The Raven Recycling Society will no longer accept materials through its 24/7 public drop-off bins after Dec. 31, it announced today.

The bins receive plastics, paper, cardboard and tin cans, among other things.

All other services at the Industrial Road facility, such as the bottle depot, metals, textiles and e-waste recycling, will continue.

The territory’s primary recycling processor calls its decision a way “to ensure a more comprehensive collection service in Whitehorse, in concert with the new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations.

“With EPR on the horizon, Raven Recycling leadership has chosen what it believes to be the most responsible path: without a city-wide collection system, the ability of Whitehorse citizens to divert material from the landfill has stalled,” the organization said.

“Raven has done as much as it can to provide access to recycling. Raven Recycling Society is now stepping aside, thereby enabling government to take the lead on collection services.”

EPR has been implemented in most provinces. The Yukon will be the first territory to enact this environmental legislation.

“The success of Raven’s public drop-off system has delayed the development of a more effective, government-run city-wide collection program, accessible to all Whitehorse residents,” said Jacqueline Bedard, the society’s president.

Raven currently receives material for processing through a number of unco-ordinated collection systems.

Those include a private curbside collection company, the commercial sector through various waste haulers, the city’s landfill, all Yukon community depots and through the 24/7 public drop-off that will be phased out.

“No matter how much we improve the public drop-off infrastructure, we cannot increase accessibility to our facility,” the society said.

“We are counting on the city to meet the needs of Whitehorse in this way. Raven can help, but we can’t do it all on our own.

“The city has become too large, and the amount of material that comes through our public drop-off too plentiful for us to continue to manage.”

Whitehorse is one of the last Canadian cities without a city-wide blue box program.

“We have given our governments well over a year’s notice in order to allow for a co-ordinated and timely transition to a new system,” the society said.

“We have provided clear and transparent data and recommendations both to mayor and council and through the EPR Advisory Council.

“We have engaged with mayor and council regularly over the past two years in preparation, providing deliberate recommendations to improve the current system and to prepare for changes that will come with EPR.”

“We are hopeful that there will not be a gap in collection in the Whitehorse area, as we continue to work with the City of Whitehorse and Yukon government to ensure the best possible transition to EPR,” said Heather Ashthorn, the society’s executive director.

“Raven will continue to process all material that comes to the facility from communities and from curbside collection, to the best of its abilities, until a more effective, purpose-built processing facility is available,” the society said.

“This is dependent upon government continuing to pay the appropriate diversion credit rate, past the expiration of the current contract, ending June 30th.”

Raven will also continue to advocate for zero waste and develop plans that allow it to build on the anticipated success of EPR and increased waste diversion.

The society had this advice for residents of country residential areas, where there is no pickup service.

“We cannot say how or whether the City of Whitehorse will implement a curbside collection service, but we do recommend you contact mayor and council to let them know if you think recycling services should be offered to country residential as well as to residences inside the urban containment boundary,” it said.

“We highly encourage all people living in country residential to contact Whitehorse Blue Bin Recycling to see if you are in their catchment area. You can also still take your recyclable material to your closest waste transfer station.”

Raven is a 30-year-old not-for-profit society, run by a volunteer board.

Raven does not receive any core funding. Funds it receives from governments come from diversion credits, which cover the cost of recycling paper, and from contracts it awards through an RFP process.

The society does not profit from diversion credits.