Following a presentation for a long-range vision for solid waste management in the Comox Valley by representatives of the Comox Valley Regional District, members of Comox council wanted answers for the removal of recycling bins in the community.
"It was a decision on the part of the owners of the property that decided to remove those," explained Tom Boatman, manager of solid waste for Comox Strathcona Waste Management (CSWM). "But we are in the process as fast as we can to replace those bins in some more permanent locations that would be central to Comox and also one in Courtenay."
He added CSWM didn't know it would under such a quick timeline because they didn't anticipate there would be multiple owners wanted the bins moved.
"We're working as quickly as we can to provide that service to Comox," added Boatman.
Within the last month, recycle bins have been removed from the property at the Comox Centre Mall.
Coun. Barbara Price inquired about incentives for business who keep the bins on their property.
"There's a number of challenges that go into maintaining the sites and we're looking into it," replied Boatman.
Following a question from Coun. Hugh MacKinnon, Boatman confirmed the recycling bins from the Canex near 19 Wing Comox have been removed.
"We know the Canex has a limited lifespan, I'm sorry to say," said Boatman. "We're once again are talking to those people at the base to see if we can extend that."
He added there is an educational program in place and the CSWM is trying to post all the sites that have been removed as to alternative location to go to, two to three weeks before the actual removal takes place.
"We recognize it is a discomfort to the citizens and we're trying to respond as quickly as we're able to try and get an intermediate or perminate site with some of the issues that we had with the issues with the current sites removed," noted Boatman.
Mayor Paul Ives stated the reality is that residents of the town do have a curbside collection program that meets most, although perhaps not all, needs.
"I know that people have gotten used to the bins over the years because we didn't used to have curbside pickup. It is something that the regional district staff will look at criteria that we can to re-establish a controlled area to be supervised so that we won't have some of those concerns," he added.
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