By Jill Sperling

Council hopes to rebate residents with Recycle BC funds

Oct 31, 2017 | 5:43 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops has been participating the Recycle BC program since April, and is now faced with the question of how best to use recycling revenues received through the agreement. 

The Packaging and Printed Paper Stewardship Plan partnership is expected to generate $1.1 million for Kamloops annually, while reducing expenses by $800,000. 

Recommendations to council were to provide recycling rebates and future enhancements to curbside recycling service by way of organic food waste collection. 

“When we signed on for the Recycle BC revenue we were unable to continue to charge residents the same rate and receive that $1.2 million in funding from Recycle BC,” said Streets and Environmental Services Manager Glen Farrow. “We’re able to offer that same rate, but we need to offer additional services. Is that organic collection? Is that glass collection? What is that? And if there’s not other options or other things pursued or done then it only makes sense to reduce that.” 

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Recycling rebates would save homeowners around $38 per year. 

While glass and soft plastic recycling was removed from the city’s curbside pick-up when Kamloops partnered with Recycle BC, organic waste was identified as a higher priority.

“I think the Recycle BC money that we’ve got, there seems to be some consensus that that should go back to the utility payers in some form of a rebate, and I concur with that,” Mayor Ken Christian said. “Finally, I think that the stated goal of looking at some potential to collect organic waste, whether that is through neighbourhood depots, or curbside pick-up, I think was subject of a lot of discussion. But, we have until 2025 and I think the direction that we give staff is to come back to us in 2019 with some more detailed plans with respect to organics.”