Recycling
Hoarders and pack rats will soon have one less excuse for holding on to their used or broken small appliances. Starting on October 1, a province-wide program called Unplugged will enable British Columbians to recycle small appliances at more than 100 locations.
Introduced by the Canadian Electrical Stewardship Association (CESA), Unplugged is the first small appliance recycling program of its kind in Canada and the only government-approved small appliance recycling program in BC. The program will accept more than 120 small appliances for recycling, ranging from toasters and electric toothbrushes to countertop microwaves and vacuum cleaners. Large appliances, such as refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers and washing machines, are not part of the project.
At the same time, a fee is being added to the purchase price of small appliances to fund the program. There is no charge for dropping off items. All items are transported to processors in Western Canada and separated into different materials that are then recycled.
CESA has partnered with BC-based Product Care Association (PCA) to set up and operate Unplugged throughout the province. “We are happy to have the support of a wide number of retailers, municipalities and manufacturers who see the importance of the Unplugged program,” says Mark Kurschner, president of PCA. “We will continue to work with recyclers to maximize the amount of materials recycled through Unplugged.”
Recycling fees on new items cover all program costs, including collection, transportation and recycling. The fee may be included in a product’s price or displayed as a separate charge at checkout. The program will operate on a cost-recovery basis and all fees collected will stay within the program. Fees vary from 25 cents for small items, such as an air freshener, to $10 for a large countertop microwave.
Powell River residents can drop off their small appliances at Sunset Coast Bottle Depot, an Encorp Return-It site located on Highway 101 south of town.
A full list of accepted products and fees can be found online.
Burning ban
A backyard burning ban remains in effect in the Powell River Regional District.
Effective noon today, Friday, September 23, the ban has been lifted in other parts of the Coastal Fire Centre, including northern Vancouver Island, the north central coast and Haida Gwaii due to a decreased risk of wildfire.
A category two and burn barrel ban remains in effect for all other areas of the Coastal Fire Centre, including mid and southern Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and the Lower Mainland until Monday, October 3.
Category two open fires are any fires up to two metres high and three metres wide, including burn barrels, but not campfires. Category two open fires also include burning grass or stubble over an area less than 2,000 square metres.
Since April 1, the Coastal Fire Centre has responded to over 1,000 incidents that resulted in 84 wildfires. Three of those were caused by lightning.
To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call *5555 on a cell phone or toll-free to 1.800.663.5555. Visit the website to view the current Coastal Fire Centre open fire prohibitions and maps.
Donation fund
A special fund has been set up to assist a former Powell River resident who was involved in a serious motor vehicle accident.
Donations are being accepted for Brent James, who now lives in Campbell River. James lived in Powell River as a child and most recently from 2005 to 2009.
James, a drywall contractor, was in an accident on September 5 in the Yukon, where he was working. He was ejected from a vehicle and suffered a broken neck. He is in Vancouver General Hospital, paralyzed from the chest down.
Margaret Brix, a family friend, has set up an account for James so he and his family can continue to pay rent and bills. Donations can be made at any Bank of Nova Scotia or Scotiabank. The account name is: Margaret Brix in trust for Brent James.
