Improvement seen in garbage sorting in Moncton area

Recycling officials in the Greater Moncton area say they're beginning to see an improvement in the way people are sorting their garbage.

Compliance for the blue and green program started in Riverview and Dieppe almost three weeks ago. In Moncton the crackdown started 2 weeks ago.

Before the crackdown, at least 50 per cent of residents weren't sorting their waste properly, said Andrew Wort, the general manager of Recycle SENB.

But sorters are seeing an improvement, he said.

"Just if you look at the material and you talk to the guy who's opening the bags and checking them on the floor, he says that he's seeing 30 or 35 per cent improvement of less organics in the blue bag," said Wort.

There is also a lot less glass coming into the sorting facility in green bags and that makes for a better grade of compost, he said.

"You know the city of Moncton was doing anywhere between 300 to 400 stickers a day," said Wort. "Now they're down into the 150 range so people will learn and people usually try to do their best."

Wort also encourages people to call if they don't understand why their garbage was rejected.

"Certainly if you don't understand what's on the sticker, please give us a call or your municipality and they can help you as well."