Image Credit: FILE PHOTO
August 15, 2017 - 11:32 AM
KELOWNA - The Regional District is looking into putting a solid waste transfer location in the Mission area of Kelowna.
Residents in the Mission have to over 30 minutes to the nearest landfill in Glenmore, according to Peter Rotheisler, the manager of environmental services with the Central Okanagan Regional District.
Rotheisler told Kelowna City Council at it's regular meeting yesterday, Aug. 14, that with over 20,000 households the Mission is the largest area in the Central Okanagan with this amount of travel time, followed by Lake Country with 5,000 households and Peachland with 2,000.
“Right now this is only a proposal to consider,” Rotheisler says. “A location would have to be identified, what materials would be collected and whether it would operate seasonally or full-time.”
Different pay options for users is another item up for consideration as the Regional District updates the solid waste management plan. Depending on how often residents feel they need their waste collected, weekly and biweekly pick-ups would be an option.
Something that came as a bit of a surprise for some on council was that the collection of yard waste in the city has quadrupled.
“The increase in yard waste collection is shocking,” Coun. Gail Given says. “Have we created a better way, or reduced illegal dumping, or reduced trips to the landfill - is it really four times more?”
Rotheisler says yard waste collection is trending up and there has been a reduction in people hauling their own materials to the landfill.
Coun. Ryan Donn says he is concerned council hasn't had any input in the solid waste management update process.
“I feel like we’re being brought into this too late,” Donn says. “There’s no decision to be made or any where we can really give our input at this point.”
Rotheisler says the Regional District wanted to bring forward a solid waste management plan prepared by those who have the most experience in the field.
In total, 28 members were involved in the waste management plan update, including representations from local government, the Westbank First Nation, members of public and waste management companies.
The Regional District is responsible for updating the solid waste management plan every 10 years.
Find more information about solid waste management plan update here.
— This story was updated at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, August 16, 2017 to change 'landfill' to 'waste transfer station'.
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