RDNO reminds public cardboard isn’t garbage as audit finds it common in waste

Photo: Unsplash/Jon Moore

Cardboard isn’t garbage!

The Regional District of North Okanagan is reminding residents to properly sort their garbage after a waste composition study in 2021 and 2022 found cardboard was one of the most frequently found items in garbage at the Greater Vernon Diversion & Disposal Facility.

Cardboard accounting for 4% of the total waste disposed.

"While 4% may not sound like a large number, it amounts to millions of kilograms of material annually," the RDNO says.

Cardboard is easily divertable – and many options exist for recycling it.

Businesses and multi-family residential buildings can obtain cardboard or mixed recyclables bins through a private waste collection service provider. Multi-family buildings also have the option of receiving service through Recycle BC.

Most single-family households in the area are served by the Recycle BC curbside collection program and have access to curbside recycling for a wide range of packaging and paper products.

Recycle BC depots also accept paper and packaging materials.

When recycling cardboard, remember to flatten it to reduce the volume it takes up.

Stack large boxes beside your blue boxes when you put them out.

Heavily soiled or contaminated cardboard can't be recycled. In cases where cardboard has food residue on it, it can be composted, however.

Reducing the amount of cardboard in the landfill keeps out more organic materials that can produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Also, reducing, reusing and recycling cardboard conserves valuable natural resources, the RDNO says.

For more information visit: https://recyclebc.ca/north-okanagan.