Where to recycle plastic.

[Swank]

So you know the big green bins in the grocery store parking lots for paper, glass, cans, etc.? Anyone know where I can take my plastics? I've been saving them up since curb side recycling was supposed to work, but unfortunately people lost their damn minds at the price. I know there are private companies that do it, but it wasn't offered in my area last time I checked (a few months ago). I heard there was a place in Airdrie? I;m to the point where I'd almost have to make 2 trips!

I'm still amazed at how little trash you have left once you remove the paper and plastic...

[FiveFreshFish]

I've been meaning to call 311 for any details. I have a couple of boxes of recyclable plastic.

[Swank]

I finally took all my plastic to Airdrie, they have a really good facility there that takes almost everything. Only accepts platic types 1, 2, & 5 which is most containers for food and household cleaners. 2 years worth of plastic only cost me $5 of gas and a couple of hours of my time, good deal.

[ExtraSlow]

Yeah, Airdrie has a good system. Plus, they have bag limits on curbside trash, so there is an incentive to recycle.
I make at least one trip a year to recycle my used engine oil and filters.

[GREENBOY]

It's pathetic that Calgary doesn't recycle plastic like millions of small towns across the world, let alone big cities. It's 2008 for god's sake! Other places have been recycling plastics for 6 years or so now. We have to drive to canmore or Chochrane to do it when we're out that way for a day out, which is crazy.

[JRSC00LUDE]

^

haha way to live up to your name "GREEN"boy. :D

You think that's bad though? I'm no enviro-nut but I was shocked to learn there was no bottle/can recycling of any kind in Nevada. Do you know how many empties get thrown into the landfill in Vegas? Holy shit. :eek:

[viff3r]

Where in Airdrie?

[ExtraSlow]

15 east lake Hill.
http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&q=15+east+lake+hill+airdrie+AB&ie=UTF8&ll=51.288453,-113.982532&spn=0.007421,0.016565&t=h&z=16&g=15+east+lake+hill+airdrie+AB&iwloc=addr

[TomcoPDR]

Originally posted by JRSC00LUDE
^

haha way to live up to your name "GREEN"boy. :D

You think that's bad though? I'm no enviro-nut but I was shocked to learn there was no bottle/can recycling of any kind in Nevada. Do you know how many empties get thrown into the landfill in Vegas? Holy shit. :eek:

If only they have deposits on "rubber" materials in Vegas, think of the money a recycler can make.

[Mys73ri0]

didn't want to make a new thread so i'll post here...

http://calgary.foundlocally.com/Personal/GoodsRecycling.htm

so based on what i'm reading you can return stuff like coke cans to the bottle depots and such and get your deposit back? I'm from Winnipeg so we just throw all our recyclables in the blue bin and don't think twice.

http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20081022/CGY_recycle_program_081022/20081023/?hub=CalgaryHome

Does that mean I should start saving my plastic milk cartons?

[ExtraSlow]

Yes, any beverage container, except milk cartons and jugs can be returned to the bottle depot for the refund back. This includes juice boxes, tetra packs, plastic and glass bottles.

And after June, Milk jugs and cartons will be included in the program.

[Zero102]

Originally posted by Swank
So you know the big green bins in the grocery store parking lots for paper, glass, cans, etc.? Anyone know where I can take my plastics? I've been saving them up since curb side recycling was supposed to work, but unfortunately people lost their damn minds at the price. I know there are private companies that do it, but it wasn't offered in my area last time I checked (a few months ago). I heard there was a place in Airdrie? I;m to the point where I'd almost have to make 2 trips!

I'm still amazed at how little trash you have left once you remove the paper and plastic...

:werd:

Never thought about it until I moved to Vernon 2 years ago. Out there there is a 2 bag / week rule on garbage, and unlimited recycling every 2 weeks. Just my wife and I (and 2 cats), but every week we had less than 1/2 a bag of garbage. Usually we were just putting out a little white kitchen bag each week, and it was never full. There is almost nothing left if you recycle everything that is allowed.

I am hoping the program they are rolling out here proves to be just as good as the one in Vernon was. The cost is a little higher (which seems counter-intuitive in a big city) but its not unreasonable.

I didn't know you could take plastics to Airdrie, that is handy knowledge. I'll probably start taking my plastic up there. Since we moved back I have been throwing it out which is stupid.

[lelalong]

I use Recycle Blue and they take hard and soft plastics. It sucks that the city depots don't take plastics. When the city does curb side pickup are they supposed to take plastics too???

I hope the city plan won't be full of fail!

[bignerd]

City Plan:

Blue Cart recycling program coming Spring 2009
Beginning Spring 2009, The City of Calgary will offer weekly blue cart recycling service to approximately 300,000 single family homes up to and including fourplexes. Recyclables will be collected on the same day and in the same location as garbage (front curb or back alley). All recyclables go in one cart—no more sorting—and the new program will accept plastics 1-7.

