A surprising number of Winnipeggers are not recycling properly and a local organization is encouraging people to educate themselves.
Tom Ethans, the executive director of Take Pride Winnipeg, said he’s finding too many contaminated recycling bins in the city, with liquids being the main culprit.
“The thing people have to understand is empty your containers,” Ethans said.
At a full recycling bin on Main Street in the Exchange District Monday, Ethans sorted through the top half and within minutes he determined the whole bin was contaminated.
Several pop bottles and coffee cups were discovered with liquid still in them.
“It’s too bad but that’s what happens when people are trying to do the right thing but they’re not doing it the right way,” Ethans said.
Once recyclables are contaminated, they are diverted to the landfill as they can no longer be processed.
On a positive note, Ethans didn’t find much recycling inside the connected garbage can.
“It’s showing me that people are trying and that we just need more education on how to recycle properly,” Ethans said.
“Once you learn it, then you’ll do it every time.”
You can find out more about what goes in the bin here.