The amount of cardboard coming into the Recycling Depot has doubled since December 2024. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

dumping problems

Cardboard intake at Recycling Depot doubles in recent months

May 8, 2025 | 2:15 PM

A large increase in cardboard being received at the La Ronge Recycling Depot has staff asking residents to be more mindful of where they dump the product after hours.

According to Manager Kuan Portilla, the facility has received a substantial increase in cardboard, which has been beyond their expectations. For instance, the depot used to send out one full truck of 66 bales of cardboard every month and a half to two months, and that has increased to one truck every three weeks.

“We are guessing online ordering, which is a lot more common now. There’s a lot more money in town with everything that has happened,” Portilla said, noting the Cows and Plows payments are likely a contributing factor.

“We’re thinking that is part of the thing. People have been renovating and getting all new stuff, so a lot of online ordering mostly.”

In January, Canada Post was experiencing capacity issues in Air Ronge and La Ronge due to a sudden surge in online shopping. The situation had become so challenging that mail was being held in Saskatoon until space was available for unloading in the tri-communities.

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With a limited number of stores in La Ronge, coupled with higher prices and lower selections, residents in the area and other northern communities depend on online shopping more so than residents in southern locations.

Post offices in the community were experiencing capacity issues earlier this year. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Recycling Depot staff want residents to stop dumping cardboard on the ground if the bins are full. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

“I think it is quite a normal thing happening everywhere, just with a lot more people ordering online,” Portilla remarked.

“Online ordering is mostly the way of shopping for a lot of people, so definitely there’s an increase overall. For us, it’s a little bit more substantial because we live farther up north, so a lot of people who don’t want to go to the city buy more stuff online. I think it is a little bit more noticeable, but it is a trend that’s overall happening with online ordering and boxing and whatnot.”

The increase in cardboard has led residents to begin dumping the product outside the recycling depot because the bins provided for after hours drop offs are full. Portilla explained they are working on getting more bins, but in the meantime, he is asking residents to either bring the cardboard Monday to Friday or refrain from dumping cardboard on the ground if the bins are full over the weekend.

“The good thing is people have been coming and dropping cardboard at the recycling depot, which is what we want,” Portilla said.

“We’re definitely trying to encourage people to recycle.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com