Winter Recycling Tips
Winter in Manitoba comes with a whole other set of rules. Shovel your driveway and back lane so the snow doesn’t build up. Plug in your car so it will start in -40 C. Brush the snow off your car if it’s been sitting outside all night after a heavy snowfall. Sound familiar?
Putting your recycling out for collection in the winter comes with a few more things to keep in mind as well. Here are some tips for the rest of the season.
No Snow Banks
When you put your recycling out for collection, make sure to place it on a flat surface, away from any snowbanks. Because most of the collection is automated, this can make it difficult for the trucks to pick up the recycling if your cart is behind or on top of any snowbanks. This is also a safety hazard for the collection staff and your neighbours.
Give Some Space
Place your carts at least an arm’s length away from each other. Again, because recycling collection is automated, it can make it difficult for the trucks to grab the carts if they are too close together. Make sure the arrow on the cart lid is pointing toward the road or back lane when you put it out.
Close the Lid
Wet recyclables put a damper (pun intended) on other materials. When fiber products like cardboard and paper get wet, they are essentially contaminated, decreasing their value. There are a couple things you can do to prevent this.
- Make sure your cart lid is closed shut when you put it out for collection. Having an open cart lid makes it easily susceptible to the elements, whether that be rain, snow or wind.
- Ensure your containers are empty and free of liquids before putting them in the recycling.
- Put heavier items on top of lighter items (i.e., Paper) to prevent them from blowing away during collection.
Watch for Ice
Living in Manitoba, this should go without saying, but watch out for ice when putting your recycling out at the curb. The last thing that anyone wants is to get injured or slip when doing their part to help the environment. Be careful and go slow!
With these tips in mind, our goal is to help make residential recycling easy and convenient for both residents and collection. We appreciate you doing your part to help the environment, no matter what the season!
