Calgary recycles

[Aegis]

I don't understand why they don't accept "plastics that aren't a container".

A lot of companies have taken a step in the right direction by adding a plastic recycling code to their goods, why not recycle them? (Ie: a plastic kitchen tool that can't be used anymore)

Also, why not accept ALL metal? Including gadgets and knick-nacks.

If anyone can shed some light on this, it would be much appreciated!

[MalcolmTucker]

gadgets and knick-nacks could be all sorts of different alloys or have none metals in them. Likely customers won't buy unsource traceable recyclables.

[Aegis]

Originally Posted by Sir.Humphrey.Appleby

gadgets and knick-nacks could be all sorts of different alloys or have none metals in them. Likely customers won't buy unsource traceable recyclables.

I thought that the metal recycling process sorted all different types of metals by sophisticated means (chemical properties?), but maybe this isn't true..

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by Aegis

I thought that the metal recycling process sorted all different types of metals by sophisticated means (chemical properties?), but maybe this isn't true..

Well, that is assuming everything would be one metal (like a pop can) or a set alloy (like a food tin). When you mix things together in electronics it is usually profitable to get the gold, silver and platinum out, and good for the environment to get the mercury out, but most of the rest is not economic to take out and just goes to landfill.

[Aegis]

Originally Posted by Sir.Humphrey.Appleby

Well, that is assuming everything would be one metal (like a pop can) or a set alloy (like a food tin). When you mix things together in electronics it is usually profitable to get the gold, silver and platinum out, and good for the environment to get the mercury out, but most of the rest is not economic to take out and just goes to landfill.

I realize that - my original question was why the City won't accept "all metal" items that aren't food cans.. like, spare copper wire, pipe, cutlery, etc..seems to me that it should be possible for a metal processing facility to deal with the materials

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by Aegis

I realize that - my original question was why the City won't accept "all metal" items that aren't food cans.. like, spare copper wire, pipe, cutlery, etc..seems to me that it should be possible for a metal processing facility to deal with the materials

Still, think about sorting through all the small lots. For copper, the city would have to set up an entirely separate channel for it, and since recycling is a communal service setting up a channel that some would use quite a bit, and most would use not at all is inequitable (if it is unprofitable). Expanding from aluminum and tin cans to a 'metal processing facility' is a pretty big step.

I am sure there are construction recycling companies that can handle stuff like this, since there needs to be to build any LEED building. They might even take drop offs.

[mersar]

Theres at least one or two places in Calgary that take pretty much any 'metal' thats just metal, as the recycling depot in Cochrane accepted pretty much anything so long as it had no big plastic components to it (ex: plastic coated metal coat hangers were OK, pots with plastic handles were not). Before they moved to their current facility they had a huge bin that you just tossed it into and they hauled it off to one to Calgary to whomever was buying it at that time. You'd have everything from barbeques to old pots to tin cans in that bin. I'm not sure what their current policy is since they do a lot more pre-sorting, but I do know its a bit broader then just tin cans. Sorting the material out at the processing facility isn't too complicated either, some can be sorted magnetically and I've also heard of processes to sort it out once its been melted down as different metals have different melting points and densities

[lubicon]

Last week must have been crazy for the recycling guys & gals with all the Christmas stuff going into the bins. My street usually sees the truck before 8 AM but didn't get there until late afternoon last Thursday. Too bad the City won't / can't publish some stats on how much material was collected over the holiday week.

And on a recycling related note, it's nice to see the City doing curbside pickup of Christmas trees this year.

[MalcolmTucker]

^ they were doing double Thursday shifts I think to take the Fridays off.

[You Need A Thneed]

Originally Posted by Sir.Humphrey.Appleby

^ they were doing double Thursday shifts I think to take the Fridays off.

My dad normally has Friday pickup, it was changed to be the following Monday for two weeks over the holidays.

[Aegis]

Originally Posted by mersar

Theres at least one or two places in Calgary that take pretty much any 'metal' thats just metal, as the recycling depot in Cochrane accepted pretty much anything so long as it had no big plastic components to it (ex: plastic coated metal coat hangers were OK, pots with plastic handles were not). Before they moved to their current facility they had a huge bin that you just tossed it into and they hauled it off to one to Calgary to whomever was buying it at that time. You'd have everything from barbeques to old pots to tin cans in that bin. I'm not sure what their current policy is since they do a lot more pre-sorting, but I do know its a bit broader then just tin cans. Sorting the material out at the processing facility isn't too complicated either, some can be sorted magnetically and I've also heard of processes to sort it out once its been melted down as different metals have different melting points and densities

I thought it would be easy enough for the city to collect the material, ship it to a metal processing firm, and then that firm sorts it. They have some pretty efficient ways of sorting through material, by way of electromagnetics and densities, etc. Oh well..

[You Need A Thneed]

Black-cart garbage program will save money, says city
Black bins coming to all houses this fall

BY JASON MARKUSOFF, CALGARY HERALDMARCH 25, 2010 8:14 AM


Calgary's upcoming black-cart garbage collection program will pay for itself within seven years because the pickup method slashes labour costs, a city official said Wednesday.

A year after curbside recycling came to Calgary, the city plans to distribute standardized waste bins to all houses starting this fall.

