Aldergrove can help put waste in its place

Cleaning out the cluttered garage or clearing away jam-packed closets this spring?

It can be difficult to know where to take items that can be reused or recycled, but Metro Vancouver has launched the 2021 edition of the Waste in Its Place campaign in hopes spreading awareness about recycling and disposal options.

“Abandoning household items on public or private property is considered illegal dumping,” a Metro Vancouver media spokesperson explained. “A desk left in a lane-way, a mattress placed behind an apartment building, or bags of garbage dropped next to a public bin – it’s all illegal and it costs taxpayers millions of dollars each year to clean up.”

The Langley Recycling and Waste Centre, located at 1070 272 St. in Aldergrove, accepts regular garbage, green waste, and recyclables.

Most recyclables are accepted free of charge, however, there are fees for mattresses and gypsum drywall, the spokesperson said.

Details on which items go where can be found at www.metrovancouver.org/services/solid-waste/garbage-recycling/transfer-stations/langley-transfer-station. Mattresses and furniture are transferred to Pacific Mattress Recycling in Hope when all the components such as foam, metal, wood and fabric are separated into reusable products and fully recycled.

Because of COVID-29, a planned Langley Township-wide garage sale is postponed until further notice.

Langley City and Langley Township both offer residential pick up for up to four large items per year, by appointment (call 604-530-3939).

“We also recommend Metro Vancouver Recycles, which is our web app with a directory and map of all recycling, donation and disposal services in the region,” the spokesperson added.

Township mayor Jack Froese said a lot of people will have a mattress and not know what to do with it so they just dump it on the road and it costs the Township money to clean it up.

“I drive down some of our beautiful streets and it just sickens me to see the litter dumped,” Froese said. “It costs us time and resources – we don’t know if it’s hazardous sometimes, which takes up time and money.”

Nationally, Froese said there is a lot being looked at right now to reduce packaging.

“We want to start with businesses and reduce the amount of waste before it gets to the consumer,” he explained.

READ MORE: Metro Vancouver residents tossed half a billion masks, gloves, wipes into landfills last year

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has been a common waste item for the past 12 months. Metro Vancouver is encouraging people to choose reusable fabric masks instead of disposable ones or sanitizer instead of gloves to limit the amount of waste.

To dispose of single-use personal hygiene items like masks, gloves, or used tissues, they should be in a plastic bag and place securely in a garbage bin.

People are asked to double bag these items if they are feeling sick or caring for someone who is sick.

Froese said there are a lot of resources out there, particularly pointing to the Waste In Its Place campaign.

“We all have to do our part and put the waste where it belongs,” Froese added.

More tips and information can be found at https://recycling.metrovancouver.org