Loraas Disposal Services has recently indicated to the City of Moose Jaw that it is no longer accepting plastic clamshell containers labelled as #1 and film plastic including plastic bags and starch wrap, in the City’s current recycling program.

In the contract between the City and Loraas, it is stated that Loraas may alter what materials it does and does not accept based on the intake options available throughout the globally interconnected recycling industry, which has been in some turmoil since 2017.  

“The economy for recycling products worldwide is in a state of flux,” said Josh Mickleborough, director of engineering services, “and it's safe to say that those commodity prices are much lower than when we entered into the contract.”

In a report supplied by the Department of Engineering Services to City Council dated August 19, 2019, it’s stated that these types of plastics are no longer recyclable through Loraas because of a “fair amount of turmoil” in the recycling industry worldwide which has had a "significant global impact on the entire industry,” the report states. 

"The reality is the third world countries of the world are no longer accepting the western world's trash," said Coun. Brian Swanson, "and markets for materials from North American have collapsed due to excessive supply."

Up until 2017, China had been the largest receiver of recyclable materials from North America, but that changed when the country banned 24 types of waste products, including certain types of plastic and paper. 

The other Asian countries referenced in the report include Malaysia, India, Vietnam and Taiwan, however, none of them have been able to fill the gap that China left, and all of them have imposed at least some restrictions on which materials they will accept. 

According to Swanson, the global model for recycling is itself broken. 

“Loraas is trying to reduce the amount of stuff they're taking in because they're having trouble selling what stuff they still take in. Who blames Malaysia and China for saying ‘we're fed up taking all your waste; it's no good for us’? We should, as a continent, be ashamed that we're willing to dispose of our waste that way.” 

The City of Moose Jaw entered into a contract with Loraas Disposal on Oct. 1, 2015. The Engineering Department has estimated that the cost to dispose of garbage is $0.18/kg and the cost to recycle is $0.74/kg.

Also written in the engineering report, solid waste tonnage collected in garbage has decreased over the last three years. Close to 8,000 tonnes were collected and disposed of at the City landfill in 2018. Through 2019, the total is down 6.9 percent through the first six months of this year. Recycling tonnage has increased 0.2 percent over three years of collection, from 1,341.4 tonnes to 1,344.4 tonnes per year.

Mickleborough said although plastic bags have been recyclable over the past few years, they have also always been accepted at the Sanitary Landfill as waste. 

“The impact at the landfill is not great, just given the volume and weight.” 

Coun. Brian Swanson pointed out that the cost to the City to recycle through Loraas is “more than four times the cost of regular solid waste collection.”

“Given our geographic location, and despite everyone’s best intentions, a landfill is the most economical, environmentally friendly way to dispose of waste.” 

The City has completed the first three years of its contract with Loraas and has now entered into its first two-year renewal term. To opt-out of the contract at this point, the City would have to pay a $250 thousand buyout fee. The City will decide in April whether or not to renew a second time.