Dear Residents,

Proper separation of recyclables and household waste have been required for some time now. Recently the Regional District has begun enforcing serious fines for recycling bins contaminated with items that are not acceptable and garbage bins containing recyclable items.

Every time a bin is picked up containing items that are not separated properly or containing items that are not-acceptable, the Society of Hope is being charged extra for the pickup. These fines are extremely costly to the Society of Hope and can add up to several thousand dollars across our properties which reduces the Society’s ability to provide affordable rental housing to our residents.

We are asking each resident to assist in reducing these unnecessary costs by taking the time to properly separate recyclables from their household waste, refrain from disposing items that are not-acceptable, and to ensure cardboard boxes are being flattened.

The most common offending products in the recycling bins that we are being fined for are plastic bags. Plastic bags are not permitted in recycling bins. Many people are mistakenly using clear blue recycling bags or repurposed plastic shopping bags to dispose of their recycling HOWEVER, these bags are not supposed to go into recycling bins. Recyclable items should be collected and then placed loose in the recycling bin on your site.

On the back of this notice please find a list of APPROVED RECYCLABLES and also a list of items that are NOT-ACCEPTABLE. Please keep this list available, we are asking each person to do their part to be responsible recyclers and help the Society to avoid unnecessary and costly fines.

Thank you for your help,
The Society of Hope