The Airdrie Recycling Depot saw a huge increase as residents unwrapped their Christmas presents and undecked the halls this holiday.
According to Susan Grimm, team leader of waste and recycling services for the City of Airdrie, the Eastside Recycling Depot typically collects 5,670 kilograms pounds of cardboard a week and from Dec. 26 to 31 it collected about 14,969 kilograms.
“Way to go Airdrie!” said Grimm. “Airdrie recycles. Recycling Christmas waste (and not just Christmas) keeps it out of the landfill.”
It typically takes seven to 10 days to fill the mixed paper container, but last week, staff emptied it three times. In comparison, the Westside recycling station usually has about six bins of cardboard per week, but 15 bins were collected from Dec. 26 to 31.
However, residential garbage collection decreased from 0.0517 tonnes per household in November to 0.0473 tonnes per household in December. This is down from 0.0490 tonnes in December 2010.
“(This is) a true sign that Airdrie is committed to recycling their Christmas waste,” said Grimm.
“During the busiest time of year, recycling volumes are up and waste collection is down.”
Boxes must be flattened and Styrofoam is not accepted. Residents can always approach recycle depot staff to ask them any questions.
Once again, the recycling depot will be holding its annual tree drop-off program. Residents can drop off their Christmas tree to the parking lot (15 East Hill Lake) until Jan. 29. FortisAlberta will donate a mulching machine to chip the trees into mulch for local parks.
“This mulch will be used in a variety of ways – to cover hiking trails in area parks, to serve as protective covering in City gardens or to help retain moisture around a newly planted tree,” said Grimm.
All decorations must be taken off the trees. The trees will be chipped at the recycling depot in February.
For more information, visit www.airdrie.ca
