The new ban on recyclables at the city landfill, as well as the 50 per cent increase in fees, has caught some businesses by surprise.
Battlefords Chamber of Commerce president Pat Smith raised the issue at the Chamber's monthly director's meeting Tuesday.
Smith told North Battleford City Councillor Ron Crush, representing the City at the meeting, that the changes and the penalties for failing to keep recyclable materials out of the trash - upwards of $1,000 for multiple offenders - took his business by surprise. The ban on recyclables took effect Feb. 1.
"I know it's going to pose a challenge for us," said Smith, referring to Battlefords and District Co-op where he is general manager. He noted it would take considerable work on their part to be in a position to meet the requirements and avoid the stiff penalties in such a short timeframe.
Loraas, who took over the city's sanitation contract last year, sent businesses a notice about the changes, which prohibit such recyclable items as cardboard, office paper, newsprint, untreated wood, brick, asphalt and concrete from being mixed into the general waste load.
Fines start at $250 and go up to $1,000 for each incident of recyclables being mixed into the general waste. As well, tipping fees have increased by 50 per cent across the board.
Smith raised concern that the imposition of the penalties came without enough warning for businesses to be able to meet the criteria, and wondered how the new penalties came about.
"It really caught us off-guard," he noted.
In response Crush pledged to get some answers and to report back to the Chamber about how the new rules came about.
