Port Alberni’s recycling depot property has just been…recycled.
Suncoast Waste Services, which operated the Fourth Avenue site under contract with the Alberni Clayoquot Regional District, has moved its location to the former Revelstoke store site on Fourth Avenue.
The move has functional and esthetic appeal, ACRD chief administrative officer Russell Dyson said.
“The new facility is centrally located and is fully accessible to the public,” Dyson said.
The new spot is also gated, something that the old facility lacked and that some residents took advantage of.
“The old site was ungated and some members of the public often dumped garbage and non-recyclable goods there,” Dyson said.
“This will be under better control at the new site.”
Diverting non-recyclable goods from the site contributes to extending the life of the landfill, Dyson added.
The hours of operation are also different from the old site.
The old site operated 24/7.
But the new site operates from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.
The depot still accepts glass but hasn’t yet found something to do with it.
“There’s no market for glass on Vancouver Island but we’re constantly looking at options,” Dyson said.
Nothing in particular is planned for the old site, which is city owned land, and it will likely remain vacant, city engineer Guy Cicon said.
Meanwhile, on the city front, the city and ACRD continue to work on a recycling initiative for city residents.
“We’re looking at a pilot project with the city that will involve kitchen recyclables,” Dyson said.
The project may be operated as either a curbside pickup service or be provided at a central location.
“We’re waiting for changes to the city’s curbside recycling and autoloading garbage trucks to roll out though before we explore it.”
No date has been set for the initiative.
reporter@albernivalleynews.com