Iqaluit recyclers want credit

I am writing in response to the article titled, “City gets cash for hazardous waste education program,” published Feb. 15, 2002 (p. 25).

The article’s title incorrectly identifies the City of Iqaluit as the recipient of a $100,000 grant from Environment Canada’s EcoAction program. EcoAction granted the funds to the Iqaluit Recycling Society.

The Iqaluit Recycling Society is a relatively new non-profit organization in the city that exists to support the recycling program implemented by the City of Iqaluit and works with the city to ensure the program’s success. Our group is managed entirely by volunteers, although the funding received will allow us to hire a co-ordinator to implement the many programs being initiated.

It was disappointing to see that Nunatsiaq News did not contact anyone from the Iqaluit Recycling Society to comment on this story. The funding was not applied for nor granted to the corporation of the City of Iqaluit and the City of Iqaluit should not be looked to as the “voice” for Iqaluit Recycling Society.

The Iqaluit Recycling Society is a group that is completely separate from the City of Iqaluit itself. We do, however, want to continue to work co-operatively with the City of Iqaluit to maintain the ongoing success of the city’s new recycling program. The funding from EcoAction will provide our volunteer group with the resources to do just that.

In the future, I hope that Nunatsiaq News will give the credit for volunteer efforts to the people who truly deserve them.

Frances Gertsch
President
Iqaluit Recycling Society
iqaluitrecycles@nunanet.com