On August 1, the Bowen Island Recycling Depot Society (BIRD) informed the Bowen Island Municipality that it will continue the operation of the recycling depot on Mount Gardner Road only until the end of this year.
"Now that recycling is a mandated responsibility throughout British Columbia, the task of recycling has grown to be too complex to be operated by a volunteer organization. As such, we hereby give notice to the Bowen Island Municipality that effective January 1, 2014, BIRD is transferring responsibility for recycling on Bowen Island to the municipality," the society stated in a press release.
Bill Carr, who has been involved in BIRD for 13 years, says the decision was not an easy one but "the population has grown and the amount of recycling has grown to a volume that is challenging to manage by a group of volunteers."
Carr, who volunteered with BIRD until this summer, says he enjoyed his time with the organization immensely. "Working at the depot for a couple hours, you often get thanked at least twice in that period," he said. "Islanders really appreciate what we have been doing."
Carr explained that the sale of materials has paid for upkeep and ongoing costs of the recycling depot and the municipality has paid for the transport of containers to the mainland - around 109 bins per year at $560 per trip, as well as 32 loads of electronic waste.
"BIRD has fulfilled its goal of encouraging and implementing recycling on Bowen Island. It began as an act of social responsibility and has been long recognized as an innovator in B.C. recycling," the press release states.
Carr sees BIRD as a viable model for recycling and noted that it collects most of the materials that are banned from the garbage stream as well as additional items such as batteries, plastic bags, ink cartridges and fluorescent bulbs. He hopes that this service to Bowen Islanders will continue to be available under the umbrella of the municipality.
"We are aware that the municipality is currently engaged in the formulation of a long-term contract for waste management on Bowen Island and feel that now is the appropriate time to make this transfer so that all systemic efficiencies can be maximized. We trust that waste management and recycling on the island will continue to evolve and become increasingly effective and efficient," BIRD's press release says.
"We would also like to the take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank all of the volunteers, past and current, who have given their energies for the betterment of our community through their volunteerism at BIRD."
BIRD (http://www.bowenislandrecyclingdepot.com) will continue to operate the depot as usual until January 1, 2014, unless an earlier date for the transfer will be set.
