Trisha Shanks
Arrow Lakes News
The difference between garbage and recycling can be explained by any eight year old, so it’s puzzling that there exists such a huge problem with people leaving garbage at the site that is meant solely for recycling. In Nakusp, people are continually leaving large items, garbage and even hazardous waste on and around the green bins provided for paper, glass and plastic recycling by the RDCK. Whether this is a local problem or visitors to the area acting from ignorance, the result of this abuse is going to spell cost increases or ultimately, removal.
“There are two issues at these sites: illegal dumping, and people attempting to use them as unofficial re-use drop offs,” said Environmental Services Coordinator for the Regional District Central Kootenay (RDCK) Meagan Deas. “We are asking for the public’s help in preventing illegal dumping. It is hard to combat but it impacts everyone — from safety issues and endangering wildlife, to rising costs to taxpayers because of additional clean-up.”
Options to get rid of garbage include regular curb side pickup or taking it to the landfill operated by the RDCK on the Hot Springs Road. Either way, there are costs associated with garbage — the purchase of designated village garbage bags, or a dump fee. Currently, recycling is encouraged and there is no fee.
Located next to the arena building, the unmonitored recycling drop off location is managed by a contractor who goes to the site a few times a week to remove the recycling materials. It is part of their contract to clean up any materials illegally dumped at the site during these visits. There have long been issues with the illegal dumping of garbage at these locations.
When somebody complains about refuse at the site, the RDCK then takes care of it by contacting their contractor, Waste Management who then sends resources to these sites outside of pre-scheduled times just to perform clean up at an added expense.
“This will eventually result in an increased cost to the taxpayer when the contract is up for renewal because the contractor will be expecting significantly higher costs due to clean-up or, the possible removal of these sites.”
Not a re-use shed
For the people who are using it as an unofficial re-use shed, it is a different issue because they are trying to be sustainable and keep things out of the landfills. This creates safety hazards, an unsightly facility, increased greenhouse gas emissions (contractor has to make very long additional trips to clean up these materials), and can result in an increased cost to the taxpayer. All that and it still ends up at the landfill.
“Despite their best intentions it actually creates more harm than if they just dumped at the landfill. When people leave their re-use materials at these sites, the contractor has to clean them up and dump them at the landfill anyway. Some sites do have re-use sheds or you can download a ‘trash to treasure’ sign for free to leave unwanted items at your yard for people to take and re use,” explained Deas.
Director of Operations, Warren Leigh spoke at the April 13 council meeting indicating concerns about groundwater contamination.
“Our well is adjacent to the recycling site and with the dumping of items like propane cylinders, there is a potential hazard,” Leigh said.
Nakusp has a groundwater protection plan in place which is being threatened. Village council unanimously agreed that with the continued abuse of the recycling site, it is now time for the bins to be moved to the landfill where they can be more closely monitored to eliminate abuse leading to contamination of the ground and water and ultimately keep the costs down.