Originally published Dec 23/20 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop

This is the last column in 2020. Time does fly by although waiting for life to return to normal seems to be taking a long time!

Recycling is an essential service so has continued while many other things are shut down. It is busy although there are fewer business pickups.
 
The weight of the print and packaging materials sent to Winnipeg for sorting is down nine metric tons (tonnes) compared to last year at the end of November. The pandemic cannot be blamed as this trend started in 2018. It is happening all over the province and seems to be caused by less paper.

The total tonnage recycled this year at the end of November is six tonnes more than last year. The majority is cardboard along with an increase in aluminum cans, and office paper.

Prices rose in March but have fallen since. There is still a sale price for cardboard which is good as there was a cost to recycle it last year.

The cost of sorting is expected to rise as prices for some materials in the mix continue to fall. When companies lose the revenue from selling materials, they cover their sorting costs by raising the price.

On a positive note, Christmas lights are now recyclable. It started with a question in our Facebook group: Flin Flon Recycling, and grew with information from another group member. The salvage company said they are currently more valuable than steal.

Christmas lights can be left at the Recycling Centre, in a bag at the Recycling Trailer by Canadian Tire or with the staff at the landfill.

Merry Christmas to all. 

Originally published Dec 9/20 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

The 2020 holiday season will be different.

This is usually a very busy time at the Recycling Centre as holiday activities create lots of waste. It will be interesting to see how the pandemic changes things.

Here is the annual reminder of what kinds of Christmas waste can and can’t be recycled.

The usual things are recyclable: beverage containers, cardboard, boxboard, all plastic containers with the recycling symbol except #3 and #6 (PS), Christmas cards, tin cans, batteries, newspapers and fliers, catalogues, magazines and office paper.  

Food and drink containers should not be drippy, sticky or gooey.

Things that belong in the garbage are: gift wrap, ribbons, envelopes with foil or plastic liners, containers made of both cardboard and metal, all Styrofoam, plastic bags and wrap, plastic packaging with no number, disposable plates, utensils and coffee cups.

Check plastic cups as many are #1(PETE) or #5(PP) which can be recycled.

Christmas decorations including Christmas lights are not recyclable. (Update - We are collecting Christmas lights for recycling)

Check the website www.flinflonrecycling.org or call 204 687 6169 for more information.

Reduce waste by using/reusing gift bags and washing dishes instead of using disposable ones. 

Take any reusable items that were replaced with something new to a second-hand store, or sell them or give them away.

Old electronics such as computers and parts, sound systems, televisions, gaming systems, telephones and microwaves can be recycled. Check the list at www.recycleMYelectronics.ca.

A donation to a charity in honour of someone makes our community / world a better place without creating waste.
​
This season as always, remember that everything we have comes from the earth. In this season of kindness and good cheer, remember to also be kind to Mother Earth. 

Originally published Dec 2/20 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

I needed to post this on Facebook last weekend.  

‘Just want to give a shout out to all recyclers.  I often comment about problems we are having and there are some bags that are problematic, but the fact is the majority of the bags and boxes we receive have very little garbage with very few drippy, sticky or gooey things.

Thank you to all of you who are doing a great job of recycling.’

Most messages we receive focus on what we need to change to do things right including many of my posts on the Flin Flon Recycling Facebook page.

The need for more positivity and recognition of what people are doing right inspired this comment.

We still get a lot of garbage but I believe it happens because people need information more than that they don’t care.

We see this when we tell people dropping things off that an item they brought is not recyclable. They are usually happy for the information.

It reminds me of the ‘not recyclable’ table in our Leisure Show display. Many dedicated recyclers would apologize for including things on the table. I told people that it was the information table not the guilt table.

Sometimes it seems we have said the same things many times, but if someone hasn’t heard it before it is information they need.

Some of the common ‘missing information’ non-recyclable items we find are Styrofoam, plastic wrap, liquid in bottles, food bags and boxes such as Tim’s donuts or KFC chicken.
​
The smelly bags of garbage, or the leftovers of a meal with some recyclables in it stand out but the majority of recyclers are getting it right. 

Originally published Nov 25/20 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

Here are some random little details that make a difference at the Recycling Centre.  

