Mayor’s Monthly Editorial, August 2025

By David Wilks

Over the past several years, one topic has consistently emerged in conversations with residents, at community meetings and in correspondence to council: curbside recycling. This is not just a service request. It is a reflection of our community’s desire to create a more sustainable future.

I am pleased to share that we are making curbside recycling a reality for our residents.

This is the result of persistent advocacy, careful planning and a collective vision to support this important program. With this initiative, recycling will become accessible for every household in Sparwood.

When the Regional District of East Kootenay’s yellow bin program came to an end, many residents adapted to using the recycling bins at the Sparwood Transfer Station. While this option provided recycling opportunities, we recognized that it was not equally accessible to everyone. Council continued to seek solutions, engaging directly with Recycle BC to explore funding and partnership opportunities.

At the time, our population size placed us on a waitlist. Now, I am proud to finally say that Recycle BC has approved the District of Sparwood to join its collection network, marking a pivotal step forward and opening the door to financial support that will help us make this important program possible.

The program, which will begin in March 2026, will introduce a single-stream collection system, allowing residents to place accepted paper, cardboard and mixed containers into one 240-litre cart, collected every other week in alternating weeks with garbage collection. While this model simplifies participation, it also requires diligence in keeping contamination levels low to maintain funding and operational efficiency.

Public education will be essential to the program’s success. The district will launch a comprehensive awareness and education campaign to ensure residents know exactly what can and cannot go into the recycling cart. This will not only keep contamination rates low but also improve worker safety and reduce unnecessary landfill waste.

The environmental impact of this shift will be substantial. Based on the experience of other East Kootenay communities, we can expect an estimated 25% increase in diversion rates translating to approximately 140 tonnes of recyclables each year that will be kept out of the landfill.

Council’s decision to move forward with curbside recycling is a proud moment for Sparwood. It demonstrates our ability to adapt, innovate, and respond to the evolving needs of our residents while keeping our community’s environmental values at the forefront.

By working together, we can ensure that curbside recycling becomes another example of Sparwood’s ongoing progress and forward-thinking approach to benefit both our environment and future generations.

Watch for more information coming soon.

e-KNOW file photo

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