Brandon bans clamshell containers from its blue bins

The types of plastic containers that hold blueberrieshave been banned from Brandon's blue bins.

The City of Brandon announced Thursdaythat it will no longer be recycling #1 plastic food containers also known as clamshell containers which have hinged lids, clipat the front and are often used to hold fresh berries, greens and baked goods.

It saysRegina-based Crown Shred Recycling Management, whichbrings Brandon's recycling to market, stopped accepting the containers, and the city'smaterial recovery facilitydoesn't have space to store them.

So for now, they're going to the landfill.

A problem bigger than Brandon

"It is a North American-wide trend right now,"Mark Yeomans, Brandon's director of public works, told CBC Radio Noon's Marjorie Dowhos.

"Everyone in the recycling business is having issues getting rid of clamshell, #1 recyclable materials, and it is just part of the depressed market in recycling right now."

Calgary has also struggled since 2018 to find a buyer for its clamshell containers, ever since China changed its recycling laws and stopped importing them. To adapt, Calgary spent $300,000 onsemi-truck trailers to stockpile the containers until a new customer came along.

It's still looking for a long-term solution.

The City of Winnipeg told CBC News it still recycles its clamshell packing and ships it to buyers in eastern Canada and the United States, where it's turned into plastic bottles, trays and carpet fibre.

Yeoman says the fact that clamshell containersarenow trash is "extremely frustrating."

"For this to happen is a hit," he said.

"And it's frustrating for the residents of Brandon and its frustrating for us as recyclers."

With nowhere sustainable to send the newly-condemned containers, Yeoman said the best way to avoid sending them to the landfill is to buyitems commonly held in clamshells in bulk andput them inpaper bags.

Clamshell containers are now destined to join a select group oftrash that'scommonly mistaken for recyclablesin Brandon.

Electronics, construction materials, yard waste, styrofoamand black garbage bags often end up inBrandon's recycling bins and can contaminate a whole batch of recycling, Yeoman said.

"This is the only product we have trouble getting marketing for," he said.

"All other recyclable goods that are taken in to our recycling program are being marketed and finding homes in the recycling industry."

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