qathet Regional District (qRD) directors have nominated Electoral Area E director Andrew Fall as a candidate for the Recycle BC Advisory Committee.
At the August 28 regional board meeting on Texada Island, directors considered an expression of interest to nominate a board member to the advisory committee. The expectation is that the candidate would provide input and advice on the packaging and printed paper product stewardship programs to represent the interests of isolated regional districts.
Electoral Area D director Sandy McCormick nominated Fall for the position.
Fall said it appears the committee meets four times a year, so he was able to undertake the responsibility. He said there are issues locally, such as the discontinuation of recycling of industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) cardboard, which until recently, was recyclable in qathet region. According to a staff report, Recycle BC notified qRD that the ICI collection site at the Town Centre location would be closed on July 31. The staff report stated that some of the markets for this material have collapsed and the cost to ship and handle the materials from isolated or remote locations has become too costly.
“The decision will have far-reaching consequences and will affect the ability of government office, schools, retail locations, library and even housing projects to properly dispose of recyclable materials,” the report stated. “Everything in our regional district related to these programs are now included in garbage and will not be recycled.
“This could be a valuable opportunity for the qRD to provide input to Recycle BC on the unique issues we deal with as an isolated district, and we should take advantage of these opportunities when they arise.”
“I’m happy to do it and it's mostly just virtual,” said Fall. “It’s really important for us to have input.”
Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne said he supported the motion, however, there is a solid waste management plan advisory committee that has a member of the regional board sitting on that committee. Gisborne said for consistency, it might be helpful to have the individual who is on the waste management plan advisory committee to handle the Recycle BC item.
City of Powell River director Cindy Elliott, who is the representative on the waste management plan advisory committee, said she was loaded with responsibilities and she likes the idea that she and Fall could talk about solid waste issues.
Fall said he is already on a solid waste management committee on Lasqueti Island, which he represents on the regional board, so there is a connection for him.
The board voted unanimously to nominate Fall for the Recycle BC Advisory Committee.
Join the Peak's email list for the top headlines right in your inbox Monday to Friday.
