PENDER ISLAND RECYCLING SURVEY RESULTS

179 responses to the survey, however 8 of the surveys were not accessible due to being over the limit of service on the survey website. 

Total responses I was able to use: 168.  This is from the website, depot survey, phone survey, and Tru Value flyer.   Those from the flyer and phone I entered manually.  Since the free survey service is limited to 100 responses, I copied the same survey and had Richard renew the link on the PIRS website to keep it going till the end of September.  Thus, I was able to enter manually the responses from the flyers and phone surveys and combined all responses to get the percentages below.  The percentages are based on the number of responses.  If you want percentages of total households the correct occupied household numbers would have to be acquired.  The Canada Statistics website states that North Pender has 1039 occupied dwellings (pop. 2030) and South Pender 109 occupied dwellings ( pop. 201).  This is from the last census taken in 2011.  Richard has figures for this too, and I'm not sure how close they are.

Mimi

Do you use the Pender Island Recycling Depot?

Yes: 163/168 = 97% No: 4/168 = 2% Skipped: 1/168 = 1%

Are you a member of the Pender Island Recycling Depot?

Yes: 148/168 = 88% No: 18/168 = 11% Skipped: 2/168 = 1%

If you are not a member, do you occasionally use the Depot?

Yes: 14/20 = 70% No: 1/20 = 5% Skipped: 5/20 = 25%

Do you live on:

North Pender: 142/168 = 85% South Pender: 22/168 = 13%

Skipped: 4/168 = 2%

Are you a:

Full time resident: 144/168 = 86% Part time resident: 20/168 = 12%

Skipped: 4/168 = 2%

If you are a full time resident, how frequently do you use the recycling depot?

Biweekly: 21/168 = 12% Weekly: 33/168 = 20% Monthly: 58/168 = 35%

Bimonthly: 26/168 = 15% A few times a year: 8/168 = 5% Skipped: 22/168 = 13%

If you are a part time resident, do you use the depot:

­­

Every time I come to Pender: 9/18 = 50%

Only when I accumulate a lot of recyclables: 4/18 = 22%

I recycle off island : 3/18 = 17%

I do not recycle: 0/18 = 0%

Skipped: 2/18 = 11%

What percentage of household refuse do you recycle?

0%-20%: 5/168 = 30%

20%-40% : 7/168 = 4%

40%-60% : 25/168 = 15%

60%-80% : 74/168 = 44%

80%-100% : 53/168 = 32%

Skipped: 4/168 = 2%

If you do not use the recycling depot it is because:

It is time consuming to sort my recyclables : 1/5 = 9%

The recycling categories are too confusing: 1/5 = 9%

The recycling depot does not take what I like to recycle: 0/5 = 0%

I cannot get to the recycling depot: 0/5 = 0%

The hours of operation are inconvenient: 1/5 = 9%

Other: 8/11 = 72%

I would go more often if certain individuals at the depot would lighten up. 1/8/2012 11:36 AM

Other (please specify) - Hydraulic oil grade 22 (taken elsewhere) 27/7/2012 4:58 PM

We own a property in town and it is just easier to take most of our recycling there (little sorting required) 22/7/2012 11:16 AM

We're 95% garbage free, thanks to two main things: 1. refusing any product with extra or unnecessary packaging, even if it can be recycled and 2. our great recycling depot, so thanks. 13/7/2012 8:45 AM

Too far away. I do buy parts and material for projects. 12/6/2012 9:08 AM

Easier to take stuff back to Victoria and have it picked up curbside. 29/9/2012 2:50 PM

Never thought about it. Will use if it is open prior to Vancouver ferry leaving. 29/9/2012 2:42 PM

New to the island - not using it yet but will. 29/9/2012 2:23 PM

What can you tell us about the Depot? Strengths? Limitations? Recommendations:      * denotes an action-item

Well managed with friendly, helpful staff.  Well organized and clean.   Accept a wide variety of recyclable material.  A great community service. 16/9/2012 7:05 PM

