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Solid Waste & Recycling Overview

Service Area

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The TNRD Solid Waste service area comprises all electoral areas within the political boundaries of the TNRD. Refuse originating outside of this boundary area depicted above will have to be disposed of in the respective regional district where the refuse originates. Click here for a regional district boundary map.

Environmental Health Services manages the TNRD Solid Waste and Recycling programs throughout the TNRD with the exception of the City of Kamloops and Barnhardvale landfills, and the Cache Creek Landfill which are operated by the City of Kamloops and Wastech respectively.

Implementation of a new Regional Solid Waste Management Plan began in 2008, which included the development of a region-wide Pay-as-you-Throw garbage collection program and unlimited blue bag recycling and continued operation of 5 landfills and 27 transfer stations. Cost-effective, efficient alternative waste disposal service methods are being researched for Electoral Areas.

2011 Key Activities and Initiatives

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• The TNRD continues to implement the 2008 Regional Solid Waste Management Plan (RSWMP) with the objective to achieve a 30% reduction in waste disposal.

• The TNRD released a request for proposals to remove and recycle all of the metal that the TNRD collects in its waste management facilities. The successful proponent - Central Salvage is expected to provide more efficient and cost effective recycling for this valuable commodity as they are a local contractor and understand the TNRD’s specific needs. The contract provides for an increase in revenue for the taxpayers for metal recycling.
• The Thompson-Nicola Regional District Board approved the purchase, engineering and installation of four pre-engineered metal buildings from Metal Structure Concepts Inc. for the new Clearwater and Louis Creek Eco-Depots.
• The TNRD Board also approved the purchase of 12 truck scales for the TNRD's landfills and expanded Eco-Depots. The scales are Metler Toledo designed scale which have a modern efficient digital format and are expected to provide trouble free accurate weights and a more fare fee structure system based on the weight of refuse deposited.

The four buildings will cost $1.5 million and two of the buildings are enclosed 100 foot by 100 foot structures with a split level design that will be used for receiving and transferring refuse.

The other two buildings are 70 foot by 70 foot structures, also with a split level design. They will be used for receiving and transferring recyclable materials. The upper levels of the four buildings will be for drop-off of refuse and recycling and the lower level is where the transfer trailers will be parked for loading. One of each type building will be constructed as part of the development for the Clearwater Eco depot and the Louis Creek eco depot.

Focus Corporation, a Kamloops-based engineering firm - who are managing the construction of the buildings, received nine quotations from various building suppliers and fabricators, choosing the Kelowna-based MSC Metal Structure Concepts Inc.'s bid as the most efficient and cost effective design.

Major Goals for 2011 - Close 2 landfills in the North Thompson. Develop 2 Eco Depots in Clearwater and Louis Creek to replace the landfills that will be closed. Provide uninterrupted service during this change. Install weigh scales at the new Eco Depots and at three class 2 Eco Depots in Clinton Lytton and Logan Lake.

    

The TNRD is working hard to compost final cover cap consisting of a meter of native soils and caped with 40 cm of composted topsoil. The composted topsoil consists of biosolids, sand and wood chips. This material will provide a rich nutrient growing medium suitable for plant growth.

The TNRD is using local wood waste chips from the former Louis Creek Tolko Site and local sand from the Johnson pit at Blackpool and wood waste and sawdust from Camp 2 in Clearwater to create a rich organic topsoil that will support grass growth as part of the reclamation plan for Clearwater Landfill and Barriere Landfill. The TNRD is using waste material to treat waste material in a sustainable way.

The Nurafor biosolid waste material from Metro Vancouver will be mixed with local waste chips and sand using the 1:1:1 mix ratio to create a finished topsoil for the landfill closure projects at the Barriere and Clearwater landfills.

