Major Changes To Free Landfill Use Approved
What you can haul to the landfill for free and the time span to get it there has been changed as a result of a policy change approved by City Council.
Commonly know as “Free Dump Days” Council voted to eliminate the free hauling of all residential waste to the landfill and will now restrict free dumping of residential waste to include only organic matter such as leaves, grass and branches. Additionally the policy change will reduce the traditional two free weeks of dumping once in the Spring and once in the Fall to a single weekend once in the Spring and once in the Fall.
Addressing Council city engineer Josh Mickelborough said the changes were being requested due to the quickly filling land fill and the amount of waste the previous Free Dumping weeks was substantial using valuable air space at the landfill making it more difficult to manage the remaining time before the landfill is full.
“The current program of four weeks does generate a lot of waste and the costs are not recovered,” Mickelborough said about the present program.
“It is a balance between service and for cleaning up your yard and the city and balancing it with the cost the landfill incurs,” he said.
Mayor Frasier Tolmie asked for a clarification of the program and the types of vehicles which will be allowed the opportunity to dump for free.
Mickelborough stated the new policy will allow trailers to haul residential organic waste to the landfill but at the same time prevent commercial companies from taking advantage of the free dumoing.
“Obviously anybody hauling in a trailer load of shingles was enforced last year,” he said, adding the new policy will allow the use of a half ton sized trailer to haul residential organic waste to the landfill. The policy is being changed because many residents do not have a truck and have a trailer towed by their car and this will allow them to use the trailer if they follow the conditions set out.
Councillor Chris Warren stated he initially was opposed to allowing the current free dumping and was in favour of eliminating it completely but the change in what can be dumped for free - leaves, branches and grass - changed his mind.
“We have seen confusion in the community and the difficulty in what is allowed and not allowed. And obviously this has transfered over to our City staff trying to enforce the rules,” Councillor Warren stated, adding “I certainly don’t want to be in a situation where it is a free for all and anything can come….I softened up it should be yard waste like leaves and branches.”
Councillor Warren also worried about communicating the new policy to residents.
“Hopefully Administration can communicate what we are going to do and can communicate that to the residents.”
Asked for a clarification by Councillor Crystal Froese on the changes Mickelborough stated the new policy would allow trailers hauling in residential organic waste to the landfill which was not allowed in 2018.
“We do want to accept trailers and if they are bringing in yard waste then we would accept a reasonably sized trailer,” Mickelborough stated.
Councillor Dawn Luhning wondered how a single weekend in the Spring and the Fall could manage the city’s residential waste. She also questioned the size of vehicles being allowed to haul residential waste to the landfill.
“Why are we saying it can only be half ton trucks and smaller vehicles?” Councillor Luhning asked.
“We are saying we will accept larger trailers but we don’t want commercial enterprises abusing that,” Mickelborough replied.
Councillor Swanson said the entire issue revolved around the soon to full landfill but he did support the initiative.
“I support not having free dumping at the landfill we have to manage the existing time at the landfill fairly judiciously,” Councillor Swanson stated, adding the remaining space available at the landfill should be devoted to paying loads to generate revenue for the future landfill.
Mayor Fraser Tolmie said he supported the intent of the motion but at the same time wanted the changes phased in.
“Right now we are bringing down the hammer and prefer a more gradual approach…we are trying different things and we need to see where the end goal and see what the target is,” Mayor Tolmie stated.
The Mayor went on to request that Administration be clear in communicating with the community what the changes are and what can and cannot be accepted at the landfill under the changed policy.
Craig Hemmingway communications manager for the City said a strategy could be developed to assist the public.
“If it is organics and just repeat over and over leaves and branches and leaves and branches,” Hemmingway stated.
Councillor Warren stated that residents were not being restricted from using the landfill but the City was “just shortening the time and what they can bring.”
“For waste that doesn’t meet the criteria if its a half ton its a ten dollar charge,” he said.
The motion was voted in two parts with a 6 - 1 vote switching to organic waste only with Councillor Swanson opposed.
The second part of the motion moving the free residential organic landfill use to a single weekend twice a year - one in the Spring and one in the Fall - was passed with a 6 - 1 vote with Mayor Tolmie opposed.