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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Facing issues waste and mixed items in recycling bins at the landfill, the city is in the final stages of concept design on new signage in an effort to make it clearer to Yellowknifers which items go in which bins.

This recycling brochure is being issued to complement the Ride the Blue Wave blue bin signage campaign which the city is preparing to help make sure the proper recyclables are deposited in the right places at the landfill. - graphic courtesy of Ecology North

General public committee member Dave Kellett and city councillor member Paul Falvo have been lobbying the city to improve signage in recent months because of the contamination. When people dump the wrong items into the recycling bins, it can lead to problems at the recycling facility in Yellowknife and even rejection of the items, which can be costly.

The city's new signs will appear on the bins to help avoid that contamination. Landfill superintendent Henry Kruse says he hopes signs can be erected on recycling at the solid waste facility before Earth Week, in mid-April.

Designs have been put together by Myka Jones of Ecology North and centre around a concept called Ride the Blue Wave.

"There has been a need for more signage out there," said Kruse. "It will be more informative, with more pictures and a slogan. It will also be larger and brighter."

Kruse said the city was waiting on the last touches to be completed by Ecology North before going ahead with printing.

"We don't have the final cut on that, but (Jones) is supposed to have it done for the end of this week and then we will source out the material and have the signs made," he said, earlier this week. "We had Myka do some final drawings and things on them. We are just waiting for the final draft and we will bring it to the publishers."

Falvo and Kellett have been among that have insist people generally want to be able to dump their items in the correct spots, but the city has a responsibility to give better direction as to where and how to do this.

The committee has also come up with a "Yellowknife Recycling Guide" which was circulated among members a the Feb. 27 solid waste management advisory committee, and is meant to complement the signage efforts.

Kellett has been less than impressed with the city's handling of the issue, as he is a frequent user of the dump. He said he is not confident the changes will come in a timely manner, but is still optimistic about the changes themselves.

"'Soon' with the city is all relative, I find," he said. "They don't move very fast on change.

"But it seems to be moving forward and improving. There is a lot of stuff going on in the background and hopefully this will make things better. "

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