The Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority (EWSWA) is reporting a nearly perfect uptake for its new program asking residents to not put plastic bags in their blue boxes.
Spokesperson Cat Griffin says since the new measures went into effect June 1 the authority has seen a 97 per cent compliance rate from the public.
"They really want to recycle everything that they can,” she says. “There's always misinformation as to what can be recycled because it is a complicated system, but the compliance and the support has been excellent."
The program was rolled out as plastic bags were becoming a major source of contamination increasing the cost of recycling for the authority.
Griffin says there are still some offenders, but she's confident that will change as word continues to get out.
"There are some people that are still leaving plastic grocery bags, that's what's happening, and there are people leaving the newspaper inside the blue plastic bag,” she says. “We're also seeing a lot of styrofoam and plastic plant pots which are also not part of the program. So they can't be recycled."
Education continues according to Griffin.
"In the county, there's an oops sticker they would put on the box and check off the reason why the box was left. In the city, the month of June it's kind of a soft opening where they're going to tell you what you did wrong and they may or may not collect the box and they will leave a door hanger."
According to the EWSWA, bread bags, chip bags, snack bags, pet waste bags, milk bags and cereal bags are not to go in blue boxes while the ban also includes plastic wrap.
More information on what can and cannot be recycled can be found on the authority's website.
— With files from AM800's Rob Hindi