City parts way with curbside recycling provider

According to Lora Brenan, general manager of Environmental Utilities, negotiations with the company have been underway for the past six months, and plastic recycling has been the main issue.

“There’s been disruption in the market around what to do with plastics, and their recycling process was making it quite difficult for them to continue the contract at the price they had originally quoted,” she said.

Medicine Hat residents pay $6.31 per month for residential recycling, according to the city’s website.

Costs to find markets and vendors for plastics have affected recycling programs across North America. Brenan says Can Pak indicated to the city that the recycling rate must increase for residents.

However, the city says Can Pak will keep running the program until a new company is selected.

“We want everyone to know the recycling program will continue,” she said. “We’re going to try our best to make sure there’s no disruption in service, and that we’ve done this so we can keep their rates as low as possible for the foreseeable future.”

The city says negotiations are ongoing, with the goal of having a new partner in place by the end of October.

The City’s Solid Waste Utility webpage will be updated with information on the program as it becomes available.

by Regan Tate/Charles Lefebvre

City parts way with curbside recycling provider

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