Home Business & Economy Environment & Clean Tech Labour shortages impacting curbside recycling pickup

Labour shortages impacting curbside recycling pickup

If not picked up by 9 pm, leave out for next-day pickup.

emterra truck
Recycling pickup truck [Emterra]
 SHORT-RUN PRINTING | LAMINATING | MAIL-OUT SUPPORT

Monday August 22, 2022 | GREATER VICTORIA AREA, BC

by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends


The blue box curbside recycling pickup program is continuing to experience service disruptions due to staffing shortages at Emterra Environmental, the Capital Regional District’s (CRD) contractor for recycling collection.

Labour shortages are being seen throughout the economy as the disruptions generated by the pandemic — and now inflationary impacts — are felt throughout the economy.

blue box, plastics
A range of plastic consumer products can be recycled through the curbside pick up system in BC. [Island Social Trends]

CRD says that Emterra is actively recruiting new drivers but that collection delays are expected over the coming weeks until the business is fully staffed.

night, curbside, blue box
Night time curbside pickup of blue box recyclables by CRD/Emterra trucks, Jan 24, 2022. [Island Social Trends]

“They will attempt to recover materials on alternate days, including Saturdays,” said CRD in a statement to customers.

Leave materials overnight:

“If your recycling is not collected by 9 pm on your scheduled day, please leave your materials at the curb for recovery the following day,” says CRD.

Advise if not picked up within 48 hours:

If materials are not retrieved within 48 hours of your usual residential pickup day, CRD asks that you email your address to crdbluebox@emterra.ca .

The CRD says they appreciate the public’s patience as Emterra works to return the program to normal service levels.

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More info:

For curbside recycling information and preparation tips, visit crd.bc.ca/bluebox or email infoline@crd.bc.ca

===== RELATED:

Plastics recycling innovation gets 2nd-phase boost (August 9, 2022)

CRD: more trucks to handle recycling backlog (January 24, 2022)

Heat pushes blue bin recycling overnight into Tuesday (June 28, 2021)

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===== ABOUT ISLAND SOCIAL TRENDS:

Mary Brooke, editor, West Shore Voice News
Mary P Brooke, Editor and Publisher, Island Social Trends.

Island Social Trends is an online news portal at islandsocialtrends.ca offering ‘stuff that matters’ toward positive change in society and economy. The socioeconomic news lens has been applied by Mary P Brooke, B.Sc., Cert PR, as founding Editor and Publisher, since 2008. | editor@islandsocialtrends.com

The first publication leading to Island Social Trends was MapleLine Magazine (2008-2010), then the weekly newspaper Sooke Voice News (2011-2013), then the weekly print & PDF newspaper West Shore Voice News (2014-2020). Island Social Trends emerged mid-2020.

Island Social Trends offers a platform for opinion-editorials that align with our mission statement to support a knowledge-based economic and society. We support local groups through publishing exposure. Advertisers and subscribers welcome!