A new partnership is ready to fill a frustrating recycling gap in Ucluelet starting next week.
Recycle BC has announced a partnership with the Ucluelet Bottle Depot to collect residential packaging and paper product materials not accepted curbside.
The new service is expected to open on May 15.
Ann Danilevich of Recycle BC told the Westerly News that the community has access to “ a robust curbside recycling collection program,” but materials like Styrofoam, glass and plastic bags have been unable to be recycled since Ucluelet’s former recycling depot shut down on March 25.
“We recognized there would be a service-level gap in the community specifically for those items not accepted curbside…We worked to fill that gap and we’re excited to have found a long-term partner in the Ucluelet Bottle Depot within two months,” Danilevich said.
“We know that it was important for residents of Ucluelet to have a convenient and accessible place to take their materials and that’s why we’re really excited to be working with the Ucluelet bottle Depot to offer this service to the community.”
The Ucluelet Bottle Depot is located at 1-325 Forbes Road and is open Tuesday-Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Danilevich said residents have an important role to play in managing paper and packaging products responsibly.
“It’s really only through committed resident action that we can keep all of these materials out of the landfill and out of waterways,” she said.
“We want to be good stewards of the environment. British Columbia and the District of Ucluelet is such a beautiful, beautiful place and we really do need to work together to keep it that way.”
She said 97 per cent of the plastics collected by Recycle BC through curbside or at depots are processed within the province and transformed into useful goods.
“It becomes a circular economy for those plastics, but if you don’t put it in the bin we can’t collect it so residents really play such an important role for us to be able to collect this material,” she said.
She said Recycle BC has similar partnerships with bottle depots throughout the province and added that the partnership will enhance an already strong service.
“We definitely heard from residents about having that service gap and not being able to take those materials to be recycled within their community,” she said. “That’s why we really worked quickly. Our team approached the owner of the bottle depot and were able to secure this partnership and we’re very excited about it. I think it’s a great fit for everybody.”
She suggested the new service should nix any excuses for not properly disposing of recyclable materials.
“We hope this will really enable residents to recycle more materials because now they know where they can take them, so no more excuses for your plastic bags and styrofoam. They do not go in the landfill, it should go to the depot,” she said.
“We really hope residents take advantage and are using this service that’s convenient and accessible for them.”
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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