Hamilton residents continue to mix recycling material with other garbage forcing the city to simply direct all the material into the landfill site.
Waste officials conducted audits of recycling containers in parks, trails, playgrounds, on the street and transit stops in July, August and September 2019 and found contamination levels anywhere from 36 per cent to 56 per cent and in some locations even higher. The waste’s contaminated rate is above the level of household waste which has contamination rates of 15 per cent to 20 per cent.
For instance, the audits found 50 per cent contamination rates at Ancaster Community Park, 65 per cent for Winona Park and about 50 per cent for containers located at the Kenilworth Stairs. Audits were also done on containers at Macassa Park and Joe Sam’s Leisure Park which had the lowest level of contamination rate with about 28 per cent.
The audits also found that contamination rates ranged between 36 per cent for recycling containers near sports fields to 81 per cent of containers located near food pavilions. Playgrounds had a contamination rate of 63 per cent, while walking paths had a 76 per cent contamination rate.
Angela Storey, director of recycling and waste disposal, told councillors at the Feb. 21 public works committee an acceptable contamination rate is between 15 per cent to 20 per cent, which would allow the material to be process through the Material Recycling Facility rather than thrown into the landfill.
She said items found in recycling containers include pet feces, household garbage, Tim Hortons cups, batteries, bathroom material and waste after cleaning out vehicles.
“It’s a problem we struggle with for a number of years,” said Ward 5 Coun. Chad Collins, who requested staff conduct the study last year. “Containers are so contaminated when we pick them up, they go into the regular waste stream. It is cause for concern.”
Stoney Creek Coun. Marie Pearson, a member of the waste management advisory committee, said she was surprised at the contamination rates.
“I was quite taken aback reading the report,” she said. “This is a huge issue.”
But an anomaly that was found was the result from the audits on containers located along the Red Hill Valley Trail. Despite having no recycling containers, the garbage bins had an 8.3 per cent contamination rate and would have been acceptable in the blue box program.
