At the July 23, 2015, meeting of the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako (RDBN), the board of directors passed a motion to implement a region-wide cardboard ban starting July 1, 2016.
This means that beginning July 1, 2016, cardboard will no longer be accepted for disposal as garbage at any RDBN solid waste management facility including landfill or transfer station.
The ban will apply equally to all residents, businesses, municipalities, industries and institutions including educational facilities and hospitals.
According to the RDBN, the overall intent is to minimize the amount of waste that is ultimately landfilled, as waste reduction is a priority of the board of directors.
Bill Miller, Director of Electoral Area B, explained that cardboard, although not heavy, constitutes a “very high volume” for RDBN’s landfills. He added that when cardboard degrades in the landfills, it produces methane, which has significant more impact than carbon dioxide.
In a press release, the RDBN said they will work to ensure that, at minimum, drop-off cardboard recycling opportunities are available for residential customers.
For institutional, commercial and industrial (ICI) customers, the RDBN will not provide recycling services. It will be the responsibility of ICI sector customers to arrange for cardboard recycling services directly with local collectors and recycling service providers.
The RDBN said it acknowledges that this initiative may “initially cause some challenges and raise concerns” on the part of businesses and residents in service provision and cost.
“The RDBN hopes that providing sufficient advance notice of the cardboard ban will spur the development of local business opportunities that will add to and enhance the green economy in the RDBN,” said a press release.
Christopher Beach, owner of the Burns Lake Return-It Depot, said his business has already been collecting residential cardboard. Beach hopes that the Burns Lake Depot will start collecting commercial cardboard before the region-wide ban is in effect.
“The Burns Lake Depot would like to be the central location for all cardboard in the area,” said Beach.
For additional information on the cardboard ban, contact the RDBN environmental services department at 250-692-3195, toll free at 1-800-320-3339 or e-mail inquiries@rdbn.bc.ca