SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The chair of the city's solid waste management advisory committee claims the city's recycling program is working, but said there's still challenges to overcome.

Phil Hesse, a surveyor with Dillon Consulting, was at the Yellowknife Solid Waste facility taking measurements on Aug. 11. The city's recycling program is reducing the amount of garbage in the city's landfill, but there is still work to be done according to the chair of the city's solid waste management advisory committee. - Terrence McEachern/NNSL Photo

The city has been involved with the recycling program since 1994. Paul Falvo, city councillor and chair of the committee, said the recycling program is, generally speaking, improving the garbage problem in Yellowknife.

He said that one challenge is the fact that in Yellowknife only glass is recycled while the rest of the material collected is shipped to Edmonton.

"It means we have to keep looking at the overall effectiveness of (recycling), both financially and in terms of the benefit," he said. "It is different up here than in (Edmonton) for that reason. So we have to balance that with the savings of not having to landfill the stuff."

But, Falvo said the long-term goal of the program is to make recycling as easy and convenient for residents as possible.

One improvement Falvo would like to see is road side pick-up for recyclables.

"It's no wonder some people are unhappy, because we make it harder to recycle. So, that's extra work. And, there's got to be an environmental impact of those vehicles driving to the blue bins with the (recyclables). You hope it doesn't defeat purpose of recycling," he said.

Falvo said he'd also like to see the three garbage bag limit reduced to two. "I do personally favour the two-bag limit. I think the time is right to do that because of all the extra recycling now."

Residents are expected to pay $1 for each bag over the limit.

Doug Ritchie, the program director with Ecology North, said he's pleased with the progress both the city and the GNWT have made with recycling initiatives, especially regarding the recycling of certain types of plastics and composting programs. He said he thinks residents are warming to the idea of recycling, but he'd also like to see the city do more to promote waste reduction.

"The reality is that landfilling is an expensive option and we have to thoroughly explore all the alternatives and implement alternatives to landfilling," he said.

According to Ritchie, what is missing is a collection, recycling and storage system for electronic equipment. In particular, he said he is concerned with the switch to digital cable in February 2011. "We could see a lot more old TVs being thrown out; so I think it's really important to prevent those TVs from going into the landfill," he said.

Falvo said he hasn't considered the problem of older televisions in the landfill after the switch to digital cable. He said that in general, there have been discussions about building a sheltered area to protect electronic products, such as computers, from the weather for salvagers and businesses involved in refurbishing electronics.

Although progress has been made with the city's recycling efforts, Falvo said there is still the challenge with cultural attitudes toward recycling in Yellowknife.

"I don't think people in the North, we want to be told what to do. We sort of live 'bigger' up here. We like space, we like to do our own thing. It is not a place where people love to have a lot of rules and being told what to do. So, think there's always that. There's more of a frontier spirit. And that's all good, but that's why I want to make it easier for people rather than make (recycling) restrictive to people," he said.

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