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Waste to energy not a good plan

Dear Editor, Re: Wasting away, Letters to the editor, The Record, Nov. 16. I would like to comment on Kris Taylor's letter criticizing the city's waste reduction efforts, mostly to correct the inaccuracies in that letter.

Dear Editor,

Re: Wasting away, Letters to the editor, The Record, Nov. 16.

I would like to comment on Kris Taylor's letter criticizing the city's waste reduction efforts, mostly to correct the inaccuracies in that letter.

Prior to shifting to the automated collection bins, New West homes were permitted to dispose of 150 litres of trash weekly (two 75-litre bags or cans). With the new bins, residents were provided a 120-litre or 240-litre bin for trash. At the same time, another green bin was provided, either 120 or 240 litres, for organic wastes. Regional trash analysis suggests 40 per cent of our non-recyclables are organic and can go into the green bin.

Therefore, the total amount of trash allowed increased either 60 per cent (from 150-litre mixed to 120-litre black plus 120-litre green), or 320 per cent (from 150-litre mixed to 240-litre black plus 240-litre green), depending on which size options you selected. Once the new commingled blue bins are brought on stream, you will still be able to dispose of your green bin once a week, and the black bin every two weeks. Even if you chose the smallest bin options, it will represent an increase in weekly capacity over 2010 before the automated bins were rolled out.

If your family of five is having a hard time keeping your non-compostable and non-recyclable waste down to 120 litres a week, I respectfully suggest you have a look at the website run by the Glenbrook North Zero Waste Blog (glenbrook zerowaste.wordpress.com). They have an archive of helpful tips for managing your solid waste to reduce your footprint.

You can start by taking your soft plastics to the

city recycling yard, where they are accepted for recycling.

This election, I will support candidates who are against locating a waste-to-energy plant in New Westminster, not for the NIMBY reasons some state, but as a first step towards blocking any expansion of waste-to-energy incinerators anywhere - within or outside of our region.

Ultimately, waste-to-energy is not a sustainable way to manage solid waste or to produce power. The regional 75 per cent reduction goal is laudable, and achievable, and until more progressive senior governments provide the legislative tools required to increase the recycling potential of goods and packaging, we will need to find local solutions and make better choices individually to reduce the property tax burden that solid waste disposal represents.

Patrick Johnstone, New Westminster