| Environmental Columns
New cork recycling program
The City of Pointe-Claire is now collecting corks in order to sort and repurpose this material that would otherwise end up as household waste. Collection boxes have been installed at City Hall, the Central Library, and the Aquatic Centre for this purpose.
The corks are collected by a North American company that is also carbon-neutral, meaning its actions are environmentally responsible in order to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The collected corks are then ground and used to create new products, such as shoe soles, insulating material, and sports accessories like yoga blocks. This material is in high demand due to its resistance to humidity and mildew.
Corks are made from the bark of the cork oak. These trees are found in Mediterranean countries such as Portugal, Spain, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Tunisia, and France. The cork harvesting process poses no risk to the trees. In fact, the bark grows back, giving the trees a life expectancy of over 300 years.
Give corks a new life by dropping them off at one of our four collection points.