Incinerator finished

The last day of burning at the incinerator was Saturday (May 29). As of today-May 31-the new landfill site is the end zone for waste in Labrador West.

Jeff Boland, Labrador City's town manager, says he is relieved to have come to this point in the whole waste management program but, says there is plenty more to do during the interim period before a permanent plan is finalized.

No big difference for residents

At this point in the process, residents will not see a huge difference in how garbage is dealt with.

"Residents will not see a big difference really because their garbage will be picked up at curbside as always and the schedule is identical," said Boland. "When the garbage is picked up now, it will go to the landfill site rather than the incinerator."

The changes will be noticed most, he explained, by those who bring their garbage to the dumpsite, there will be a number of changes.

"Residents can still bring their own garbage to the incinerator site but the general public will no longer be permitted to just go in to dump just anywhere," he explained. "There will be an attendant stationed at the gate and he will show you where everything has to go-if you have metal it goes in one area, wood would go to another and if there's household garbage, it will go in bins. So you will be stopped at the gate and given direction now."

When the bins for household garbage are filled, the contractor will then transport them to the new landfill site. Hodge Bros is the contracting company that will be taking care of the landfill.

Plans for future

There are a number of issues and details that have yet to be approved by government, and Boland figures, an approval will come soon for an employee building with a lunchroom and washroom facilities.

"It looks like we are going to get approval for that building," he said. "Now our plan also is to have a public drop-off area at the landfill site and we are hoping to have it constructed this year or early next year."

This drop-off area will be located about 300 metres from the dumping cell because no unauthorized citizens will be permitted on the actual site. This area, if approved, will contain a number of bins specific to the various types of wastes.

Boland acknowledges the cost of the drop-off area is significant but he feels it's a warranted and needed feature and he hopes government will see fit to finance it.

The cost of putting the site in place is taken care of by the Province. The overall operations of the landfill, as Boland explains, fall on the municipalities.

"The towns are responsible for the operation and it's done on a cost-shared basis," he explained. "Based on the population of the last Census, the share works out to be 81 per cent for Labrador City and 19 per cent for Wabush."

Boland pointed out that, when it comes to garbage collection in either of the towns, each town is 100 per cent financially responsible for its own collection service.

Take cover

When it comes to any concerns with the landfill, Boland says he is not anticipating great problems with things such as increase in black bears in the area or other scavengers.

"Provincial regulations require that we cover our landfill daily," he said. "We will cover with earth now. Garbage trucks will dump it and the equipment will move it around and put it in the cell where it belongs and run back and forth over it with a dozer and compact it as tight as you can get it and at the end of the day cover it over with fill."

That's the short-term plan, but as the winter months move in, other options are being considered for coverage.

"We are not decided yet on what we are doing for sure," Boland said. "We asked government for a building to keep gravel in and keep it heated like we do with sand for the roads. They thought it was too extravagant and they asked us to go back and look at what other areas of the north do during winter."

Boland learned that some northern areas don't bother to cover the garbage as the material is frozen like a rock during the winter months. There are also heaving duty tarpaulins that can be used.

Adamant

"There are number of options there to consider," he added. "There is a lot of work left to be done, but we are getting there."

The whole waste management project and the transition from incinerator to landfill, Boland admits, has been a very trying and challenging process and waiting to get approvals and answers can be an exercise in frustration.

"But there are things we are adamant about, such as the public drop-off," he concluded. "They think it's extravagant but we feel it's the key to the success of the landfill. We had a consultant on this and we agree with that proposal."