City to examine recycling program in public spaces

North Bay City Council voted in favour of a motion during its last regular meeting that directs staff to study and possibly launch a recycling program in targeted public spaces, including parks, downtown locations, community waterfront areas, and all City of North Bay facilities and arenas.

This study will examine the financial and logistical factors necessary to launch the program and station recycling bins in areas where public garbage collection is available, particularly in parks, downtown areas, community waterfronts, and all City of North Bay facilities and arenas.

In previous budget discussions, the council has heard the staff's reservations about such a program because public recycling can be fraught with issues such as contamination without a public education component. There is also the workforce component — will existing municipal employees empty the recycling bins or will additional staff need to be hired?

Speaking of the financials, an amendment to the original motion brought forward by Councllors Sara Inch and Jamie Lowery was tabled by Coun. Tanya Vrebosch and seconded by Coun. Chris Mayne and passed to include the initiative in the 2024 budget process.

"As a municipal councillor, I am thrilled to see our city's renewed commitment to extending the life of our landfill," said Inch. Making recycling available in public spaces is a "small step in what will be the first of many initiatives to extend the life of the Merrick Landfill by providing a cost-effective method to conserve tax dollars."

See related: Council motion could lead to public recycling program in city spaces

The motion cited the most recent municipal waste audit and noted diversion program materials accounted for 60 per cent of the total waste generated in our municipality and 25 per cent of those diversion program materials are classified as items that should have been put out as part of the blue box program and proposed implementing public recycling collection as a comparatively cost-effective option to help extend the life of the current landfill. 

Lowery said during the council's Sept. 19 regular meeting a public recycling program "fits into what the waste strategy is currently so expediting that into the next move is something worthwhile for the municipality." 

See also: Clear bags and one-bag limit next steps for waste diversion?

Waste diversion has long been the primary strategy to extend the life of the municipally owned — and, as of 2022, operated — Merrick Landfill. The motion acknowledged the "establishment of a new landfill is an expensive undertaking for the municipality." City officials have warned in budget forecast discussions a new landfill would cost millions in up-front capital and would require tens of millions of dollars to construct over the years until its completion.