TNRD 2018 Regional Solid Waste Management Plan

It’s time to talk trash!  

The Regional Solid Waste Management Plan (RSWMP) provides guidance for the handling of municipal solid waste (that’s our garbage and recycling) throughout the entire Thompson Nicola Regional District (TNRD). This plan is updated approximately every 10 years.  The TNRD’s draft 2018 RSWMP is the result of collaboration and input from regional district and municipal staff, consultants, elected officials, industry stakeholders and members of the public. The draft 2018 RSWMP is now ready for your feedback.  We want to know what you think of the ideas for how we can reduce the amount of waste we landfill and, at the same time, keep the cost of the system financially sustainable. 

The TNRD wants to build on the successes of our previous (2008) RSWMP, which saw significant improvements to our disposal system including implementing a region wide recycling program and replacing small local landfills with full service transfer stations called “Eco-Depots”.  The 2008 RSWMP identified a goal of reducing waste going to landfill by 30% from 2004 levels.  This goal was actually exceeded, with the amount of waste being landfilled actually reduced by an estimated 64% from 2004 levels.

The draft 2018 RSWMP identifies opportunities to further reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill.  In fact, the proposed actions summarized in this newsletter are expected to further reduce the amount of waste to landfill by 20%!

Please help us plan for the future of our waste!  Your feedback is crucial to the development of this new plan guiding the management of municipal solid waste in the TNRD.

The Key Recommendations in our draft RSWMP are:

1. Increase Recycling by Businesses and Institutions (i.e. schools, hospitals, extended care facilities) by continued application of differential tipping fees, banning recyclable materials from disposal as garbage, increasing the awareness of diversion opportunities for businesses, supporting commercial haulers in communicating with their customer base, requiring recycling space to be incorporated into new commercial building developments, and requiring recycling collection services at businesses and institution in the City of Kamloops.
2. Increasing the diversion of waste generated by construction and demolition (C&D) activities.  There are many approaches – financial, regulatory, communications – that can be used to reduce the amount of C&D waste landfilled.  The TNRD will work closely with stakeholders such contractors, builders, developers, waste haulers and municipalities to develop the strategy that will work best in the different parts of the region.  Information regarding available diversion options throughout the TNRD for C&D waste materials will be made available to help contractors improve their waste management practices.
3. Reduce the amount of organic waste (food scraps and yard waste) being landfilled in the TNRD by helping people manage their food and yard waste at home, and the development of food waste collection and processing within the City of Kamloops. 
4. Increase promotion and education efforts by establishing an education staff position at the TNRD who would undertake education activities, coordinate with other local governments, and develop a Zero Waste education program for schools.
5. Encourage the proper disposal of household hazardous waste (HHW) through the development of permanent HHW drop off depot in Kamloops and continuing to hold collection events in outlying areas.
6. Continue to tackle illegal dumping through the on-going support of community cleanups and developing a region-wide illegal dumping strategy in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and other key stakeholders.
7. Increase the efficiency of residual waste management services:  There are six municipal solid waste landfills within 30km of Kamloops. A strategy is proposed to reduce operating costs through the conversion of the Heffley Creek Landfill to a construction waste focused landfill (all Heffley Creek Eco Depot services would remain unchanged), and the closure of the Barnhartvale Landfill near Kamloops.  This would result in a cost savings, reduced environmental liability, and would save landfill space for the future.

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