(Photo 201982082 © Chakrapong Worathat - Dreamstime.com)

By Alison Sandstrom

Garbage Report

City of P.A. urges residents to stop putting face masks in the blue bin

Dec 30, 2020 | 2:51 PM

Prince Albert’s sanitation manager is urging residents to dispose of face masks in the garbage, not the blue bin.

Not only are the face coverings not recyclable, but they’re hazardous for the workers who sort the city’s recycling, Nisar Ghani told paNOW.

Sometimes entire loads of recycling are diverted to the landfill because they are contaminated with face masks. As a result, the amount of material in Prince Albert’s blue bins that actually gets recycled has decreased 15 per cent over the pandemic, Ghani said.

“Regularly, 75 per cent gets recycled,” he explained. “During the pandemic it’s come down to 60 [per cent] because of the masks.”

Ghani added this is despite the best efforts of the contractor who processes Prince Albert’s recycling. The facility in Regina “is working very hard not to send loads to the landfill,” he said, explaining there is are also protocols in place for the safe disposal of masks and workers wear full personal protective equipment.

Event Centre funding

City may hire lobbyist for event centre money

10h ago

International honours

Raiders' Kubiesa to represent Czechia at IIHF U18 Men's World Championship

13h ago

Learn the signs

How often should you change your brakes?

17h ago

As for trends in the overall volume of waste collected, Ghani said there’s been no change due to the pandemic. The most notable effect COVID-19 has had on trash in Prince Albert is issue with face masks.

“Please do not put your face mask in the recycling bin,” Ghani said. “Put it in the garbage bin and it will come straight here to the landfill.”

–

alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom