Dear Editor,
Curbside blue box recycling has changed. Our role as residents of Ontario is to put all our wastepaper products and packaging in the blue box, including the plastic films and bags, styrofoam and disposable hot drink cups. The companies that sold us these things are responsible for their pick-up, sorting the material from everyone’s blue boxes, and re-directing the various materials to either landfill, burning, or a recycling market that actually recycles them. Circular Materials is managing the whole process and Environmental Defence provides helpful advice and comments.
The new recycling regime will increase the volume of materials available for sorting in material recycling facilities, with the hope that more volume will make the various materials more attractive for recycling, and less likely to be landfilled or burned. Circular Materials claims this is working in New Brunswick. Environmental Defence says Ontario’s new program, lacking strict targets, won’t drive companies to change their packaging, reduce waste and increase recycling.
What do I want? I want to reduce the amount of garbage going to our landfills. I want a circular economy and way less plastic. Maybe the environmental charge on my 2026 municipal tax bill will be lower. I also want a deposit return for all beverage containers sold in Ontario, to rid our roadside of litter. Blue box recycling won’t help with litter.
Lynn Ovenden
Casselman
