Urban Impact Tour
On Tuesday, the Waste Reduction Network visited the Urban Impact Paper Recycling Plant. It was a great experience for students and teachers alike! We got to see the recycling process up close and personal. The paper from schools don’t simply go off into “never-never land” once it gets picked up. It goes through a five step process that includes trucking, delivering, sorting, baling and shipping.
Nicole, the owner and operator shared a lot about the process of paper recycling. Did you know that:
- the paper products are sorted by density? Metals and plastics are sorted out from the paper and then brought to the New Westminster plant
- Urban Impact picks up the recyclables from Richmond Schools on the weekends so there is less disruption to the schools
- Bales of paper get shipped throughout North America and Asia. They get recycled into products such as cardboard boxes.
- Eight Richmond students could NOT move a 1 metric tonne of paper!
I would highly recommend this tour for any school classes or green teams that are interested in waste reduction (ie. composting, recycling, etc.) and sustainability of ecosystems. It is informative tour that gives students a different perspective about what happens to their “waste” once it enters the waste stream.
Thank you to the students and teachers from Ferris and Woodward. Your enthusiasm was infectious. You had awesome questions! Write your comments and let us know what you thought about the tour! Perhaps each of you will have a future in recycling!
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