Randy Wong, operations manager with GLF Environmental conducts a recycling audit at a home in the Ranchlands neighborhood

By Tiffany Goodwein

Street team checking bins to educate public on recycling

Jun 8, 2021 | 5:30 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB– A check in one of the blue bins, and on goes a thank-you note.

This is a day in the life of Randy Wong, a street team member with GFL Environmental whose mission is to educate the public on recycling.

“Overall I think we are doing really good. I think most people are doing a real good job with recycling. The very few I think we find that we have got some items in there that we are trying to clean up,” said Wong who is also the operations manager.

The last time an audit was conducted, the city had a five per cent contamination rate, which means non-recyclable items found in the bins.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Medicine Hat's Mustard Seed adding new shelter spaces at Alberta government's request

3h ago

HOLIDAYS

Medicine Hat Kiwanis hosting Christmas dinner, applications due Friday

5h ago

IN THE COMMUNITY

'Compassionate Friends' offer peer support for bereaved in Medicine Hat

21h ago

This time of the year, Wong says yard waste is the main culprit in contamination.

“Grass clippings in a bag should be in a green bin and not a blue bin, construction material, wood, we see a lot of that in the bins so this time of the year we see a lot of garden things, garden hoses are also one of the items that is not acceptable,” he said.

The street team is contracted out by the city’s solid waste department who says there are benefits to keeping contamination rates low.

“At the end of the day, we do the street teams in conjunction with GFL to ensure our costs remain down,” said Shane Briggs, the city’s solid waste collections superintendent.

“So with less contamination means less money the city and taxpayers will have to pay for this service,” Briggs added.

In general, paper, plastics, cardboard, aluminum and tins are allowed in the recycling bin, according to GFL Environmental.

Items must be cleaned of food waste. Plastic bags and shredded paper must be bundled in a clear bag before it is placed in the cart.

Plastic food wrap, metal waste, Styrofoam, clothing, glass and hazardous waste are not acceptable.

When it comes to recycling, Wong says it’s integral for everyone to ensure that what they are putting in, is actually allowed.

Once it is collected, the material is processed and sold to other markets who then make recycled material.

Contamination of any sort, even if it is just from one household, can have major implications.

“It risks the whole load from being contaminated if someone puts a container of oil that is in the bin and the oil spills over the material. That goes into the truck and contaminates everybody else’s material,” Wong said.

If you are still unsure of what item goes where, Wong says there are some ways to know if something is recyclable.

“When we are dealing with plastics, there’s a one to seven number on the bottom of the container. If it has that symbol, throw it in the bin. If you don’t see a symbol and you think it is recyclable we ask that you throw that out, ” he said.

The City of Medicine Hat also has more information on its website.