108 Mile Ranch Curbside Collection

Where will the packaging and printed paper (PPP) recyclables go after they are collected curbside?

The collection vehicle will drop the PPP recyclables off at Gold Trail Recycling in 100 Mile House, where the material will be bailed and stored until it is shipped to the lower mainland where it will be processed/sorted for recycling.

Why isn't glass, polystyrene foam (styrofoam) or plastic bags accepted in the curbside collection?

Glass and polystyrene foam will break during the collection and bailing process. The glass shards and polystyrene fragments will contaminate the remaining PPP, making it difficult or impractical to recycle. The glass shards also create hazards for anyone who handles the materials. Air separation is one of the methods used to sort some of the paper products from the remaining PPP in the sorting process, and plastic bags act like paper in this process, which contaminates the paper products.

Do I have to put my garbage tote out every week and my recycling tote out every other week?

No, you may choose to put your totes out only when they are full. This means you may only put your garbage tote out twice a month and the recycling tote out once a month but be sure the recycling tote only goes out on a designated collection day.

Why is the recycling collection only every other week?

In order to provide PPP collection to the 108 Mile Ranch, the CRD entered into a contract with MMBC to receive funds to help pay for the service. The funds were only enough to provide bi-weekly collection; weekly collection would have meant a tax increase.

Will the garbage and PPP be collected at the same time?

No, on Wednesdays the garbage will be collected in the morning and taken to the landfill, the truck will then return in the afternoon to collect the PPP recyclables. On Thursday morning the PPP recyclables will be collected first, and the truck will take all the PPP recyclables, including the material collected on Wednesday, to Gold Trail Recycling. Then the truck will return in the afternoon to collect the Thursday garbage. On the days that both garbage and recycling are collected your totes may not be emptied until 4:30 pm or 5 pm, please allow this time for your totes to be emptied.

Can I still use my old garbage cans?

No, only the new totes can be emptied into the automated collection vehicle. The driver has no way of manually putting material into the truck.

Which way do the totes face?

The wheels of the totes should be facing your house. The lid should open towards the street.

Should I put my recyclables into a bag?

No. Please do not use blue recycle bags, or other plastic bags to contain your recyclables. Recyclables should be placed loose inside the tote. Shredded paper should be contained in a paper bag, or in a box of some kind (i.e. cereal, shoe, tissue paper etc.)

Do I need to put a large garbage bag inside the garbage tote?

No. You may put your garbage in the tote loose, or inside garbage bags that are tied off.  

Can I put bags of grass clippings or leaves on top of the garbage tote?

No. If there are bags with any kind of material placed on top of either of the garbage or recycling totes, they will not be collected. The new collection is automated; the driver does not have the ability to put waste into the truck by hand. Bags of yard waste can be disposed of in your garbage tote if there is room. Alternately, you may want to consider composting your yard and garden waste at home, or taking the material to the Lac La Hache Transfer Station wood waste area.

Why should I compost my yard and garden waste rather than put it into the garbage tote?

When organics like yard and garden waste or food waste are disposed of in a landfill, they produce methane gas as they decompose. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 21 times more harmful than carbon dioxide when related to climate change. When organics are composted, they produce carbon dioxide as they compost.

Did the garbage man lose his job? Is the new collector from the United States?

No, the same company (and driver) is collecting the garbage and recycling as did the garbage collection before.

Are disposable razors and other plastic items okay to put into the recycling bin?

No. The recycling program is for packaging and printed paper products only. Disposable razors are not a package and should be disposed of in the garbage. This applies to other plastic products like toys, cleaning tools, plates, utensils, etc.

Is garbage collection on Wednesdays and recycling collection on Thursdays?

No. Half of the 108 Ranch will receive garbage collection every Wednesdays and recycling collection every other Wednesday. The other half of the Ranch will receive garbage collection every Thursday, and recycling collection every other Thursday.