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Move over, Pee and Poo: New mascots coming to Metro Vancouver’s food waste program

Mr. Avocado Shell, Ms. Pineapple Top and more remind residents to keep food scraps out of garbage
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Metro Vancouver launched an enhanced organics recycling campaign on Sept. 9, updated with “scrappy” new mascots like Mr. Avocado Shell, as well as new resources. Metro Vancouver/Submitted photo

Pee and Poo, the mascots for Metro Vancouver’s campaign to keep “unflushables” out of toilets, have a few new friends.

The zero waste committee announced Monday it has updated the regional district’s organics recycling campaign with “scrappy” new characters like Mr. Avocado Shell, Ms. Pineapple Top and Dr. Red Pepper.

The characters are part of an enhanced campaign, titled Hey! Food Scraps Aren’t Garbage, meant to remind people of the region’s waste diversion efforts and that food scraps belong in the green bin.

The campaign includes new website resources to help alleviate confusion around composting, with a list of what goes in the green bin, what should stay out, tips on how to make composting a clean, quick and easy activity, and links to information about municipal food scraps recycling programs.

Residents still facing composting conundrums are encouraged to ask their questions in an Instagram post using the hashtag #GreenBinQandA, to which Metro Vancouver staff will respond.

READ MORE: Turning food scraps to black gold

Since the implementation of the organics disposal ban in 2015, the organics recycling rate in the region went up 60 per cent between 2013 and 2017, and currently stands at about 68 per cent.

According to a news release, approximately 1.6 million tonnes of organics have been diverted from the landfill, through 2018, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than half a million tonnes.

Jack Froese, chair of the zero waste committee, reminded people not to put any type of plastic in their green bins.

“Plastic bags, containers, produce stickers and cutlery, even those labeled ‘biodegradable’ or ‘compostable’ may not break down fully at compost processing facilities and can contaminate the finished compost.”

READ MORE: Save-On-Foods commits to reducing food waste



karissa.gall@blackpress.ca

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