Dear editor,Last Tuesday, I was trying to do my weekly chores, which include taking my recycling to the depot at Comox Mall, and was dismayed and angry that Comox Mall is closing down the only recycling depot in Comox!Where are we supposed to put our recycling items?There are many people in Comox who do not have a pickup service, including many apartment buildings, and people who live just outside of the Comox boundary.I believe this is a huge step backwards in trying to cut down on the garbage in the landfill! By recycling, I personally cut down on my garbage by at least 50 per cent, so that means that our landfill will be growing by at least that amount.Not only is Comox a casualty, in this "backwards thinking" decision, the Comox Valley Strathcona Waste Management is in the midst of closing at least nine dropoff recycling places throughout the entire Comox Valley. CVRD representative Koreen Gurak states that they are closing because "the landowners no longer want them there," and also the reason is the desire of some of the landowners to develop the land where they sit!I find it ridiculous that in the same week that CVRD is closing down nine recycling depots, that the Comox Strathcona Waste Management is seeking public input on increasing costs on expanding Comox Valley Waste Management Centre (Pidgeon Lake), because of near capacity.Apparently the facility has about three years left before it is full, and it will cost at least $68 per tonne or between $7 million to $10 million to expand the landfills.I find it totally irresponsible that our Comox mayor and councillors just sit back and allow this to happen, because of a few landowners who do not want to deal with recycling.Also, many of these previous recycling depots are at central locations at major grocery stores. It seems to me that some of the responsibility of recycling should be on these larger grocery stores.They like our business to buy their products, which have a lot of packaging to recycle, but they obviously do not want to provide a service for the customers to recycle.I believe that the responsibility of recycling should be between Comox council and the landowners. There should be a signed agreement or some sort of recycling policy.Perhaps there could be an arrangement to share some of the cost, like cleaning the depot, and fining the few people who use it as a dump. It is usually the same people.I believe it is totally unfair that a few landowners are making the decision of not recycling for the over 70,000 people who live in this beautiful Comox Valley.B. Geddes,ComoxEditor's note: The owners of private properties such as malls have voluntarily allowed public recycling bins on their property. One reason they have asked for the bins to be removed is because irresponsible people have dumped furniture and other items the recycling bins were never meant to handle. People should be indignant about the loss of recycling bins, but they should direct their outrage at the people who misuse them instead of taking their junk to the landfill.
