How much you recycle drives Emterra Environmental’s donations to Comox Valley Hospital

How much you recycle drives Emterra Environmental’s donations to Comox Valley Hospital

July 05, 2019

Emterra Environmental is a familiar name around the Comox Valley. Every week for the past 10 years, Emterra’s trucks have been rolling along the streets in Courtenay and Comox neighbourhoods collecting recyclables from blue bins. But what residents don’t know is that Emterra counts the tonnes of recyclables residents set out and makes an annual financial gift to the Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation (CVHF) based on the total amount of recyclables collected.


Over 10 years, that has added up to more than$22,000. Today Emterra returned to the Comox Valley Hospital to present a cheque to the CVHF for this year’s contribution -- $3,000.00 to help towards the purchase of medical equipment needed in the hospital’s pediatrics unit.


“This is a case where we can say every tonne residents recycle counts. And not surprisingly it mounts up over time, and it has an impact. The 20,000 plus tonnes of recyclables Comox and Courtenay residents have recycled in the last 10 years not only represents the amount of money we have donated to the hospital. It is also proven that recycling is a powerful contributor to reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Emterra’s VP of Operations in BC, Ed Walsh. “And that’s the kind of statistic that makes a difference when it comes to the health and well-being of the community.”


Emterra’s donation to the Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation is part of a unique program called “Make Your Contribution at the CurbTM” (MYCATC). Through it, Emterra pledges to give CVHF $1 for every tonne of recyclable materials Emterra collects from residents in the Comox Valley each year. MYCATC is part of Emterra’s overarching Community CareTM program.


“We are thankful for Emterra’s continuing support of local healthcare needs,” said Meghan Liddle with the CVHF. “They have been a community partner for many years, supporting the purchase of new equipment for departments in need, as well as this donation to support the purchase of new equipment in our Pediatric Department.”


Walsh emphasized that Comox residents can increase the amount Emterra gives to the Foundation each year by making sure they recycle everything that’s accepted in the local recycling program.


Who knew that recycling could help enhance or save a life?