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Letter: Would not participate in CVRD 3-stream collection

I would still like to know the breakdown of weights of waste between residential and commercial
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Would not participate in CVRD 3-stream collection

This will be the third time that the CVRD is trying to have the electoral areas join in an all-round waste collection set-up. This proposal is worse than the two previous. I note that only those in favour can participate in an engagement process. That lets me out.

Cobble Hill kept to the recycle part of it but turned down the garbage collection. Organics are picked up by a private company. This goes to keep Fisher Road Recycling in business and we get to smell what wafts from the process.

As to the 42,000 tonnes shipped to a landfill, are we to believe that this only comes from the residential sector? Zero Waste is a cute slogan but will never happen. Reduced waste would be a better slogan. All the commercial waste companies back their trucks into a huge building at Bing’s Creek. So much so that one of the walls blew out and now needs an expensive repair. I have never seen anyone sorting through this waste to pull out recyclables or organics. All the institutions that use their services should have to do the same as the everyday citizen does. This won’t happen as it would be too onerous for the restaurants, hotels, hospitals and all manner of other institutions. I would still like to know the breakdown of weights of waste between residential and commercial.

If this goes through, I will be subsidizing everyone else who participates. Due to my back problems, I have to use a cane and a walker to get around and I won’t be dragging these carts down my driveway and back up when emptied. We do our own composting. We sort our recyclables and, when enough, we take them to Bing’s in coordination with a trip to Duncan for shopping. We don’t have to drive around to all the other places that will accept what the CVRD won’t allow in their blue bins.

As for garbage, we store it in an old freezer until it is worth the trip. As there is just us two old folks, we don’t produce a lot. We might make two trips and sometimes three a year at a cost $5 to $8 per. The last time the CVRD brought this up, the cost was over $100.00 and today will be even more.

Some CVRD staff are going to be in for some hefty raises what with all the extra responsibilities and hiring more office staff and procuring new equipment and hiring more drivers.

I assume the reason this is coming forward again is because of all the new people moving in who miss what they had in the city. What else is in store for more conveniences?

Ed Aiken

Cobble Hill