Customers line up at REDI Bottle Depot on S. Railway Street on Wednesday afternoon. The agency that operates the facility is launching a pickup service for large non-business orders and any residents who prefer curbside pickup.--NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
A new pickup service for deposit bottles and cans is meant to not only provide better service when Hatters are hoping to avoid going out, but also avoid a potential glut of bags in city sheds, garages and basements from swamping the REDI Bottle Depot.
This week the enterprise is introducing a home pickup service to help with spring cleaning and more typical loads.
For a flat $5 fee REDI will arrange a time for pickup, take the load to the depot to process payment and provide a tally, said executive director Josh Hudson.
“The demand for curbside pickup has really skyrocketed,” said Hudson. “The hope is to avoid big truckloads coming down, but there’s no reason why it can’t be done for smaller loads as well.”
Managing volumes this spring has been a process, said Hudson.
He said that in the early stages of the pandemic, volumes were much lower than typical spring levels as Hatters generally avoided going out.
At the same time, said Hudson, beverage consumption was probably steady and volumes stored up over the winter were still awaiting spring cleanup of garages, basements and sheds.
Since early May, volumes have returned to normal, but with fewer customers bringing larger loads.
“People are still sitting on their bottles and cans,” said Hudson, who says the service should appeal to those in Medicine Hat and area who are looking to make space, but don’t want to venture out more than is necessary.
The service will also make it easier to maintain physical distances for those who do visit the S. Railway Street location in person.
Customers can arrange a pickup by calling the depot’s main phone line at 403-526-9344 or by emailing bottledrives@redi.ca.
Currently, payment is made by mail, or cheque or cash can be picked up on location when in several business days, though an electronic transfer system could be in place soon, said Hudson.
Parking boost
A plan by the city’s solid waste department to close a drop-off depot for recycling next to the REDI Bottle Depot will initially mean more parking at the S. Railway Street location, said Hudson.
“We’ve been happy to partner with the city, and they do pay a bit of rent (for the adjoining space),” said Hudson. “We’ve never been in love with the parking situation at the depot – it’s really tight – and we’ll benefit from expanded (parking).”
Long-term plans for the site are still being determined, he added.
In late May, the city announced it would reduce its drop-off locations from four to three by removing bins near REDI and maintaining sites near the Municipal Works yard on Kipling Street, at the Medicine Hat Mall and Shamrock Bottle Depot in Riverside.
The S. Railway recycling drop-off will be closed as of July 31.
