Dear Editor,
I am pleased to see the Town of Okotoks is reaching out to neighbouring communities, those who are part of the Foothills Regional Services Commission, to discuss the opportunities for a Materials Recycling Facility. I cringe over another study taking place though because it is more taxpayer money being spent on “possibility.”
Last year I wrote a document called Shopping at the Dump (Landfill) - A Guide to Zero Waste and Total Recovery. It was sent to the Alberta Government and the commission to provide insight and ideas to save the Province approximately $80 million dollars a year in taxpayer money. For the commission, it was sent as an idea as they prepare for changes.
My concept goes much deeper into the recycling process to include total onsite recovery by remanufacturing reusable products and I called it a Mega Recycling Centre.
We already have good recycling at the landfill, however, it doesn’t go far enough to repurpose with the exception of the Foothills Recycling Salvage Centre. Okotoks has a good recycling centre as well, however in both instances recycled product is transported elsewhere for actual recycling and further for repurpose.
The landfill already has the land in place. Okotoks already has some equipment. If the whole region gets involved, the costs to recycle could be reduced due to the quantity of product, which in turn will be sold for profit.
Recycling can be profitable. However, like any commodity, it has cycles but it must be profitable or no one would be doing it.
Remanufacturing may come in the future. This would be an opportunity to provide more local jobs and wholesale/retail opportunities for the manufactured recycled products such as asphalt, cardboard shipping/packaging, sand, plastic pellets, paint, oil, etc.
I hope that our neighbouring town councils and staff reach out to their residents to have a good discussion about a Materials Recycling Facility knowing that it will be operated at the landfill under the commission.
Not only would it be great for the environment but it would also reduce the cost to taxpayers in the region. Thank you.
Naydene Lewis
Okotoks
