YORKTON -
Earth Day was Friday and SaskAbilities in Yorkton highlighted the day with a facility tour.
“For the last few years SaskAbilities has tried to organize something with Earth Day,” explained Regional Director Aleks Hoeber.
Friday the event was twofold, beginning with interested people being bused to the recycling centre on Ball Road on a city transit bus.
Hoeber said it was an effort to raise awareness of the bus service, and how it is environmentally wise to use the bus if possible. For example, at the morning tour nine people rode the bus, all of who might have drove their own cars burning fuel otherwise, she explained.
There is a transit live app to help people with using the bus, which Hoeber explained actually shows just where Yorkton buses are at anytime they are operating.
The second part of the event toured the centre where loads of residential and business garbage to be recycled are sorted.
In 2021 the facility processed 2576 tonnes of material, the majority being cardboard, but also including plastics, paper, glass and other items.
Not all of the material that hits the recycling centre floor ends up being shipped for recycling as a lot of material does not fit with rather specific rules for recycling.
For example, it was explained the ‘hardcover’ of books must be removed as they are not recyclable. So books with covers are diverted to the city landfill.
Likewise, cardboard that has grease stains or gotten wet is lost, so no pizza boxes, and it’s important to get recycle bins that close to protect the contents from snow, or rain.
Glass jars must be rinsed.
The jars are best delivered to the centre or SARCAN directly to place into bins, because if they are in a huge load and break once they tumble onto the floor, they go to the landfill.
In total 161.4 tonnes of material taken in ended up still flowing to the landfill.
There is a long list of materials the centre will not accept including; light bulbs, waxed cardboard, styrofoam, stoneware, motor oil containers, plastics without the recycle symbol such as toys, drinking glasses, and nursery plant containers.
Angele Proulx, process operator at the facility said two things people could do to help the process is to make sure containers are rinsed, and to make sure styrofoam and cellophane plastic is not put in recycling bags, and to not include anything with food residues.
If you are unsure if something should go to recycle then the recycle coach app can help.
Hoeber noted that with the app you can type in a particular item, such as oil, and it will direct you to the location accepting used oil, including a map to the spot.
The same app allows people to log in their address and it will tell you what day is recycling pick-up, and what day garbage is picked up. If there are delays because of holidays those are also noted, said Hoeber.
The recycling centre is part of a larger recycling effort in Yorkton with partners including Prairie Harvest Employment Program (PHEP), SARCAN and the City of Yorkton.
Interestingly, it was noted from April 2021 through March of this year SARCAN in the city handled 11 million bottles and cans.