Blue cart recycling will double the amount of household waste diverted from landfills, an essential component of The City of Calgary's 80/20 goal.

Start Date. The blue cart recycling service will begin in April 2009. Collection service will be phased in one quadrant at a time. The approximate collection service schedule is: SW in late April, SE in mid-May, NW in early June and NE in late June. Calgary will be fully serviced in July 2009. The entire quadrant will start service on the same week.

Who Is Eligible? The City will provide weekly blue cart recycling service to approximately 300,000 single family homes up to and including fourplexes. Multifamily residences, farms and acreages will not receive service from The City of Calgary. Multifamily includes buildings with more than four units (e.g. apartments) and residential complexes with more than four units on a parcel of land. Community recycling depots will remain in place.

Plastics Are In. The blue cart recycling program will accept plastics labeled with the recycling triangle 1 to 7 (except polystyrene). The program will also accept newspapers, magazines, mixed paper, cardboard, milk containers, food cans and glass.

Blue Carts. Each eligible residence will receive a blue cart at no additional cost. Designed for automated collection, the cart holds roughly 240 litres (enough for an average family's weekly recyclables) and measure approximately 107 cm high x 59 cm wide x 73 cm deep. They have a sturdy flip lid, wheels to make them easier to move and are designed to be kept outdoors. The carts are replaced and maintained by The City.

No more sorting. All materials go in one cart—no more sorting. Place plastics, newspapers, magazines, mixed paper, cardboard, milk containers, food cans and glass in the cart provided. When materials arrive at the recycling facility, they will be sorted via a semi-automated process.

Front curb or back alley. Recyclables will be collected on the same day and in the same location as your regular garbage (front curb or back alley).

Fee. Households receiving the service will be charged a fee of approximately 26 cents a day ($8 per month). This fee covers the costs of collection services, processing of materials and the cart. There is no other cost to residents. The recycling fee will appear on your City of Calgary (ENMAX) utility bill once your collection service begins. The blue cart recycling program fee is not optional, so if you are eligible for the service, it will appear on your bill.

Depots remain in place. Community recycling depots will remain in place and will be converted in conjunction with the blue cart recycling program roll out. Depots will also accept plastics and require no sorting.




Sounds okay??

[ExtraSlow]

the city plan is actually pretty good, except that they put a couple private companies out of business, and they are charging more than the private companies.

Also, this should come in alongside bag limits for garbage.

But, it sounds reasonably good for something worked out by the government.

[Swank]

Sounds hella ok, in fact, should the depots accept plastics then I can save dudes the trip to my place and myself $8 cuz I'm already in the green bin recycling groove. But at that price, the convenience is beyond affordable. I hope it's a go this time because I've been hearing about curb-side recycling since fuzzy dice were out...

[frozenrice]

I'm hoping the city follows through with this. I'm all for recyling, the only thing that I hate doing is sorting. My garage (which is supposed to be for car storage/repair has somehow become a big pile of garbage bags of unsorted recyling. I spend at least a half day a month just sorting it not including the trip(s) to the bins. The extra $8/month is worth it.

There was a thing on the news a few weeks ago about the city thinking about postponing the recyling program due to the economy. Apparently because of the economic downturn, the need for recyled material is down dramatically. Some recylers are now charging to have stuff dropped off because they don't have room to hold everything.

[Zero102]

I hope they don't scrap the blue bin program. It sounds even better than the program in Vernon!
Vernon's was $3/month (I think it went up to $4 now), but they only came every second week and you provided your own bags (not that expensive, but since they had to be blue they were ~$1/month or so). So, if they come by every week and provide the bin, $8/month is perfectly fine by me.

I wish they would implement a bag limit as well, but one thing at a time I guess.

[bignerd]

Originally posted by frozenrice
I'm hoping the city follows through with this. I'm all for recyling, the only thing that I hate doing is sorting. My garage (which is supposed to be for car storage/repair has somehow become a big pile of garbage bags of unsorted recyling. I spend at least a half day a month just sorting it not including the trip(s) to the bins. The extra $8/month is worth it.

There was a thing on the news a few weeks ago about the city thinking about postponing the recyling program due to the economy. Apparently because of the economic downturn, the need for recyled material is down dramatically. Some recylers are now charging to have stuff dropped off because they don't have room to hold everything.

That would suck because my garage sounds just like yours...bags of milk containers, glass, cans etc...

That and the other problem half the time we would go to the big green bins and the paper/cardboard bins were packed full! The city could of emptied those things every day in our neighborhood and not made a dent. Finally they moved them, added more and that seems to of helped.