who choose not to separate out recyclable material will pay a rate three times greater than the regular refuse disposal rate.”
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The move is part of the CSRD’s strategy to reduce waste and prolong the lifespan of its landfills.
“The current rate of $160 has not been a strong enough financial deterrent to ensure recyclables are being separated out of the waste at our refuse disposal,” says Ben Van Nostrand, CSRD team leader of environmental health.
In addition to expressing opposition to a recently proposed curbside recycling program for Electoral Area C, South Shuswap residents also sent a “strong message to the CSRD that those who are not recycling should face financial penalties, while those who do recycle properly should not be penalized,” states the CSRD release.
Additional rate increases for mixed waste loads may be considered if users continue to mix recyclables with refuse, and CSRD will be monitoring landfill and transfer station sites in 2020, conducting waste audits to determine decide if the Jan. 1 increase cost is having a positive effect.
For a complete list of recyclable materials please visit the CSRD’s website.