Laval tackles bad recycling habits

Posted in: News Item

Date Posted: 2019-12-05

Organization Name: City of Laval

To promote better management of recycling to its citizens, the City of Laval unveiled an original awareness campaign in collaboration with the popular rap group Quebec Alaclair Ensemble. The latter has created a new musical work, entitled “Put respect in your bin,” to encourage Laval residents to recycle in the right way. The campaign revolves around a video featuring six members of the group in a sorting center. [The video can be found at https://www.municipalworld.com/media-centres/laval-tackles-bad-recycling-habits/.]

“Put Respect in Your Bin”: Laval Tackles Bad Recycling Habits with Alaclair Ensemble

The initiative allows Laval to address citizens in a whole new way. The city wishes to put forward best management practices for selective sorting and encourage citizens to improve the quality of recyclable materials found in their vats. According to a survey conducted by the city in 2017, more than half of the citizens put items in their recycling bin that should not be there, including plastic 6, clothing, toys, and plastic decorations.

“It’s an incredible privilege for a city such as Laval to work with a Quebec group like Alaclair Ensemble to talk about recycling to its citizens,” says Virginie Dufour, Sainte-Rose council member, executive committee member and head of community affairs. “This is the first time in Quebec that a city has collaborated with a rap group and this unique association allows us to approach the subject in a way that will certainly be noticed by the greatest number. We believe that this campaign will raise the awareness of Laval residents and, we hope, encourage them to improve their recycling habits, “she continues.

“This is a very important subject and we clearly wanted to be part of this project. Big respect to Laval for accepting the idea,” says Vlooper, a member of Alaclair Ensemble.

In addition to the music video, Laval will provide its citizens with tools, including an explanatory leaflet distributed in every home, the objective of which is a better understanding of what should and should not be deposited in the recycling bin.

Recycling Habits to Improve

According to one study, 55 percent of Laval residents do not take the time to learn about the most appropriate bin to dispose of their waste: they place the residual material in the bin that seems most logical (37 percent) or throw it in the garbage (18 percent).

Remember that Laval has implemented several initiatives to reduce the tonnage of waste sent to landfill, including the introduction of brown bins to 130,000 doors since the beginning of the program.

Developed with financial support and collaboration of Tricentris, this project is part of the updated residual material management plan.

For more information, visit www.recyclage.laval.ca.