TNRD – Residents asked to be vigilant with recyclable materials

The TNRD is asking residents to be more vigilant about disposing of recyclable materials.

This comes after the TNRD’s recycling processor, Emterra Environmental, informed the regional district last week that it would no longer accept mixed recycling, citing high contamination levels.

Due to international pressures such as China’s new “National Sword” policy, there’s no longer a market for mixed recycling with any level of contamination, meaning Emterra can’t sell it.

“The biggest source of contamination is from the municipal recycling depots and curbside-collected recycling,” said Jamie Vieira, the TNRD’s manager of environmental services.

“This is to be expected as there is no one monitoring what goes in the bin. It is up to individual residents if we are to avoid sending mixed recycling to landfill.”

The TNRD is asking residents to ensure they carefully follow the accepted materials guidelines for mixed recycling to avoid contamination.

Forms of contamination include food residues on otherwise acceptable items, household garbage being put in mixed recycling bins, and items that are recyclable but aren’t part of the mixed recycling program.