Originally published June 1/16  The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

The idea of banning plastic shopping bags came up recently at a Flin Flon City Council meeting. Thompson and The Pas have banned them. Should we?

In the past, I didn’t think it was necessary. I like using them for garbage catchers.  They are very convenient for a variety of things. I thought people just need to be responsible and put them in the garbage.

Then I visited the Flin Flon landfill. Bags are everywhere. There are pictures on our Flin Flon Recycling Facebook page.

The landfill attendants report that within 15 minutes of the garbage truck dumping garbage, birds have ripped open the black bags releasing shopping bags into the wind.

So making sure they get to the landfill will not solve the problem.  

What is the big deal if there are lots of bags around the landfill? It is a landfill after all.

The landfill is connected to the rest of the world. Plastic bags cause serious problems for wildlife. Landfill attendants regularly rescue birds caught in plastic bags.

Wind and runoff carry bags into the forests, streams and oceans. They cause serious problems for wildlife. Plastic pieces in the ocean outnumber sea life by 6:1.

The phrase ‘plastic is a substance the earth cannot digest’ describes the problem. Once oil is made into plastic, it will be plastic forever.  It may break down into very small bits, but it will always be plastic.

Recycling keeps plastic out of the environment and makes it useful again. Recycling plastic shopping bags is very difficult.

Reducing and reusing is always better. Reusable shopping bags are a simple easy way to reduce the plastic getting into the environment.

Let’s do it. 

Originally published  May 25/16  The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

1. Which town has weekly free curbside pickup?

2. What are the three R’s for helping the environment?

3. What items is the Recycling Centre taking for proper disposal because they are hazardous waste?

4. Which items need to be in a separate bag or containers for recycling?

5. What is the name of the facebook page for the local recycling program?

6. What items are recycled from local landfills?

7. Where does the largest percentage of revenue for the Recycling Centre come from?

8. Which town is having a referendum on recycling in October, 2016?

9. Who shares the building with the Recycling Centre at 9 Timber Lane?

10. Recycling one aluminium can saves enough electricity to run the average computer for ____ hours.

Answers
1. Creighton. In May 2014, the second day of the twice weekly garbage pickups was changed to recycling pickup.
2. Reduce, reuse, recycle, in that order.
3. Fluorescent bulbs from homes including CFL light bulbs and tubes, and paint.
4. Shredded paper and household batteries.
5. Flin Flon Recycling. The website is flinflonrecycling.org.
6. Used oil, car batteries and metal items can be recycled from local landfills. Tires are recycled from the Flin Flon landfill only. No tipping fee is charged at the Flin Flon landfill if these are the only items.
7. The City of Flin Flon and the Town of Creighton together contributed 27% of the revenue in 2015.
8. Denare Beach. More information is available from the Recycling Centre or by email at [email protected].
9. Eecol Electric leases half of the building from the Flin Flon & District Environment Council, Inc. which operates the Recycling Centre.
10. Five.

Originally published May 18/16   The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

Spring is definitely here as leaves are appearing on the trees and the grass is turning green. The need for spring cleaning becomes evident as the snow disappears.

Several groups and individuals have taken the time to clean up litter in public places as part of the spring housecleaning in our community. Some were delayed, but not deterred by the snow. 

It makes a difference.

Several areas in Creighton and Flin Flon have benefited from the efforts of community minded people. There are pictures and a list of those who helped on our facebook page. Just search for Flin Flon Recycling.

I have noticed that some areas there were cleaned are beginning to need attention again. An example is the roadway between Creighton and Flin Flon which the grads from Creighton High school cleaned up at the end of April.

People are careless in tossing their leftovers on the ground. Often items fly out of truck boxes traveling on the road.

Two ideas would go a long way to keeping our community clean and attractive.

The first and most obvious is for everyone to make sure their waste goes in a garbage or recycling bin.

The second idea is for individuals, families, community groups, and businesses to adopt an area as theirs to keep litter free. It would be like the Adopt-a- Highway program that has community group taking responsibility for keeping the ditches clean.

Every few weeks, those who have adopted a park, roadway, back lane, etc. would check their area, picking up any litter they may find. Group members could take turns.

A young man once asked why I picked up garbage. ‘It isn’t yours!” But it is my community!” 

Originally published May 11/16   The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

The Recycling Centre will be drawing for prizes for two events on Wednesday May 18.

1.  20 Minutes of Magic community cleanup is this Friday May 13. Any time before that day will also be fine. Register by calling 204 687 6169, or emailing [email protected]. Tell us which area you will be cleaning.

