Mayor's Report - January 1999

An operations analysis of the compactor and recycling facilities for 1998 has again provided some very interesting statistics. Last year Belcarra residents generated 377,600 pounds (188.8 tons) of refuse and 153,600 pounds (76.8 tons) of recyclables. This was a total waste stream of 531,200 pounds (265.6 tons) for 1998! The proportion of waste recycled in 1998 accounted for 29% of the total, which is a decrease from the 31% recycled in 1997. Further analysis shows that it cost $99 per ton to transport and dispose of the garbage, and only $31 per ton to transport and process the recyclables (down from $34 per ton in 1997 and $104 per ton in 1993).

It is interesting to note that the volume of waste for 1998 equates to 1,970 pounds per household, which is much more than each of the last two years, and is significantly more than the "low" of 1,500 pounds per household disposed in 1995! The question is: "Why does the 'waste per household' average appear to be increasing?"

When Belcarra's recycling program began in 1990, processing recyclables actually cost a "premium" over garbage disposal costs. However, by the start of 1994, the cost of processing recyclables had decreased to $69 per ton, the same cost as the "tip fee" at the regional landfills. In October of 1994, the company that processes Belcarra's recyclables, Environmental Technologies Limited (ETL), reduced their processing charge from $69 per ton to $50 per ton. That was the "turning point". But the big news occurred in May of 1995 when ETL advised that they would pay for recyclables. Today, this means that recycling saves the community $68 per ton! It is obvious that the amount of waste diverted to recycling be maximized as this lowers the total cost of waste disposal for Belcarra.

During 1998, Belcarra residents recycled 29% of their total waste stream. While 29% is still commendable, we must achieve further increases in the percentage diverted to recycling if we want to appreciably reduce our volume of garbage and control garbage disposal costs in the future. In addition, if we want to achieve the provincial recycling target of 50%, then we must do much more. We can only improve our recycling effort with the total involvement and support of the users of the system, that is, the residents of Belcarra.

The cost of garbage disposal will continue to increase in the coming years, and there will be an increased price to pay if we don't continue to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

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