Nunavut studies costs of recycling program

The Nunavut government wants to start recycling in all communities across the territory, but officials say they first have to figure out how much such an endeavour would cost.

The government will conduct a feasibility study this summer to determine whether a territory-wide recycling program would be cost-effective, assistant deputy environment minister Earle Baddaloo told CBC News.

"We are a small government in terms of funding, of the money that we can afford to do this," Baddaloo said Monday.

"So [we] bureaucrats have to try to ensure that what we're doing is efficient and it would not cost our government a lot of money."

Baddaloo said pilot recycling programs already underway in Rankin Inlet and Iqaluit will provide information for the feasibility study.

Officials will take into account factors such as the cost of transportation and storage, as well the volume of material diverted from the landfill, he added.

Baddaloo said a territory-wide recycling program would likely start with aluminum and plastic drink containers.