Recycling is something you know you probably should be doing it, even if you haven't gotten into the habit yet. Fortunately many communities around the world have gotten the hint that people are a lot more likely to participate in household recycling if the process is made convenient for them.
In an ideal world, we'd all take the time to sort every recyclable item in our homes and drop them off at the appropriate venues. However speaking from personal experience, if it's not a priority, that's not likely to happen. That's one of the biggest benefits of the curbside recycling programs many towns and cities have adopted. Though these programs operate differently depending where they are being run, they eliminate the need to haul many household items to the nearest recycling depot, offering people greater incentive to actually participate.
The Blue Cart recycling program in Calgary, Alberta began this past spring in one quadrant of the city, and has started to expand so that the whole city will be serviced by July 2009.
How it works
Blue carts started being delivered to homes in the city's southwest quadrant in April, the southeast in May, the northwest in June and finally, will be distributed to the northeast later this month. After the final cart is handed out, over 300,000 single family homes will have them. Unfortunately, apartment-dwellers won't have access to the program, however community recycling depots are still running and recyclables can continue to be dropped off there.
The blue carts can hold approximately 240 litres of material, which is estimated to be substantial enough space to contain the average family's weekly recyclable material. Acceptable items should be put in the container. Once per week on a designated day, recyclables will be collected, typically in the same location that you leave your trash for pick-up.
What can (and can't) be recycled
Newspapers, catalogues, magazines, paper (such as office paper, envelopes and paper bags), cardboard (including toilet paper rolls and cereal boxes), glass jars and bottles, tin food and soda cans, metal lids and caps, aluminum foil, milk containers, juice cartons and tetra packs. Also, plastic containers with the recycling symbols 1-7, plastic bottles from laundry detergent or shampoo, yogurt and margarine containers and plastic bags, plastic wrap and bubble wrap.
All items must be clean of food and other residue and while lids and caps can be recycled as well, they must be removed and placed in the cart separately. Unlike your trash, the materials do not need to be placed in plastic bags, unless you are recycling plastic bags themselves (in which case, bundle them all into one bag and tie the handles) or have shredded paper (which should be placed in a clear plastic bag with the handles tied). Labels can be left on containers.
Items that cannot be recycled through the program include polystyrene foam (such as Styrofoam), items that contain more than one type of plastic, plastics that are not containers (such as pens) and plastics that do not contain any of the 1-7 recycling symbols. Hardcover books, electronics, clothing, shoes disposable drink cups, ceramic, mirrors and household items such as coat hangers and frying pans should not be put in the cart. It might seem obvious, but hazardous materials such as paint cans, lighters, batteries, oil and aerosol cans cannot be put in the carts either, so be sure to find out where you can safely dispose of these in your area
No sorting required
While it was once necessary to sort materials (ie. glass, newspapers, etc) before dropping them off at a recycling depot, many of the curbside programs do not require the items to be sorted.
Obviously not every curbside recycling program will function the same way as Calgary's, so be sure to find out what types of programs your own community offers and how you can participate. If a curbside program isn't available and you think it might be feasible, contact the appropriate members of your community leadership team to request one be started.
» City of Calgary