Central cost projections below eastern region

According to an official from the Department of Municipal Affairs, the Central Newfoundland Waste Management Authority (CNWMA) will offer a cheaper service for handling waste than its counterpart on the eastern half of the island.

For curbside collection and delivery to a transfer station, the projected cost in central has been estimated at $70-80 per household per year. The cost to move waste from a transfer station to the regional site in Norris Arm and to dispose of it has been estimated at $117 per tonne - or approximately $100 per household per year. Overall, this would place the projected total cost per household at $170-180.

"One of the founding principles (of the waste management strategy) is that it's a regional approach," said Cory Grandy, director of the waste division for the Department of Municipal Affairs. "It recognizes the fact no two regions are alike, and because of the eccentricities of various regions, that's going to affect the cost."

In the eastern region, handled by the Eastern Waste Management Committee, eight local service districts from the Trinity Bay South area have begun sending waste to the regional site in Robin Hood Bay at an estimated cost of $230 per household per year.

Mr. Grandy, who spoke as part of a panel during Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador's Municipal Symposium in Gander last week, said the contract is not the most efficient example, as trucks handling the curbside pickup for the eight communities sit idly three days a week.

"If there were more communities in that group, that contract would become a lot more efficient. As times goes on, and as more communities buy into the regional approach, it will become more affordable."

The number of waste streams a regional authority decides to use for separating material will vary, he said, noting that central will utilize a two-stream system, while the eastern region will use a four-stream setup.

Allan Scott, chair of CNWMA's board, said when his group went through the different waste stream options, it felt the two-stream system, which separates dry and wet waste, was the best option for the region.

"Curbside collection cost is reduced if you use a two-stream truck - you can do it with one pass. If you go beyond (two streams), you have to come back over and collect a second time," he said.

On a public education level, Mr. Scott said the two-stream system will be easy for residents of the region to grasp.

"It's a very basic wet-and-dry system. Wet goes in one bag, and dry goes in the other. We felt this is all relatively new to our province, and if want to get a buy-in from all our residents, let's keep it as simple as we can."

Costly matter

Mayor Peter Lush from Gambo expressed concerns earlier in the year about how rural communities such as his will be able to handle the costs associated with the new system.

Speaking before the panel last Friday, Mayor Lush said he is firmly behind the work being done by the authority.

"The Town of Gambo is not against waste management and the green program. We endorse it fully."

However, he remained concerned about where the money to cover waste management will come from for municipalities.

"Residents in my community are paying over $400 a year for water and sewer service, and add that on to the property tax and everything else," said the mayor. "I'm speaking for the seniors and people on a fixed income. All I'm asking is for the (CNWMA) board to go to government and look at our operating grants and see if something can be done to help us out here and supplement our costs."

Mr. Grandy such the department has committed to looking at the municipal operating grants matter.

"There's a lot of need, so everybody has to get in line and make their best arguments," he said.

The central region, which encompasses the area between Buchans and Terra Nova National Park, includes 108 communities, and will make use of 7 transfer stations feeding the regional site.

"The parameters we gave our consulting firm at the time was that nobody should have more than an hours drive to dispose of their waste," said Mr. Scott.

The regional site will directly accommodate approximately 65 per cent of the population, said Mr. Scott. At three-times the required size, Mr. Scott said the Norris Arm site should be able to handle the region's needs well beyond the planned 50-year lifecycle.

That may come in handy if central does take on waste from western Newfoundland. The possibility has been discussed for some time,

Mr. Scott said the new waste management system should become operational by the beginning of 2011, with composting to come the following year.

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