After years of negotiating, the Regional District of Central Kootenay is ready to enter into a five-year contract with industry stewardship group Recycle BC.

The deal, approved by the RDCK board today, will see Recycle BC pay for the upkeep of 12 core recycling depots and a number of satellite depots. Several on the East Shore of Kootenay Lake and rural parts of the Creston Valley are expected to close. However, taxpayers will see a break on the cost of recycling.

East Shore director Garry Jackman expects the switch-over to happen by mid-summer.

“I think our staff are pretty much ready to go. They’ve lined up everything they need to do. What Recycle BC states they need is three months to prepare contracts for their haulers.”

The depots need to be upgraded to meet Recycle BC’s standards, including fencing.

Recycle BC already pays for curbside collection in Nelson, Castlegar, Kaslo, and Nakusp.