Gander man's recycling chutes clever but hazardous, says fire inspector
A Gander man who came up with an ingenious way to sort his recyclables may be putting himself at risk, according to an inspector with the local fire department.
Gander resident Sheldon Pilgrim wanted a more efficient and convenient way to go about recycling, so he installed chutes under his kitchen sink that sent items from the kitchen to bins and bags in his basement.
- He chutes, he scores: Gander man installs recycling chutes under kitchen sink
While Pilgrim may have been proud of his design, local fire inspector Addison Quilty says the modification could be a potential safety hazard.
"In the national building code, it states that anything coming up through floors should be tightly fitted," he told CBC's Central Morning Show.
"Your duct work and all that, that comes up, it's closed in with gyproc. These are not enclosed obviously, and it creates a path to travel for fire to spread throughout the home."
Quilty says the do-it-yourself recycling solution may also cause insurance issues.
He says building inspectors can help advise on what you can and can't do when it comes to do-it-yourself projects.
