The incinerator sustained significant damages after a fire this summer - the concrete walls are broken down in some places and portions of the metal roof are burned out. Residents are no longer permitted inside the facility, but employees can continue to access the building as long they wear the proper safety apparel and stay inside their vehicles. File photo

Lab. West residents are no longer permitted to dump garbage inside the incinerator facility.

In the Oct. 27 Wabush council meeting, councillors discussed ongoing issues at the incinerator, and Wabush mayor Ron Barron explained residents dropping off waste at the incinerator site will now have to leave it outside the building.

"An engineering firm looked at the building because there were some concerns from our sister community (Labrador City) and residents, and we wanted to make sure we had a safe environment there," he told the Aurora last week. "As a result, we've decided residents can't access that building."

He said the incinerator isn't dangerous or unsafe, but there are some structural issues with the building, so as a precautionary measure, the Town thought it was better to limit access.

Barron noted employees will still work in the building within the confines of the loaders, but they have to wear the proper safety apparel; and the garbage collector will also still be permitted inside the building to dump its load, but the person driving the truck will have to stay inside the vehicle.

"The building has sustained a nice bit of damage," the mayor explained. "The frame of the building is fine, but the concrete walls are damaged, and some of the metal on the roof has burned out (due to a fire this summer), but we don't want to take a chance with winter coming and snow piling up on the roof."

Coun. Edna MacDonald asked about the possible ramifications if someone disobeyed the rules and accessed the building anyway - she wondered if the Town would be liable for any injuries - and Martina Gale, town clerk, said signs will be erected and employees will be at the facility during operations to ensure no one goes into the building.

She explained the entrance will be barricaded and locked to prevent access after hours, and anyone who enters the area, then, is trespassing.

"Ideally, we'd like to have a perfect building there, but it's not," Barron said. "It's burning garbage, and people aren't in there walking around. Nothing there poses a threat, but if someone enters it after hours they are trespassing."

The building, according to Barron, has outlived its usefulness, but the Town wasn't willing to invest more money into the facility because it's going to be decommissioned this year.

He said he's comfortable with keeping the incinerator running under the current conditions and as long as everyone follows the safety measures, he expects everything will run smoothly.

The mayor said safety is his No. 1 concern, and he's looking forward to the opening of the new temporary landfill site.

He acknowledged there are challenges with that project as well, particularly for the employees who work at the incinerator now.

"It's been decided by the waste management authority now to contract out the operation of the landfill," Barron pointed out. "My understanding is that metal and other material will still be collected at the incinerator site - there will be no garbage collected there - but we're still going to need an employee there."

There are two people working at the incinerator now, according to Barron, and though he'd like for them to work at the new landfill site, there is a possibility they will lose their jobs.

No concrete decisions have been made, and he said it would be unfortunate if the Town has to lay people off, but it could happen.

Despite the challenges, Barron said it's nice to see the waste management file moving forward.

"The process has dragged on now for the last couple of years," he stated. "I'm glad to see it's finally happening."