Sarcan Estevan has been thriving since opening its new depot on Bourquin Road at the end of June. Manager Connie Hagel said the move has made a huge difference for staff and customers alike. “It is bigger, it is brighter, it is just more room for us. Our employees are loving it, and I am loving it. It is fantastic.”
The change was quickly reflected in the numbers. “In July, we did over a million containers brought into the depot, which we have not done since before COVID. We get so many compliments on the new building.” The facility includes automatic doors, a larger drop-and-go room, and expanded parking to make visits easier.
Sarcan Estevan is already standing out in the province. “Out of the 73 depots for drop and go, we are sixth in the province for volume,” Hagel said. She added that local support for recycling has remained strong. “Usually, after the kids go to school, we see a downturn of recyclers, but this is not the case. Everybody is still coming to look at the new building, and they are bringing their recyclables in.”
The new space is also helping community groups. “We have already had one bottle drive, and we have another coming up. We always welcome bottle drives because they are a quick thing to do. We can also do virtual bottle drives through drop and go, and that can be done year-round. It is less work because the people that you want to donate to that group are the ones who bring in the bottles. They do all the work and the group gets the money.”
Sarcan reported that in the past year, more than 8.8 million beverage containers were returned in Estevan by over 30,000 customers. The new facility is expected to keep that momentum going while also making the experience easier for residents who recycle.