By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: Aug.4, 2012
District of Squamish has launched a new program that will enable citizens to sort and dispose of asphalt shingles, Styrofoam, small electric appliances and electronics at the landfill public depot for free.
It will save citizens money on fees, extend the life of the landfill, and reduce negative effects on the environment.
Capital projects manager Rod MacLeod said the district goal is to decrease the amount of waste going into the landfill.
At present, MacLeod said, people are asked to take materials such as computer back to Encorp, or a microwave to Carney’s, or the Styroform to Nesters.
“This is an opportunity to recycle as much as possible out of the load that they have brought to the landfill,” he said.
He said it was the Solid Utility Bylaw adopted in March which determined that recycling at the landfill would be free.
MacLeod said the increase in tipping fee rate on the residual waste is intended to cover the costs of alternative means of dealing with the material.
The district has little estimate of how much will be recycled through this initiative, but MacLeod said an estimated 400 tons of asphalt shingles is sold in Squamish every year for re-roofing jobs.
The district will try to reuse the shingles locally.
“We are going to use the shingles as they are to build roads within the landfill which will save us buying and trucking gravel,” he said.
The district is working on estimates for other materials.
The suggestion for asphalt recycling came from a local roofer (who) who saw how much was being landfilled and offered us some suggestions for ways to recycle.
The two electronic and small appliance ideas came from the number of times that customers arrived with a TV or a microwave and did not want to bother taking it all the way back into town.
The district will sort and deliver the material to the desired spot.
As for Styrofoam recycling, the district is looking to send it to a Vancouver company that ships it to a recycling plant.
The following list outlines what materials can be given for free at the land fill depot.
1.Asphalt roofing shingles
2. Nails are fine while paper and other materials must be sorted out.
3. Small Electric Appliances
4. Almost any household small appliance or tool that has a cord is acceptable, along with other goods that are normally accepted at Carney’s Queensway depot.
5. Electronics
6. Computers, audio or video are also fine and or other goods that would normally go to the Encorp bottle depot may now be recycled.
7. Styrofoam
This includes two different types of foam: soft, white material that is normally used for packing, or denser foam used in pre-packaged food trays for meat or fish at the market. Please bag each type of foam separately in clear plastic bags. Wash food trays clean to avoid attracting wildlife.
Martin Kliment says
In a way it’s a great idea,but most of the time the roofs are covered in a tar paper mixtures. Is the tar paper included in the free disposal or do we have to separate it from the shingles. In that case we would have to get one off the laborers to separate it,which is extra work meaning extra cost to clients
Rod MacLeod says
Hi Martin
The District is pleased to share that the paper that cannot be easily removed will be accepted for now. If we can use the material onsite this will work in the long term. If it needs to be chipped and shipped away for recycling, it will need to be separated. The District will provide an update over the year ahead outlining final determinations.