Clear Bags Bring Hassles; Increased Recycling

As of April 1st, residents of Central Frontenac will officially enter the world of mandatory recycling.

That's when bag tags will no longer be accepted at township waste sites. All household garbage will have to be encased in clear plastic bags, which must be purchased from the township for two dollars.

The clear bags will give waste site attendants the opportunity to scan the bags to ensure that no recyclables are headed for the waste site. Recyclables will be removed from the bags and placed in the recycling binds.

The best way to avoid wasting time and effort, and save money, is for residents to follow the recycling guidelines. The township is embarking on an education campaign to ensure residents know what can be recycled in the township and how to sort the materials properly.

Concern have been raised that the new system is invasive and hard for residents to learn. Kyle Labette. the waste management co-ordinator for the township, says that residents who have taken the time to ask waste site attedants how the system works have found that it is not that large a transition, and that it will have a beneficial short and long term impact on the townships finances.

“During the transition period we are encouraging people to go out and get clear bags take them into the sites before April 1st, and go through it with the guys. Even experienced recyclers find that from 20% to 40% of the material in the clear bags can be pulled out and recycled,” said Labett.

“We receive funding from Waste Diversion Ontario based on the percentage of waste that we recycle, and we also know that extending the life of our dumps is important to the finance of the township, so we need to do something. We are not trying to be an authoritative state, here, but we all need to co-operate if we are going to hit our recycling target.”

The range of recyclable materials in Central Frontenac is ever widening.

It includes all cans and most plastic containers and jugs, and if residents are able to crush or compact this material it saves handling and shipping costs for the township. All plastic containers with number 1-7 imprinted on them are recyclable. Empty paint cans, coffee cup lids, and aluminium foil can also be placed in the plastic/can bin.

Recently, the range of paper materials that can be recycled in Central Frontenac has widened as well.

Now, in addition to newsprint, magazine, office paper, boxboard and cardboard, milk cartons, tetra packs and juice boxes as well as paper coffee cups can one be recycled. Paper materials can be bundled ant tied, or squeezed down and placed in commercial clear plastic bags.

Also new is recycling of styro-foam packaging. Any kind of packaging that is classed as “open cell” styro-foam, the kind that beads when you handle or break it, is included in this class. Flat styro-foam meat trays are not included.

Clear and coloured glass bottles are recyclable, and the township will be taking measures in the ear future to keep the clear and coloured glass streams separated, because the cost to the township for recycling coloured glass is higher than it is for clear glass.

There are a number of other changes that have come to waste management in Central Frontenac. Brush and yard waste is only accepted at the Elbow Lake transfer station (on Road 38 south of Parham) e-waste is now accepted at the Olden as well as the Crow Lake Road site, and dry cell batteries are recyclable at all waste sites, the township office, and a number of businesses within the township.

Information about how residents ca work though all of these changes and improve the way waste is handled in Central Frontenac is available on the township website at Centralfrontenac.com, and an information pamphlet is widely available and will be included in the interim tax bills which are going out this week.

The township will continue the ‘amnesty’ program, the practice of allowing for one free trailer load each year, but in 2012 the program will be limited to two time periods.

The eligible periods will be between May 12 and 27, and August 25 to September 9.