Sea to Sky corridor officials are ready to talk trash.
Local governments are mapping out ways to reach the top podium in recycling a zero waste management plan. The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) already has an adopted motion to investigate opportunities regarding the concept. The Village of Pemberton is also working on a zero waste strategy and Squamish Climate Action Network (CAN) recently formed a Zero Waste Action Team, the District of Squamish's director of engineering said.
We would like council's approval to deal with those bodies, Rod MacLeod told council's Committee of the Whole meeting recently, noting it's time Squamish developed a true strategy and policy for the district.
Metro Vancouver staff have invited district officials to a waste to energy consultation process on January 15.
Last year, as a part of a regional composting study, officials documented the amount of recyclable material being dumped at the Squamish landfill. Officials sorted through two truckloads of waste and found that 68 per cent of the materials could be diverted from the garbage stream, MacLeod noted.
Everything should be looked at as a resource, he said.
Boulder, Colo., has a strategy to divert 90 per cent of waste from its landfills within 10 years, MacLeod said. District staff could adopt some of the U.S.'s town's principles in its own zero waste plan, MacLeod said.
Education is a big part of the process in achieving the high diversion rates, he said. The district's landfill upgrades have extended the facility's life by six to 10 years and recycling will prolong it's time frame, MacLeod noted.
Squamish residents should be commended on their efforts to date, Mayor Rob Kirkham said. In four years, residents have reduced their waste per person per year from 1,100 kilograms to 630 kilograms.
