By Alicia Draus

REDI Enterprises concerned about proposed curbside recycling

Jan 9, 2017 | 11:41 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — City Council will be voting on Monday to give initial approval for a curbside recycling in the city. The proposed one-bin pick up program would add $6 per month to utility bills.

Last year the city did a survey with residents asking if they’d like to see a curbside program and 75 per cent said yes.

But local non-profit, REDI Enterprises, worries about how they’ll be affected if an outside company comes in.

REDI submitted a bid on the Request For Proposal for both curbside pick up and the municipal recycling facility (MRF).

Executive Director, Karen Gingras says they have not heard anything from the city but adds reports from a recent Utilities Commission do not look good for them.

HERE'S WHAT TO KNOW

Summer pool hours extended and discounts applied as Big Marble Go Centre upgrades start

Apr 18, 2024

Medicine Hat company drawing in clients with witty signage

Apr 16, 2024

Medicine Hat College holding event for missing and murdered Indigenous women awareness day

Apr 16, 2024

“It sounded like they were going with someone else, that’s kind of the sense we’re getting from it.”

Gingras says if the city chooses an outside company it would have a big impact on REDI and their existing municipal recycling facility.

“That’s a big concern for us, because not only does the recycling facility employ 18 people, but we rely on the profit from our recycling and bottle depot to support our services,” she said. “We’ve done the math and if we did not get that contract we would lose $75,000.”

Regardless of who wins the bid, it would likely create new jobs in the form of drivers but Gingras says there could be unintended consequences.

“They probably won’t need as many people if they don’t do the sorting we do, they’re just going to bundle it and ship it to their sorting.”

Gingras says there is a lot of unknown still but says she hopes that council will reconsider moving forward with curbside recycling.

“We’re hoping that they don’t go with curbside,” said Gingras. “We stand a far better chance to operate MRF without the curbside.”