Elliot Lake's Blue Box recycling system has been fine-tuned to get maximum benefits when collection trucks make the rounds on city streets every Tuesday.
Earlier this month the city circulated a recycling notice on its website outlining a few dos and don'ts for residents to consider when they pack out their blue boxes on the curb every week.
The city is informed online about people linked to their street addresses to explain why a blue box wasn't collected on a certain day.
Elliot Lake Director of Public Works Daryl Halloch said it often boils down to misunderstandings about what items can and cannot be accepted.
“As you are aware – GFL Environmental Inc. is the City of Elliot Lake’s contractor when it comes to curbside recycling and garbage collection," Halloch said. "The city has a list of what can be recycled on its website, that was supplied by GFL after the contract was finalized for another five years.
“Recycling is picked up every Tuesday (one week – cardboard, next week – commingle). The process now has GFL transporting all recycling collected from Elliot Lake and other surrounding communities, to a warehouse in Blind River, where it is loaded into transport trucks and delivered to larger more sophisticated sorting centres down south.”
Halloch said if residents aren’t recycling properly, GFL won’t dispose of the material. Rather the blue box will be left and the resident is put on a list emailed to the city.
Elliot Lake is working closely with GFL, with more time and money invested into education and promotion for recycling.
That helps with diversion rates, which ultimately saves volume at the local landfill site. It could increase its life by several years.
Halloch added at the present time it would cost taxpayers between $3M and $5M to construct a new landfill area or $1M to $3M to expand the current one.
The City of Elliot Lake Website also goes into further detail about recycling and garbage collection.
Using our collection schedule, you can find out which items you are able to recycle on which days. We categorize each item into either Symbol C or Symbol F on the calendar.
Symbol C
- Glass bottles and jars - Remove the lids of clear and coloured food and beverage containers and place them loosely in the blue box. Place your lids in the garbage.
- Metal food and beverage containers - Dispose of steel and aluminum food and beverage cans, aluminum trays and foil into the blue box, loosely. Steel lids or jar lids can be placed with the metal food products. Please rinse or remove lids from each container and place them in the blue box.
- Plastic bottles and jars - Dispose of all containers marked with the symbols 1 through 6 loosely into your blue box. These include plastic pop bottles, water bottles, soap, anti-freeze, laundry detergent and bleach bottles. We do not accept broken glass, window panes or dishes, Styrofoam or bread/milk/grocery and chip bags.
Symbol F
- Newspaper, magazines, household fine paper, catalogues and telephone books - Place all materials securely in your blue box. These materials also include advertising inserts and flyers, mailed letters, coloured writing paper and photocopy paper and envelopes. No carbon or tissue is accepted.
- Corrugated cardboard - Please flatten and bundle all corrugated cardboard (layered boxes with a ripple between layers) and place them loosely in your blue box.
- Boxboard - This material includes cereal, detergent, shoe boxes and boxed food. Remove liners, flatten and place securely in a large boxboard. You can place cardboard and boxboard together loosely in your blue box.
Blue Box tips
Follow these simple Blue Box tips for an easy recycling experience:
- Keep newspaper separate from cardboard.
- Flatten and bundle boxes.
- Rinse cans and bottles thoroughly before placing them in the blue box.
- Keep glass separate to one side to avoid broken glass.
- Do not place broken glass or shards in the blue box.
- Place steel lids and jar lids in their bottles or jars to keep them together.
- Place cardboard and boxboard together.
- Place anything with a 'recycle' symbol in your blue box, if possible.
We will not collect the following items during garbage collection. Please use the hazardous waste facility or landfill.
- Landscape and yard debris (except during the scheduled fall leaf collection)
- Plant materials, such as grass clippings, plant clippings, leaves, roots and branches
- Ashes
- Carcasses or parts of any animal, with the exception of kitchen waste
- Biochemical waste, such as bandages, animal or human tissue or organs, poultices, medicines or syringes
- Building materials or building rubbish
- Compressed gas cylinders and explosive or incendiary materials
- Hay, straw or manure
- Human excrement
- Biological, toxic or hazardous waste
- Rags soaked in oil, gasoline or any other flammable substance
- Swill, organic matter not drained or wrapped, or liquid waste
- Automotive parts