City Warns of High Levels of Recycling Contamination

The City is asking residents to help reduce recycling contamination by keeping the wrong items out of recycling carts.

Current contamination rates are almost triple the maximum allowed threshold: 18 per cent of items thrown in the blue recycling carts do not belong there. Contamination must be reduced to six per cent. Continued contamination rates over six per cent will result in additional waste fees for the City.

“We know residents care about doing the right thing,” said Carolyn Kalim, Director of Waste, Water and Environment. “Simple sorting habits at home, such as placing recyclables loose in the cart rather than in plastic bags, can make a big difference.”

Contamination in blue carts can tangle up in machinery, slow operations, and result in recyclables being discarded. SK Recycles, the not-for-profit responsible for residential packaging and paper recycling, may impose financial penalties to the City if contamination remains high.

“It's important for residents to sort clean material for collection and to take items like flexible plastics, foam packaging and glass bottles and jars to SARCAN to help ensure what is collected can be recycled properly,” said Brendan McShane, VP Operations, SK Recycles. “Keeping contamination low supports efficient processing, better improves recycling and environmental outcomes and ensures the program continues to operate cost-effectively for the community.”

The most common problem items in blue carts include:

• Bagging recyclables: recycling must be placed loose in the bin.

• Flexible plastics such as chip bags, plastic wrap and frozen vegetable bags

• Foam packaging.

Flexible plastic and foam packing should be placed in the brown cart or taken to SARCAN when dropping off refundable containers. Other contaminants in the blue cart like furnace filters must go in the brown cart.

Through proper sorting, residents can help keep the recycling program running efficiently and avoid costs caused by contamination. Residents can learn more about what belongs in their recycling cart at Regina.ca/Waste.