Trash Haulers Fined $450,000 for Banned Recyclabes

The stuff doesn't go away.
It's clogging boxes in corners and pantries...in the residence, in the clubhouse, in the shop.

When you work 7 days a week for 6 months as I do, there's no time to drive to a recycling center and drop off the stuff that used to be picked up in clear bags before the onset of Multi-(Mini) Material's new recycling plan.

This overwrap, accumulated in the clubhouse, isn't eligible for Emterra's recycling boxes!

A Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014 story in the Vancouver Sun may be just the tip of the iceberg to give us all an inkling of what may occur (recycling police?) as more and more acceptable recyclables unfortunately make it back into the waste stream (where it was formerly segregated for recycling).

Private trash haulers are fined for having forbidden recyclables in their loads.
Recent fines on the Coast were:

"Waste Management topped the list at $82,437, followed by Smithrite Disposal at $75,083; Northwest Waste $38,596, BFI Canada (Progressive Waste) $37,854, Super Save Disposal $34,509, Maple Leaf Disposal $17,891, City of Burnaby $17,443, and Waste Control Services $11,625," reports writer Larry Pynn of The Sun.  A $74,298 fine was levied at the City of Vancouver's transfer station and landfill in Burns Bog in Delta.

How about residents?
"Residential drop-offs, typically pickup trucks and vans, were responsible for $22,511 in surcharges," states the writer.  It was reported that "inspectors 'eyeball' garbage from a distance and make a percentage calculation if there is a violation, adding that because Metro controls the only local disposal facilities, they can act as judge, jury and executioner, with impunity."

When the "recycling cop" tells a pickup truck owner he can't unload that portion of his load without a fine of, say, $50, the homeowner generally takes the offending article--usually corrugated cardboard, etc. --back home.


Paddy O'Leary's letter to the editor today (excerpts reprinted below) is simply one more of many complaints about it, but no-one listens.
Nobody in government anyway.
They don't care because each regional district (there are 18 in British Columbia) received one million bucks ($1,000,000.00) to implement the program. 

So government did implement it.
And won't revisit it to address the problems residents face.

To hell with public input, to hell with seniors not being able to carry the heavy containers down stairs and down icy driveways (versus the previous plastic bags that could be bounced down stairs).
That's apparently government's stance.

"This new Emterra system is not so good...what I find offensive is that we have been manipulated.  Our leaders know that over the years, we have learned the benefits of recycling and it has become a habit.  We are victims of bait and switch. I now have to do a lot more sorting than before.  The homeowner does more work so Emterra doesn't have to.  

Plastic (over)wrap as used in toilet paper and paper towel packaging is not allowed so we must package it up and deliver it to a collection depot in our gas-guzzling car.

...We can't put paperback novels in the recyclng bins but phone books are OK.  At first I couldn't see the difference between paperback novels and paperback phone books.

Then I started thinking that maybe numbers break down easier than words.  Yup, that makes sense."

Paddy O'Leary

"Yes, numbers (dollars) do break down faster than words (complaints from residents) with government", grins Kia.

Note:  Pen Plast Environmental is the maker of the Emterra recycling lid-less, wheel-less containers we must all use.

You'd think Emterra would've bought us all the nicer ones with lids and (hidden) wheels, made by the same company!

At least these can be wheeled to the curb, and prevent rodents gaining access.

Seems Emterra is like the B.C. government.
They don't care either.