The new year marked the beginning of New Westminster's single-stream recycling program.
Instead of sorting recyclables such as glass, paper, tins and newspapers into various categories, all recyclables are now placed in one big bin. The program began Jan. 3 with pickup of garbage and greens, and continued the next week with collection of recyclables and greens.
"So far it has been good," said Kristian Davis, the city's supervisor of solid waste and recycling. "We haven't had too many complaints."
Davis said the program was implemented as part of the city's goal of reaching the regional mandate to divert 70 per cent of waste from the landfills by 2015. "The city has adopted several initiatives in compliance with Metro Vancouver's integrated solid waste management plan."
Items such as newspapers and flyers, paper products, foil plates, plastic bottles and containers with codes 1, 2, 4 and 5, glass bottles and jars, and flattened milk jugs can be placed in the new carts.
According to Davis, Metro Vancouver is considering regional initiatives such as increased education and outreach and bans on certain items at landfills and incinerators.
In New Westminster, the new bins that are needed to implement the single-stream recycling program and to accommodate the city's automated trucks were delivered in December. Residents now have a 240-litre container for recyclables and a 120-l container for garbage.
"Our standard size container is 120 l. You can pay more to upsize to a 240 l," said Davis, adding that the city received about 30 requests for larger bins. "I thought there was going to be more."
Davis has consulted with his colleagues in Port Moody and Port Coquitlam, where the single-stream collection has been underway for some time.
"We are the third municipality to take that upon ourselves. It is kind of exciting," he said.
Davis anticipates residents may have some questions as new zones have been created for the new program. Instead of collecting garbage and recycling five days a week, staff will be working longer days and collecting garbage from residences four days a week - which means a shift to the collection schedules.
Davis noted that residents will also see the same city staff in their neighbourhoods twice a day - once when they pick up recyclables (which will then be taken to their designation and dumped) and later to pick up organics.
