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Sorted glass in blue box OK for now: CRD

Glass pickup to be re-evaluated by CRD board, staff in 2019

Residents can stop worrying about what to do with those empty glass jars.

Glass pick-up will continue as part of the Capital Regional District’s blue bin curbside collection –at least for the time being.

Langford Coun. Denise Blackwell, who is on the CRD board, said, “there was a lot of concern, especially from folks from more urban areas.”

Some of those concerns revolved around not having a vehicle to take glass to a depot, where one could take glass containers, and the fear that more glass would end up in the landfill.

Blackwell added, “there were quite a few letters from people who thought we should keep it.”

In light of some of those concerns and input – along with other factors – the CRD board voted last week to continue curbside pickup until the current collection contracts expire in three years.

After changes were implemented to the B.C. recycling regulations, the CRD signed a contract last year with Multi-Material BC to continue to provide blue bin collection. The CRD also has a contract in place with Emterra Environmental to provide this curbside collection, using a three-stream materials collection process. Both those agreements expire in April 2019.

Part of the board’s decision to continue glass pickup also called for CRD staff to work to educate the public better about separating glass for curbside collection, as well as work in partnership with industry to communicate the benefits of returning deposit glass to depots.

Blackwell noted some residents also expressed confusion over the current system and the education was to help get all residents in the region on the same page.

There is room for change in 2019 when the existing contract expires, said director David Screech, View Royal mayor.

“It’s a regressive move. we’ve spent years teaching the public to recycle,” he said.

“We should be adding to the recycle program, not taking away from it. I don’t think you make a decision for a region like this without getting feedback from the public.”

Glass containers have been collected as part of the CRD’s blue bin project since it began in 1988. However, residents are required to place glass in separate labeled containers for curbside collection to prevent broken glass from contaminating and devaluing other recyclables.

katie@goldstreamgazette.com