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GREEN GOVERNMENT

City migrates to new waste, recycling reminder app with education focus

Mar 28, 2019 | 9:46 AM

The city is moving to a new waste and recycling reminder application to help residents stay on top of their pick-up dates and learn healthier recycling habits.

Starting April 7, the current Recollect app will stop working and residents will need to migrate to Recycle Coach. The move will save the city around $4,000 in annual subscription fees and provide more features to users.

Recycle Coach can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or iOS App Store.

With the app, residents can stay organized with custom curbside collection and event calendars, and receive collection reminders and updates on service disruptions. It also offers a comprehensive “What Goes Where?” search tool, including local disposal information and collection requirements.

The focus on education was a key driver behind the city’s desire to move, according to Tammy MacCormack, assistant director of utility services.

“When non-recyclable material ends up in the recycle stream, it makes the rest of the materials in there un-recyclable,” she said. “If someone does their own oil change and puts the used oil in the recycle cart, if that cart gets dumped into the truck, every bit of material in that truck is now contaminated and can’t be recycled.”

MacCormack said this can be an issue in North Battleford, noting waste collectors have found everything from garden hoses to bread and fish and even needles.

“That is a big safety concern,” she said. “[The crews] take the contents to their facility and it goes on a conveyer belt and you have people going in and helping to sort some of that material.”

Recycle Coach works with Google Home and Amazon Alexa, allowing users to ask the devices for recycling tips and information.

People are able to use the application’s problem reporting tool, which is equipped with geolocation, to notify the municipal government about issues like missed collections. MacCormack said this gives residents another way to contact city hall without ringing the phone.

On the other side, should the city have a large wind storm or snowfall that delays pick-up, the city can use the app to notify residents.

Those without a mobile smartphone can still look up their pick-up dates from the city’s website any time.

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

 

On Twitter: @JournoMarr