Dear editor,
Here are a few reasons why I am supporting the Rural Roadside Garbage and Recycling Pick-up and why I am encouraging my neighbours to support it as well. This is not just a garbage issue, it鈥檚 also a public health one.
1. Our landfill is filling up at almost double the rate we thought it would be because 40 per cent of the items going into the landfill are recyclables. At this rate, we will have to prepare a brand-new cell, at a cost of about $10 million. This is a cost we will all have to share, even if we individually are diligently separating our recycling. Increasing the time our current cell is in use makes much more financial sense.
2. The cost of private garbage pick-up has increased substantially over the last few years. In the last six months alone, the increase in cost has gone up over 20percent. I personally pay over $300 a year for one can of garbage every two weeks and get zero recycling pick-up. Currently, some neighbourhoods in Area B have three different companies picking up garbage on three different days. A universal pick-up will increase economies of scale and reduce costs.
3. I don鈥檛 know about you, but recycling is my least favourite chore. Although taking it to the depot is free, it鈥檚 a lot of time packing up my car and sorting at the depot. And quite frankly, thousands of cars driving into town versus one or two trucks every two weeks is so much better for the environment.
4. Sadly, backyard burning of yard waste and even garbage is still in practice here in the Comox Valley. A rural roadside pick-up will enable households to send their yard waste to be turned into compost so that carbon stays in the soil and isn鈥檛 shot up into the air where it becomes both a health issue and a climate burden. Even though I personally will be keeping all my yard waste for my own compost and mulch, I am still willing to support the service so that it鈥檚 available for my neighbours.
I hope rural residents can see that a roadside garbage, recycling and yard waste pick-up has huge benefits for our community. I encourage you to contact your rural director if you still have more questions or you can learn more about the service details at
Arzeena Hamir,
Area B director,
Comox Valley Regional District
