Landfill fees passed

A 2.5 per cent rise in landfill rates included in the City of Yorkton 2012 budget was officially passed Monday as Council unanimously passed the Sanitary Landfill Fees Bylaw.

"Fee increases are required to offset the current and long term capital and operational costs of the landfill. The life expectancy of our existing landfill is estimated at approximately five years. The expansion will consist of approximately six large pits, with each pit containing a leachate collection system. Phase I of the construction is estimated at two to three million dollars," said Michael Buchholzer, Director of Environmental Services with the City.

Buchholzer said increases are needed, as are looks at alternative ways of dealing with garbage.

"With these added costs and stricter environmental regulations for establishing new landfills, communities need to change their attitude towards the handling of solid waste. The obvious alternatives are waste reduction and recycling strategies. Other alternative methods of waste disposal have begun to gain acceptance. Anaerobic digestion, composting, mechanical biological treatment, pyrolysis and plasma arc gasification have all began to establish themselves to the market," he said.