Originally published Sept 20/17 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

Every industry and organization develops a language of initials that those who work within understand but leaves those outside with questions.
 
Here is a little quiz

1. OCC
2. FFDEC
3. EPRA
4. HHW
5. HDPE
6. MMSM
7. CBCRA
8. MARR
9. PETE
10. PM

 
___   a) office paper that is baled and sold for the current price of $75./tonne.
___  b) Provincial grassroots organization of municipal officials, employees and recycling operators.
___ c) The local non-profit organization that runs the Recycling Centre in Flin Flon.
___ d) Half of all the materials collected at the Flin Flon Recycling Centre is this material.
___e) The plastic that shampoo bottles and milk jugs are made of
___ f)The industry funded organization that pays for electronics recycling.
___ g)  Materials that must be disposed of carefully to prevent great harm to the environment.
____ h) The plastic that drink bottles and strawberry clamshells are made of.
____ i) The industry funded organization that subsidizes household recycling.  
____ j ) the industry funded organization that provides free recycling bins for public spaces.

Answers:

1. 10 -   Printer’s Mix
2. 8 -  Mb Association of Regional Recyclers
3. 2 -  Flin Flon & District Environment Council, Inc.
4. 1 -  Old Corrugated Cardboard
5. 5 -  High density polyethylene
6. 3 – Electronic Products Recycling Association
7. 4 – Household Hazardous waste
8. 9 – Polyethylene terephthalate
9. 6 – Multi Material Stewardship of Mb.
10. 7 – Canadian Beverage Container Recycling Association

Originally published Sept 13/17   The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

It is finally going to happen.

The Recycling Centre has been working with the City of Flin Flon and an organization called Manitoba Product Care for two years to set up a collection depot for household hazardous waste.

Two sea cans were purchased and modified in Winnipeg and installed at the Flin Flon landfill beside the oil collection building.

We had hoped to open in June but the landfill permit needed to be changed first.
 
The grand opening will be on Saturday, September 23, 2017 from 2 – 4 at the Flin Flon landfill.

Please note this depot is for household items only. Items from businesses or institutions will not be accepted.

What is hazardous waste? It is anything that has the danger symbols.  The symbols show a skull and cross bones (poisonous), flame (flammable), boney hand (corrosive) inside a stop sign or triangle shape.  

Common items include aerosol cans, paints, gasoline, flammable liquids, pesticides, fertilizers, cleaners and degreasers, glues, etc.

These items should definitely not go into the landfill or be dumped on the ground or down the drain. They are harmful. That is why they have those scary pictures.

Now there is a safe way to take care of them any time.

No tipping fee will be charge when only household hazardous waste is brought to the landfill as these materials are shipped to Miller Environmental in Winnipeg for safe disposal.

This is a great improvement for waste management in our community. Previously, hazardous materials were collected one afternoon in September at Centoba Park. 

The Recycling Centre will continue to collect fluorescent bulbs and paint cans.
​
Call the Recycling Centre at (204) 687-6169 if you have any questions. 

Originally published Sept 6/17 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

The word curbside is understood in recycling circles as residential pickup service.

Early research showed that providing this service was the most effective way to significantly increase recycling rates.

In 2005 the Recycling Centre began curbside pickup in Flin Flon and Creighton.
Centre staff would drive the same route as the garbage truck each day and pick up any recyclables that were on the front curb. Materials were usually loose in bins which took more time than picking up bags.

People using the service were asked to pay of $30.00/year. This payment was on the honour system.  Around 100 residents paid the fee. 

Recycling rates increased. The highest tonnage in recycling history in our community is 2007 with 500 metric tons or tonnes recycled.

Curbside service ended in 2007 as it was did not cover costs and the program was short of money.

Recycling rates also dropped quickly over the next two years.

After a strong show of support from the community in 2009, the Recycling Centre Board decided to continue the recycling program. They were able to find better ways to pay the bills.

In 2010, a new model for curbside service was developed. Users paid for the service by buying one red bag. Recycling Centre staff picked up recyclables in Flin Flon and Creighton Wednesday mornings wherever there is a red bag on the front curb.

In 2014, Creighton changed one of their two weekly garbage pickups to recycling and no longer used the red bags.

The Red Bag program is still available Wednesday mornings in Flin Flon. It allows residents to save space at home and a trip to drop off recyclables.
​
More info is available at www.flinflonrecycling.org.

Originally published Aug 30/17 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

Who pays to take care of all the waste we create?

Cities and towns are responsible for managing waste. That was much easier and cheaper when everything was garbage and just went into the landfill.

