We live in Calgary but just bought a home in Salmon Arm and will be moving there soon. The recycling program in Calgary is a blue bin for recycle and the black bin is for our garbage. There are no bags on curbs. The trucks are very efficient in picking up both bins, with one driver not two. The problem with having bags in Salmon Arm, we feel, will be homeowners disposing of their garbage on country side roads because they don’t want to pay the extra cost, and also Salmon Arm has a lot of wildlife, meaning garbage everywhere. Whereas in a bin, there will be no tearing of bags. With the Calgary recycling program, we have found that our lane has been very clean with the bins and not trash laying around in the lane.
In Calgary, we pay a little more in fees, but the bag program is the wrong way to go. I feel pay more and get the job done right the first time. Bins are cleaner and easier. In the long run the City of Salmon Arm will save.
Robert Declute