The Town of Comox recently received the results of a Recycle BC composition audit of materials collected through our curbside recycling program.
The audit found that while residents are doing a fairly good job participating in recycling, approximately 17% of the material collected was considered incompatible with the Recycle BC program. The most common items found in recycling carts included durable plastic household products, textiles and clothing, scrap metal, books, and bagged recyclables.
These materials cannot be processed through curbside recycling and can create challenges for sorting facilities. Items such as laundry baskets, plastic storage containers, toys, clothing, blankets, metal household items, and recyclables placed inside plastic bags should not be placed in recycling carts.
Residents can help improve recycling outcomes by:
• Keeping recyclables loose in the cart—never bagged.
• Donating clothing, textiles, and books to local reuse organizations. Diabetes Canada also has textile bins - find a location here.
• Taking flexible plastics, foam packaging, and other specialty materials to the Recycle BC depots.
• Using local recycling depots for scrap metal, electronics, batteries, and other materials not accepted in curbside collection.
• Ensuring containers are empty and free of significant food residue.
Every correctly sorted item helps reduce contamination and improve recycling efficiency.
For more information on what can and cannot be recycled curbside, you can use the Waste Wizard tool in the Comox Curbside app or visit the Town of Comox webpage for links to all the tools and resources.