Old idea recycled in Rainy River

By Ken Johnston
Editor

After several years absent from Rainy River recycling has returned.
As of January 1st the Town of Rainy River has started a recycling program albeit not quite the same as the previous one.
The new program involves several recycling bins located in the parking lot of the Town Garage/Fire Hall at the corner of Sixth St. and Hwy. 11. Residents of Rainy River have to physically take their recyclables to the bins where the old program had curbside pick up.
Once a week the bins will be emptied by a company contracted by the Town. Asselin Transportation will pick up the recyclables every Thursday at a cost of $900 per month or about $2.50 per household.
The bins are already getting good usage from residents and were about half full late Monday. Items that are acceptable are as follows:
ACCEPTABLE ITEMS
Paper
Christmas wrap, paper bags, newsprint, flyers, junk mail, office paper, shredded paper and envelopes, magazines, cardboard egg cartons, paper tubes, flattened box board (cereal, cracker, shoe, tissue, laundry, packing boxes, etc.), milk cartons, juice cartons, pop and beer cases and corrugated cardboard.
Metal
Aluminum/steel beverage cans and metal food cans (rinsed).
Plastics
#1 to #7 plastics, shampoo containers, deodorant containers (remove screw caps)
Unacceptable items
Absolutely no glass.
Paper
Disposable Diapers
Metal
Aluminum foil, pie tins, foil take-out food containers, jar lids, paint cans, aerosol spray cans (anything containing a hazardous substance eg. motor oil, paint thinner, etc.).
Plastics
Plastic bags, plastic packaging and cellophane, foam meat trays and egg cartons, foam take-out containers, screw caps, toys, flower pots, etc.
Town clerk Veldron Vogan noted that the service is for Rainy River residents only. “We asked surrounding municipalities if they wanted to contribute and none of them came on board.”
Residents do not need to sort their recyclables. All they need to do is drop them off at the bins.