Recycling Smoke-n-Mirrors?

As of May 1st, a new recycling "agency" is slated to shift the cost of recycling from taxpayers to producers of that waste.

At least that's what's being touted.

But even local governments--who supposedly will benefit--aren't sure what's going on.
So it's no surprise that taxpayers know even less.
Recycling as a topic isn't likely to stir strong feelings among the public.
Because we are recycling.

Just think:
A new "agency" will take over recyclables in the entire province, ostensibly to reduce what still goes into landfills.
Admittedly that's a good thing.

But a new "agency"?
To sweeten the deal, the new "agency" will give each of 18 regional districts in B.C. one million bucks.
Nice payola.
Rather than wondering how $18 million is to be used, let's wonder where does that $18 million come from?

They're called Multi Material B.C. and they've convinced the provincial government that they are an agency made up of producers of that packaging.
(Ahem).

Convinced government with a cheque for $18 million.
They call it a "collection incentive".
Yup, that'll do it.
Every time.

Apparently it was a hot topic at the annual Union of B.C. Municipalities meeting last September, enough so that it became a Resolution.

MMBC has issued a list of Frequently Asked (and Answered) Questions.

Resembling B.C. Hydro's "Team Power Smart" ("with 344,000 members, and counting"), MMBC has promoted "Pledges" of community groups who've signed on, heart and soul, jumping in with both feet.

One unlikely to sign up quickly is Spallumcheen's former mayor, Will Hansma, who is crying foul about this program's effect on originators of packaging and printed paper waste in his area -- print and wood fibre companies who are taxpayers in Spallumcheen.
That's the first hint of smoke-n-mirrors:  wasn't it said that MMBC is created by and comprised of producers/industry?

Guess the originators forgot to invite Tolko to the meeting.
You can bet Tolko has an opinion on these "industry-borne costs".
Maybe one day a newspaper, any newspaper, will ask Tolko, one of the largest wood products employers in British Columbia.

Tolko has packaging and printed paper?
Well, yes, sort of.
Lumber wraps come to mind, plastic load covers that surely are recycled, and perhaps reused at the receiving end's storage areas.

But MMBC obviously wants to include wood fibre as a packaging and printed paper waste.
Abject nonsense.
Wood fibre degrades and disappears completely as anyone who has ever gardened with "what's at hand" will know.

Anyone remember Ruth Stout?
She was an old lady 40 years ago...an organic gardening guru, who used spoiled hay to prevent weeds and conserve water around plants in her vegetable garden.

For many years, I used "books" (multiple layers) of newspapers (but never shiny, coloured magazine or flyer sheets) as mulch in my vegetable garden to prevent weeds.  Then I used wood chips in the garden's walk-paths to prevent weeds and conserve moisture.  I used whatever I could get easily and cheaply, or free.
And today's newsprint, which uses vegetable-based printing processes--versus the years-ago lead-based--is truly renewable.

Those mulching products worked, and didn't harm the soil or the people who ate the products grown in that soil.
Those mulching products helped the soil by keeping its top layer moist and shaded from the sun which, in turn, allowed earthworms to do their magic around vegetable plants' roots.  Earthworms are never found in the top 12 inches or so of sun-baked, unprotected, soil.
And those mulches decomposed.
Completely.

Will Hansma is correct when he states that the wood products are natural and do not pollute the environment.
Even in a landfill's bulk, given enough time, wood products totally disappear.
Paper, newspaper, all gone with time.
So, including wood products is, frankly, absurd.

But May 1st is just around the corner.

What assurance is there that current recycling employees in our communities won't lose their jobs if masses of recycling--under MMBC's program--perhaps head off via truck or rail to one giant recycling gathering area somewhere in the province?  The second hint of smoke-n-mirrors:  Nary a word about that.

The third hint of smoke-n-mirrors: 
When costs to any producer (of products that we buy) increase, don't we have the costs passed onto us via the retail price?

The fourth hint:
If Ruth Stout were alive, she'd be laughing at the nonsense of paper products being included.

"The Mafia doesn't have a sense of humour," suggests Kia.

Aha.
The fifth hint.

Where does that $18 million for the regional districts come from?