Studies about recycling rates have shown that convenience is the best way to encourage people to recycle. Curbside pickup increases recycling rate by over 50%.
The Recycling Centre began a curbside program in 2003. Recyclers were asked to pay $30.00/year but all recyclables were picked up without checking if the fee had been paid. One hundred residents paid for the service in 2006. It isn’t known how many more used it.
Recycling tonnage set a record of 500 tonnes in 2007 that stood for ten years.
There are two reasons the program ended in June 2007. Prices paid for selling recyclables which provided a lot of the funding, fell dramatically and the $30.00/year fee did not cover the cost.
The current curbside pickup service began in 2010 with a service fee paid by buying a red bag. The current price is $3.50.
Recyclables in a red bag on the curb lets the Centre employees know the fee has been paid. Two more bags or boxes of recyclables are picked up with the one red bag. Large boxes can be flattened and left under the bags.
The program was quite popular in the beginning but the number of users dropped significantly when Creighton’s curbside pickup began in 2014.
The cost seems to prevent people from using the service so the bags will be on sale for $2.75 for the month of May. New users should call the Recycling Centre ahead of time so their home can be included on the pickup route.
Bags are available at Coop, Eddies, Gas Bar, Super K, PharmaSave and the Recycling Centre.
For more information call the Recycling Centre at (204) 687-6169.