Happy new year Tofino, Esowista, Ty-Histanis, Ucluelet, hitac̓u, Port Albion and Millstream. What are your new year’s resolutions?
We’ll go first: continue working together to set waste diversion records in 2023.
This is one new year’s resolution we’re going to keep, and to help us get there we’re sharing the waste tips below – the better we sort, the less contamination we create, which means MORE waste diverted from the landfill.
Reminders for Collection Day:
Careful of the Snow: With the winter weather, residents may have to alter cart placements. Find or clear off a site as close to the street as possible (placing your carts on either side of your driveway can make it easier for you and the collection trucks). Avoid placing carts on the travelled portion of the roadway, where they will impede snow ploughs and ensure carts are not blocking sidewalks or bike lanes.
Latch it Up: Keep your locking mechanisms attached to the cart throughout the week when not in use. Once roadside, unlock and clasp the hooks together (or to the lid handles) so they don’t swing loose and damage the cart during collection.
Place for Space: Leave one metre of clearance space on all sides of the cart, with three metres of clearance space above and position your cart to the street with handles and wheels to the curb.
Questions? Call the Sort’nGo hotline at:
GREEN CART DOs:
- Food scraps
- Paper towels, napkins
- Tea bags and paper coffee filters
- Coffee grounds
Note: No plastics of any kind belong in the green carts, even if labelled compostable, because they don’t break down properly in the composting system and will contaminate our final product! If you have food in plastic, dispose the food waste into the green cart and then rinse/reuse plastic or dispose of it at the depot.
BLUE CART DOs:
- Cardboard, newspaper, printed paper
- Paper packaging
- Plastic and tin containers
- Aluminum containers or foil
Note: keep items in the blue carts loose, and rinsed of food residue with no overflow! Items left outside Sort’nGo carts or in other containers at the roadside will not be collected.
BLACK CART DOs:
- Diapers/personal hygiene items
- Plastic cutlery and straws
- Baby wipes
Note: don’t put glass/broken glass in the trash, this can lead to injury. Please take to the depot for safe disposal.
DEPOT DOs:
- Bottles and cans
- Glass bottles and jars
- Wax-covered paper products
- Flexible plastics
- Books
Note: Bottles and cans can be returned for refund, and if items are still useable consider donating to a reuse centre.