Whitehorse recycling processors say more public money needed

Two recycling processors in Whitehorse are asking the city to increase the payment for material they divert from the city landfill.

The executive director of the not-for-profit Raven Recycling, Joy Snyder, spoke on behalf of both Raven and the privately owned P & M Recycling.

Snyder says the city's current diversion credit only pays a quarter of the cost of processing non-refundable materials like commercial cardboard. 

She says the processors hope the city will work with the Yukon government - which matched the city's diversion credit last year - to raise the amount. 

Snyder says the payment schedule also has to change. 

"Diversion credits are currently paid once a year in February. I suspect we are your only service providers that have to wait 13 months to receive payment," she told council. 

Snyder says that diversion credits will be needed even after the city starts its residential recycling pick up program.

"A residential blue box system only covers a portion of the recycling stream. There's also commercial cardboard, other commercial recycling," Snyder says.

The city released a survey Tuesday showing a majority of Whitehorse residents support curbside recycling. It says 1,900 people responded to the online survey.

Of those, 69 per cent agree curbside collection would make it easier for them to recycle and 52 per cent say they'd be willing to pay for it.

The city estimates a monthly fee of $15 per household would be needed.

Snyder says the recyclers would like to meet with Mayor Dan Curtis outside of a council meeting to discuss their concerns. People speaking at the meetings are limited to a short period of time.

Curtis did not respond to the request for a meeting.