Plastics recycling—so many questions and myths? 

There are lots of myths out there that suggest recycling is a hoax, particularly when it comes to plastics. We get questions all the time about what actually happens after you sort and separate your recyclables and then take them to the recycling bins in your neighbourhood.
 
Recycling does matter and this month we are busting a few plastic recycling myths for residents.
 
Plastics collected in Banff go to a recycling facility in BC. The facility continuously works with brand owners, retailers, and industry associations to improve packaging design for recyclability as well as develop alternatives for ongoing sustainable solutions.

Plastic recycling isn’t the answer long term. We need to start shifting to find ways to reuse plastic products over and over again, and when they are no longer reusable, we want to have a way to turn them in to something else to keep the lifecycle circulating with no end.
Once your recyclables are processed into plastics pellets, they are sold to world markets to make the following new plastics products:

• Packaging Products
• Piping Products
• Clothing
• Carpets
• Garden Products
• Various other plastic products

  
Always REDUCE first. But for plastics that are unavoidable, make sure to recycle them in the mixed containers recycling bin

You’ve seen our staff out and about town servicing bins, and you may have wondered who is actually behind the wheel? These folks are our Resource Recovery Drivers, the ones who keep the system moving and they make sure your recyclables are taken care of. 
Fred Sinfuego, Resource Recovery Foreman, shares his amazing intel with us for residents to learn behind the scenes knowledge:

What most surprised you when you first started working for Resource Recovery? 
When I started working for Resource Recovery, I was amazed by 3 R’s and how that has now changed to 5 R’s – Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Re-use, and Recycling. The first 4 R’s should be taken first before Recycling.

This month's theme is all about plastic. How do you think Banff residents are doing with plastics recycling? 
I believed Banff residents are now more aware of the importance of separating plastics from paper fiber and garbage as the amount of collections from residential blue recycling bins increased compared to previous years. 

What is the most common item you see in resident plastic recycling? 
HDPE plastic (ex. pill bottles, detergent bottles), drink containers, Clamshell containers and polypropylene (ex. yogurt containers), are the most common items in residential plastics recycling.

What is the biggest opportunity for residents to improve (reduce or recycle) when it comes to plastics recycling?
I think residents should treat recycling as the last resort. Consider following the steps:  Rethink, Refuse, Reduce and Re-use before buying plastics and packaging products.