By Charles Lefebvre

City reminds residents about proper holiday recycling

Dec 20, 2018 | 11:03 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The City of Medicine Hat’s environmental utilities department is expecting full recycling carts when they pick them up at homes next week.

“With Christmas, that means more wrapping, more boxes and that sort of material that mainly can be recycled,” said Grant Guenther with the city. “We expect our blue carts to be much fuller than usual.”

However, Guenther is reminding people that there are still some items under the tree that cannot be recycled, and work needs to be done by residents to make it easier for people sorting recycling.

“Christmas items are no different than any other time of the year,” he said. “If it’s a recyclable plastic, or any sort of paper item, it can be recycled.”

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Only wrapping paper that is 100 per cent paper can be recycled, says Guenther. Wrapping paper of mixed material, such as paper and plastic, cannot be recycled.

“Due to the sorting process, if it’s combined like that, it can’t be recycled,” he said.

Tape and ribbon also needs to removed from wrapping paper before it gets recycled.

Guenther is also reminding residents to rinse out plastic containers, aluminum cans and tin foil before placing them in the blue carts to avoid contaminating the other recyclables in the bin

“The less contamination that gets into the recycling cart, the easier time they have at the recycling facility,” he said. “If a load becomes too contaminated, it can cause problems for the entire load, making it so even more product can’t be recycled. They may have to landfill an entire load for example.”

Glass products cannot be recycled in the blue carts, and have to be brought down to a recycling bin.

While there will be waste and recycling pickup on Christmas Eve., there will be none on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. Regular pickup resumes on December 27.

Guenther adds recycling of natural Christmas trees will run from December 27-January 31. Trees need to have all ornaments, lights and decorations removed from them before they can be recycled.

Trees can be dropped off at Kipling Street, behind Shamrock Bottle Depot, and at the Medicine Hat Mall.