As the festive season draws to an end, the city of Edmonton is urging people to recycle or dispose of holiday waste properly.
In the two weeks after Dec. 25, the city collects nearly double the amount of garbage and recycling than usual, said Jenny Albers, education program supervisor with the city’s waste services branch.
“We want to make sure we really sort right now, and do it right so that when it goes to the waste management centre we can divert that from landfill and not have contamination.”
Paper gift wrap, gifts bags, cards and metal tins can be recycled, she said Thursday at the Kennedale Eco Station at 53rd St. and 127th Ave.
Foil, bows, ribbons and decorations made of mixed materials are not recyclable.
Putting these mixed materials in the recycling bin can damage the machinery at the waste management centre and result in a shutdown, she said.
“Best bet is to re-use or donate it because otherwise these are all mixed-material objects and they’d all have to go into the garbage,” she said.
She said Edmontonians can take these materials to the re-use centre at Argyle Rd. and 83rd St.
Jenny Albers, an education program supervisor with waste services, said items going into a recyclable bin should be “clean, loose and dry.” (Manuel Carrillos/CBC)
“Anything like tinsel or long sort of stringy things, same thing, we have to put it in the garbage because we don’t want it getting stuck in the machines or making a huge mess in the waste management centre.”
Plastics from large toys can’t usually be salvaged, so Albers recommends dropping them off at the eco centre if they can’t be re-used or donated.
‘Know before you throw’
Neil Burkard, a public education specialist with the city of Edmonton, said non-renewable resources like copper can be gleaned from old TVs and electronics. Electronic devices can be brought to an eco station.
“We can recover all the precious metals that are found in your technology.”
Electronic items and accessories should be taken to one of the city’s three eco stations. (Manuel Carrillos/CBC)
“That’s why it’s so important to make sure that we take old technology — anything with a battery or a cord, make sure it goes to your eco station.”
Staff at the eco stations separate the various parts and take them to the waste management centre for processing.
“Everything that we do matters,” Burkard said. “Know before you throw, it really helps us do our job to recover the materials that are found inside.”
Eco stations are at Kennedale, Coronation and Ambleside. The one at Old Strathcona is closed until the spring.
Eco Stations have recycle depots on site where recyclable items such as paper, boxes, cardboard, plastic bags, containers, cans and bottles can be dropped off.