Council for the Rural Municipality of Hanover has awarded its next recycling contract to Bristal Hauling of Niverville.

Eastman Recycling Services announced earlier this year that it will be shutting down its operations before the end of 2022. enVision Executive Director Jeannette DeLong said in recent years they have seen the recycling industry move into a highly automated model while their business continues to operate with hands-on labour. She notes keeping up with the industry, along with increasing operational and capital costs, and managing increased liabilities, is pulling them away from their original purpose.

This prompted the municipality to seek tenders from any organization looking to take over the work. Reeve Stan Toews says they received tenders from two companies. In the end, Council approved the quote from Bristal Hauling.

"It takes a load off of staff and council," notes Toews. "So we don't have to look anymore."

Toews says he would have hated for the recycling services to be halted and instead everything picked up as garbage. Instead, Toews says there will be no interruption in their recycling program. 

According to Hanover Administration, the three year contract is worth $304,275 annually. This is nearly equal to what the municipality is currently paying Eastman, even though Bristal will be hauling all of the recyclables to Winnipeg for GFL to process.

It is anticipated that Bristal Hauling will begin pickup in October, which is one month earlier than Eastman's last date.