Kelowna

The 'Big Garbage Brother' is watching you.

Garbage from the business sector is under added scrutiny at the Glenmore landfill and for those not recycling properly, it’s going to get a lot more costly.

Photo: Kelly Hayes - Castanet File Photo

As part of the Commercial Diversion program underway since early last year, staff at the landfill have been checking for mandatory recyclables in random loads of garbage from waste hauling companies, businesses, institutions, and multi- family complexes.

Loads containing banned materials (e.g.:  yard waste, cardboard, plastic, paper products, electronic waste, metal) are faced with surcharges, $150 per metric tonne over and above any regular tipping fees.

Waste Reduction Manager Peter Rotheisler says monitoring of loads is now increasing, with tolerance for recyclables and contaminants lower than ever.

“We’ve been working with haulers and businesses for over a year, educating them about the many alternate disposal options available. Garbage monitoring is here to stay. Just as residents on the curbside program are held to a high level of compliance, so too is the commercial sector.  It’s essential for businesses to be aware of all disposal guidelines, including the various Provincial product stewardship programs and which materials are banned from burial," says Rotheisler.

The Commercial Waste Diversion Program, a joint initiative between the City of Kelowna Glenmore Landfill and the Regional Waste Reduction Office, is the result of a comprehensive waste composition study at the landfill in 2010 which showed 50 per cent of garbage originating from local businesses and multi- family developments could easily be diverted into an existing recycling program. 

Rotheisler adds there are many examples of local businesses and multi -family complexes improving their solid waste management systems.

“Data suggests that this program as well as other related programs is making a positive impact, with more than 5 per cent less garbage buried at the Glenmore landfill from the commercial, industrial and institutional sector in the first 12 months since the program was initiated, which equates to more than 10 million pounds of waste. That’s an encouraging trend.”

Businesses and waste haulers need to also be aware that several provincial stewardship programs will be expanded in July of this year.  

These program expansions will include items such as lamps, bulbs and light fixtures from the commercial, industrial and multi- family sector, I.T and telecom equipment, medical monitoring and treatment devices, video game systems and accessories, power tools, sewing machines, exercise equipment and hobby devices. 

These will automatically become banned items at the Glenmore Landfill once the program kicks in. To learn more about disposal options for these and many other easily recyclable materials visit www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/recycling.

For more info on the Commercial Diversion Program, a complete list of the mandatory recyclables and alternate disposal options, visit regionaldistrict.com/recycle, or contact the Regional Waste Reduction Office at 250-469-6250.