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Changes coming to Cold Lake landfill system

Changes to the landfill system in Cold Lake are on the way. As of Mar. 1, both residents and non-residents who use the city landfill site to dispose of their household waste will have to ensure they have some money on hand.
The City of Cold Lake, along with other members of the Beaver River Municipal Waste Commission, will start shipping their garbage to the Thorhild landfill.
The City of Cold Lake, along with other members of the Beaver River Municipal Waste Commission, will start shipping their garbage to the Thorhild landfill.

Changes to the landfill system in Cold Lake are on the way.

As of Mar. 1, both residents and non-residents who use the city landfill site to dispose of their household waste will have to ensure they have some money on hand. While previously a free service, city council has officially passed the final reading of a bylaw that will implement a $5 fee for dumping.

“There's a couple hundred thousand dollars worth of costs there for waste in the City of Cold Lake. In the past, we've always sort of dinged the homeowners, but what we're feeling is we're getting waste coming in from all over so the strategy is to charge $5 to try and recover those costs,” explained Mayor Craig Copeland.

Anywhere from 1,200 to 1,500 tonnes of residential municipal solid waste is brought to the transfer station annually for disposal at Ryley, which amounts to a cost of $138,000 to $170,000. Currently, there is no charge for residential users to dump their garbage.

The fee doesn't come without some concern, though. While supporting the policy, Coun. Bob Buckle raised the point that a fee may deter some people from using the landfill and instead get rid of their garbage elsewhere.

“I'd like there to be some way for us to review the effectiveness, the impact of the fee on the landfill use,” said Buckle. “I'm concerned that we could have garbage dumped on the roadside...the fee might have unintended consequences.”

Under the new fee structure, residential municipal solid waste will cost $50 per tonne, with a minimum charge of $5 if the weight is less than 100 kilograms. Residential construction and demolition waste will come with a charge of $74 per tonne, and a minimum $5 charge if weight is less than 100 kg.

A new residential mixed load is also being proposed under the changes. That load will also cost $50 per tonne with the same minimum charge of $5 if below 100 kilograms. As defined by the bylaw, a mixed load means it contains residential waste, as well as more than 60 per cent construction and demolition waste.

Any other waste that remains listed a no charge, such as scrap metal or batteries, will continue to remain without a tipping fee, unless they are mixed in with any other chargeable items. In that case, the load will also be considered mixed residential.

“In my experience, (roadside dumping) might happen a little bit. That's why we kept the fee to a minimum, to not discourage use,” said CAO Kevin Nagoya.

He added, “We could increase the utility bill, but then it's all on the residents and you have users outside the city. Not all are residents of Cold Lake, everybody is using it. So, how do you equitably apply a fee for cost recovery?”

The fee comes at the same time as the Beaver River Municipal Waste Commission, which the city is a member of, is changing where the region disposes the garbage.

“The big issue is hauling, but to get a landfill in today's world with the policies in place it's tough. So unfortunately we're in the businesses of trucking our garbage somewhere else,” said Copeland.

Earlier this month, representatives from the commission, the city, the MD and Town of Bonnyville toured through different landfill sites to decide where to haul their garbage.

Currently, all waste gets taken to the landfill in Ryley but, with that contract expiring, they have decided to switch to the site in Thorhild.

“There were discussions, but in the end the lower offer is what came through. It wasn't a snap decision. There was a good discussion by the commission over the pros and cons of leaving where we are, possibly going to Lafond, or going to Thorhild,” said Roy Doonanco, CAO of Beaver River Municipal Waste Commission.

Doonanco added, “Any dollar value per ton does add up to quite a bit of money, so you can't look at it lightly.”

Waste Management operates the landfill site in Thorhild. The commission will be signing a five-year agreement with the company in the coming days. The new $5 for dumping garbage at the city site comes into effect on Mar. 1.

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