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Hundreds call city to complain about hard to read garbage calendars

Dec 29, 2016 | 10:41 AM

NANAIMO — If you’re having a hard time reading your 2017 city of Nanaimo waste collection schedule, you are certainly not alone.

The city received upwards of 500 phone calls from people complaining that the calendars were not readable, according to Charlotte Davis, manager of sanitation and recycling. She says the complaint was that there was not enough contrast between the colours on the key, which notifies people whether to put out their garbage or recycling on a given day.

“We’re really disappointed that people have struggled with it,” said Davis. “We’ve created an alternative version that features greater contrast between the colours on the calendar, so that’s available online. Also for any residents who want to obtain a hard copy, they can call us or email us and we’ll send one in the mail.”

The calendars, initially sent out to about 27,500 homes on Dec. 12, were also widely-panned on social media forums.

Davis says she hopes the issues people are having with the colour don’t overshadow some of the information the city worked to include in the mail-out.

“The theme of this year’s calendar was Let’s Work Together, that is because we’ve asked residents to meet a goal, which is the first time we’ve ever done that.”

She says the challenge to residents is to help Nanaimo achieve a diversion rate of 75 per cent of waste through the curbside program by 2020.

“We’re achieving about 63 per cent diversion right now and that rate has been stagnant for the past three years…I think we really can do more so we’ve set this goal,” said Davis.

This year’s collection schedule is a guide containing more information than ever before, according to Davis. She say it includes tips about where people can take things that can’t be recycled at the curb.

You can download and print off a new, easier to read version of the waste collection schedule here. You can also call Public Works at 250-758-5222 and they will mail a new one to you.