Ottawa families will have to pivot to “litterless lunches” in September after blue bin recycling for plastics, glass, and metal was cancelled at all four school boards.
“The contractor that previously provided this service for all four Ottawa school boards decided not to renew the contract this summer, and, unfortunately, no replacement service has been secured,” said Sharlene Hunter, a spokesperson for the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
Paper and mixed fibre recycling will continue as usual, said Hunter.
“In the meantime, our schools will encourage families to help reduce waste by using reusable containers, packing litterless or ‘boomerang’ lunches, and having students bring recyclable items back home for proper disposal in their household blue bins.”
Boomerang lunches — where students’ food scraps and packaging returns home, where it originated — have long been a feature of school-based environmental campaigns as school boards work to divert waste from landfills.
Litterless or boomerang lunches embrace practices such as using resuable containers instead of single-use plastic bags or wrap; bringing drinks in useable bottles and packing utensils and napkins that can be washed and re-used. Some schools also have composting programs.
School principals have been preparing families for the change in their back-to-school messages.
“The OCDSB previously relied on a private vendor to collect school blue bin recycling, as the City of Ottawa does not provide this service to school boards. Unfortunately, the vendor is no longer able to service the schools,” said a message to families at Kars on the Rideau Public School.
“To help reduce waste at school, we encourage you to pack litterless lunches whenever possible. We also ask that you send your child to school with a small bag to bring home any blue bin recycling that is generated during the school day.”
At Knoxdale Public School, which does not offer a composting program, the message to parents said the milk program will not be offered this year, which will avoid 150 individual milk containers in garbage bins each day.
Hunter said the Catholic board remains hopeful that a recycling service for plastics, glass, and metal can be reinstated in the future.
