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Regional district taking steps to prevent mess at 24-hour recycling station in Prince Rupert

The Skeena – Queen Charlotte Regional District is taking steps to prevent future messes at the 24-hour transfer station.

Following concerns raised by both residents and the City of Prince Rupert, the Skeena – Queen Charlotte Regional District is taking steps to prevent future messes at the 24-hour transfer station.

The bins at the station were overflowing following the first two weekends following its opening, but regional recycling operations manager Tim Des Champ said that should be avoidable in the future.

"Staff has added another bin for cardboard/paper and removed the glass bin due to safety concerns with the staff and the public, and has also modified the lids," he wrote in a letter to the board, noting a major contributing factor to the overflow was people not flattening cardboard boxes before putting them into the bin.

Another contributing factor was use of the bins by commercial recyclers, something Des Champs said was not in the plans when the transfer station was put in place but would be alleviated with video surveillance.

While changes to the bins and increased surveillance should prevent overflow during regular weekends, Des Champ acknowledged long weekends pose a concern.

"In the future we will have problems on long weekends as the bins will not be emptied for two-and-a-half days.This will continue unless more staff hours are added," he wrote, adding staff will continue to monitor the situation.