The Cranbrook Transfer Station will soon be home to a host of new recycling options as the RDEK opens a Recycle BC Depot on the site.

“This will be our third Recycle BC Depot to open at our facilities and we are excited to provide residents with an opportunity to easily recycle so many more items than are accepted in the yellow bin system,” says RDEK Board Chair Rob Gay. Some of the items that will be accepted at the new Depot include Styrofoam, #7 plastics, milk cartons, tetra containers for soup and milk substitutes, zippered bags like Ziplocs and pet food bags, aerosol cans and more.

“We will have the Depot open at 8:30am on December 10^th and will have staff on hand to help provide information and tips to residents as they adjust to the new system on the site,” explains Environmental Services Manager Kevin Paterson. The recycling area at the Cranbrook Transfer Station will be closed on Monday, December 9^th so that the new depot can be configured and set up.

In addition to the new Recycle BC Depot, which accepts over 76 additional items than can be put in the yellow bins, the Cranbrook Transfer Station is home to the regional Household Hazardous Waste Depot, which takes everything from oil and antifreeze to mercury and old household cleaners. “We have heard from residents there is a desire to have more opportunities, and we are excited that the Cranbrook Transfer Station is not only going to be able to accept more recyclables, but will become more of a “one-stop” destination for recycling, garbage and household hazardous waste disposal,” adds Paterson.

Recycle BC pays the RDEK for every tonne of recyclables collected at the Recycle BC Depots. “So, not only are residents able to recycle more, the more recycling we can direct into the Recycle BC Depots, the more taxpayer dollars will be saved,” says Paterson. By contrast, the regional yellow bin program is funded through taxes and costs the RDEK for every tonne collected.

The yellow bin system remains in place; however, it only accepts paper, cardboard, tin/aluminum cans, grocery/shopping bags and plastics #1-#6. “It is very important to understand that this is a new option and a totally separate program from the yellow bin system. People will have to use the Recycle BC Depot if they want to access these new recycling opportunities as we do not have access to the same markets through our yellow bin system,” stresses Paterson.

The RDEK has Recycle BC Depots at the Kimberley Transfer Station and Columbia Valley Landfill and is aiming to open depots in the Elk Valley in early 2020.