小蓝视频

UNITY — The Sask. Waste Reduction Council is a provincial, non-profit organization that works towards a waste-free Saskatchewan. Their efforts support the waste, recycling and composting industry as well as encouraging the development of programs that promote waste reduction as well as education the public about waste reduction options and opportunities.

Some rural municipalities are members of the SWRC, others send people to their events.

The biggest tool the organization offers communities is promoting reduce, reuse and recycle. They have a waste reduction hub that includes all options in the province for reusing, recycling, repairing and composting where the user can enter their community and the product they are wanting to know about recycling or reusing options and the hub can help direct them to the best responses for their inquiry.

A town of Wilkie spokesperson says, “The only complaint we receive in regard to curbside recycling is when Loraas happens to miss picking up bins. For most residences, one bin picked up every two weeks is sufficient but if not, they can request a second bin as long as they are willing to pay the fee. There is a cardboard recycling bin located at our transfer station that residents may use if they have a large amount of cardboard they need to dispose of, for example large appliance boxes.”

Wilkie says their recycling program is working well and there are no discussions at this point to change the service or add anything further.

SWRC also has extensive online resources on home composting on their website.

The topic of plastic and the limited option for some plastic recycling is a question often received by SWRC. They respond saying, “Currently the type of plastics accepted for recycling in the province varies by community, depending on what they can collect efficiently and have markets for. Some communities are moving away from plastic shopping bags, including both Prince Albert and Regina have passed a ban on them.” As the saying goes, the plastic of today is the habitat of tomorrow.

The federal government has enacted regulations that will soon ban plastic grocery bags across the country.

What is our role in reduce, reuse and recycle?

“The biggest piece of advice for communities is to provide simple, clear instructions on what is accepted for recycling and for residents to follow the guidelines and understand that communities can’t handle everything on their lists,” says SWRC.

Residents say they appreciate the resource of community Facebook pages, which are also wonderful places for people to share tips and tricks of recycling as well direction to websites such as the SWRC hub or places they know can take material not within the usual realm of recycling methods they are accustomed to. Also following social media pages of SARCAN, Loraas, SWRC and even Unity’s Community Resource Centre, as well as others can help with information needed on what can and cannot be recycled through these centres.

Some things the SWRC hopes that will see changes to have all communities in the province accept the same materials and for industry to streamline its packaging and material choices to be more effective and simpler.

Residents have several options for recycling a variety of materials that are outlined on their waste reduction hub, see website link above. In addition to bi-weekly Loraas bin recycling, SARCAN offers a variety of options for leftover paint and a list of electronics. Unity Community Resource Centre, Community Living and diabetes truck pickups, as well as places like Value Village in Saskatoon are options for clothing donations.

What each person needs to do is take ownership in seeking out answers to what items are accepted and where and how they can be recycled or reused as it is up to all of us to take part in these practises for our future and the future of generations to come. Refusing to reuse results in an Earth that is abused.

“Recycling is generally a messy process that requires resources to collect, transport and reprocess. Reduction (using less) avoids waste entirely and removes the need to handle it. It is everyone’s responsibility to look for ways to reduce,” says a spokesperson for SWRC.

You can’t change the past, but we can all work together to change the future by actively choosing to reduce, reuse and recycle.