Following up on the glass recycling program, or lack there of, I received an answer from Mayor Jakeway. He also expressed his frustration with the Comox Strathcona Waste Management [CSWVM], as far as the direction they are taking.
I also received an e-mail from the Sustainability Manager at City Hall. Apparently there is not currently a viable option for non-beverage container glass recycling on Vancouver Island. Municipalities in the lower mainland are currently shipping their glass to the U.S. There is no longer a processing plant in B.C.
It was also suggested that I should watch a video:www.csvm.ca/glass. I did watch the video. The police constable in the video says the enforcement problems at the recycle centers are minor. The fact that there seems to be people fighting over our glass products brings up all kinds of other discussions for the future.
I reminded the sender of the e-mail of a time I remember and countries I have visited with no recycle programs at all. The mess is deplorable. Maybe as consumers we need to be more wary of our purchases, especially if they are contained by glass. On a positive note, according to City Hall, in the spring of 2014, Multi-material BC and Encorp are looking to start collection of household glass. I suggested then “ why not keep the existing facilities open until then?” Who knew this would be so complicated, when all we recyclers are trying to do is the right thing?
Dale Bradley
Campbell River