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Kamloops  

Sludge fight trudges on

Friends of the Nicola Valley are keeping up their fight to stop sewage sludge from the Central Okanagan being hauled to the Merritt area for composting.

In a press release, Sunday, the group said there has been no consultation with local First Nations regarding the importation of biosolids for dispersal on their territorial lands.

 

Friends of the Nicola Valley, with the support of the five local First Nations, is concerned with what it claims are "the inherent dangers of biosolid land applications." The group says it is working toward a ban of "sewer sludge, biosolids, biowaste" being transported into the area. 

Waste from Westside communities in the Regional District of Central Okanagan, including West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation and Peachland, are among those who had been sending sludge to the site. A temporary alternative site has been used since the Merritt protests began.

Operators of the Sunshine Valley Road biosolid composting site have been asked by the Friends group not to send a "Timbro truck, with compost site equipment, back again through either the Lower Nicola Indian Band Reserve or the Nooaitch Band Reserve."

The Friends say there are serious concerns "that should this vehicle arrive here again, it may ignite the protesters at the blockade sites into an increased level of resistance. It is hoped that Bio Central would not want to see an escalation of the unrest."

They suggest such a gesture of good faith will "enhance the opportunities for all parties to come to a successful resolution of the issue of bio-sludge being imported into the Nicola Valley."



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