When you are finished, email a picture of the bags, or people in action. If you can’t send a picture, call and we will work something out.  We will post pictures on our facebook page unless you tell us you don’t want them posted.

We need the names of everyone who helps out for the draws for several gift cards. Thanks to Coop, Eddies, Victoria Inn, Home Hardware and Subway for donating prizes.

Anyone who has cleaned up litter can still register by calling 204 687 6169.

2. If you didn’t complete the Recycling Survey at the Leisure Show, you still can. It will be at the Coop from 1:30 – 4:00 Wednesday, May 11 and from 10 – 4 on Saturday, May 14.

Everyone completing the survey is entered into the draw for a Samsung Tablet or a $100.00 Coop gift card.

If you want a survey and can’t make it to the Coop, request one by email at [email protected] .You will need to get it back to the Recycling Centre by May 18.

The tablet was a prize at a recycling conference in Winnipeg last fall. It was donated by EPRA Manitoba, the organization that supports electronics recycling. One of our Board members won it. She didn’t need it so donated it to the cause.

Winners will be posted on our facebook page, Flin Flon Recycling. 

Update: The winner of the tablet is Linda Eryou.  Hillary Scully won the $100.00 gift card. Their prizes were presented by Barb Lyons, Vice Chairperson of the Environment Council, and original winner of the tablet. 

Thanks to all who participated. The information will be very helpful in promoting recycling in our community.

Results of the survey will be published in future columns. 

Originally published  May 4/16  The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

Recent studies show there are 100 batteries in the average Canadian household in remote controllers, watches, children’s toys, power tools, computers, alarm clocks and many other things.

Batteries are also used in industry and community infrastructure. For example, batteries provide phone service when the power is off. 

The three types of batteries are wet cell batteries used mostly in vehicles, dry cell batteries and rechargeable batteries which are most common in households and workplaces.

A chemical reaction inside batteries creates the power.  Chemicals include copper, cadmium, mercury, zinc, lead, nickel and lithium depending on the kind of battery.

All batteries should be recycled to prevent these chemicals and metals from causing serious damage to the environment and human health.

Button batteries are the easiest to recycle and contain the most valuable materials. 
Vehicle batteries can be taken to local landfills where they are collected for recycling.

The Flin Flon Recycling Centre began collecting dry cell and rechargeable batteries of all shapes and sizes for recycling in 2014.

Batteries should be in a sealed bag or container when they are sent to the Recycling Centre so they can be separated from the other recyclables.
 
The batteries are collected and shipped through the Call 2 Recycle program. It is completely free as companies who make batteries pay for it so they don’t end up in landfills.

Call 2 Recycle sends two boxes and some plastic bags as rechargeable batteries and Li-Ion, SSLA/Pb and lithium primary batteries need to be shipped in separate bags according to Transport Canada rules.

Batteries are placed in the boxes, taped up and shipped.
 
In 2015, the Recycling Centre shipped 450 kilograms of batteries for recycling.
 

Originally published Apr 13/16   The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

The Flin Flon landfill is governed by regulations from Manitoba Conservation.  These regulations require that materials are separated in different areas of the landfill.

These areas are:

• Household – for garbage and items that don’t belong in other areas
• Tires – used tires of all sizes which need to be sorted by size
• Metal items of all kinds
• Used motor oil, antifreeze, and the containers for these products
• Wood only (burn pit)
• Fridges, freezers, air conditioners ($25.00 charge for removing refrigerant)
• Car Batteries
• Mixed construction materials that do not belong anywhere else

Many things are being dumped in the wrong place. Landfill attendants are able to move some, but do not have the time or equipment to sort through it all.

Manitoba Conservation is requiring (demanding) that everything is in the right place.
It is important that mixed loads for the landfill are organized for easy unloading in the right places.

Landfill employees are available to give directions and answer questions as needed.

There will be new signs in the near future.

Many still refer the landfill as the dump which implies you bring waste, dump it and go.
As we become more responsible with our waste, it is more accurately called the waste disposal facility. Some items are covered filling the land (landfill). Many items are removed for recycling or safe disposal.

No tipping fees are needed for loads that contain only metal, tires, oil, and car batteries.

​Large amounts of cardboard should be dropped off at the Recycling Centre.
​
It is another way things are changing as we learn to take better care of the earth.
For more information call 204 687 6169.

