Editor:
Recently we received a notice in the mailbox from the City of Delta regarding changes to the recycling program that will be coming soon.
On the back of the notice, it states what is going to be different: 1) Mixed paper and cardboard will only be allowed in a large yellow bag or a mixed paper bin; 2) glass bottles and jars will only be allowed in a grey box or glass bin; and 3) plastic, metal, cartons, and paper cups will only be allowed in a blue box or a containers bin.
A grey box and a larger yellow bag will be delivered to all properties with curbside recycling, and glass bins will be provided to all buildings with shared recycling. Sounds pretty straightforward, right?
One glaring issue with this new “improved” recycling program is that plastic bags and foam containers will no longer be accepted in recycling bins. The residents of Delta will be required to take these items to local depots for recycling.
Obviously, City of Delta just assumes that everyone in Delta is a car owner, and they can just drive to the local depot to recycle these items. That is not the always the case. Some people in Delta survive on low or fixed incomes, and can’t afford a car.
So why can’t Deltans who don’t own cars simply walk or take transit to the recycling depots? This is not always practical due to the potentially high volume of items that need to be recycled. Some people in Delta have disabilities, which preclude them from walking long distances, and carrying cumbersome packages.
Also, during the present COVID-19 crisis, many people are not comfortable taking local transit right now because TransLink is not requiring the mandatory use of masks on buses.
Further, since many people in Delta are not still leaving their homes, and may be purchasing their groceries online (and then having them delivered), they rely on curbside recycling to dispose of garbage, compost and other unwanted items.
So if the people of Delta aren’t allowed to include plastic bags or foam containers in their curbside recycling boxes, and they can’t get to the local depot, then what is going to happen to all of those plastic bags and foam containers? They will likely end up in regular garbage cans, and ultimately in the landfill where they will not decompose.
If the officials at the City of Delta won’t allow the residents of Delta to recycle plastic bags or foam containers in their recycling bins, and they don’t want these non-compostable items to end up in the landfill, then there is only one other practical option: the City of Delta needs to enact a bylaw.
It needs to start banning the manufacture and distribution of plastic bags and foam containers here. No local grocery stores and restaurants should be allowed to use plastic bags or foam containers for their in-store or take-out items within municipal limits. Period. Any non-compliance with the bylaw could result in inspections and fines.
The fact of the matter is there are other more environmentally friendly options like cardboard or bamboo, which can be used to transport small volumes of food and other goods, which can be recycled or composted later.
Garbage pollution has been a social and environmental issue in North America and beyond for as long as I can remember. The presence of a global pandemic does not excuse that.
The City of Delta needs to start taking more responsibility to ensure that non-compostable items (like plastic and Styrofoam) do not end up in the regional landfill. The city also needs to stop “passing the buck” to the residents of Delta. That’s not what the people of Delta pay taxes for.
A. Cameron