Want to know more about Nutrafor? Click here

Develop and build Eco Depots in Clearwater and in Louis Creek

2010 Key Accomplishments and Achievements

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• Continued with the implementation of TNRD Regional Solid Waste Management Plan.
• Completed inventory and continue assessment of closed TNRD landfills and continue to work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at landfills.
• Secured and developed new Eco-Depot sites to replace landfills in Barriere, Chase and Clearwater.
• Completed landfill closure designs and reports for Barriere, Chase and Clearwater and updated design, operation and closure reports for Heffley Creek and Lower Nicola landfills.
• Concluded upgrade work for B-Train recycling and refuse transfer station in Clinton, Lytton and Logan Lake.
• Started an on-going evaluation of new alternate Electoral Area refuse and recycling services.
• Introduced workplace health and safety recommendations from 2009 assessments.
• Worked with City of Merritt and the Sunshine Valley Good Earth Co. to establish a pilot project that will provide collection and composting of coffee grounds, as well as a yard waste drop off location.
• Expanded the blue bag recycling program to Aspen Grove, Tranquille Valley, Spences Bridge and Black Pines.
• Continued in to 2011 in the development and upgrades of transfer stations, and eco depots.
• Continued with implementing closure plans for Landfills in Clearwater and Barriere.
• Executed a trail run of a web-based illegal dumping online report form tracking database, that allows user to enter and retrieve data.
• Continued to audit collection fee system at all refuse sites to insure that fees collected are fair. Secret shoppers are scheduled to visit sites in the fall of 2011 to conduct an audit.
• Continued to work with product stewardship program with a focus on securing Paint Plus facilities.
• Continued offering various means of alternate household organics diversion through composting, worm composting and educational workshops.
• Continued youth education through classroom presentations, field days and Environmental Mind Grind.
• Explored alternate and innovative means of “Recycle Now” message delivery.
• Worked with First Nations communities and other stakeholders to increase recycling participation and where possible collaborate on joint ventures that benefit all residents of the region.
• Worked to prevent unauthorized access to remote collection sites, the TNRD has installed gates at the Tranquille Transfer station and Egan lake Transfer Station. We have Implemented controlled hours of operation and tipping fee collection. As a result, increased recycling has greatly improved services available for these residents.

• In the fall of 2010 the contract was signed between the TNRD and Emterra Environmental for the processing and marketing of recyclable material. The new contract reduced the processing fee by 40% from the previous rate.
• For the Christmas of 2010 on a pilot basis, for the 1st time, the TNRD offered Christmas tree recycling at many of our transfer stations that do not accept yard waste because on space constraints. In previous years these trees ended up in the garbage bins.

    

• In the spring of 2010 The Savona/Cherry Creek EA service was expanded and a new split truck was put into service. All residents in this area now have weekly curbside garbage and recycling pick-up. Each home and small business has 2 carts (garbage and recycling). The easier it is for people to recycle, the greater participation.

Refuse Collection & Recycling – Recent Achievements

• Commenced upgrades at the B-Train recycling and refuse transfer stations in Clinton, Logan Lake and Lytton. Upgrades include new solar powered systems funded in part by the Innovative Clean Energy Fund that will make these facilities net zero users of Grid Electricity.
• The TNRD is partnering with Tire Stewardship BC, BC Used Oil Management Association, Call-2-Recycle, and Encorp Pacific to ensure TNRD residents have access to these recycling programs where feasible.
• Consolidated two transfer stations and upgraded four others to increase program efficiency and cost effectiveness.
• Curbside recycling and refuse collection was introduced in Avola, Savona and Cherry Creek.
• Operational schedule adjusted in Sun Peaks, Black Pines Lac le Jeune and Tranquile Valley to meet the needs of the communities.
• Municipal Insurance Association assessed all sites to ensure compliance with WorkSafe BC regulations and policies.
• Over $9.1 million in Federal and Provincial funding grants awarded for upgrades to transfer stations and eco-depot construction.
• Acquired a new recycling and refuse collection truck to service Savona, Cherry Creek and Tobiano.
• Implemented Eco-Cards for waste disposal at attended sites with recycling services.
• Awarded contract to Emterra Environmental for processing and marketing household recyclables.
• Identified possible sites for eco-depot drop-off locations in Barriere, Clearwater and the South Thompson.
• Introduced Tipping Fee course for contracted site attendants. (The aim of site attendant training is to provide consistent and fair fee collection for all residents)
• TNRD staff and City of Kamloops staff are working together to research all options for lowing the cost and maximizing revenue for our household recycling generated within the TNRD.
• The TNRD will continue to partner with the City of Kamloops on the annual Household Hazardous Waste collection event held in Kamloops.
• Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Round-ups were held in many TNRD communities in 2011. This is the first time the service has been provided in many areas. These events were highly publicized and well attended. The TNRD Partnered with Product Stewards (Encorp, BC Used Oil Management Association, Tires Stewardship BC, and Product Care) to take back hazardous items that are difficult and dangerous to dispose of. In 2011, 8 events were held in the TNRD, the communities included Clearwater, Barriere, Chase, Merritt, Clinton, Logan Lake, Ashcroft and Cache Creek. In total 150 drums and 130 pails of hazardous waste including pesticides, oil, glue, paints, fuels and unknown liquids were removed from the waste stream and disposed of or recycled in a safe manner. In addition 14.5 tonnes of electronic waste was collected for recycling at these events.

