Problems With The Producer-Pay Recycling Program
Prince George, BC – What’s not to like about changes to provincial regulations that will see the producers of packaging and printed paper pay for recycling that product?
Plenty, according to delegates at the Union of BC Municipalities, who unanimously endorsed a resolution yesterday calling on the provincial government and the organization handling the recycling program, Multi Material BC, for an additional 90-days to clarify MMBC’s service offer to communities. (click here, for previous story) Prince George City Council soundly rejected MMBC’s offer of a curbside program in late August, saying the ‘incentive’ of $32-dollars per household for the City was outweighed by potential costs in the contract.
"Local governments have asked for more time to consider the deal they have been offered, and for the government to come to the table to help facilitate these important negotiations," said New Democrat local government critic, Selina Robinson. "It is essential that the government review its commitment to reducing packaging, and make sure local governments that are best poised to collect recyclables are part of the solution."
Speaking with reporters after yesterday’s resolution, Clark admitted that the Toronto-based organization, "didn’t do a great job in informing and consulting with local communities and small businesses about how (the program) would be implemented."
PPP producers have until next May to implement their stewardship plan. MMBC is acting as an agent on behalf of many of those producers to fulfill their recycling obligations. Its three-member board consists of: Board Chair John Coyne, a vice-president at Unilever Canada, Robert Chant, a senior vice-president of Loblaw Companies, and MMBC Managing Director Allen Langdon, formerly with the Retail Council of Canada.
Clark said yesterday her government will work to ensure that the board is operating in British Columbia, with British Columbians on it, and will be flexible on the deadline for negotiations. "So that local communities have a little bit of leverage in trying to put together the best deal that works for them."
"I recognize this wasn’t done well," said the Premier. "It’s been far too bumpy a ride and there’s a lot more work to be done."
Comments
Pop cans, bottles, etc. are easy. Tires are easy. Computers can be, so can cell phones, etc.
There are no guarantees that all are returned, but a high percentage % return can be achieved.
Many already bring cardboard to a recycling bin near us. Having it picked up at home should increase the percentage return.
Once the City or their contractor picks up a recyclable, it should become more economical to pick up other recyclables along with it.
We still cannot bring a whole number of things to a bin or a recycling centre which takes everything. We have a long way to go.
I hope that the take away from this is that the government can’t just dictate something without first figuring out themselves whether the thing they are legislating is possible to do and how best to achieve it.
The thing they missed is their continuing involvement with the process of designing the system. They also let the whole thing ride for far too long before implementation day.
So who has a successful paper and cardboard recycling program which we can use as a model?
This gives an idea of how it is done. A total mindset change needs to happen. Do not look to northern BC communities to provide that. Start in he lower mainland and the southern part of the island and grow it from there.
Implementing this across the province is the first mistake, I think. We do not have the mindset or the volumes to go much beyond what we are already doing.
Businesses are key to the volumes, not the homeowners. Put some more bins out throughout the City and more may be recycled.
I hate coming to a bin which is full. That shows me that we need more bins. May even be a situation which will vary with the neighbourhood. Once size rarely fits all.
http://www.swa.org/SWAGreen/recycling.htm
Many years ago Ontario or BC collected about $25 million dollars in eco fees or whatever they call it on tires. They then spent $5 million of that on recycling and put the other twenty million in general revenue. I never wonder why I’m so cynical of the world.
Plenty of landfill space here vs. the big cities. Are we doing any good by trucking recyclables long distances to facilities. Until we have facilities close by, we aren’t saving the planet, we’re just burning diesel and adding unnecessary costs so we can feel “green”.
You would think if there was a buck to be made, somebody would be doing it.
Campbell River a city of under 20,000 has a curbside recycling program and are very sticky about the blue box contents
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