Starting the week of May 22, 2023 and continuing to the end of August, our environmental students will be conducting our annual Visual Blue Bin Recycling Audit program.
Here are some details about the program:
Why do we audit blue recycling bins?
Recycle BC has requested the City to lower our blue bin contamination by 25% by October 2023. If we do not reduce our contamination from 9.71% to 7.28% there is the chance that Recycle BC could implement a Service Level Failure credit which will reduce the funding provided by them for the City to collect recycling on their behalf. This would result in a higher cost for the City to operate curbside collection, we need to avoid this. This program is a key component to our Curbside Contamination Remediation Plan.
Stickers 
If you see a sticker on your recycling, it will be for one of the following reasons:
- If your bins is found to have excessive contamination, it will be stickered and rejected. The top few items that were unacceptable will be written or circled on the sticker, the bin will then be placed back on the resident’s property near their garage or front door so that the collection contractor knows not to collect it.
- If your bins has very minimal amounts of contamination, it will be stickered and the warning box checked on the sticker. These bins will not be moved away from the curb and will still be collected this time.
- Bins with no contamination will be stickered with a ‘kudos’ star sticker.
- Bins that have been given a warning sticker or rejected will be revisited. Those with no change will be rejected and issued a warning letter. If on the third visit contamination is still present it will be escalated on a case-by-case basis. This could be a suspension of service or potentially a fine.
Click here for more information on our curbside recycling program.