    




• The residents of Avola participated in a bulky Items roundup “Pilot Project” in the early summer of 2011, to allow the residents the option for disposal of large bulky items. Currently the residents of Avola enjoy door to door recycling and pick up service.
• Residents of the 70 mile Transfer Station responded to a mail out survey which was intended to explore better hours of operation during the summer which experiences high tourist and seasonal use. As a result of this survey, the hours of operation have been changed:
  March 1 to October 31 (Summer Hours) open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday 8am-4pm
  November 1 to February 28 (Winter Hours) Monday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday 8am-4pm
• Safety railing installations. Safety railings are being installed at all of TNRD operated Transfer stations, eco Depots, and Waste and recycle area drop off areas at TNRD Landfills. The TNRD will work with the member municipalities with municipal recycling depots to construct safely railings. The railing installation program will increase safety for all users and the operators of these sites.



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  Community bulletin boards are currently being constructed and are being erected at most landfills and transfer stations in 2011. These boards will be a place where the public can post advertisements for free items, for sale items, and community events. These public community boards will also be a location that the TNRD can post information for the public.

Transfer Station consolidation and Upgrades planed for 2011 and beyond

• Brookmere – signed agreement with the Coldwater Indian Band to accept off Reserve refuse and recycling ( Upgrading and development and staff training underway in Coldwater)
• Chu Chua – site operated by the Simpcw First Nation Attendant training and site upgrades completed
• Blue River – application for new site with Front Counter pending
• Avola – closured in October 2008 – new curbside service in effect
• Little Fort – new site developed as a class 3 Eco Depot temporarily
• Birch lake closure – in concert with a new improved Little Fort site
• Birch Island, Big Bar and Brennan Creek – sites closed
• Lac Le Jeune, Tranquille Valley, Black Pines, Aspen Grove – Alternate EA Service
• Louis Creek Class 1 Eco Depot planned – construction to start in the fall of 2011
• Clearwater Camp 2 Class 1 Eco Depot planned – construction to start in the fall of 2011

Landfill Gas Remediation

• Received funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and partnered with the formerly (Alberta Research Council) Alberta Innovatives to implement new technologies at the Barriere and Lower Nicola landfills. Preliminary results show a potential 75-95% reduction in methane emission through the use of biofilters.

See a video clip on biofilters at TNRD landfills and this groundbreaking technology

    

• Initiated works with other Regional Districts to develop a protocol for Carbon Credits for biofilters located in landfills with Pacific Carbon Trust
• Landfill Qualitative Environmental Risk Evaluations completed on nine closed landfills.
• Closure strategy has been proposed for Barriere, Chase, and Clearwater Landfills that utilizes biocover technology which is cost effective and effective in controlling landfill Methane gas.

Illegal Dumping Strategy

• The TNRD is working with the Conservation Officer Service and community groups and business to successfully deliver six community clean-up events and 23 contracted clean-ups. Collected were 45 metric tonnes from illegal dumping areas since implementing a “pay as you throw” refuse disposal system.

    

• Partnered with over 30 organizations in collecting over 200 metric tones of garbage for the Lac du Bois grasslands.
• Inter agency partnerships resulted in a number of individuals prosecuted for illegal dumping of waste on Crown Land.
• Purchased remote infrared surveillance cameras to monitor frequent illegal dump sites to assist in ongoing effort to address illegal dumping.

CFJC News story video on illegal dumping 2:12 min - Top Story: of July 20th 2011 by CFJC TV Kamloops

Product Stewardship

• The TNRD is Partnering with the Columbia Shuswap Regional District to develop an illegal dumping strategy which will identify various stakeholder roles and responsibilities.
• Partnered with the BC Used Oil Management Association to collect 13,000 liters of used automotive oil and 2400 kilograms of oil containers and filters at ten TNRD facilities.
• Partnered with Encorp Pacific to collect 17.5 tonnes of electronic waste in 5 TNRD municipalities.

      

Worm and Backyard Composting

• The TNRD hosted 21 worm composting and backyard composting workshops throughout the TNRD and in First Nations communities.

Communications

Brought “Recycle Now” presentation to over 600 elementary school students in two Regional School Districts as well as First Nations classrooms.

• “Recycle Now” regional communications strategy is continued.
• Introduced the Environmental Mind Grind program to teachers. To celebrate Earth Day, students take part in an academic challenge that tests student knowledge of local environmental issues.
• Distributed 18,000 educational “2009 Living Greener” calendars to households in the region; an increase of 3000 copies over 2008.






First Nations



Established working relationships with various First Nations to offer collaborative waste management options to both Band members and TNRD residents.

The TNRD is working in a joint venture with the Coldwater Indian Band in the spring of 2011 to develop a class 3 Eco Depot on band lands providing much needed local employment and improved local recycling initiatives for band residents.