People in the northeast part of Maple Ridge are now hooked into the recycling network as the Ridge Meadows Recycling Society expands its network.
As of March 4, residents north of Dewdney Trunk Road between 256th and 272nd streets now have their blue box recyclables picked up at the end of their driveways.
Before, residents had to deliver their reusables to the depot in Albion industrial area.
According to a news release from the society, after receiving their blue boxes and colour-sorted bags, almost half the eligible residents participated.
“On the first day, over 45 per cent of houses had their blue boxes and bags out for pick up,” said recycling society logistics manager Lorne Skoropada.
“It was unbelievable how clean and well-sorted their recycling was. Our drivers and swampers had never seen anything like it.”
Newcomers to Maple Ridge may take a while to learn the sorting system, which requires dividing recyclables into five coloured bags, (clean, old newspapers go in blue bags, cardboard goes in yellow, tin cans and pop cans go in orange bags, old magazines go in green, while plastic recyclables with numbers 1, 2, 4 and 5 are also separated).
But the society says those in the expansion area have it figured out.
Almost 2,000 kilograms was collected on the first day.
Most municipalities allow residents to put all their recyclables into one bag.
The recycling society is also using newer trucks lower to the ground that makes it easier for workers to load the trash.
• Friday is the pickup day for this new area, starting at 7 a.m., so blues boxes have to be at curbside by then.