*Extend the opening time on Sunday. Gravel the driveway and parking areas. 9/9/2012 1:07 PM

signage is great and everyone I speak with regarding a particular item and it's recyclability is informative and cheerful. Thanks. 31/8/2012 10:18 AM

friendly, knowledgeable staff ready to educate about recycling, especially if you put the wrong plastic in the wrong bin. Estheticaly pleasing recycled art. Great store and bike shop. Easy to drive in and out. best place to read and recycle paperbacks and magazines 28/8/2012 9:29 PM

I love the free store (my niece does and she is typing this!), being dog friendly is nice, staff is always patient and super helpful with questions, signage is good/helpful, magnifying glass for plastic is helpful, write ups in Pender Post are helpful, recycling olympics for kids at fall fair is great idea...we cant think of any recommendations which must mean things are great! 24/8/2012 8:35 PM

*The depot is really well organized- I would really like to see some bigger, more professional / better written signs for where to deposit items in the vast array of spaces. Great friendly and helpful staff. Wish the Lower Mainland could learn from you. Perhaps - a travel teaching show?? Thanks 21/8/2012 2:18 PM

*Everything works really well. We are used to putting all the paper together (off island), so it's more work to sort here. However, we have used your webpage & that's been a big help. Thanks for having such a great recycling depot on Pender. 14/8/2012 10:37 PM

We compost most kitchen waste recycle all kinds of containers made of glass, plastic, paper, cardboard. We freeze fat bones and place in with other non-recycleable items in garbage bags for disposal. It's only a shame that garbage bags are plastic and not paper. Growing up in Montreal in the forties and fifties, I can remember the stench in summer of the garbage dump which was several miles from my home. I love the Pender Island Recycling Depot. In the long run, it actually saves our environment but also saves money for garbage disposal. It's great! 12/8/2012 6:22 PM

*I am very happy that we have a recycle depot on Pender. I do take my paper and plastic to Keating recycle as it is quick and simple. One bin for plastics and one bin for paper. I find this much more user friendly. I do take my tins to Pender. 8/8/2012 11:33 AM

*motor oil 6/8/2012 2:18 PM

*Please streamline the operation. Unnecessary sorting, too time consuming .. Consider seniors please. Can you pick up.? 4/8/2012 6:26 PM

It is amazingly well organized and the people are very patient -- if one is slow to follow the signs -- to guide one around. 3/8/2012 11:52 AM

*The Depot's great! Our only request/recommendation would be to have styrofoam recycling available. 1/8/2012 6:05 PM

*It would nice to have a good experience at the depot rather than have someone screaming after to you for putting something in a wrong bin. We are not all experts at this. 1/8/2012 11:36 AM

Feels like home to me.

*Make the sorting of plastics less complicated.

*would like for you to accept bedding plant containers,hazardous wastes more regularly (we missed the last one). The Depot runs very well. 1/8/2012 9:29 AM

It is wonderful.wish our sat home was as good. 31/7/2012 8:33 PM

*Strengths - helpful staff, ease of recycling a wide variety of materials, love the free store and being able to consign items, and the reusable dishes etc are an excellent resource. Limitations? Wish you were open one more day a week, or that the summer hours were maintained throughout the year. 31/7/2012 11:47 AM

*Funky surroundings w/ cool artsy decorations. A couple of staff members are a bit brusque with customers. They sometimes scold people for putting things in wrong place and seem almost annoyed when customers arrive. Can the centre be a fun place to visit instead? For some customers it might be helpful to offer a fee for sorting. Maye charge by the bag or the hour? Another way to bring in revenue. Compost area would be neat.

*A nice addition would be a place to deposit yard waste (biomass) especially in the fall. 27/7/2012 5:27 PM

*All is well but look at your hours of operation, they should be reviewed. 27/7/2012 5:26 PM

*Fabulous service to have on the island. Makes recycling easy. Only limitation I can think of is not being able to drop off broken small appliances - but those can go to Hartland. 27/7/2012 5:24 PM

It's an excellent depot and everyone there is extremely helpful. thanks for everything! 27/7/2012 5:23 PM

Nicely laid out and clear labelling. Kind, friendly staff, always willing to assist.

