City supports Community Living Algoma recycling depot
Monday, October 22, 2012 by: Darren Taylor
City Council has unanimously approved City Staff's recommendations to provide 20,000 dollars in funding for Community Living Algoma (CLA), to support CLA's Community Recycling Depot operations.
The Public Works and Transportation department recommended that the funding be given in next year's budget, funded from the City Landfill Reserve, and that further annual contributions of $20,000 go the CLA Depot from the Public Works annual budget.
The Community Recycling Depot has been in operation since April 2008 and has a small, dedicated group of employees which has diverted, to date, 18 transport loads of no-longer-needed electronics and 32 loads of styrofoam from going to Sault Ste. Marie's landfill.
That equates to 4 percent of the total waste that went to the landfill over the past four years.
Community Living Algoma's Vocational Instructor Chad Crosson said the funding “definitely enhances our depot, toward wages for our employees, health and safety education for our employees...the depot is extremely valuable to Sault Ste. Marie in prolonging the life of the landfill.”
“Just bring your electronics down to 285 Wilson Street, leave it at the office and we'll help you from there.”
Crosson explained “material brought in is sorted out and sent to various facilities down South and they break it down there. It includes monitors, keyboards, all your computer peripherals, phones, cell phones and styrofoam.”
The depot operates Monday to Friday.
Crosson said there is no immediate need for the Depot to operate on Saturdays, but that may change in the future.
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moem 10/22/2012 6:54:14 PM ReportSo that's 1% per year, but 4% sounds better. When you buy electronics you are charged a disposal fee, which makes no sense considering most people either throw it in the garbage or donate it somewhere. It is nice to see though that the city is supporting a good organization, I'm just not sure that this enterprise is the best we can do! Social purpose enterprise is great there are a number of really good ones in Toronto, a cafe and catering company run by mental health survivors, a laundry/ dry cleaning company that provides linen service to shelters and and table cloths for businesses willing to pay...another good one (though I believe volunteer) is the dream team..,,
cemeterygates 10/22/2012 7:04:09 PM ReportMoem.....4% over 4 years = 4% a year = 4% a month = 4% a day, etc. etc.
They contributed 4% regardless of how you slice it.
geterdun 10/22/2012 8:17:13 PM Report20,000 a year = 1 day of money at the landfill .......LOL.... there so generous with our money.....
crossbone 10/23/2012 9:47:38 AM ReportThe depot has sent 108 transport loads from Sault Ste Marie and 35 transport loads of Polystyrene (Styrofoam)since 2008. I don't know why it only says 18 loads. I know because I run the depot. Bring us your electronics and see our operation first hand, I think you will be impressed.
