Should pizza boxes go in the compost or cardboard recycling? Do milk cartons belong in the blue box? Is it necessary to wash out all items before they going into curbside recycling?
Through a new eight-week program, the City of Richmond is hoping to answer these questions and more all in the hopes of helping Richmondites learn to recycle correctly.
“We all share the responsibility of reducing our waste, keeping recyclable materials out of the landfill and making sure the items we do recycle can be accepted at processing facilities,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie in a press release.
“We know that more than 80 per cent of our household waste can be recycled into new products and recycling is a critical part of sustainable waste management. Here in Richmond, we want to continue to work together to be recycling leaders in our region, across Canada and even globally.”
As part of the program launching this week, city staff will conduct random, visual audits of residential recycling and garbage. These audits will include a report card give to residents, with tips for areas of improvement. In addition, the report card will have ideas for increasing the amount recycled and how to recycle items correctly.
According to the city, some of the most common recyclable items found in the garbage are food scraps, electronics, plastic bags, flexible packaging and Styrofoam.
Also, the city notes that when recyclables aren’t sorted into the correct bins, the quality of recycling is affected and can be considered “contaminated” by recycling processors. This could result in fines or items being refused entirely.
These random audits will take place over the next eight weeks, with more planned for the fall. Residents who are recycling correctly will receive a Richmond Recycling Expert Gold Star and two free passes to the city’s recreational facilities.
To learn more about how to recycle items properly in Richmond, visit the city’s website on recycling.
