Of the new plastics, those bearing numbers 5 and 6 are the most common.
The move comes a little more than a year after the city expanded collection to include all #1 and #2 plastics, rather than only bottles.
Coun. Andrew Foulds, who had pushed to make the expansion in 2020, called Monday’s vote to do so a sign the city was ready to “join the 21st century.”
“I think it’s fair to say I’m frustrated it’s taken this long, and I’m quite sure citizens are fairly frustrated they haven’t been able to do this recycling as well,” he said.
He pointed out the move could help extend the lifespan of the city’s Mapleward landfill, currently estimated to last another 21 years.
Manager of solid waste and recycling services Jason Sherband agreed that would be the case, but warned the impact would likely be minimal.
Plastics #3 to #7 typically make up around three to five per cent of the waste stream by weight, he said, estimating that would translate to about 200 to 300 tonnes per year.
He also speculated the change could boost overall recycling uptake, by removing confusion over which items can and can’t be put in a blue bag.
“I think it simplifies the program, so maybe [residents] who were frustrated with what’s in and out may recycle more of the other stuff, too,” he said.
The city’s contract with GFL Environmental allows it to expand collection, and the company has no objections to the plan, according to a report from Sherband.
Any revenues from sale of the new plastics would be shared under the contract, and used to offset operating costs, which are expected to increase by roughly $134,000 per year.
It’s uncertain how much revenue there will be to divide, however. The recycling industry has struggled in recent years, Sherband said, with previous reports to council indicating there would likely be no market demand for #3 to #7 plastics.
However, he told councillors there now would be demand for the material, partly thanks to increased government regulations promoting recycling.
“We’ve had discussions with our service provider [and] they have markets for this stuff,” he said. “I can tell you there’s been a net positive return on [#3 to #7 plastics].”
The city had to seek special approval from the province for the expansion, since it comes during the transition to a new provincial system making producers of packaging and other products fully responsible for recycling, which will be fully phased in by 2026.
The current provincial program funds approximately 50 per cent of municipal costs.
The city plans to roll out an education program for the public in advance of the transition to accept numbers 1 through 7 as of May 1, 2022, Sherband noted.
City councillors voted unanimously in favour of the expansion Monday, with Neebing Ward councillor Cody Fraser absent.
Note: An earlier version of this article indicated styrofoam would be among the materials newly included in municipal collection. In fact, the expansion includes only plastic containers with codes #3 through #7. TBNewswatch apologizes for the error.
