Own ideals
The study also found Newfoundland and Labrador had unique reasons for wanting to recycle compared with the rest of Canada. While 85 per cent of Canadians cited social responsibility as a reason to recycle, only 68 per cent of respondents in Newfoundland and Labrador concurred.
“I think there’s been a major shift,” said Mr. Scott, referencing the fact opinions reflected by the study are now three years old. “There’s a lot more emphasis on the environment since, and I know from what we’re getting from the municipalities, the status quo is not acceptable.”
Broadening Horizons has offered curbside recycling since 2005, and has witnessed steady growth in the volume of material handled since then. Such service has been a rarity in the province, as the study found only 19 per cent of homes in Newfoundland and Labrador could make use of such services.
Mr. Scott, who also sits on Gander’s town council and is chair of the municipal works committee, said the participation level for the curbside program is approximately 50 per cent. Provincially, 90 per cent of home with curbside recycling used it, according to the study.
Mr. Scott said the figure in Gander might not account for the fact many in the community send recyclables to their children’s schools or drop-off their own items at the depot.
“If you were to bring them all together, I think you’d find that number well up there,” he said. “The level of participation I expect in Gander would be very high.”
Overall, Mr. Scott found the paper interesting, and said he would like to have been able to see how questions on the survey were worded.
“It’s a job to interpret the results of the study.”
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