Southeastern New Brunswick one step closer to a 3-bag recycling program

People in southeastern New Brunswick are a step closer to adding a third bag to the recycling system this fall in an effort to make diverting material from the landfill easier and cleaner.

• Recycling expansion explored in southeastern communities

Gena Alderson, waste diversion co-ordinator for the Southeast New Brunswick Solid Waste Commission, says the board of directors will vote on the proposal by the end of June and it's likely to go into effect by mid-October.

"We feel very confident about it. We've done quite a number of public sessions and consultations in our community and across our region and we've had very positive feedback and so we don't see any reason that it wouldn't go ahead," Alderson said.

The third bag is another bag for waste, she explained, "so we would have our blue bag for ... recycling, our green bag for compost and then the third bag would be for the real waste material."  

She said many people find the two bag system confusing and they often are unsure whether something belongs in a blue bag (paper, cardboard, plastic, metal and Styrofoam).or a green one (organics, yard and food waste). She says the new system will be more intuitive.

"If you know it's recyclable it goes in the blue. If you know it's compostable it goes in the green and if you're not sure ... that's what the third bag is for."

The third bag could include such items as toothpaste tubes, jars and carpet.

The commission hopes to encourage more businesses and people who live in large apartment buildings to separate their garbage.