Residents in Canada Town Oppose Universal Recycling

“I have heard from so many people, and a heartbreaking number of seniors, who already do just about everything they can, and we’ve heard many of these perspectives this afternoon,” she said. “They’re already not putting out a whole lot of waste, so these massive bins…are a concern for them.”

She said most residents contacting her are already recycling in some capacity and don’t object to waste diversion itself, but the price tag that comes with it.

Many of the residents would be pleased to see a pay-as-you-throw program brought in at the same time as the recycling plan, she said.

“We can flippantly say it’s 23 cents a day, but it is making a big impact on their budgets when they don’t get that increase on their pension,” said Fischer. “Most of them are quite happy for alternative methods of this. They’re not against the program, they can’t afford it.”