https://www.capebretonpost.com/news/local/cbrm-storing-300-tonnes-of-film-plastic-one-year-after-chinas-import-ban-276674/
CBRM storing 300 tonnes of film plastic one year after China’s import ban
Nikki Sullivan (nicole.sullivan@xxxxxxxxxx)
Published: Jan. 17, 2019
Material may go to a landfill if a solution can't be found
SYDNEY, N.S. — Jan. 1 marked one year since China’s ban on importing
film plastics and the Cape Breton Regional Municipality still hasn’t
found a market for the stuff.
CBRM solid waste operations manager Francis Campbell said they have no
leads on new markets to sell the materials to and they are running out
of indoor storage space.
“We still have some room and are holding out hope someone’s going to
find something, somewhere to take the materials,” said Campbell.
However, Environment Minister Margaret Miller announced on Jan. 16 the
province is moving to allow the material, along with cardboard and
newsprint, to be used in waste-to-energy plants.
While it is unclear how this may help the CBRM’s storage issues, Miller
said the changes will create opportunities for businesses to “create
something useful from waste destined for landfills.”
According to Gord Helm of Nova Waste Solutions Inc., there currently
aren’t any thermal projects up and running in the province.
In July, Campbell estimated the CBRM had 200 tonnes of film plastics
stored inside Camden Recycling and they’d run out of space in December.
Thanks to being able to get rid of some other materials being stored and
the sale of two tractor shipments of the film plastics (45-50 tonnes) to
Halifax C&D Recycling Inc., they have a little more space. But not much.
While film plastics make up a small amount of materials in blue bags
(one to five per cent), Campbell said it still adds up.
“The stuff is still coming in. We’ll have to make a decision one way or
the other … keep stockpiling it or dispose of it (in a landfill),” he said.
“That’s our last option. We don’t want to do that.”
FILM PLASTICS
What: Thin, polymeric material
Used for: Sandwich bags, one use shopping bags, plastic wrap
Where they were going: China
Why stopped: Pollution
When stopped: Jan. 1, 2018
What now: Municipalities need to find new markets
So far: CBRM shipped two tractor loads
Campbell said if Halifax C&D Inc., a company that turns recycled
plastics into outdoor furniture and poles, had more storage space they
could sell more of the stored film plastic to them. But they don’t and
Campbell’s having little luck finding other markets to sell to.
Regardless of the troubles moving the materials, Campbell stressed it is
still a recyclable and people shouldn’t stop putting it in their blue bags.
Other ways people can help with the plastics problem is to reduce the
amount used and reuse when possible.
The province’s plan to make changes to solid waste regulations, which
are needed to allow the waste-to-energy plants, are being met with some
concern from environmentalists.
Ecology Action Centre spokesperson Mark Butler said: “In waste
hierarchy, energy recovery or waste-to-energy is just one above
landfilling.”
