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Statistics from one year of diversion and the Sort’nGo App

It’s been a year since the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD) rolled out the three-stream curbside waste collection service within the City of Port Alberni.
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To download the free ACRD Recycling and Waste Wizard app, visit your mobile app store and look for “ACRD COLLECTS.” Courtesy ACRD

It’s been a year since the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD) rolled out the three-stream curbside waste collection service within the City of Port Alberni.

The Sort’nGo three-stream program has demonstrated successful results and already achieved an increase of waste diverted from the landfill.

Over that year, the waste diversion rate for the City of Port Alberni curbside program has increased to 60 per cent from 20 per cent, with more than 2,000 tonnes of organic waste diverted from the landfill.

On average, residents residing within the City of Port Alberni are diverting 15 per cent recyclables and 45 per cent organics at the curbside. Statistics from September 2021 to August 2022 show that recycling volumes continue to maintain at 15 per cent while garbage disposal has decreased to 44 per cent from from 88 per cent.

This is great news and shows the positive impact of the three-stream waste collection service. The benefits from these numbers over time are multiple. On track with our six-month figures, annually the city will:

  • Generate approximately 950 tonnes of compost
  • Divert 1,320 tonnes of organic waste from the landfill
  • Prevent 208,000m3 of methane gas production
  • Save approximately 2,577m3 of landfill space
  • Extend the life of the landfill by five years
  • Save $9 million of costs related to the life of the landfill

Poster. Courtesy ACRD

There’s an app for that!

The Sort’nGo app has been an incredibly helpful tool for most folks transitioning to the new three-stream curbside collection system. Thousands of people have downloaded and utilize the Sort’nGo app. If you don’t use a smart phone but have access to a computer, find a website version at portalberni.ca/garbage-recycling, where you can access your collection day and search items.

Get the Sort’nGo app to:

  • Check acceptable materials
  • Keep track of the collection schedule
  • Sign up for alerts
  • Play the sorting game

You can also search an item to find the best destination for it at end of life! The app will list alternate options, other than one of the three bins, such as the recycling depot, bottle depot and other options.

Top searches include:

  • Plastic Bags (4,971 searches) Plastic bags are accepted in the overwrap plastic stream available at Third Avenue Recycling Depot or the AV Landfill Recycling Station. Please note: If it’s a compostable plastic bag, it belongs in your garbage cart. Compostable plastics end up contaminating the overwrap plastic stream.
  • Styrofoam (3,622 searches) Styrofoam can be dropped off at the Third Avenue Recycling Depot or the AV Landfill Recycling Station, where it’s sorted by colour – white in one bin and coloured Styrofoam in a separate bin. If you have a white foam egg carton with a lot coloured writing it goes into the coloured bin. Best yet, find a farmer with chickens as they are typically looking for egg cartons.
  • Grass Clippings (2,613 searches) Grass clippings are accepted in the green curbside organics cart, or you can drop off free of charge at the AV Landfill or Earth, Land & Sea on Tebo Avenue. Please consider “grasscycling” by leaving grass clippings on your lawn after mowing. Grass clippings are approximately 80 per cent water and decompose quickly, releasing valuable nutrients back into the soil.
  • Corrugated Cardboard (2,017 searches) This is accepted in your curbside recycling. Flatten your boxes and cut them down to a maximum size of 30” (78cm) wide X 30” (78cm). Staples and tape do not need to be removed. Have excess cardboard? Drop it off for free at the Third Avenue Recycling Depot or the AV Landfill Recycling Station.

A few other items worthy of mention are:

  • Wrapping paper (paper only): Accepted in the blue curbside recycling cart. Any wrapping paper that is shiny, glittery, etc. is garbage.
  • Pizza box (greasy): Accepted in the green curbside organics cart.
  • Glass jars: Glass jars are accepted in the glass receptacle at Third Avenue Recycling Depot or the AV Landfill Recycling Depot. Please note: Mason jars are not accepted but we encourage you to reuse or repurpose!
  • Facial tissues: Accepted in the green curbside organics cart.
  • Aluminum foil: Accepted in the blue curbside recycling cart. Must have no food residue on it.
  • Chip bag: Accepted in the ‘other flexible’ plastics bin at Third Avenue Recycling Depot or AV Landfill Recycling Station.
  • Animal waste and bedding: This is garbage!
  • Parchment paper: Accepted in the green curbside organics cart. Not to be confused with wax paper which is considered garbage.

Stay in the Know with Sort’nGo!

Visit www.letsconnectacrd.ca/organics for more information about the Organics Collection Service and to ask questions. You can also check out the Facebook Page “Sort’nGo– ACRD Recycling & Organics” at facebook.com/ACRD.recycles which has weekly tips and updates for the Valley. If you are a community group, local business, or school teacher you can contact the ACRD to arrange for an educational presentation.