Last year it diverted 90 tonnes of material from Squamish’s landfill. This year, Rod MacLeod is hoping for more.
“It is really about raising awareness for people about the options out there,” the District of Squamish’s director of engineering said.
This Saturday (May 10) marks the fifth annual Re-Use-It Fair. The giant swap, hosted in partnership between the municipality and the Squamish Climate Action Network (CAN), encourages residents to re-think the way they view garbage, MacLeod said. The premise of the day is simple — show up at Brennan Park Recreation Centre with usable items you’re trying to get rid of. The goods will be sorted by volunteers and then picked through by residents on the hunt for upcycled treasure. Everything is free.
Since 2012, Squamish residents have reduced their volume of trash by 10 to 15 per cent annually, MacLeod said.
“This year should be about the same,” he noted.
The district is putting the finishing touches on improvements to the Squamish Landfill’s depot. Residents can recycle everything from metal to glass and kitchen appliances for free before hitting the scale with the remainder of the chargeable garbage. The landfill is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“The variable tipping fee has made a big difference,” MacLeod said, regarding the landfill’s waste reduction efforts.
The district is on the hunt for a sustainability co-ordinator, who will work on plans to get people out of their cars and onto public transit, as well as examine zero waste policies, MacLeod said.
The Re-Use-It Fair runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will take place in the rec centre’s arena. For more information visit www.squamishcan.net.
