University group presses Fredericton to pick up recycling at apartments

Human rights students and their professor are asking the City of Fredericton to pick up recycling at apartment buildings. 

People who live in apartment buildings now have to use one of three recycling depots in the city. Only houses get curbside pickup.

Dr. Christina Szurlej says that needs to change.

It's unreasonable to expect people to walk 30 to 45 minutes to a recycling depot just to recycle or to take their stuff on the bus.- Dr. Christina Szurlej

"I saw the bin outside my apartment building overflowing with recyclable materials, and I wondered to myself how much waste that could be recycled is being thrown in the landfill every year," said Szurlej, who teaches at St. Thomas University.

"My student did the math and she found that over 500 tons of recyclable material are just being thrown away."

Szurlej said many people who live in apartment buildings are students or elderly people, who may not have access to a vehicle and can't make it to a recycling depot.

"It's unreasonable to expect people to walk 30 to 45 minutes to a recycling depot just to recycle or to take their stuff on the bus," said Szurlej. 

"I've never seen anyone do that in my life. That system is just not working."

Consultant agrees

In March, consulting company GHD made several recommendations for improving the city's garbage and recycling program, including phaseout the depot bins and adding curbside apartment pickups. 

Environment committee chair Stephen Chase said at the time that this recommendation could be tackled first, but buildings with more than four units are still not served under the current program.

The group, consisting of Szurlej and students from her human rights class, spoke to the mayor's working committee on community and post-secondary relations on Friday morning, and sent a letter to the city on Monday.

​City blames province

Szurlej said city's response involved some finger-pointing.

"The City of Fredericton is saying this wouldn't be an issue if the provincial government mandated in provincial legislation that there must be this minimal standard for all cities across the province," she said.

The excuses don't end there, she said.

"Landlords are saying they won't do it because it would cost them money and the city is not requiring them to do it. The province is saying it's a city issue, and so no one is taking accountability."

Everyone she's spoken to about the issue, especially those who've lived in other cities, are shocked by the waste in Fredericton, she said.