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Residents asked to keep tabs on landfill standards

Residents in Golden and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District have been told that forming a committee will help ensure operations at the Golden landfill run smoothly.
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Residents in Golden and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District have been told that forming a committee will help ensure operations at the Golden landfill run smoothly.

For years, neighbouring resident Andrea Weissenborn had hundreds of bags of garbage collected from her property by the CSRD. She, and other residents at the landfill meeting on Feb. 13 cite the garbage is only one part in the issues residents are facing.

In an attempt to ensure there is no groundwater pollution, the CSRD has allocated funds this year to drill new wells, maintain slope work and cover work to ensure less garbage leaves the site, and they are proposing to install a hazardous waste facility.

The CSRD contracts a company to run and maintain the landfill, and if residents believe it is not up to standard, they are being encouraged to start a committee to keep the CSRD more informed about local issues.

“This is another opportunity,” Area A director Karen Cathcart said. “I believe in the engagement of residents, and that’s the way to go.”

There are standards in place that landfill operators should follow, but in some cases, like Golden and Salmon Arm, there are houses nearby, inside the buffer zone of the landfill.

“You may not want neighbours, but you have neighbours. They’re there,” said resident Kat Coatsworth at the meeting, adding that there are many issues at the local landfill.

Some of those issues include the garbage being spread by wind and birds, not being covered up and causing debris and strong odours, and possible pond water contamination.

Neighbouring resident Weissenberg says she can see the leachate coming out of the ground, a harmful substance that brings toxins to the surface.

“We’re looking for someone to do their job, and they’re not doing it,” Coatsworth said. “Are we going to get them to start covering the garbage properly? It’s leaking out into ponds where animals can drink it.”

The CSRD’s environmental health services team leader, Ben Van Nostrand, and operations management manager Darcy Mooney both spoke at the meeting. They outlined the upcoming upgrades to the Salmon Arm landfill, and suggested Golden residents get together to discuss the changes they would like to see on a local level.

“Every site is looked at independently,” Mooney said. “The landfill absolutely does not protect the environment. We make sure what happens on site stays contained. Our goal is to make sure pollution doesn’t go off site.”

The budget for ground water monitoring wells, slope covering, and ongoing maintenance aims to dispel any issues with pollution.

The footprint of the Golden landfill is built from waste. It was leveled out to provide a base layer, and now the CSRD is moving to create phases of waste through proper coverage and reforesting slopes.

The CSRD has attempted to drill wells at the Golden site before, but didn’t come across any ground water after drilling more than 300 ft down.

“I’d be wanting more holes in more places,” said mayor Ron Oszust. “The science is out there to determine those aquifers.”

Much of the maintenance falls on the contractors hired to maintain the landfill, Van Nostrand said.

“It’s about keeping on our contractors,” he added.

Since Golden is located three hours from Salmon Arm where the CSRD operates, Van Nostrand and Mooney suggested a local group be formed.

“We want to minimize the likelihood of vectors to move off site,” Mooney said.

Area A director Cathcart was on board to create a committee dedicated to monitoring the quality of the landfill.

“We will put together in Golden a citizen monitoring group,” she said. “We are three hours away from Salmon Arm, and that is an issue.”