Quiz Time and Myth Busting
On June 21st, 2025, the Waste Control Services (WCS) team proudly set up a booth at the annual Lynn Valley Days festival. Braving the occasional rain showers, the dedicated team was focused on one core mission: to inform and educate the community about the critical importance of proper recycling and effective waste management. We wanted to show that every small effort and conscious contribution truly matters.
The event was a fantastic opportunity for face-to-face community engagement. We had a great time testing the community’s recycling knowledge with fun quizzes for a chance to win a miniature WCS recycling bin! Beyond the prizes, a key focus was to actively dispel common myths and address misinformation. In an age of sensationalized content on social media, we encouraged everyone to take responsibility for their knowledge—to do research and rely on credible sources to understand how local recycling systems truly work.
Navigating Recycling Rules
It’s vital to remember that recycling is positioned near the bottom of the widely accepted waste hierarchy. We used our time at the booth to encourage the public to focus first and foremost on reducing overall consumption, reusing items whenever possible, and upcycling materials creatively. While proper recycling is important, it should be considered a last resort. Recycling is not “the answer” that solves all waste problems. It’s best to maximize the life of what you have or repurpose it before sending it for processing. Nevertheless, when an item has reached its end of life, it is still crucial to do your very best to recycle it correctly!
We recognize that recycling can sometimes feel confusing. Rules and acceptable materials can change based on your location and, crucially, your waste collection service provider. As programs and infrastructure continue to evolve and develop, the best way to stay informed and ensure you’re recycling correctly is to contact your specific waste collection service provider—whether online or by phone. Remember that collection processes may also differ significantly depending on whether you live in single-family housing, multi-family housing, or if you are referring to public area collections (like parks and sidewalks).
Introducing Seed Paper Business Cards
This event marks the last distribution of mass-produced, single-use plastic swag that WCS will be offering, as we are trying to focus on more sustainable community engagement options, a good example would be our seed paper business cards which were also given out at the Lynn Valley Days festival.
In alignment with our core values, we are committing to focusing exclusively on more sustainable and meaningful community engagement options. A perfect example of this positive shift was our seed paper business cards, which were given out alongside the traditional items.
These unique cards are made from post-consumer materials embedded with non-invasive wildflower seeds.
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Zero Waste Promotion: Instead of discarding the card, recipients are encouraged to simply plant it in a pot or garden bed.
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A Living Reminder: When planted and watered, the paper breaks down naturally, and the seeds germinate, growing into beautiful flowers.
Visit our website to learn more about our comprehensive recycling programs and our full range of services. We look forward to returning to the Lynn Valley Days festival next year, armed with new, creative, sustainable, and multi-use promotional items that truly align with our mission!
Author: Hessy Kartini