The amount of recycling that we can do here is superior to what we do in North Vancouver. Your depot accepts recyclables that have to be taken to at least 3 different locations in N. Van. 27/7/2012 5:20 PM

*Strengths - good volunteers Limitations - no styrofoam bin Recommendations - pave the lot? 27/7/2012 5:18 PM

I do use the depot but it is very time consuming to sort my recyclables and the depot does not take everything I like to recycle. Great that we have it (Depot). 27/7/2012 5:17 PM

Excellent service and very helpful. 27/7/2012 5:15 PM

I am so grateful for your presence, and the friendly, helpful staff. Keep up the good work!

*It is an asset to our community. We would like styrofoam ( the trays that meat, fish etc come in. They are marked as a "6" but not taken) added for recycling. 27/7/2012 5:11 PM

Good organization. Great staff, wonderful community service! 27/7/2012 5:09 PM

*Find something to do with styrofoam! 27/7/2012 5:08 PM

Very efficient and friendly and well organized. 27/7/2012 5:07 PM

You are doing a great job. Thank You!!! Perfect solution for island waste management! 27/7/2012 5:05 PM

Wonderful! 27/7/2012 5:04 PM

*"Friendly", dourteous staff, well marked, organized bins. (Recommend) to be open on Fridays year long. 27/7/2012 5:03 PM

Thank you. You are doing a great service for Pender Island. 27/7/2012 5:01 PM

FANTASTIC. Members are very helpful and dogs like the cookies from Nu To You. 27/7/2012 5:00 PM

Great staff - hours ok - good thing we have recycling or Island would sink. Excellent facility. Thx! 27/7/2012 4:56 PM

The staff and recycle is open, friendly, informative. This has improved greatly in the past few years. It is a clean, welcoming and well organized depot!! Excellent work to all. 27/7/2012 4:55 PM

*Sometimes confusing what it takes and what it doesn't. 27/7/2012 4:52 PM

Everything so far is positive. 27/7/2012 4:51 PM

Saltspring takes meat trays. Why can't we? 27/7/2012 4:49 PM

We think the Depot is excellent. The workers have a great, helpful attitude and very friendly. Keep it up!!

*We think it is great service and well organized! Would be nice if styrofoam could be recycled. 27/7/2012 4:46 PM

Excellent operation!

I love the Depot. I find the staff friendly and helpful and I can't think of any improvements. Recycling at the Depot makes me happy! 27/7/2012 4:44 PM

*Hazardous waste twice a year would be better. Love the reusable section of the depot and often use products (paint, etc) 29/9/2012 2:54 PM

Doing a great job. Do a lot for him as he's handicapped. Staff so good. 29/9/2012 2:53 PM

Absolutely wonderful and educational. Take up visitors there. 29/9/2012 2:52 PM

All hard working volunteers. 29/9/2012 2:51 PM

Lucky to have it. 29/9/2012 2:51 PM

*Great improvements in last year or two. Parking a problem. Could staff watch? Styrofoam - wish it could be recycled. 29/9/2012 2:49 PM

*More parking in a perfect world. 29/9/2012 2:48 PM

Great. Good range or recyclables. Useful to get rid of old appliances. Soil deliveries is very handy. Love free store. 29/9/2012 2:47 PM

It's wonderful. Sorry that private garbage enterprises are allowed on Pender. 29/9/2012 2:47 PM

*Love what they do and very explicit labels. Building materials sometimes accepted, sometimes not. i.e. wood left over by former builder. Be nice to have a space for it. 29/9/2012 2:45 PM

Very organized. Recycle so much more here than Surrey. 29/9/2012 2:45 PM

Do some (recycling) through Victoria. Happy with it. 29/9/2012 2:43 PM

*Recommendations: Hours to suit ferry (times). 29/9/2012 2:42 PM

*Happy with the recycled bikes. Wonderful job. Recommendations: regular composting as well. Keep some of the wine bottles so people can buy them there? 29/9/2012 2:41 PM

