INNISFAIL -- Just two weeks after approving a comprehensive automated waste collection program the town will revisit glass recycling.
It's an issue that won't go away for many council members and local citizens, and administration will probe other provincial municipalities to see if there is a cost effective way to add it to the recently approved new waste management program that begins in town on April 1.
"I just felt that because we are a town where a couple of hundred people make their living out of recycled glass that we should do recycled glass if we can," said Coun. Danny Rieberger at council's Agenda & Priorities meeting on Feb. 4. "I think there is a general appetite in the town for it from the people I have talked to."
Rieberger told council the City of Red Deer collects glass jars and bottles through its Blue Box program, and wants the town to follow up with questions of whether the glass is being recycled or just collected. Council was also told there is an Airdrie operation that is supplying an Innisfail company with recycled glass.
"If we can do it in a reasonable manner, and I am not saying let's do it at any cost by any means, but if we can find a cost effective way to do it, that is what I am after," said Rieberger.
Todd Becker, the town's chief administrative officer, admitted the glass recycling issue has been widely discussed in the community, with the town hearing about it for quite some time. At council's Jan. 28 regular meeting when the new automated waste collection program was formally approved, administration told council members the issue was addressed with each of the six companies that bid on the new contract but none offered the glass recycling service.
"Where council is at, and we've heard this from the community as well, is that people want to have the opportunity to recycle glass," said Becker. "Right now there is not a large market for municipalities to take advantage of collecting glass."
Becker said the town is now researching whether there is a market for glass recycling, and if there is an opportunity to have that as a service for Innisfail residents.
"We want to understand the entirety of what glass recycling means, and is there the opportunity to go back and potentially add glass recycling to the program? Right now there is not," said Becker, adding there is no estimate at this time on what a new glass recycling service would cost.
He said it's hoped administration will have answers for council in March.
"Council is very interested in this topic as well as the community," said Becker.
In the meantime, the topic caught the interest of a resident attending the Feb. 4 public meeting.
Local citizen Don Harrison said it would be a good idea for council representatives attending the upcoming Federation of Canadian Municipalities annual conference in Quebec City, from May 30 to June 2, to bring up the glass recycling issue for discussion.
"We can't be the only community in Canada that has an issue with glass, so there could be something done on a national level," said Harrison. "It might be a good opportunity to do some networking to see what they are doing elsewhere."
