Regional Solid Waste Management Plan

It's Time to Talk Trash:

Planning for the Future of our Garbage

Join us for an Open House near you to learn more about options for reducing, recycling, and managing waste and to provide your feedback on the Draft Regional Solid Waste Management Plan. Help meet our goal to reduce waste by an additional 30% and keep a lid on taxes!

The TNRD is updating the region's Solid Waste Management Plan and is looking at the most effective and cost-efficient ways to deliver garbage and recycling programs over the next 20 years, and meet the goal of an additional 30% waste reduction in the next five years over 2004 levels. In addition to continued requests for more recycling and yard waste options, other areas that need to be addressed include:

  • Increased amount of wastes to manage
  • Increased costs to operate transfer stations and landfills
  • Increased concerns over the environmental health of our landfills
  • Compliance with provincial criteria

We need to plan for the future. At the current pace, in the next 20 years, we will need to spend $130 million of our tax dollars to pay for waste disposal costs that can almost be cut in half by improving waste collection and recycling systems.

JOIN US AT AN OPEN HOUSE EVENT NEAR YOU!

Hours: 6:00pm to 8:00pm with a presentation at 7:00pm.
Kamloops Hours: 4:00pm to 8:00pm with presentations at 5:00pm and 7:00pm

DATE

COMMUNITY

LOCATION

Mon. Oct. 30

Blue River

Blue River Community Hall

Wed. Nov. 1

Clearwater

The Pit, Clearwater Secondary School

Thurs. Nov.2

Barriere

Barriere Lions Hall

Mon. Nov. 6

Clinton/70 Mile House

Clinton Memorial Hall

Tues. Nov. 7

Ashcroft/Cache Creek

Cache Creek Community Hall

Wed. Nov. 8

Lytton/Spences Bridge

Lytton Anglican Parish Hall

Tues. Nov. 14

Merritt

Days Inn Banquet Room

Wed. Nov.15

Chase/Pritchard

Chase Community Hall

Thurs. Nov.16

Kamloops

Best Western Towne Lodge - 1250 Rogers Way

Mon. Nov. 20

Logan Lake

Logan Lake Recreation Centre - Upper Lounge

Tues. Nov. 21

Sun Peaks/Heffley Creek

Hearthstone Lodge-Combined Meeting Room -Sun Peaks

Wed. Nov. 22

Savona

Savona Senior's Centre

Thurs. Nov. 23

Westwold

Westwold Community Hall

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

There are several ways to learn more about and provide your comments on the Draft Regional Solid Waste Management Plan:

  • Attend one of the Open House events being held throughout the region (see schedule)
  • Email comments to talktrash@tnrd.bc.ca
  • Mail comments to: Thompson-Nicola Regional District #300 - 465 Victoria Street, Kamloops, BC V2C 2A9.
  • Fax to (250) 372-5048

Feedback will be accepted until December 02, 2006.
The feedback received will be used to help guide short and long term plans to reduce and manage waste through effective, cost efficient, and environmentally sound programs.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
We don't often think of where our garbage goes, yet collecting garbage, recycling, and yard waste or managing transfer stations and landfills are some of the largest and most costly services provided by your local governments.

PROGRESS TO DATE
Over the past two years, three committees have been working with consultants Earth Tech Canada to examine future challenges and identify possible options.

  • The Public Advisory Committee, made up of volunteer members of the public, offers valuable feedback on how suitable or acceptable the options may be.
  • The Technical Advisory Committee of waste management staff from the member municipalities and the Ministry of Environment helps ensure that the proposed options are technically sound.
  • The Plan Review Steering Committee, which consists of 8 Directors from the TNRD Board, helps oversee the process, ensures that various viewpoints are taken into account, and forwards information to the Regional Board for consideration.

As well, public input has been solicited at various community displays and events. More than 400 questionnaires have been completed with the majority showing support for more reuse and recycling options.

As a result of this intensive process, the Draft Plan is now ready for public review!

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DRAFT PLAN
Highlights include:

  • Make recycling available to all areas at curbside or at transfer stations, landfills, or other locations
  • Increase the types of materials collected, such as tins, glass, aluminum, boxboard, newspapers, paper, cardboard and some plastics
  • Increase yard waste collection and drop off locations for homes and businesses
  • Sell backyard composters at a reduced rate
  • Host hazardous and electronic waste collection and waste exchange events
  • Increase opportunities for user-pay or pay-by-weight, including tipping fees and bag limits
  • Provide incentives for recycling construction and demolition waste - the more you recycle, the less you pay
  • Place bans on disposal of materials that can be recycled only when a suitable option is in place
  • Make tipping fees consistent across the region
  • Review network of transfer stations and find better ways to recycle and collect waste - may consolidate some, upgrade others, or switch to curbside collection or other options
  • Phase out landfills that are inefficient or pose environmental liability - may upgrade an existing site, site a new landfill, replace with transfer stations, or other environmentally sound alternatives
  • Create new business opportunities for local entrepreneurs for collection and hauling of recyclables, as an example
  • Increase program education, awareness, and enforcement
  • Consider how best to regulate importation of waste
  • And, most importantly, consult with communities that may be affected by changes to their collection services to ensure the most workable solution for all!

For more information click on the link to download (Info available here by Oct.23rd)

Highlighted Links
Solid Waste and Recycle Updates

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