BONNYVILLE – As a means to prevent illegal dumping, misuse and to meet the growing need of household waste disposal, the bin site located at the Riverhurst Hall was removed as part of a one-year pilot project on March 23.
Following the March decision, residents were advised they would need to haul their household waste to a bin site at Hilda Lake Landfill.
As discussed in a regular MD of Bonnyville council meeting on July 13, the move has already caused discontent among residents who previously used the Riverhurst bin site.
For over ten years, the Riverhurst Bin Site was located behind Riverhurst Hall as a temporary bin site. The demand for more bins increased over time and exceeded the available space.
Since the pilot project began, residents have reported needing to store their waste until being able to access the Hilda Lake Landfill during its regular hours of operation, risking the potential of attracting skunks and bears.
The landfill’s regular hours are inconvenient for residents who work shifts or long hours, according to the MD’s Environmental and Protective Services department.
During the July 13 meeting, council passed a motion to relocate the Riverhurst bin site to property owned by the MD of Bonnyville located at SW 15-63-3 W4.
Coun. Darcy Skarsen also noted he has received concerns of seniors having difficulty disposing their waste because the bins are too high.
“I hear about it probably once a month or so, that little old lady can’t get her garbage in because the bins are too high and she can’t lift the lid especially if it’s windy,” said Skarsen.
The Council of the MD of Bonnyville is planning to discuss the concern of disposal by seniors at a future meeting.
