The Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako (RDBN) is going to be discussing waste transfer stations at their next meeting on April 18.
Staff at the waste transfer stations across the region had brought forward concerns regarding reuse sheds and safety around salvaging at transfer sites at a recent waste management committee meeting.
The committee has now brought these concerns forward and the RDBN will be discussing possible options to address the issues.
The concern around reuse sheds was people bringing dirty items or “ransacking” the sheds and leaving a mess behind, as well as the dumping of end-of-life items such as electronics at sites where there is no electronics recycling, such as Fort St. James. The nearest electronic recycling is in Vanderhoof, according to Bill Miller of the RDBN and so when people leave those items in the reuse shed they are just creating work for the staff.
Miller said the reuse sheds had strong support at the committee meeting and while closing the sheds was brought forward as an option, he does not think this idea was supported or would go forward from the RDBN meeting.
Instead, he expects to hear discussion around how to make the sheds more effective, because they do help to reduce the amount of items put into the landfill.
“We’re always looking at trying to reduce the amount of waste we’re burying,” said Miller.
The RDBN and their waste management committee will also be trying to integrate the new rules regarding product and packaging management which will be coming into effect in May 2014.
The new rules will charge consumers up front for the cost of dealing with the packaging and products at their end of life, and the producers will have to work on ways to deal with the products and packaging.