1. Shredded paper

A large quantity of shredded paper has been arriving at the Recycling Centre. The majority is coming from HB and other large operators. Smaller bags arrive from homes and small business. The vast majority has nothing else mixed in which is great.
 
Shredded paper is sold so needs to be clean. It should not include file folders, shiny paper, newspaper type fliers, laminated items or other plastics like overhead transparency sheets or discs. Printer paper that has not been shredded can be included.
 
     2. Confidential Information
Sometimes papers with confidential information such as social insurance and bank account numbers are included with recyclables. These items should be shredded or the numbers blacked out or removed. It is highly unlikely they will be found by anyone after they are baled but it is always wise to protect this information.
 
Any cheques that have been deposited by taking a picture should be marked as deposited or be shredded before they are recycled.
 
     3. Online shopping
The number of cardboard boxes from online shopping has increased significantly in recent years. Fortunately, cardboard is very recyclable.  Most of the packaging is not.
 
All Styrofoam, plastic air bags, white foamy wrap and other miscellaneous pieces should be removed from the boxes.
 
     4. Plastic bags 
The Recycling Centre currently has no place to send plastic bags so they go to the garbage. Some stores are collecting them. The Food Bank can use them as well. 
​
Thank you for your help. Recycling operations are much more efficient when recyclers pay attention to little details like these.

Originally published Nov 18/20 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

Note: This is a reprint of the very first Recycling Bin column from January 2014 in recognition of column 350.

A few things have changed. Creighton and Denare Beach provide curbside pickup. Red bags are picked up in Flin Flon every Wednesday. Recycling is collected in the trailer by Canadian Tire.

Aerosol cans are collected as hazardous waste.

Recycling has increased by 106 tonnes.

From 2014:  
Most people are amazed when they begin recycling.

It is so easy and there is so little garbage.

Get started by placing a recycling bin close by your garbage.  Drain plastic, glass or aluminium drink containers, rinse out tin cans, and place them in the recycle bin. All Newspapers, fliers, magazines, office paper, envelopes, cereal type boxes can also be recycled.

Find the number inside the recycling sign on plastic containers. Recycle everything except #6 and items without a number.

What is garbage? Food scraps, disposable things like coffee cups, paper towels, tissues, construction paper, gift wrap and ribbons, plastic bags, plastic wrap, box liners, Styrofoam, candy wrappers, aerosol cans.

There are two ways to get your items on the way to a new life. Place them on the loading dock or in the bins at the Recycling Centre at 9 Timber Lane (same building as Eecol). Or pay for a pick up at your house by purchasing a red bag. Put your recycling in that bag and two other boxes or bags and place it on the curb on the Wednesday recycling is picked up in your part of town.
​
There is more at Flin Flon Recycling on Facebook or www.flinflonrecycling.org or call 204 – 687 6169.
And be amazed. 

​Originally published Nov 11/20 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

The recent delivery of about 30 semi-loads of materials from Walmart took up a lot of space in the Flin Flon Landfill. Fortunately, the shredder reduced the volume by three quarters.  It brings attention to the fact that current landfill space is limited.

Creating new landfill space is very expensive and takes a lot of time.

Time is needed to find a suitable space and engineered plan. Environmental approvals take at least five years.

There needs to be a large enough space that is deep enough to hold everything.

Modern landfills require liners to prevent leachate, the toxic liquid created by landfills, from harming the environment.

Buffer zones are required between landfills and natural water bodies which is particularly challenging in our area.

I attended a public meeting about proposed landfill for Flin Flon in 1994. The price tag then was $4 million. I’m sure that has increased many times in 25 years.

Recycling is a way to significantly reduce the amount of garbage going into landfills. Creighton has seen measurable reductions since curbside pickup began in 2014.

Education and promotion have increased recycling rates in our communities. But a recent conversation with a garbage truck worker indicates there are still large amounts of recyclables going to landfills.

Many communities have reduced pressures on their landfills with a ‘tags for bags’ program. The number of garbage bags a household can put out is limited, usually to two a week. A tag must be purchased for any more bags to be picked up. There is no charge for recycling pickup.

Charging more for emptying dumpsters is one way of increasing recycling from businesses.
​
These ideas are something our local leaders need to consider.

