Greater Victoria curbside glass recycling under review
The regional government for the Victoria area has agreed to review the curbside collection of glass over concerns about its impact on the local economy and environment.
Recycling collection centres in the Victoria area say about $300,000 in bottle deposits that could go back into the economy are disappearing into blue boxes, hurting local jobs and charities that rely on bottle drives.
"It's a change that is happening throughout B.C. — Less than half of the municipalities are collecting glass at curb," said Darcy Hipwell, owner of the Bottle Depot recycling collection centres in the capital region.
Beer bottles disappear
Some local breweries on Vancouver Island also say they are losing too many refillable bottles because they are only returned to them if people take them to recycling collection centres.
"These bottles are washed and reused on average 13 times, said Matt Phillips with Phillips Brewing Company in a letter to the Capital Regional District. "This number relies heavily upon return rates."
At the request of local breweries and recycling collection centres, the board that oversees recycling services in the Capital Regional District has agreed to review curbside glass pickup. Staff will report back before a decision is made.
Another option would be to consider a ban on putting glass that has a refundable deposit in blue bins, Hipwell said.
Convenience matters
Eliminating the pick up for glass recycling at the curb could mean it will just go straight in the trash instead, said Geoff Young, a Victoria director for the Capital Regional District.
This is especially a concern in urban areas where many people don't have cars to take heavy recycling to return centres, he said.
"What we are telling people is you can't go into a store and buy a jar of pickles, because if you do, you are going to have to make a trek to some bottle blocks away from where you live, or farther."
About 80 per cent of glass is already taken to collection sites such as Bottle Depot, but of the 20 per cent that is put out for curbside recycling, two-thirds could have been returned for a refund.
