Watch what is being recycled: Dawson Creek recycling depot

DAWSON CREEK, B.C – Dawson Creek Campbell Recycling reminds residents about what items should be placed in recycling bins.

Recycle-It Resource Recovery Fort St. John posted a picture on social media with the caption “What’s Wrong with this Picture?”. The picture was from the Dawson Creek recycling centre and showed non-recyclable items that staff had to sort through, including food scraps, tissues, plastic bags, styrofoam and used needles.

What the syringes were used for is unknown. Anyone looking to dispose of used needles can pick up bins at local pharmacies.

Recycle-It told Energeticcity this is a common issue for both recycling centres.

Campbell Recycling owner, Jeremy Parslow, is hoping that posting pictures of what residents are recycling will gain the community and council’s attention.

“I think people need to know what’s going on, even for the city. They create the program and then they just kind of ignore it. So, it’s for them to see what’s going on and for all the residents to know this is happening, and maybe someone will speak up and make a change here,” says Parslow.

The majority of residents know what items can be recycled, but it’s a problem when anything that doesn’t belong is handled by staff, adds Parslow.

He claims it is hit or miss when the city brings the items to the landfill but says he has no problem with the city. The centre deals with the non-recyclables items themselves.

“We just want some solutions or some action. Talk about the problems all you want, but let’s see you act on it.”

Parslow believes there needs to be more education about the program, progress monitoring and more enforcement.

“We’ve been working on the education, but they never, never actually put anything about how the material would be monitored or enforced when they started the program, and now it said they couldn’t really go back and change anything.”

For information on what Campbell Recycling will accept, head to the city’s website.