JR Contracting, owned and operated by Ross and JoAnn Ferguson, has been running the recycling depot out at the Princeton Landfill since 1993. For the past seven years, JR Contracting has also been managing the landfill for the Town of Princeton.
In that time “we’ve gone from being a dump to a modern landfill,” said Ross Ferguson. “Residents are to be commended,” he added.
Ferguson explained that with the growing interest in recycling, the landfill has much less going in and the depot has much more being sent out. “We’ve just about been hiring an employee per year to keep up.”
For the past two years, Mario Martins has been managing operations for JR Contracting.
The site has two balers in operation (compacting recyclables into bales for shipping). “A bale is about 1000 kilos in weight and 18 of them fit onto a truck,” said Martins.
The depot is sending out two to three transport loads per month. With the addition of Multi-Material BC (MMBC) accepted materials including milk jugs, cartons, blue recycle bags and items like plastic lawn chairs, a bale of residential plastics is produced about every two days. Three bales of cardboard are produced per day and a bale of paper every two weeks. The additions to recycling are “going good so far,” said Martins.
As of August 1, 2014, Ross and JoAnn Ferguson will partake in what is known as “semi-retirement.” Ownership of JR Contracting will be officially transferred over to Mario Martins.
“I have some big shoes to fill for sure,” said Martins. Ferguson will remain on staff as a consultant for a while, but he and JoAnn look forward to their semi-retirement.
The Ferguson’s extend their utmost appreciation to the community. “Thanks so much for all your support.”
As of May 19 this year, the following items have been accepted at the recycling depot located at 171 Princeton-Summerland Road.
Newspapers, inserts, flyers, magazines, catalogues and telephone books.
Paper products: gift wrap, greeting cards, triting/home office paper and correspondence, paper bags, (also called kraft paper) multi-layer paper bags and paper cups.
Cardboard products: corrugated cardboard boxes, cardboard/ boxboard and moulded boxboard packaging.
Cartons: gable-top cartons, Aseptic boxes or cartons - Aseptic packaging is used to store long-life foods like milk, milk-type beverages, cream, soup, broth, and sauces on a shelf, rather than in the refrigerated aisle.
Containers: frozen dessert boxes, steel cans and lids, aerosol cans and caps, microwavable bowls, cups and lids, spiral wound paper cans and lids and aluminum cans and lids.
To keep up with current items accepted at the recycling depot, visit http://recyclinginbc.ca or, just ask Mario.
Congratulations on your semi-retirement, Ross and JoAnn!