June total – 39,497 kg
       
        Co-mingled* - 13,690 kg
        Office Paper – 2,364 kg
        Cardboard – 20,190 kg
        Glass – 2,598 kg
        Books -  655 kg
       

Total for 2017 – 223,059 kg
Total for 2016 – 213,453 kg
Difference – 9,606 kg


E – waste – 11.15 metric tonnes

* Co-mingled is unsorted materials sent to Winnipeg for sorting

Originally published July 19/17 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

The Recycling Centre receives a large amount of recyclables every year at the end of school. Our summer student has been working through it. I am always amazed at the amount of unused notebooks and other usable items that we receive.

It reminds me of the down side of recycling.

People may be more likely to get rid of things that are perfectly fine or a little used because it is being recycled and not just going to the landfill.

Recycling is the third R of being environmentally responsible. Reduce, reuse and recycle are in order of priority for making the most difference.

Everything we have comes from the Earth. To really make a difference, we need to use less (reduce) and reuse what we can. Recycling is last on the list.

It takes a decision to think differently about how we use stuff.

I know children like to have new things each fall for school. They can be encouraged to be kind to the earth by using old but still usable notebooks, binders, and pencil cases again. Subject titles written on notebook covers can be covered with label stickers and relabeled.

The good feelings from having new stuff can be replaced by good feelings about making a difference for the environment.

Adults can set the example by continuing to use little things like household items or big things like boats or campers which still work even though they may be older.

A fourth ‘R’ can be added: Reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink.

The Recycling Centre is planning a ‘School Supplies Reuse Event’ in August. Everyone is invited help themselves to the school supplies we have collected.
​
Watch for more information. 

Originally published July 12/17 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

​Many dream of travelling in a spaceship.  A few have experienced it. Projects are underway that would make public space travel a reality if you have lots of money.

A spaceship is a closed vehicle that travels through space. It must have systems to provide air, food and water, waste management and temperature control so the crew can survive.

Each person on the space ship must follow all the rules to ensure the systems continue to work for everyone. If one person eats too much food or puts waste in the wrong place the results could be disastrous for everyone.

In reality, we all are traveling on a space ship. The earth is a closed vehicle traveling around the sun. Aside from the energy from the sun, the Earth is the only source of what we need to survive.

 It has complex systems that provide us with the food, water, air and climate we need to live.

Everything we do has an impact on the earth. We take the materials for everything we have from the earth. We need to be careful so our actions do not destroy these life support systems.

Laws to protect the environment have been made which has reduced or prevented damage.  However, as scientists learn more it is clear these life support systems are being strained by human activity.

Everyone needs to form habits that reduce our harm to the environment.

Recycling uses less energy and resources than making things from scratch.

We need to make do with what we have and reuse what we can.
​
Reducing or using less is the most important thing to do to protect the life support systems on our spaceship.  

Originally published July 5/17 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

1. Containers sent for recycling should not be _________, _____________  or gooey.

2. Which of the following is not accepted at the Recycling Centre?   a) fluorescent bulbs  b) gift wrap      c) batteries  d) paint

3.  Was the amount of materials recycled in 2016 up or down?

4.  Recycling Centre employees work at which City of Flin Flon facility?

5. Recycling one _____________________ saves enough electricity to power a computer for five hours.

6. Which community voted to support recycling in a plebiscite in October?

7. The community recycling program has been operating for _____ years?  a) 15  b) 30  c) 24  d) 8

8. True or False – Computers and all the things that attach to them are recyclable.

9. What ‘twins’ appeared on Main St last summer?

10. True or False – Everything must be sorted before it can be sent for recycling.

Answers

1. Nothing should be drippy, sticky or gooey when it is sent to the Recycling Centre.

2. b) Gift Wrap. Some may be recyclable but it is impossible to sort recyclable from non-recyclable.
 
3. Both. Total tonnage in 2016 was down 18 tonnes but comingled materials were up 11 tonnes.  More homes are recycling. Fewer materials are coming from businesses. 2017 will be a different story. 

4. Flin Flon Landfill. This contract subsidizes the recycling program.

5. Aluminium can

6. Denare Beach. Curbside pickup began on December 27.

7. c) 24 years. A semi load of paper was shipped in November, 1992
.
8. True – Computers and other electronics are shipped to Exner Ewaste in Elie Manitoba for recycling.

9. Dual garbage and recycling bins.
​
10. False. Very little sorting happens in Flin Flon. Most recyclables are sorted in Winnipeg. 

Originally published June 28/17 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

The end of school has arrived. It is an exciting time for children. It also means there are lots of school things to clean up and put away.

When cleaning up after school remember that reusing is more important for the environment than recycling.  The most environmentally friendly thing families can do is save binders, pens, pencils, unused paper, etc. and reuse them next year.  

Kids are great recyclers, so the Recycling Centre receives more than usual from the schools at this time of year.  Most of it can be recycled. There are a variety of things that come to the Centre that cannot be recycled.

What can be recycled?

Loose leaf paper, white or coloured office paper (the paper used in photocopiers for worksheets etc.) is the most common item.  Notebooks can be recycled. Taking the covers off is helpful. Paper tang folders, file folders, paper dividers, books, beverage containers and boxes are recyclable. Poster board is recyclable if it doesn’t have other things stuck to it.

The following items are not recyclable: 3 ring binders, construction paper, laminated paper, art projects with different kinds of collage materials and anything plastic like report covers, tang folders, page protectors. Food wrappers, Kleenex, paper towels, plastic bags, things to write with like pencils, markers etc., pencil cases, and glue sticks are not recyclable.

Did you know that recycling one metric ton (tonne) of paper save 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, and 3.5 cubic metres of landfill space?
​
School children often lead families to recycle. That makes sense as recycling goes a long way to making sure we leave a good world for our children.

Originally published June 21/17 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.
​ 
It was an interesting question.

It came during the question and answer time at the end of a recycling presentation.   

“What is the return to us for the fees we pay when we buy things?”

At first I didn’t get it.

The ever present issue of not getting money back for beverage containers like Saskatchewan immediately came to mind so I described how the money back is actually money you paid when you bought it.  

With further discussion I realized the question was referring to the environmental fees that show up on your receipt when you buy a variety of things from tires to electronics and batteries to paint.

The person wanted to know what individuals get back for this ‘investment’.

There wasn’t time for a full discussion so I said the fees are an investment in the ‘big picture’. They help with the costs of recycling or getting rid of the items in a responsible way.

Here is the bigger picture.

The old way of putting stuff we are finished with in landfills and covering it up or dumping it in the bush or a field was relatively inexpensive.

However, there are several problems with the ‘old way’.

The liquid that runs out of landfills called leachate can poison lakes and rivers. Some things contaminate the ground. Toxic chemicals released into the air cause health issues for people and animals.

Using resources once and then burying them in a landfill means we will leave nothing for future generations.

The return on each person’s investment in environment fees means we have a safer healthier environment.

It means we can leave something for our grandchildren.
​
It is a good investment.