I am a resident of this fine city and concerned with the “new” recycling program.
It seems counter-productive having to pay people to drive around from street to street going through our recycled materials. Not being able to recycle film plastic, which is one of the larger pollutants around these days, seems silly.
Other cities have taken what is called a “mainstream” approach to recycling. This approach keeps recycled materials in our own country and creates jobs in their own community. Why not hire people to sort out collected materials right here in Mission?
Maple Ridge has been doing this since 1972 and is considered a leader in the recycling world. Port Moody also does this. Their recycling is up, garbage is down and it gives people jobs right in their own community.
With this new program the city of Mission has adopted, we will see more and more garbage thrown into ditches and dumped wherever convenient for people to dump or homeowners will just toss it all in the garbage.
Having homeowners being forced to purchase blue bags on our own dime and dedicate large areas in our homes for recycling doesn’t make sense. If we could do mainstream recycling we all could have just one bag or bin to toss all recycling into. Recycling would go up and garbage would go down. Jobs here in B.C. would be created, instead of overseas.
This is just one resident’s opinion. However, I know I am not alone on this issue; just look at the outcry on social media. Residents are not happy about this. Then to have some city employees creeping around looking through our garbage and recycling?
Isn’t the money spent on their wages better spent somewhere else? I don’t know – maybe like fixing the giant potholes in this wonderful city.
Randy White
Mission