Disposing trash will soon cost cash

There are big changes coming at the 100 Mile House landfill.

Commercial users will be charged a fee and some articles will be prohibited.

Tires, lead-acid batteries, used oil, filters and containers, and liquid waste are all prohibited.

Commercial loads will be weighed to assess the charge which varies depending on the load.

Segregated loads will pay less than non-segregated loads.

For instance, a load of wood waste that is segregated will be charged $45 per tonne but non-segregated will be $90 per tonne.

A segregated load is one containing pre-sorted, uniform waste types; on-site sorting is not allowed.

The Cariboo Regional District contemplated charging residential users a tipping fee for over 500 pounds in one load but they haven’t gone with that yet. The landfill will be open seven days a week with set hours of operation.

“We had scales put in and someone will be there. Hopefully by having defined areas of operation and someone there we’ll end up with a cleaner site, a more efficient site, and we’ll reduce our operating costs long term,” said Area G director Al Richmond.

He said he has been lobbying for a long time to do some recycling at transfer stations and the CRD has launched a trial project at the 150 Mile station.

Richmond said if it’s successful they’ll try it at other locations.

Prohibited items can be disposed of at various other locations.

Used beverage containers can be returned for refund at the store where they were purchased or at Gold Trail Recycling at 720 Sollows Cres.

Those containers can also be donated to charitable organizations.

Paint can be dropped off at Gold Trail Recycling and used motor oil, filters and containers can be recycled at Petro-Canada Bulk Sales at 380 Exeter Road or the Lac la Hache Super Service on Highway 97.

Lead acid vehicle batteries can go to Gold Trail Recycling or Cariboo Supply & Marine at 880 Alpine.

Tires can be recycled at Big O Tires, 699 Alder, Sunrise Ford Sales 872 Alpine Rd. or Kal Tire on Highway 97.

Outdated or unused medications can be dropped off at Donex Pharmacy 145 South Birch or Pharmasave in the Cariboo Mall or Save-On-Foods in the Coach House Square.

Pharmasave also collects cell phones and rechargeable batteries.

In keeping with Pharmasave’s commitment to being an environmentally responsible company, the chain has introduced 100 per cent biodegradable bags.

These bags typically take nine months to

five years to disintegrate compared to regular plastic bags that can take hundreds of years or more to decompose.

The 100 Mile House Pharmasave is already using the new bags.

In Williams Lake, electronics can be recycled at Hodgson Freightways,

99 MacKenzie Ave.

North and solvents and flammable liquids,

gasoline and pesticides at Central Cariboo Disposal Services, #100-5101 Frizzi Rd.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District is

implementing a “pay as you throw” philosophy and multi-material recycling officially starting Jan. 1.

Each bag of garbage will cost residents $1 at the landfill and recycling bins have already been installed in Clinton.

On July 1 of this year, the TNRD started charging fees for demolition, construction, land clearing and bulky waste