Originally published  Apr 6/16  The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

April 14, 2016 is the date for the Flin Flon & District Environment Council’s annual meeting. It will be held at the City Hall Council Chambers beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Non-profit membership organizations like the Flin Flon & District Environment Council, Inc. must have an annual meeting to report the activities of the previous year, to present the financial report and to elect new board members.

These meetings ensure the organization is accountable to the members and the general public.

Annual General Meetings or AGM’s don’t usually attract many people. This is reflected in the fact that many organization’s bylaws set the AGM quorum – the number of members required to attend to make decisions –at five percent of the membership.

It is in fact, a golden opportunity to find out more about recycling.

The Environment Council AGMs are divided into two parts.

The meeting begins with an informative power point about developments in the recycling program. Awards are presented to supporters of recycling and the environment. Questions from the audience are always welcome.

The business meeting is after the refreshment break.  It provides information about the operational details and financial affairs of the organization in 2015 including the financial report. Members can ask questions and make suggestions for change.

Board members are elected to make guide and decisions throughout the year about the recycling program and other activities related to the organization’s goals.

New Board members are always welcome. The Board meets 6 – 8 times per year.
Memberships are $5.00/year for individuals and $8.00 for a family and will be available at the meeting.

There is information about the organization on the website. Check the ‘About Us’ tab. 

Originally published Mar 30/16   The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

Any material that has a danger symbols on the packaging is hazardous waste. Some examples are aerosol cans, household cleaners, lawns and gardens chemicals, gasoline, and single use propane canisters.

These things can cause serious damage to the environment.

 In past years hazardous waste was collected one afternoon in September at Centoba Park.

The planned construction of a year round Household Hazardous Waste depot at the Flin Flon landfill is a huge step forward in getting rid of garbage responsibly in this community.

An example of the hazards is the mercury in CFL bulbs.  They have a thick white base and use much less energy to light homes. They are harmless unless they break.

The tubes are filled with mercury vapour and particles. Mercury is nasty.

What should you do if one breaks? Health Canada gives the following procedures.

Everyone including pets should leave the area immediately for a few minutes so the mercury vapor can disperse. Do not sweep or vacuum to avoid spreading the mercury around.  

Wear disposable gloves and mask. Scoop up the broken pieces with two pieces of boxboard and put them in a seal-able plastic bag. Large stiff recipe cards work well.

Wipe hard surfaces with a damp paper towel or wipe to collect the powder and small bits.  For soft surfaces, roll strips of packing tape with the sticky side out. Gently pat the area to collect everything.
 
Place the tape, damp towels, gloves, mask and boxboard in the plastic bag with the pieces and seal it.

Store in a safe place until you can bring it to the Recycling Centre for safe disposal.

Remember, the Recycling Centre is collecting fluorescent bulbs from homes only.

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

Last week someone told us they thought we made a lot of money from cardboard. Unfortunately, selling cardboard barely covers shipping.  

Where does the money come from to cover the costs of the community recycling program?

The Flin Flon & District Environment Council, Inc. is a non-profit organization. It runs the Recycling Centre to conserve resources, reduce environmental damage and keep waste out of the landfill.

As a non-profit, all the money it receives is used to cover the costs of recycling. It must have enough revenue to cover costs.

Funding comes from seven different places.  Here is a summary of who contributed how much in 2015.*

The City of Flin Flon, Town of Creighton and residents of Denare Beach and the lakes areas contributed 27% of the revenue.

Fees for business pickups and red bags brought in 17% of the funding.

Multi-Material Stewardship of Manitoba or MMSM contributed 16.5% in a recycling subsidy.

Sixteen percent of revenue came from the tenant in our building.

The City of Flin Flon pays the Recycling Centre to provide staff at their landfill. The surplus from that contract provided  11% of the revenue.

Selling recyclable materials which includes corrugated cardboard, beer returns and subsidy for e-waste brought in 8.5% of the funding.

Donations and the net income from fundraising was just 1%. Another 3% came from miscellaneous sources like the summer student grant and memberships.

The fundraising/miscellaneous, tenant and landfill surplus categories were down 2% each from the year before, while pickup fees increase by 1% and sale of recyclables and MMSM were up by 2.5% each.
​
Thirty- three semi loads of recyclables were kept out of local landfills in 2015. 

*Note: This was updated when I realized the numbers didn't make 100%. After crunching the numbers again, selling materials was changed from 8% and fundraising from .6% and miscellaneous from 2.4%. 

Originally published  Mar 9/16  The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

Two recent conversations about cardboard made me realize that people need more information about it.

The first conversation reminded me there are two different kinds of cardboard. There is the cereal box kind and the corrugated kind.

