Richmond is improving recycling opportunities with a new program that intends to reduce landfill waste, boost cleanliness and bring revenue to city hall.
The pilot of Go Recycle! public spaces recycling program launched Thursday at Garry Point Park, one of four sites to receive the new containers.
Other sites receiving the initial 81 bins are Steveston Village, Steveston Community Centre and the field at Hugh Boyd Community Park.
The initiative places containers with waste, paper and bottle areas in locations where city officials noticed recyclables were littering the ground or filling garbage bins too often. The program is the first pilot public spaces recycling program in B.C. meaning it makes recycling opportunities accessible outside of municipal curbside and Encorp Pacific Return It programs.
Today is a big step forward in terms of recycling efforts, said Mayor Malcolm Brodie at Thursdays launch.
This pilot program will make Steveston a cleaner, more sustainable area, and a model for recycling for the rest of the city and for B.C.
The City of Richmond was described as having one of the most successful recycling programs in the province since beginning such efforts in 1990. Over 75 million empty containers are currently being collected at bottle depots in Richmond each year.
That speaks to the commitment of the community, said Neil Hastie, president and chief executive officer of Encorp Pacific (Canada).
I do believe this will become a model for other communities.
The pilot, which is modeled after a public recycling spaces program that began in Quebec in 2008, is expected to capture 75 per cent or more of the recyclables previously tossed out with other garbage.
An audit will be completed in three months to calculate the effectiveness of the program and to learn more about the habits of Richmondites, such as what types of items are being collected and where they are recycled.
At the launch event, the container program was applauded for its picture display that makes differentiating between paper, bottle and waste slots simple those from different language backgrounds.
Its hoped that, by making recycling more accessible in public areas, the initiative will help strengthen locals recycling habits at home, too.
The program was developed in a collaboration between the Canadian Beverage Association, Encorp Pacific (Canada), Nestlé Waters Canada and the City of Richmond.