Originally published Nov 4/20 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

The recent fire at Walmart has resulted in the store’s contents going to the landfill.

The exception is hazardous materials which will be shipped out for environmentally safe disposal.

My personal response to this situation is very mixed.

On the one hand it seems like an environmental tragedy for all of those things made from the Earth’s resources to be buried unused. It is unlikely that absolutely everything is damaged beyond using.  

On the other hand, there are decisions made by people responsible for all aspects of Walmart’s operations that need to be respected.

Most of us do not understand all the complexities of the situation.  Here are a few things that come to mind.

Smoke damages things in ways most of us do not understand. A lot of time would be required for knowledgeable people to make the right decision about what is and is not safe to be used, and then make the reusable items ready for a fire sale or to give away.

There are things like insurance requirements and possible liabilities to the company to consider.

The store needs to be cleaned up, restocked and reopen as soon as possible from the perspective of both the company and shoppers.

So, it is what it is.

Unfortunately, people were helping themselves to items at the landfill. Scavenging is against the law and is dangerous.

This all brings to mind something I have thought about after being in this business for a while.

Everything available for sale in stores with the exception of things we eat or drink will one day be in a landfill.

Reduce what we use, repair, reuse and recycle as much as possible. 

Originally published Oct 7/20 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

We have organized and shipped a lot of paint and hazardous waste lately.

Household paint and empty paint cans are collected at both the Recycling Centre and the landfill. This includes stains, aerosols and varnishes. A complete list of accepted products is on our website: flinflonrecycling.org.

All other hazardous waste is collected at the landfill only.

Everything must be in the original container with the original label that is readable.

The only exception is when paint covers the label as it is easily identified as paint.
Containers also must be sealed and not leaking.

There is good reason for this. Hazardous waste is dangerous. It is flammable, poisonous or toxic, corrosive and explosive. Some materials create more danger if they are mixed.

The safety of our staff who sort and store the items and the people who are handling it for disposal needs to be guaranteed. We need to store it in the correct container. They need to know what they are handling so they can protect themselves against whatever the danger is.

What can the public do to make this happen?

The most obvious is keep things in the original containers in a place where the container will not be damaged and the labels won’t get wet or otherwise destroyed.

This includes paint. Paint that is not in its original container can be dumped into other left-over paint that is in an original container. Latex and acrylic or oil-based paint should not be mixed.

If there is a known substance in a non-original container use it up.
​
Take care with these products from the beginning so they can be disposed of safely at the end. 

Originally published Sept 30/20 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

The trailer by Canadian Tire is emptied at least twice a week. It is busiest on the weekend so it is usually brought to the Recycling Centre and emptied on Friday and Monday. If it is full during the week a truck load or two will be removed.
 
Recyclables are supposed to be in closed boxes or bags when they are placed in the trailer. The exception is cardboard which has its own space at the end of the trailer. It needs to be flattened.

Often there is a large amount of loose materials in the trailer after all the boxes and bags are removed. Some of that has occurred because someone has entered the trailer and opened bags in what appears to be a search for beer cans to return for money.

This does not explain the majority of the mess. I posted a picture of a six-inch layer of loose materials in the trailer last Friday on our Facebook page.

Loose materials take significantly longer to unload and create a mess.

Denare Beach brings their recyclables in the same kind of trailer. It is all in bags or boxes. It takes a maximum of 20 minutes to unload with no mess.

Our trailer takes at least a half an hour to empty and another 10 – 15 minutes to clean up the loose that falls out on the ground. Windy days are worse.

It is understandable that people don’t want to use plastic bags or that they collect their recyclables in a reusable container. There are blue bins at the Recycling Centre to accept loose materials.
​
The use of curbside pickup in Flin Flon would also help reduce this problem.  

        Aluminum – 467 kg
        Commingled* - 9,896 kg
        Office Paper – 4,403 kg
        Cardboard – 29,757 kg
        Glass – 3,634 kg
        Books – 657 kg
        Other plastics –  

Total for 2020 – 488,958 kg
Total for 2019 – 497,400 kg
Difference – 9,558 kg


Batteries – 41 kg

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


Comments –