City gets cash for hazardous waste education program

After tackling the task of getting residents to recycle metals and plastics, the Iqaluit Recycling Society is taking on a new project.

This time, it’s hazardous waste.

This week, Environment Canada announced it’s giving the recycling society a $100,000 grant to educate Iqaluit residents on the proper disposal of household hazardous wastes.

The project’s goal is to prevent paints, solvents, car batteries, aerosol cans and used oil from ending up in the city’s dump.

Matthew Hough, director of engineering for the city, said the key is informing residents that there are special storage areas at the dump for such materials. Old batteries and paint are stored there, then shipped to disposal sites in the South.

Hough, who helped spearhead the current recycling program, said it’s good to see the program take on an educational role.

“As we grow as a community, we are seeing more and more different types of products in our community. The more education the better so that they don’t end up in our landfill,” Hough said.

The recycling society will also use the money to hire a co-ordinator to work on its waste diversion projects.