Blue recycling bins contributing to trash problem in the city

By Lethbridge Herald on June 2, 2022.

Editor:

All of May there was a highway clean-up being undertaken in Alberta by volunteers concerned about their environment. And because the wind blows 80 per cent of the time in our area, this is an ongoing endeavor. 

There are also concerned citizens within the City of Lethbridge out on various days throughout the spring and summer picking up trash in our coulees, along river banks and major city roadways and in city parks. I salute these concerned citizens as I too find myself picking up trash in the park near us in the West Highlands and along the streets and avenues. 

The plastic bags hanging from trees is very unsightly. Why are we getting so much trash flying around, you may ask yourself? This didn’t seem to be as big a problem years ago and it wasn’t until the city introduced the recycling blue bins.

 And the fact that we are not supposed to put our recyclables in a large plastic bag just exacerbates the situation. 

In our area on a windy Friday morning or afternoon, you can drive down any street and see these blue bins laying on their sides and the contents blowing down the road. This trash in evidently ends up in our lakes, rivers, trees, coulees and ditches along major roadways. 

This never-ending cycle must be addressed. 

There may be a better solution than the large plastic bags but for now I feel it is the best one we have in the interim.

Kent Perry

Lethbridge