Landfills are no longer the best way. They take up lots of space, are expensive, and can harm the environment.

Much of the materials in waste can be recycled. Hazardous things need to be kept out of the environment.  

So who pays for that? Municipalities already spend lots of money on waste management. They can’t do it all.

The Province of Manitoba has made laws which require industries that sell recyclable or hazardous things to help pay for it.  

Every time a company sells recyclable products in Manitoba, it must pay the set fee for the item to a fund that helps municipalities with the ‘end of life’ costs. This includes tires, oil products, beverage containers, food and products with recyclable packaging, newspapers, electronics, fluorescent bulbs and hazardous materials.  This extra cost may show up on your bill as an enviro fee.

Where does that money go?

To the PRO’s – Producer Responsibility Organizations. These are non-profit organizations run by industry. The PRO’s use the money to cover recycling costs. Some is paid to municipalities. Some covers the shipping and handling fees of organizations like the Recycling Centre.

Some PRO names are like alphabet soup:  MMSM, CBCRA, EPRA, MARRC.  Other names like are more obvious like Mb Tire Stewardship. 

Last year the PRO’s paid the Recycling Centre more than $66,000.00 for household, tire, oil, hazardous waste and electronics recycling.

This money comes from industry who create the waste, not taxes. 
​
The PRO’s make recycling happen in Manitoba.
 

Originally published Aug 23/17 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

A short phrase that summarizes something important helps us remember things.   We have several of these ‘one liners’ for the community recycling program.

1. Easy to Recycle – All recyclables can go in one bag. Shredded paper and batteries should be in a smaller bag which can go in the larger one with everything else. Recyclables can be dropped off at the Recycling Centre or in the trailer by Canadian Tire or picked up at your house. Denare Beach’s pick up day is Tuesday, Flin Flon is Wednesday and Creighton is Thursday or Friday. Flin Flon residents need to buy a red bag which pays for the service.
   
2. If it’s on the list recycle it, if it’s not, it is garbage – The amount of garbage that arrives at the Recycling Centre has been steadily decreasing, but we still get quite a bit. Check the list on the website at www.flinflonrecycling.org  or the pictures on the Flin Flon Recycling facebook page. A paper list is available at the Centre or you can email recycled@mymts.net or call 204 687 6169. 
3. I love questions – When people phone the Centre or stop me in the grocery store it makes me happy. People want to get rid of things responsibly and less garbage shows up at the Centre.
   
4. Not drippy, sticky or gooey.  – Recyclables do not need to be sparkling clean but they should not be drippy, sticky or gooey.  If beverage containers are empty that is fine. A half cup of laundry detergent or yogurt in their containers is not.  Lids only need to be removed from glass bottles and jars. Labels do not need to be removed.                                                                                       
   
5. Recycling makes a difference.

                

Originally published Aug 16/17 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

It has never been easier to recycle! 

Here are the basics.

1. Recyclables go in one recycling bin, garbage goes in the other. No sorting is required.  The only exceptions are shredded paper and household batteries. They should be in closed separate bags. These smaller bags can go in the bag of recyclables.
2. If it’s on the list it’s recyclable. If not, it’s garbage. A list is available on our website www.flinflonrecycling.org.  There are pictures on our facebook page: Flin Flon Recycling. If you are not sure, call the Recycling Centre at 204 687 6169, email recycled@mymts.net, or post a question on the facebook page.
3. Recyclables can be picked up at your home. 

Creighton and Denare Beach provide weekly curbside pickup service.  Tuesday is recycling day in Denare Beach. Creighton’s days are Thursday or Friday. Put recyclables in a clear bag beside the garbage bin.
 
Wednesday is Red bag curbside pickup in Flin Flon. One red bag must be purchased for $3.50 to pay for the service. Two more bags or boxes will be picked up. Check the website for a list of the streets served. Streets can be added by calling the Centre at 204 687 6169.  
 
Large cardboard boxes do not need to be in bags. They should be flattened and placed under the bags.
 
       4.      Recyclables can be left at the Centre at 9 Timber Lane or in the green trailer                               parked between Canadian Tire and Walmart. All recyclables should be in closed                     bags or  boxes. Loose materials should be placed in the blue bins at the Recycling                      Centre.

Recycling saves energy, resources and landfill space and costs.

The little extra effort is worth it. 

​August total – 43,138 kg
       
        Co-mingled* - 13,190 kg
        Office Paper – 2,223 kg
        Cardboard – 21,547 kg
        Glass – 4,896 kg
        Books -  712 kg
       

Total for 2017 – 310,720 kg
Total for 2016 – 296,502 kg
Difference – +14,220 kg