RDKB announces local flood waste pickup
By Contributor
The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary has secured an agreement with the Province of BC for funding of post-flood recovery efforts in the Boundary region.
The RDKB has committed local contractors to conduct curbside flood waste pickup which will begin later this week. Curbside pickup will be available in flood-affected areas, and limited to flood damaged materials.
“As part of the effort to assist residents to get back into their homes, relieving more of the burden of waste removal was a priority for us to address,” said Grace McGregor, vice chair of the RDKB board of directors. “We’re delighted that the province is assisting in this endeavour.”
On May 25, the RDKB reached an agreement with the Province of BC that applicable fees will be consolidated by the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary and then submitted to the Province for reimbursement. This means those affected by flooding do not have to pay when bringing flood debris to their local waste facility. This second agreement also provides for debris pickup.
“Removal of damaged and contaminated materials is one of the many problems the EOC has been working on, particularly for those who don’t have access to trucks or trailers to transport material to the landfill,” said Grand Forks Mayor Frank Konrad.
Material left curbside for pickup must be sorted into four categories: clean wood waste (which may be chipped and composted), metals, with fridges and freezers sorted separately, and general flood debris (carpets, underlay, furniture, insulation, drywall, clothes, plastic items). Anything classified as hazardous materials (batteries, petroleum, paints, tires, etc.) will need to be taken to the landfill for appropriate disposal. These materials should not be left curbside.
Flood-damaged electronics may be taken to the Alpine Disposal and Recycling’s Bottle Depot for recycling by Encorp. Those products should be hosed down first and left outside to dry before being taken in. At the recycling depot, products will be placed in special bags to indicate to downstream handlers that the product was possibly contaminated during the flood.
Collection of flood waste curbside will start in the City of Grand Forks (North and South Ruckle Addition, Johnson Flats), as these areas have the highest population density. Other areas of the Regional District will also be serviced, but pickup times will be scheduled based on need.
Residents may still take their own waste to a RDKB landfill with tipping fees being compiled onto an invoice that will be reimbursed by the province.
