THUNDER BAY – As residents prepare to make the transition from blue bags to bins next week, other options for recycling will remain available.
“I almost say it’s bittersweet in a sense. We have been on a blue bag program since its inception,” said Jason Sherband, manager of solid waste and recycling with the city of Thunder Bay.
“It is the last couple days of the blue bags. But I think this is a good thing moving to automatic cart collection for recycling. It is the way of the future so I am excited.”
GFL Environmental, who is contracted by the city to handle curbside recycling, announced earlier this year that it was transitioning to automatic collection using 360-litre bins, which were delivered to residents in May.
“We are not reinventing the wheel. This is something that is being rolled out all over North America,” Sherband said. “Advantages from a worker perspective, you take the manual and physical labour out of it. And obviously residents don’t have to purchase bags anymore. We’ve heard over the years that people didn’t like that aspect of it.”
Concerns have been raised by residents who say the large bins may present challenges to seniors or people with limited mobility.
GFL said it will work with residents who may have difficulties using the bins.
“I really believe for people who are maybe on the fence using them, I think the narrative will be a little different a few months from now as they use them,” Sherband said.
There were also concerns that the blue bag program resulted in recyclables being thrown out because of too much contamination from unclean items.
Sherband said that is not 100 per cent accurate and there was always a certain level of contamination that was acceptable.
He said it is easier to hide contaminated items in a bin but he hopes residents will do the right thing.
“I’m hoping we’ve done a good job as a municipality in educating and I hope people know what’s acceptable and do the right thing,” he said. “I’m hoping contamination will be the same or go down in the future.”
The city’s three recycling depots will also remain open for people to bring their recyclable materials directly.
According to Sherband, approximately a third of recycling collected comes from the depots.
“I don’t think the use is going to go down,” he said. “If people can’t fit everything in a bin, I can see them coming more frequently. If it will go up, we will have to see.”
Kim Sjolund, who was at the Walsh Street recycling depot, said she has always used the depots but is happy she can start using the bins.
“I’m pretty excited. I’ve always brought my recycling here and done it myself instead of putting it at the curbside, but now I can and it will be very convenient,” she said.
Sjolund added that she is not too concerned about the size or weight of the bin.
“I’m thinking if people are concerned about the weight, then they should probably try to keep the bins closer to the road if they can,” she said. “And I find a lot of recycling isn’t very heavy. Most of it is plastic and that’s quite light.”
Sherband is asking residents to be patient during the transition to the bins.
“What GFL has indicated is they will work with residents,” he said. “I envision there would be some kind of a grace period if people are putting bags out they will be notified to correct the problem. I think everyone has to work together for the first little bit.”
GFL says residents who require assistance or have questions about the use of recycling carts should contact the company's customer service team at
1-844-870-4351.