Cereal box cardboard is actually box board which goes in the bag with the rest of your recyclables.  Box board is baled up with the other materials that are sorted in Winnipeg.

When we talk about cardboard, we are usually referring to corrugated cardboard. It is the thicker kind with a wavy layer inside two flat layers. Most things from shampoo to car parts come to Flin Flon in corrugated cardboard boxes.

In the recycling business it is referred to as OCC which stands for Old Corrugated Cardboard.

Cardboard is baled up separately and sold. The price is based on a metric ton or MT. Prices change depending on market conditions. It was worth $100.00/ MT or more for a few months in 1999 and again in 2002.

In 2008 and 2009 it was worth nothing or we had to pay to recycle it. We quit recycling cardboard during those years because we could not afford it.

That was the second conversation. Someone didn’t know we had resumed recycling cardboard.

We began to collect it gradually in 2010 because we could sell it. Prices have varied from $25.00 - $75.00/MT. They have been steady at $30.00 for the past two years.

Recently we began shipping it to a company that pays $50.00/MT. 

Cardboard is 48% of the material we process for recycling.   Last year we recycled 15 semi loads.

Cardboard is easily recycled into new boxes.  Recycling it saves resources and landfill space.

It’s worth it. 

Originally published Mar 2/16  The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

I was reminded that it has been a year since we changed the schedule for the red bag curbside pickup of recyclables in Flin Flon from every other Wednesday to every Wednesday.

The goal of providing pickup service to homes is to encourage more recycling by making it convenient.

It achieved this goal when the service was offered from 2005 to 2007. Residents were asked to pay $30.00 per year.  More than 100 people paid. Many more using the service did not pay. The record for metric tons (MT) recycled in a year was 500 MT in 2007.
​
That curbside program ended in 2007 because the annual fee did not cover the cost.
 
The current red bag curbside service began in 2010. Residents paid for the service by purchasing a red bag to put their recyclables in. Centre staff picked up the red bags on the designated Wednesday.  Two more boxes or bags and large cardboard were also picked up.

People using the service told us it was great. They also told us the every other week pick up schedule was confusing or they had too much if they missed a week.  So we began weekly pickups.

Usage increased slightly but I had expected more. The cost is a barrier to some. The other reasons I hear are ‘I forget to put it out’ or ‘we just drop it off whenever we have enough’.

I’ve concluded that each home has a system that works for them. People using curbside pickups want that convenience. Others like to drop it off when it is convenient for them.

People are recycling. That is the important thing.

For more information, visit www.flinflonrecycling.org or phone 204 687 6169. 

Originally published Feb 24/16   The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

The Flin Flon Recycling Centre is really a MRF, materials recovery facility. Recyclables are collected, prepped for baling, baled and shipped to mills where they are recycled into new things.

 This may seem monotonous but there are always changes that keep things interesting.

A company offered to purchase our cardboard for $20.00 more per metric ton (MT) than the $30.00 we were getting.  Cardboard is half of the materials we process.  Our sales last year would have increased by $4,400.00 if we had that price.

That was a good reason to make some significant changes our operations.

We needed to ship at least 14 MT of only cardboard. This required more bales for a load. They needed to be stacked three high for shipping instead of two to get more in the shipping trailer.  

We had to ship the bales without the pallets we use to make weighing, moving and stacking them easier.   

We had to find more storage space. When we shipped everything to one place, we only needed space for one trailer load before shipping. Now we needed space for a load of cardboard and a load of the other materials.  

We do not have a lot of space.

Out came the measuring tape. After much brainstorming and experimenting, we came up with a plan.

There is a new place for the beer cans, the battery cart, and the shredded paper carts.  A table was shortened.

We must stay organized.

Pallets were modified so bales can be weighed, stored and shipped without breaking the wires holding them together.

Our first load was shipped February 8.

The great team of employees at the Recycling Centre worked together to make this happen.  

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

Sometimes it seems that recycling is too complicated.

It’s not. Here are the basics.

1.   If it’s on the list it’s recyclable. If not, it belongs in the 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, please call the Recycling Centre at 204 687 6169 or email [email protected]. 

2. It is easy.  Recyclables go in one recycling bin, garbage goes in the other. No sorting is required. 
     The only exceptions are: shredded paper (only office paper) goes in a separate bag (even a shopping bag tied shut is fine) and household batteries should be in a separate sealed bag or container so we can find them.
 
