Mayor presents recycling awards to Zero Waste Challengers

NEWS RELEASE - Distributed January 13, 2015 9:11 AM

Summary

Mayor Bill McKay has awarded prizes to the winners of the City's Zero Waste Challenge, the competition that challenged residents to "slim their bin". The challenge required residents to sort their household waste and had two key aims: first, to inspire residents of Nanaimo to recycle and compost more, and second, to highlight the barriers to Zero Waste in Nanaimo.

During the challenge success was measured in the amount of waste diverted from the landfill with the average final diversion rate for the challenge being 88 per cent which represents a 25 per cent increase over the current diversion rate. Extrapolated across the whole city, this is equivalent to 1,000 tonnes of garbage annually that could be recycled or composted but is currently going to the landfill. If this waste were to be recycled the life of the region's landfill would be extended and green house gas emissions would be reduced by 800t Co2e (equivalent to taking about 170 cars off the road). With the City's current system and measures in place, these changes can be made now.

Link to Strategic Plan: The Zero Waste Challenge supports the City's ongoing commitment to sustainability; through increased recycling and composting we take more responsibility for the protection of our environment.

Key Points

Prize winners - Judy and Kirby Villeneuve: best diversion rate, 98% diversion
Prize winners - Dean Rownd with Anne and Ken St. Arnault: Second best diversion rate, 97% diversion
Prize winners - Doug and Tanya Hiltz with Norman Abbey of Wisteria Lane: Most Improved recyclers (final diversion rate of 86%)

Quotes

"The challenge has found local champions of Zero Waste, they have shown us that we can all do that little bit more to divert waste from landfill. I hope they inspire others to follow suit and recycle today for a better tomorrow. The challenge was a great success, we will certainly hold one again this year."

Charlotte Davis

Manager of Sanitation and Recycling

City of Nanaimo

Quick Facts

The Challenge took place during National Waste Reduction Week, Oct 20- 26 2014.
The Challenge was a partnership between the City and the Nanaimo Recycling Exchange.
"Zero Waste" means that waste is not wasted. It means that 100% of waste recycled or composted and that 0% is landfilled.
The challenge found that the biggest barriers to Zero Waste in Nanaimo are: soft plastic packaging and diapers, lack of recycling facilities in multifamily dwellings and confusion on what is and isn’t recyclable and compostable.

Images

Judy & Kirby Villeneuve

Zero Waste Challenge winners Judy and Kirby Villeneuve receive their award from Mayor Bill McKay

Anne St Arnault and Dean Rownd

Zero Waste Challenge 2nd place winners Dean Rownd with Anne and Ken St Arnault receive their award

Doug Hiltz

Zero Waste Challenge most improved recyclers Doug Hiltz and Norm Abbey receive their award

Videos

-30-

Contact:

Charlotte Davis

Manager of Sanitation and Recycling

City of Nanaimo

250 756 5307

charlotte.davis@nanaimo.ca

Print News Release

Is there anything wrong with this page?

Help us improve our website

Don't include private or financial information in this form.

Email Address

What you were doing

What went wrong

Collection and use of your personal information

Information collected on this form is done so under the general authority of the Community Charter and Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA), and is protected in accordance with FOIPPA. Questions about the collection of your personal information may be referred to the Legislative Services Department at 250-755-4405, or via email at foi@nanaimo.ca. Please also see our Privacy Policy.