A new program will see bread bags, chip wrappers and other “flexible plastics” collected for recycling throughout West Vancouver, beginning on Monday. The plastics are being picked up monthly in pink boxes that were distributed to residents throughout May. Other examples of recyclable items collected through the program include cereal box liners, overwrap for toilet paper rolls, zipper-lock pouches for dried fruit, and the plastic netting used for oranges. According to Recycle B.C., the non-profit behind the program, the material will be turned into resin for eventual use in durable plastic products. “Manufacturers will purchase that resin and turn that … into products such as plastic buckets or plastic pails,” said Maja Rusinowska, manager of stakeholder relations for Recycle B.C. The permanent curbside collection follows a pilot project that was conducted in the same city between 2021 and 2022, which led to collection at apartments and condos last summer. “We chose West Vancouver because that region has no drop-off depot, so it was a real community need that we were looking to solve,” said Rusinowska. “We had a lot of great participation, and we decided it was feasible to move forward with a permanent service.” Residents have been told to prepare their flexible plastics by emptying them and rinsing them, then bundling them into plastic bags so they don’t get blown away in the wind. Recycle B.C. also began collecting flexible plastics in Maple Ridge back in January, and is looking to expand into additional communities. “We’re taking a case-by-case approach,” Rusinowska said. “If local governments and communities are interested in having this curbside service … we’d be happy to connect with them and look at the possibilities.”