3.  Recyclables can be picked up at your home in Creighton and Flin Flon. 
    Creighton has free pickup Thursday or Friday morning. Call the Town office to find out your day.
     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. A list of the streets served is on the website. If your street isn’t on the list, call the Centre at 204 687 6169 and it will be added.
      Large cardboard boxes should be flattened and placed with bags. They do not need to be bagged.
 
4.   Recyclables can be dropped off at the Centre at 9 Timber Lane on the left side of the Eecol Building or the green trailer parked in the lot between Canadian Tire and Walmart.Recycling saves energy, resources and landfill space and costs.

The little extra effort is worth it. 

Originally published  Feb. 10/16  The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

‘Everything we have comes from the Earth’.  I can’t remember where I read this statement but that fact has stayed with me.

Something was taken from the Earth to make everything we have from televisions to toilet paper, from socks to SUV’s. This is a finite planet we are living on. We need to make some changes, so there is something left for our grandchildren.

The Three R’s: reduce, reuse, recycle, are the key to making change. They are listed in the order of importance.

First, we need to reduce how much we are taking from the earth. Making purchases with less packaging is a good place to start. The real question is ‘do we really need so much stuff?’ How much do we buy that we don’t need or use? How much do we throw away that is still in good condition and usable, but we are tired of or we find something ‘better’?

Repairing what you have instead of buying a new one is another way to reduce the amount of the earth’s resources we use.  

Reuse what you have. Use margarine containers for supper leftovers. Use reusable bags for shopping. Use dishes instead of paper plates, or a reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water. Someone else can reuse what you are finished with through garage sales, ‘Trader’s Post’, or giving things away to someone who needs it.

You only can only reuse so many margarine containers, etc. Instead of filling up the landfill, recycle as much as you can. Recycling uses less energy and resources so we take less from the earth.

If you are not recycling, you are throwing it all away.  

Originally published Feb 3/16  The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

1. Who owns the Recycling Centre?
2. Who owns the green trailer for recycling drop offs parked between Canadian Tire and Walmart?
3. Which material makes up the largest portion of bales shipped for recycling?
4. What recycling program provides free bins for beverage container recycling in public spaces?
5. How many tonnes (metric tons) did the Recycling Centre process in 2016? 
6. What is a MRF?
7. Which of the following is not collected for recycling: a) Computers and televisions, b)shredded paper, c) Styrofoam and plastic bags,  d) household batteries
8. What year did the Recycling Centre began shipping materials to Winnipeg for sorting.
9. Who shares a building with the Recycling Centre in Timber Lane?
10. What items are recycled from local landfills?

 
Answers

1. No one. It is owned by the Flin Flon & District Environment Council, Inc., a non-profit corporation.  
2. The City of Flin Flon purchased the trailer in 2014.
3. Corrugated cardboard is 48% of the materials processed for recycling.
4.  Recycle Everywhere. The two cent environment levy on beverage containers funds this program and provides some subsidy for local recycling costs.
5. 460 tonnes.
6. Materials Recovery Facility. The Recycling Centre is a MRF as it collects the materials and sends them elsewhere to be made into something new.
7. C) Styrofoam and plastic bags as there are no place to send them for recycling.
8. 2013. The decision to stop sorting locally was made because it is less expensive than hiring more people and buying equipment.
9. Eecol Electric leases half of the building owned by the Recycling Centre.
10. Used oil, metal, car batteries, tires (Flin Flon Landfill only).

Originally published  Jan. 27/16  The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

Not enough space or time to sort is often the reason (excuse) given for not recycling.

In reality, sorting was never a requirement, although it was helpful. Now it is definitely not needed as materials are not sorted at the Recycling Centre.

Since October 2013, recyclables are removed from the bags and boxes they arrive in. Glass, beer cans/bottles and big garbage is removed. The rest is baled and sent to Winnipeg where it is sorted on a sort line for $40.00/metric ton.

The reason for this change was mainly about money. To continue sorting 12 different products as volumes increased would have required at least one more staff person and money to buy sorting equipment. Finding the money for these things was nearly impossible. The prices for most of the products was so low, it didn’t even pay for shipping.

​Many other communities our size, like Thompson and The Pas were shipping ‘comingled’ materials to Winnipeg for sorting. It made financial sense.

The Centre staff was reduced by 1.5 positions.  The money saved on wages pays for about 825 tonnes of sorting in Winnipeg, more than this community recycles in a year.

Corrugated cardboard doesn’t require sorting, so it is still baled separately and sold.
Several good things have resulted. The recyclables are baled and shipped quickly so they do not pile up. There is more space as it is not necessary to store enough of 12 different products to make a bale.