Great work and super staff, patient. Great that it takes so much. 29/9/2012 2:39 PM

*Coast Guard aux - boater flares outdated. Any way to get rid of them? Advertise flares would be accepted. Like the education. 29/9/2012 2:31 PM

Great work and super staff. Patient. Great that it takes so much. 29/9/2012 2:29 PM

Well run and appreciated 29/9/2012 2:28 PM

*Excellent staff. No complaints. Could something e done with road? Muddy in winter, dusty in summer. 9/9/2012 2:27 PM

Love it. Friendly, fun. Clear signs and educational. 29/9/2012 2:26 PM

*Very tidy and organized, well labelled. Wouldn't accept working toasters in the free shop and wooden block for knives. 29/9/2012 2:25 PM

*Not quite clear on plastic categories. Would like staff to help. 29/9/2012 2:23 PM

*Problem getting rid of gyprock. Anything to be done? 29/9/2012 2:22 PM

*(limitations) Smarter users who don't block parking. 29/9/2012 2:21 PM

well run. 29/9/2012 2:19 PM

*Well run. Recommendation: Somewhere to wash hands. 29/9/2012 2:18 PM

Wonderful service. 29/9/2012 2:17 PM

*Parking a problem. 29/9/2012 2:16 PM

Always impressed. 29/9/2012 2:15 PM

I also recycle off island. Birthday party was super! Limitations: Picky, but what we need. 29/9/2012 2:14 PM

Marvelous, would prefer not to sort it but understand it. 29/9/2012 2:03 PM

*Staffing 100% (strengths) Recommendation: driveway could do with a few chips. 29/9/2012 2:01 PM

Depot takes a wide variety of recyclables, some of which are not accepted in Vancouver, i.e. soup tetra packs, #3 and 6 items. 29/9/2012 2:00 PM

We are satisfied with the Depot and it's services. 29/9/2012 1:58 PM

The more I use it I get better at finding where things go. The staff is very helpful. Love the free store and rentals. Good Work! Good visibility! 29/9/2012 1:55 PM

Great place, always helpful. Find out about new things to recycle. 29/9/2012 1:54 PM

Well organized, well informed, friendly staff. Strengths: Community events participation; increasing public awareness, "REUSE" of items supported. 29/9/2012 1:53 PM

*Add a sign about non recyclable packaging (to avoid)29/9/2012 1:50 PM

Staff helpful and cooperative. 29/9/2012 1:49 PM

Think you do a marvelous job. 29/9/2012 1:48 PM

*Love the recycling depot and friendly staff. Would love to see a green/compost program. I would buy the end product! 29/9/2012 1:47 PM

You are doing a great job. You've taught me a lot. 29/9/2012 1:46 PM

It's ok. 29/9/2012 1:46 PM

Good service, friendly and informative. 29/9/2012 1:21 PM

Good service and friendly people. Can't see us not having one anymore. 29/9/2012 1:45 PM

You are doing such a good job as it is, there is no need of any of the above to be answered. 29/9/2012 1:43 PM

What a great place! Great staff. Wish it were open more days. Glad you now take paint cans, etc. Thanks. 29/9/2012 1:42 PM

*Recommendations: Safer driveway and parking lot. More parking spaces. 29/9/2012 1:26 PM

I find the recycle depot excellent the way it is. 29/9/2012 1:25 PM

*A great facility with great people to help. (would like) styrofoam drop off. We could pay extra. 29/9/2012 1:24 PM

My favorite island organization! Great job, helpful staff. 29/9/2012 1:23 PM

Great! Thank you! 29/9/2012 1:22 PM

It is great! I'm very happy with it as is. 29/9/2012 1:22 PM

Great people great facility, great everything. No complaints. 29/9/2012 1:20 PM

Great place great people great job keeping our Island clean by taking all the materials that they take We really appreciate all their hard work! 24/9/2012 10:09 PM

August 31, 2021