The switchover to a new recycling program hasn’t resulted in any job losses among those employed to sort through the material collected, according to Abbotsford Community Services (ACS).
Abbotsford and Mission joined the Recycling BC (formerly Multi-Material BC) program earlier this year. After complaints surfaced about new rules prohibiting curbside pickup of glass products or film plastic, some had suggested online that the new program resulted in fewer people working at the Abbotsford recycling depot, which employs people – including those with disabilities – through ACS’s recycling program.
That’s not the case, though, according to the program’s director, Lisa Sullivan.
Sullivan said that while sorting processes have been modified, there have been no job losses. All recycling continues to be sorted by hand, she said, and the next contract isn’t slated to be renegotiated for more than a year.
Sullivan also said contamination of bags from broken glass isn’t a large problem, although it can cause issues with machines if it’s not detected.