THEBACHA/FORT SMITH
Most of the time, work at Fort Smith's recycling depot is slow and steady for owner and sole staff-member Bob McArthur.

Town councillor Bob McArthur drives a school bus for Fort Smith's two public schools in addition to running the recycling department, a travel agency and working two summer jobs. - NNSL file photo

"And then all hell breaks loose," he says.

For four hours each Wednesday and six hours each Saturday, residents drop off beverage containers of every recyclable variety in front of McArthur's 1,200 square metre warehouse, located "a hop skip and a little jump" from town on Highway 5.

"Wednesday is usually crazy from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Everybody wants to be first. Then it quiets right down and I have a chance to put everything away," he said.

Saturdays at 3 p.m., no matter what the weather, is when patronage peaks.

"Everybody shows up at the same time," he said. "People show up with truckloads . at just about quitting time. It drives me up the wall."

However, the job gets done every week thanks in part to those residents who arrive with their cans, bottles and cartons uncapped, cleaned, counted and bagged.

"Most people bring it in all pre-counted and they have a list. But there's the odd one," he said. "They forget to take the lids off half the time. I make them take them off. I won't accept milk jugs if they're not clean. In the summertime I can smell them when I'm driving into the yard."

McArthur began his collection contract with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources

eight years ago with help from an approximately $17,000 interest-free loan from the GNWT that he paid back within the year.

For about four years before that, he was contracted to collect liquor and beer containers only through the NWT Liquor Commission.

He named his company RTL Recycling after his three daughters: Rebekah, Tannish, and Lyndsay.

Last year, he expanded his collection services to include discarded electronics. A seacan on the property stores cell phones, computer monitors, televisions and other equipment destined to be stripped of recyclable materials in the south.

The canvas bags he ships beverage containers in hold about 13,000 aluminum cans and weigh about 30 kilograms when full.

Every two or three weeks, he fills a 16-metre-long trailer bound for Hay River. The transportation bill runs him from $8,000 to $10,000, he said, adding it takes a few weeks to recoup his investment.

On Feb. 9, he shipped seven bags of pop cans, seven bags of beer cans, 10 bags of small plastic containers, and eight bags of milk jugs.

All told, the business occupies only about 12 hours of his labour each week, he said, but, that doesn't mean McArthur has lots of spare time on his hands.

He has operated a travel agency, Aurora TPI Travel, for the past 10 years.

"I'm into everything," he said.

In the mornings and afternoons, McArthur drives a school bus as base manager for Regina-based First Bus Canada.

He picks up students from Joseph Burr Tyrell Elementary School and Paul William Kaeser High School, named after McArthur's late grandfather and the town's first mayor.

On top of running the recycling depot, maintaining his travel agency and driving school busses, McArthur is also a politician.

He began his first term as a town councillor three years ago.

"I'm following in my grandfather's footsteps," he said.

Asked if he plans to run for the mayorship one day, he was non-committal.

"We'll see - I'm still too young for that," he said. "I'm 58."

His term ends in October, and between now and then he will consider whether to run for another term, he added.

"I just don't like sitting around doing nothing," he said.

His summer jobs include working in retail and serving as groundskeeper for the Pelican Rapids Golf Course beginning on May 1.