Update, and a response from TNRD

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Reminder! The public meeting to discuss the future of the Lac Le Jeune Refuse Transfer Station is Tuesday, August 11, 2009, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the Lac Le Jeune Resort and Conference Centre. Please attend!

At least 80% of Lac Le Jeune residents have signed the petition opposing "the Plan" to implement curbside garbage collection. Also of note is that, to date, NOT ONE resident has indicated that they were aware of any public consultation with respect to "the Plan".

This letter from Don May was received by John Watson on August 4, 2009.

Dear John Watson:

Thank-you for your letter and comments regarding the future of the Lac Le Jeune transfer station. My apologies for not responding to you on Friday. I will try to answer the questions and concerns you and the other community members raise in your July 23, 2009 letter and others to the TNRD. This turned-out a bit longer than I intended, but I have tried to give you a bit of background as well.

With regard to public consultation concerning the future of the Lac Le Jeune Transfer station:

The TNRD started work on updating their Regional Solid Waste Management Plan (Plan) in 2004. Committees to assist the regional district were established in 2005, including a public advisory committee, technical advisory committee and a political steering committee. The Plan was developed through a 3 stage process developed by the Minstry of Environment and there was public consultation required at each stage of the process. This was done by open houses, media advertising and mail-outs throughout the process of developing the new Plan. The final round of open houses to explain the Plan was done in 2007 and the Plan was approved by the TNRD Board and Ministry of Environment in 2008. The Ministry was satisfied with the level of public consultation in developing the Plan. We are now implementing the new initiatives.

A major issue that needed to be dealt with was the ever increasing cost of operating the TNRD's solid waste system. There were 32 transfer stations and 5 landfills and new transfer stations were being opened at a steady pace and costs to develop and operate the system had more than doubled. There were considerable problems encountered with the unattended transfer stations in terms of dumping of hazardous materials, overloaded bins, bear problems, and litter and unsightly site conditions. To attempt to control the costs of the system and limit the number of sites that the TNRD would need to upgrade the Plan identified a core number of about 18 transfer stations that should be upgraded to the new eco-depot standard, including recycling. All other sites and particularily those where an alternative service could be developed would be scheduled for consolidation or closure. The Lac Le Jeune site was identified as a site where an alternative service could be provided, with the preference being curbside collection.

To back up a bit to consultation again. Once the Plan had been approved by the Minister of Environment and adopted by the TNRD Board of Directors it then gained considerable force in its own right. Section 24 of the BC Enviromental Management Act gives regional districts the authority to adopt Bylaws for the purpose of implementing a Plan without a petition or assent of the electors. The attached Bylaw 2248 was adopted by the TNRD Board on January 8, 2009 to give the TNRD the ability to tax for a new collection and recycling service in Electoral Area "J". The meeting on August 11 is part of the continuing consultation process.

Through input received during the development of the Plan it was determined that curbside collection was the best way to achieve the most diversion through recyling and that a system of collection carts, one for refuse and one for recycling (similar to the Cuty of Kamloops system) achieve better diversion rates than a depot type of recycling system. However, the TNRD is aware of the problems with wildlife and proposes that the garbage carts will be provided with bear-proof lids. The carts are provided to residents and businesses by the TNRD as part of the cost of the new services. A collection vehicle is also provided as part of the service. Residents would receive 65 gallon carts and businesses would receive 95 gallon carts. This system is being rolled-out in Avola in August and we will get a good idea how it will work in bear country.

The issue of scheduling curbside service for those residents and vacationers that may only be in the area on weekends and/or for holidays is one of the down sides of a curbside system. The pick-up would be done on one weekday and carts would need to be at the curb or road edge by 7:00 a.m. For those that are not in the area on the collection day there are a couple of possibilities including arranging with a neighbor to put their carts out or hauling their materials back to their primary residence. The service is intended for local residents and businesses only and does not cover contractors looking after area Parks and doing renovation and the like. There are other drawbacks of a curbside system that include service to remote areas, service during winter conditions on steep roads etc.

Another option for alternative service to the Lac Le Jeune area is a limited use of the existing transfer station, but the site would need to be operated in a different way than it currently is so that the operational costs are reduced. In effect the site would be closed except for very limited hours - say 6 to 8 hours per week (say 2 openings at 3 to 4 hours each as determined by needs of the community). Ideally the site would be removed from the general service and be solely operated by and for the local area. In this scenario the TNRD could pay the Lac Le Jeune Community Association to operate the site. Punch cards could be issued to all local residents and businesses in a quantity equivalent to a 2 bag per week limit (to encourage recycling) - recycling blue bags would still be free and part of the general service. Businesses may receive more punch cards based on their tax assessments. Identification cards would also need to be issued. Only those with a valid ID card would be authorized to use the site. In this way the number of bin services per year would be reduced and the cost of the site controlled.

To meet the requirements of the TNRD Plan there are two criteria that must be met. First, any alternative service must promote and encourage diversion of waste and recycling. This is the main reason why the TNRD developed the new tipping fee system for waste disposal and initiated the blue bag recycling system in 2008. The new fees are incentive to reduce and recycle. The second is that the alternative must be less expensive to operate to achieve the goal of reducing the overall cost of the system. Another criteria is that no waste transfer site is left open and unattended.

I hope this information will be helpful to you and the Lac le Jeune community. Please feel free to distribute them as needed. As you can see there are many details to work out that depend on which option the local residents and businesses wish to proceed with, and we will provide some more information at the meeting on the 11th.

Thanks again for your interest and I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Regards,

Don May

Manager of Environmental Health Services

Thompson-Nicola Regional District

300 - 465 Victoria Street

Kamloops, BC

V2C 2A9

Office (250) 377-8673

Toll free 1-877-377-8673

Direct line (250)377-7057

FAX (250) 372-5048

Cell (250)319-6965

dmay@tnrd.bc.ca