Residents fear removal of public bin will mean less recycling

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Campbellton is removing the last of its public recycling containers, but some residents fear that could lead to less recycling.

The large blue recycling bin on Arran Street – the last of three that had been located in the city for years prior to the adoption of curbside recycling about six years ago – is to be removed on April 29.

It had been left for people who live in buildings who were not provided recycling carts for curbside recycling.

But the city said the time has come for it to go, too.

CAO Manon Cloutier said the bin is in the way of construction of a new K-8 school scheduled to start soon, and that it’s been in need of repairs anyway.

“And we get a lot of commercial recycling, for which we should not be paying to dispose,” she said. “Now that we have door-to-door recycling, there is less need for this container.”

Some nearby residents disagree.

“I feel the city is going backwards on recycling, making it harder for people living in apartments who do not have blue bins and for the citizens who are serious about recycling,” said Phyliss Roy, who said she uses the community bin when the cart used for curbside recycling at her home is full.

“Where do we put our excess? In the garbage? There are a lot of citizens who use that bin.”

Resident have been told to take their recycling to the transfer station, only a short drive away.

“That’s all fine and good, but what about people who walk to the bin with their recycling? They aren’t going to walk all the way up there,” said Marlene Leblanc, who was dropping off a small container of her recyclables at the community bin Wednesday morning. 

“If this is removed then I’m not sure I will be able to do much recycling because I don’t own a car and I walk to this one.”

Cloutier said it costs the city about $7,000 a year to have it emptied on a weekly basis.