Throughout the summer, a team of Environmental Outreach Ambassadors from the City will be conducting random inspections of local curbside and multifamily recycling carts to enhance the community’s sorting success rates. The Ambassadors will travel the community on e-bikes while performing these audits.
The aim of the recycle inspection program is to identify areas where residents need more education on proper disposal of specific items. If staff find an item in a recycle cart that doesn’t belong, it is considered contamination, and a ‘You’ve Been Spotted’ notice will be left on the cart. This notice is purely educational and does not mean your cart will be skipped for collection.
The notice on the cart will detail the items that are not accepted for recycling and provide general tips for best recycling practices. Items not accepted for recycling include any recyclable materials in bags (blue, black or clear bags are all prohibited), hard and soft cover books, glass, and clothing. Remember to place all recycling loosely in carts, not contained in any bags or boxes.
The Environmental Outreach Ambassadors will also be present at the Farmer’s Market, Downtown Market, and various other events throughout the summer to educate residents on recycling best practices and water conservation measures.
The Ambassadors will also be staffing the bike valet at the Farmer’s Market, which is located next to the outdoor ice rink. The bike valet service is free, allowing market-goers to park their bikes in a secure and monitored area.
For more information on recycling, visit: penticton.ca/recycling and try the ‘What Goes Where’ tool, or phone the Recycle BC Hotline at 1-800-667-4321.