The financial situation is less difficult. Wages have been increased.

It is easy to recycling. It only requires one bin.  If it’s on the list, recycle it.

Check the website at www.flinflonrecycling.org. 

Note - household batteries (including button batteries) and shredded paper should be in separate bags and can be placed inside the big bag of recyclables. 

Originally published Jan 20/16  The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

The Recycling Centre is the place that usually comes to mind when thinking about recycling in our community. However, landfills are also recycling places.

Metal recycling is a decades old practice. Scrap metal companies pick it up and reprocess it into new metal.  It is sold to manufacturers at current market value based on world metal prices at the time of sale.

There are metal piles at the Flin Flon, Creighton and Denare Beach landfills. Placing metal items in the metal pile instead of household garbage ensures it will be recycled instead of being buried for centuries.

Car batteries are also recycled from local landfills. They contain valuable materials which are sold for more than the cost of recycling. The Flin Flon Lions Club collects the batteries from the Flin Flon landfill as a fundraiser.

Local landfills also collect used motor oil, filters, automotive antifreeze and containers from households for recycling. The motor oil is used as fuel in environmentally safe burners at Tolko in The Pas. Antifreeze and containers are recycled.

All used tires are recycled from the Flin Flon Landfill only. Rims must be removed.
Tires are shipped to Reliable Tire in Winnipeg. They make a variety of products including sidewalk blocks, hockey rink mats, blasting mats and a paving material that is very durable especially for cold weather. 

Tipping fees are not charged for recyclable items.

Many items in landfills are very usable. Instead of taking them to the landfill, have a garage sale, take them to second hand stores or a local charity that can use them, or give them away.

Everything we have comes from the earth.
Reduce, reuse and recycle. 

Originally published Jan 13/16   The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

There is much to celebrate for recycling in our community for the year just ended.

Four hundred sixty tonnes (metric tons) of recyclables were processed in 2015. This is a 47 tonne increase over 2014 or 11 percent.  It is the third highest yearly tonnage in our 23 year history.

Almost half of the material was corrugated cardboard at 49%. Commingled materials shipped to Winnipeg for sorting made up 25%. Glass was 8%, office paper; 9%, newspaper; 6%, and other materials (mostly books) was 3%.

Thirty-two tonnes (three loads) of electronics were shipped for recycling. This includes televisions, computers equipment, sound systems, telephones, and microwaves. A complete list of eligible materials is available at www.recycleMYelectronics.ca/mb.

This is the first year we recorded the weight of household batteries sent for recycling. Four hundred fifty kilograms were sent which is almost half a tonne.

The 11% increase was handled by the same number of employees with some help from two volunteers and a summer student who was with us for four months. We have a great team.

The Board of Directors is also a big part of the success.

We were able to purchase a newer vehicle this year. The reliability and better mirrors have been a real asset to the recycling pickup program.

In March the pickup schedule for the red bag residential curbside recycling program in Flin Flon was changed to every Wednesday to remove the confusion about which was recycling week. 

The Recycling Centre coordinated the 20 Minutes of Magic spring cleanup in May.

Thank you to everyone who is recycling at home and at work. Your efforts have big benefits for the environment. 

Originally published Jan 6/16  The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

There is a picture on the wall in my office of me loading paper for recycling into a semi-trailer from the November 16, 1992 edition of the The Reminder.

It is a picture of the humble beginnings of recycling in our community. I called other recyclers in the province to find places to ship recyclables and to get information on what could be done to make recycling work.

The Environment Committee used the information to make decisions that kept recycling going.

A one-time capitalization grant from the City of Flin Flon in 1996 allowed us to buy the machinery need to establish the recycling program in our community. 

I had no idea in those early days what recycling would look like in 23 years.

The Environment Committee became a non-profit corporation; the Flin Flon & District Environment Council, Inc.

 We own a building, two vehicles, a baler and a forklift. We have 10 employees.

Batteries and electronics have been added to the program.
We have our own website.   

Twenty-three years later we have recycled 6,691 metric tonnes.

And I am still here. I got involved because I wanted to do something locally to protect the environment.  I had time as I was working part time and had no children.

Life changed and I had less time to volunteer.  I was a very involved Board member while others managed daily operations at the Recycling Centre.  

In 2013, I began working full time at the Recycling Centre. I am privileged to have a job working for a cause I believe in.  

Many people have contributed to the success of recycling in our community.  It has been a great journey leading the way.