Recycle Right: Help Make Tomorrow Greener

City of Nanaimo encourages citizens to take a stand against recycling contamination for a greener tomorrow

NEWS RELEASE - Distributed November 16, 2023 11:15 AM

Summary

The City of Nanaimo is re-launching a campaign to encourage and educate citizens on proper recycling practices around Nanaimo. The objective is to reduce recycling contamination and foster responsible waste management for a cleaner, greener Nanaimo.

Glass jars and bottles, as well as flexible plastics, foam packaging, plastic bags, and overwrap can all be dropped off at one of the Recycle BC depots around town but NOT placed in your blue bin. These things contaminate recycling loads and result in substantial fines, not to mention more garbage being transported to the landfill. A recycling depot will be able to process and recycle these items properly.

To aid residents in identifying materials suitable for blue cart recycling, please use the "What Goes Where Waste Wizard" tool available on www.nanaimo.ca or download the Nanaimo Recycles App. For those without internet access or a smartphone app, the Recycling Hotline is available at 1-800-667-4321.

Link to Strategic Plan: N/A

Key Points

Reducing contamination in curbside recycling leads to increased costs to each user, and well-intentioned recycling ends up in the landfill.
For items dropped off at depots, Recycle BC will properly handle and recycle glass jars and bottles, as well as flexible plastics, foam packaging, plastic bags, and overwrap.
The Nanaimo Recycles App has a handy “What Goes Where Waste Wizard” tool that allows you to enter an item to recycle and see which cart to use for curbside pickup or where you can take that item to be recycle at a depot.

Quotes

"Ensuring a sustainable future for our city is our top priority. Contamination in curbside recycling not only increases costs but also undermines the very core of recycling. We're fortunate to have Recycle BC depots committed to responsible handling of glass, bottles, and plastics."

Leonard Krog

Mayor

City of Nanaimo

Videos

Recycling vs Wishcycling: Understanding the Blue Cart

Wishcycling vs. Recycling: Polystyrene foam

Attachments

Sorting it Right: Your Garbage & Recycling Guide

Contact:

For media enquiries, please contact:

Communications

City of Nanaimo

250-754-4251

Media.Requests@nanaimo.ca

Print News Release

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