VANCOUVER – Local government officials are calling for the Provincial government to step in and re-examine Multi-Materials British Columbia’s (MMBC) recycling plan for the province.
In addition to asking the Province to reconsider MMBC’s stewardship plan, local governments are also asking for 90 additional days to clarify and further consider the three options they were given by MMBC in regards to their recycling programs.
“Local governments are being asked to make a big decision that will have a serious effect on their communities,” said CUPE BC Secretary Treasurer Paul Faoro. “Recycling is something that is very important to British Columbians and we should be moving forward with programs, not taking steps back.
“The feedback we’ve heard is that the options currently being offered don’t address the needs of local governments. This isn’t just an issue of MMBC imposing contracts on local governments, the stewardship plan itself could lead to a huge financial burden being placed on communities and tax payers.”
Faoro said that CUPE BC supports local elected officials seeking to retain control over their effective recycling programs, and believes that the provincial government needs to review the stewardship plan to ensure that producers are held fully responsible for the cost of collecting and recycling their waste.
“Extended producer responsibility is supposed to reduce waste and promote recycling, but as it stands now MMBC’s stewardship plan does nothing to encourage producers to reduce the amount of packaging. That is a fundamental flaw in this plan, and it’s essential it be addressed,” said Faoro.
CUPE BC represents more than 85,000 members who live in communities across BC and work in a variety of sectors.
