It was a tough decision, admits president Barb Hall, but KUTE (Kitimat Understanding the Environment) has decided it has to end its cardboard and paper pick up.
The problem is the cost of keeping its aged van on the road.
A flyer being dropped off at all present commercial and institutional users of the service explains, “after reviewing all the services that we provide and the resources available to us, KUTE’s board of directors has determined that it is no longer feasible for us to continue to provide a cardboard and paper pick up.”
So as of June 30 that service will end.
KUTE stresses current users of the service are welcome to bring those recyclables down to the Service Centre depot themselves.
If they are not able to do so, they could contact one of the companies in town that offer that type of collection system.
Despite this unwelcome news, Hall emphasized that the staff and volunteers at the KUTE depot are busier than ever shipping a wide variety of items.
She noted KUTE now accepts compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and residential use only fluorescent tubes.
And it is about to start accepting small home appliances such as vacuum cleaners, blow dryers, toasters and the like.
KUTE will also continue to recycle paper, cardboard, aluminum, tin cans, paint and batteries.
That’s in addition to operating as a trading post for exchanging used books, furnishing and household items.
So while one service has had to be discontinued, KUTE will continue to pursue the recycling goals set when the organization first came into existence nearly two decades ago.