Rothesay pushes ahead with curbside recycling program

Rothesay is moving forward with curbside recycling after the Fundy Regional Services Commission voted against a regional program.

The town's council passed a motion on Monday night that approved the service in principle while they wait for final costs.

This comes after the Fundy Region Services Commission voted against providing the service to the entire region last month.

Rothesay Coun. Matt Alexander,who put forward Monday's motion, says it was time for the town to go it alone after the commission voted down the regional project.

"The communities are now free to do what they want and because we wanted to implement it about two years ago, I felt like it was important to get on with it," Alexander said.

According to a memo sent to council, John Jarvie, the town manager, estimates the service will cost the town $7,500 per month including net HST until 2018. It will then rise to $8,000 in 2019 and 2020.

There will also be an initial upfront cost of getting the recycling bins, one for fiber and one for plastic and tins, to residents. The estimated cost for these purchases is around $90,000 to $100,000.

Rothesay council hopes to have curbside service in place by late summer or early fall.

The move is being supported by some of the town's residents.

Michelle Cunningham says curbside recycling would make being green more convenient.

"I drive by the blue bins and I see them, but I don't always find myself thinking, 'Hey, today I'm going to the blue bins,'" she says.

"However, if it's accessible for myself as well, I would definitely use them."

The neighbouring town of Quispamsis was one of the municipalities that voted against providing curbside recycling to the region.

Quispamsis resident Laura McKee says she hopes her town will eventually follow Rothesay's lead.

"I think it would be great if they did curbside recycling. We have to sort it, lug it, then sort it [again] and dump it, and it is a big thing and if we had curbside it would be so much easier," McKee says.