The city of Gatineau set up a pilot project to recycle styrofoam at the end of 2020. Also called polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene, this type of plastic (number 6) is difficult to recycle. Why ? Because the collection trucks crush what we put in our blue bins during the recycling collection, which undoes the little balls of the styrofoam. These balls, charged with static electricity, stick everywhere and contaminate all other materials.
For this reason, styrofoam must be collected separately from other recyclable materials, and the city asks us to take it to the ecocentre. There are three categories of styrofoam:
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- Food containers (fast food containers, meat trays, coffee glasses, etc.);
- Protective packaging (for electronic devices, household appliances, winter protection and boxes for plants);
- Insulation panels used in the construction of buildings.
To learn more about the program of the city of Gatineau, click here.
If it breaks... it passes!
When you're wondering if something that looks like styrofoam can really be recycled, here's a simple trick to answer the question. Do the test to bend the object. If you manage to break it, it's recyclable styrofoam. Otherwise, if it just twists without breaking, unfortunately this object must take the direction of your gray bin.
Following the great success of the first styrofoam collection in 2021, the environment committee of the Association of the residents of the Plateau is organizing a new collect on January 13, 2024 for packaging protection and food containers.
Participants must bring their own styrofoam bags at the drop off points near them. The addresses will be communicated a few days prior to the collect. There will be about 10 drop off points across the Plateau. The bus will pickup the styrofoam bags at each drop off point and will bring them to the Ecocenter in Hull. To ensure success in collecting all the styrofoam bags, we need volounteers to help unload the bus and to put the styrofoam in big dedicated bag.
How to participate ?
Do you have styrofoam such as protective packaging or food containers?
Fill out this form below to register and we will communicate with you the closest drop-off point from your home.
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- In the mean time, it is possible to bring your styrofoam directly at the Ecocenter.
Thank you for supporting this eco-responsible initiative! By demonstrating interest in collecting styrofoam, we hope to encourage the city to set up a regular, local collection system to avoid having to go to the ecocentre.
The environment committee.
