Another very successful Recycling Roundup in Pincher Creek

Toni Lucas

The Town of Pincher Creek, the Municipal District of Pincher Creek, and Alberta Recycling worked together to host the 2015 Recycling Round-up on Saturday June 20 at the Ranchland Mall in Pincher Creek, primarily in the parking lot. A number of organizations also participated.  Pincher Planters held their annual plant swap, McMan Agency gave out seeds for those who want to grow a row for the food bank, the Splash Park Committee held a fundraising barbeque, the Pincher Creek Lions Club collected eyeglasses, Parent Link held a children's toy/clothing and book swap, and Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation displayed clothing recycled from water bottles and talked about their programs. DBS Environmental collected hazardous waste like electronics, batteries and paints, and a paper shredder truck from Lethbridge Mobile Shredding was on hand for safe disposal of sensitive documents. A big draw for the day was the recycle swap.

Recycle swap area

Town and MD workers laid out an area for the swap and brought items out early in the morning and people then could take what they had a use for, while others brought items they no longer needed or wanted for others to take home for free or with a donation of their choosing. This recycling initiative keeps still useful items out of the landfill. This year there were items ranging from DVD's and VHS tapes, bicycles, household appliances, lawn mowers, furniture, building supplies, tools, and anything else that someone might say 'I don't need this, but someone else might'. If it was not taken away by the end of the day it went to the appropriate disposal stream, whether that was electronics, recycling, or to the landfill.

Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation representatives

Pincher Planters

Braden Barber mans McMan booth - he'll be at the summer markets too

Town of Pincher Creek Operations Department staff member Jamie Anderson has been a main organizer of the event for number of years and she was very pleased with the turnout. "It's been a busy morning," she said as a large television and a working trampoline were being unloaded from a truck by town staff. Anderson later provided some of the information about how much was collected in the hazardous waste area. "This serves as a very positive general indicator as to how much e-waste and toxic material we are providing proper, secure disposal for and saving from our landfill."

Hazardous waste collection tally:

Toxic Liquid 1800 litres

Toxic Solid 600 kilograms

Flammable Liquid 200 litres

Flammable Solid 200 kilograms

Corrosive Liquid Acid 9 litres

Corrosive Liquid Base 200 litres

Oxidizing Solid l kiloram

Paint Related Material 3600 litres

Sulphuric Acid 1 litre

Dry Cell Batteries 25 kilograms

Lead Acid Batteries 15 each

20 LB Propane Tanks 12 each

Fluorescent Light Bulbs 80 feet

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs 100 bulbs

e-waste 4911 kilograms

Visit www.albertarecycling.ca or call 1.888.999.8762 for more information on electronics and paint recycling in your area.