The black carts are the same size as the city's blue carts, so the automatic arms on Calgary's new waste-hauling fleet can scoop up both types. Trucks will need only one worker instead of two -- translating into about $2 million in savings a year, said Dave Griffiths, the city's director of waste and recycling.

So while black carts for all 300,000 Calgary houses will cost $14 million, switching over saves the city money in the long run, he said.

"The automated garbage program represents an opportunity for further efficiencies in the way we collect the residential garbage," Griffiths told reporters after briefing a council committee on future trash programs.

The automatic-arm trucks are an extra expense, but are being introduced only as Calgary's traditional garbage trucks reach their life span's end, he explained in an interview. All trucks will be replaced by late 2011.

The city has tested the automated black-cart service in five communities during the past 18 months, and residents say they like the program, aldermen and city officials said.

Ald. Gord Lowe recalled surveying Citadel homes about using black and blue carts.

"They said, 'Yeah, it's great.' "

Griffiths touts safety as another benefit of automated trash pickup. Staff working in the trial communities didn't suffer a single injury causing them to miss work in 18 months, while crews using traditional trucks had more than 50 such injuries from sprains, strains, cuts or slips.

Starting as soon as 2012, the city will launch a tag-a-bag program that charges Calgarians $2.30 or so for each excess trash bag beyond what fits into the 240-litre carts. A green cart could also be in the works, as Calgary mulls future citywide collection for organics and compost -- which aldermen rejected before as a cost-cutting move.

The debate is still some time away, but Ald. Ric McIver said he's unsure if Calgarians want to haul out three or more carts every garbage day. He expressed skepticism about officials' cost-saving estimates.

"We'll see if it does show up on the tax bill in a few years in terms of actual savings. If it does, great."

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© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

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[freeweed]

I'm really looking forward to the black carts. The no-sort blue bins have been a godsend and make garbage handling at Chez Freeweed a real joy. 2 bins vs 1 bin + bag(s) sounds easier.

Not keen on the green bins as I have virtually no organic waste by volume. So long as there isn't a *requirement* to have it out on the curb I suppose it won't affect me. I've seen some cities where if you don't have all the proper bins out, the city won't collect anything - on the assumption that you're "cheating" and putting organics or recycling into the black, or what have you.

Probably a good idea for the folks who wastefully discard their lawn clippings though.

[lubicon]

Saturday's Herald had an article on this as well. The article hinted that you MAY be able to opt for a smaller 'black' cart for a lower monthly cost if you wanted. That would be a great idea and I almost certainly would go for that option. As it is we only set out our garbage about every 2 weeks and the bag/can that we have is much smaller than the blue cart used for recycling.

[Stang]

Originally Posted by lubicon

Saturday's Herald had an article on this as well. The article hinted that you MAY be able to opt for a smaller 'black' cart for a lower monthly cost if you wanted. That would be a great idea and I almost certainly would go for that option. As it is we only set out our garbage about every 2 weeks and the bag/can that we have is much smaller than the blue cart used for recycling.

That sounds interesting. I also seem to have a bag of garbage every two weeks, compared to at least half a bin of recycling every week. If I forget to wheel my bin out on recycling day, I'm cussing myself as I know that I'll probably have it filled by the same time next week. But if I forget to put my garbage out, I'm usually still on the same bag by next week.

Does anyone know an exact timeframe as to when each quadrant will get their garbage bins. I have been envious of Huntington and their black bins during the pilot project.

[fusili]

Both the black bins and green bins are a great idea. Hopefully the smaller black bins idea goes ahead, as it is an incentive to waste less. Green bins are a fantastic idea. We can collect all that organic waste, put it into methane bio-reactors and burn the methane as part of a district heating system. The cost savings are fantastic, since we are already transporting the waste to the landfill anyway- might as well make some money and energy off of it.

[DizzyEdge]

I am in one of the trial areas, and I love it. I have the bins wheeled up to my deck so I can just toss the bags into the garbage one or empty my mini recycling bin in my back porch into the the blue one, and only need to wheel them out probably once every 2-3 wks. And no worry of cats ripping every bag apart.

[Knoots]

Does anyone know if multi-family units will get the black bins? I live in a 6 plex and we don't qualify for the blue bins (only 4 plexes get them). I'm so envious of the 4 plex next door that has the bins - I've been tempted to put my recycling in their bin rather than driving over to the depot.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

I am in one of the trial areas, and I love it. I have the bins wheeled up to my deck so I can just toss the bags into the garbage one or empty my mini recycling bin in my back porch into the the blue one, and only need to wheel them out probably once every 2-3 wks. And no worry of cats ripping every bag apart.

In my area it's been coyotes. It's bad enough that I don't like putting the garbage out the night before, because half the time bags are ripped open in the morning.

I'd LOVE the black bins, if just for that.

Also, the city is considering alternating weeks - one week blue bins, one week black. That'd work great for me because it's extremely rare for me to fill the blue bin, and usually that only happens when I get lazy and don't collapse boxes, etc.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by Knoots

Does anyone know if multi-family units will get the black bins? I live in a 6 plex and we don't qualify for the blue bins (only 4 plexes get them). I'm so envious of the 4 plex next door that has the bins - I've been tempted to put my recycling in their bin rather than driving over to the depot.

The multifamily waste issue pisses me off. The blue bins are not done by the City for multifamily and AFAIK, most multifamily regular garbage isn't covered by Calgary Waste and Recycling Services, and is instead done by private companies. It sucks.