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Meadow Lake recycling program no longer accepting plastic bags

Feb 20, 2018 | 4:00 PM

Plastic grocery bags, cellophane and food wrappers can no longer be recycled at Shkopich Enviro’s facility.

The city-wide recycling service provider informed officials of the change last week. The company’s president Layne Shkopich said companies in China were previously the major buyers of these specific types of recycled plastics, but stopped taking the materials last year.

“Last year they banned 24 materials from their recycling list,” he said. “Searches for alternate sources to sell plastics were not successful and the stockpiles many companies were holding [are], unfortunately, having to go to the landfills. The bags have become unrecyclable material.”

Shkopich said household plastics marked with triangle numbers one through seven are still accepted. The only exception to the plastic bag rule comes when recycling shredded paper, as it needs to be bagged in special transparent plastic bags for efficiency.

As a recycler, Shkopich said he was disappointed by the change. He said recycling the plastics was convenient and beneficial for local residents, and learning the new rules will take some adjustment and cooperation.

“I’m disappointed these plastics are having to go into the landfill,” Shkopich said. “But, with no market, we have no choice. I know other recyclers in the province are faced with the same issues as we are.”

Shkopich said he’s hoping the ban on bags can be lifted if a new buyer can be found.

“I do see it coming back one day, but it’s hard to know when,” he said.

With recycling unavailable, Shkopich recommended reusing the bags around the home whenever possible, to prevent them from ending up in the landfill.

 

kathy.gallant@jpbg.ca  

On Twitter @ReporterKath