Regens Disposal is reminding the public of the different materials that can be placed in blue recycling bins.
Regens is contracted to provide curbside recycling and garbage collection services in Estevan and other communities in the southeast. Curbside recycling has been offered in Estevan since September 2013.
Nearly 1,000 tonnes of materials were recycled through Regens’ program in 2013.
Travis Frank, the sales and marketing manager for Regens, said hundreds of different materials can be placed in the bins. The materials don’t need to be sorted by residents, which saves them time.
“As we see people using our recycling more and more, there’s always a small percentage of trash that ends up (in the blue bins), and it’s been a while since the program launched, so we have seen that increase a little bit,” said Frank.
Frank said the most common recurring issue is materials with food stuck on them. For example, a pizza box is made of recyclable cardboard, but it can’t be recycled if there are pizza remnants.
“That’s something that we’re always watching for,” said Frank.
Some different types of Styrofoam can’t be recycled, either, and that’s something he said citizens need to watch for.
They have also had found some strange and even troubling items when sorting through items placed in the blue bins, but they’re able to find them before bundling up the materials.
Other items that can’t be recycled are wax or plastic coated of food-contaminated paper, cups or paper plates; soiled tissues, napkins and paper towels; household garbage; organic, hazardous or regulated waste; medical waste or diapers; hazardous materials such as paint, chemicals or solvents; ashes, dirt, concrete or other heavy materials; construction material such as boards, roofing materials and carpet; automotive parts, tires, oil filters or oil; tree clippings; liquids of any kind; propane tanks; electrical cords; batteries; and plastic toys and Tupperware.
At the same time, since recyclable materials placed in the garbage bins wind up in the landfill, Frank is asking the public to ensure items that can be recycled are directed to the blue bins.
They do see a lot of cardboard that can be recycled in the landfill, and Frank said they want to avoid it. They also want to see more plastic containers and aluminum cans in the blue recycling bins, and out of the landfills.
“Landfills are a very expensive program now,” said Frank. “They’re not just a hole in the ground. So it’s something we’re always trying to do, and work our hardest on, is keeping things out of the landfill.”
Residents can recycle flattened corrugated cardboard and paperboard; newspapers, magazines, catalogues, and flyers; paperback novels; phone books; hardcover books with the covers and spine removed; gift and packing paper, except for aluminum or shiny paper; brown paper bags; plastic and glass containers; aluminum cans for soft drinks and beer; plastic bottles for soft drinks and water; household tin cans; milk and juice cartons; plastic shopping bags; and household plastic containers and bottles.
Frank asks that people rinse containers before recycling them.
