REACT holds annual general meeting

Member municipalities got an update on the current situation of REACT at the annual general meeting on April 19 at the Humboldt Uniplex.

One of the big topics of discussion during the meeting was the new landfill as the municipality was updated about the current progress.

Currently construction on the new landfill is approximately seven months behind as REACT was required to hold construction while appeals were heard at various levels of government.

REACT was given clearance to begin construction on the new landfill on Feb. 3, and began construction as quickly as possible.

“Our main concern was to get the drainage gravel for the garbage cell and the leachate pond hauled in as quickly as we could because we didn’t want to wait until the road bans were on,” said REACT CEO Wendy Yaworski.

To date, Yaworski says they have been able to move approximately 468 semi-loads of riprap, gravel, and drainage rock onto the site.

As soon as the frost comes out of the ground, which Yaworski hopes is in the coming weeks, work will begin on the site.

The first step in the process will be to strip the topsoil off of the site, which is currently 80 acres in size.

Once the topsoil is stripped off the site, excavation will begin on the runoff pond, grading will commence where the buildings will be built, roads will be put in, the garbage cell will be worked on and the leachate pond will be excavated.

“Pretty well throughout the summer months most of the earth work will be done and we’re hoping to have the area where the buildings go done, so that we can start building those also,” said Yaworski.

Weather will play a major role in construction this year, but Yaworski says the goal is to have the landfill operational by the end of the year.

“We’re hoping for a dry year so that we can just keep moving along and not that it is a wet year because that has the potential to set us back again.”

One of the major areas of concern at the new landfill will be litter control, says Yaworski, who notes that REACT has been hard at work putting controls in place to manage litter.

“It’s going to be very different from the way we’re operating right now and there’s going to be tight control measures in place in running the facility.”

Among the controls Yaworski says they are putting in place is a wind speed restriction.

“If the winds get too high what’ll happen is we will shut the landfill down.”

Yaworski does say that smaller vehicles will still be able to dump their garbage during high winds as they have a waste transfer building, which will be used to allow half-ton or smaller vehicles to pull into a covered building.

“They’re not going to be able to unload outside… they’re going to have to toss their waste off into bins.”

There will be a cost to the new landfill for each of the member municipalities, which will see each of the members required to pay a one-time levy of $155 per capita.

Municipalities have been given the choice to either pay the levy up front or spread it out over a five-year term.

The cost of the new landfill is approximately $4.04 million and will see, with REACT approved for a $3 million loan.

At this time Yaworski was not sure how much REACT would have to borrow to help pay for the landfill saying that it will depend on how the municipalities decide to pay the loan.

REACT did inform those in attendance that there would not be a discount given to municipalities who paid their levy in full but told the Humboldt Journal and East Central Trader that it would go a long way if they did.

“There’s going to be interest on that $3 million or what ever we have to borrow… so the incentive there would be that the district wouldn’t be paying as much interest because that’s going to be falling back on the other member municipalities. The quicker we can get it paid off the less interest REACT is going to have to pay.”

Waste Collection Program

One of the other major topics of discussion during the meeting was the new waste collection program in Humboldt.

Member municipalities were informed that the garbage bins had been ordered and were due to arrive in May.

In addition to new bins being ordered REACT also purchased a new garbage truck, which was shown through photos during the meeting.

With Humboldt coming on board the new program in June, Yaworksi says the goal will be to add other municipalities to the program in the coming years.

“And right now a lot of the communities said they’d like to log on but it’s difficult for them because of the provincial budget. They’re money is going elsewhere but a few have said they’re going to be looking at it for next year.”

Yaworski notes that the program is open to all of their municipalities over a certain size and says the cost of the program will be evaluated with each individual municipality.

“The cost is going to be determined by what it costs to have the truck come into their community… we’re going to have to factor in the overhead costs. Fuel, wages, the cost of running the truck, bringing it back to a landfill to dump. That’ll all be taken into consideration.”

New Regional Waste Authorities

Another topic of discussion during the meeting was plans for the province to split the province into a number of regional waste authorities.

This should not have much affect on members within REACT, however, notes Yaworski as they are already a regional waste authority and will be a couple of steps ahead of others.

“These member municipalities are ahead of the game because they formed one already, they’re on the right track and they’re heading in the right direction and it’s going to be a lot easier for them to achieve what the ministry requires because they’ve done a lot of it already.”

No Change to Humboldt Landfill

One area of concern for a lot of people has been the Humboldt landfill potentially closing, says Yaworski, who notes they do not need to worry as there will not be any changes to the Humboldt landfill for the foreseeable future.

“The Humboldt landfill will remain open as it is until the new landfill is up and running. And once the new landfill is up and running then the Humboldt landfill will become a transfer station and basically everything that you take out to the site right now you still will be allowed to take out to the site.”

The only change will be for commercial haulers who will be required to dump their waste at the new landfill instead of dumping it at the Humboldt location.

Looking Ahead

Yaworski notes that REACT has some major projects they are planning for 2017 including a new Hoodoo Landfill cell.

Yaworski also notes they are going to be looking at their day-to-day operations noting they are currently finding some challenges there.

“Just in maintaining operations within the district and having to conform to what the Ministry of Environment wants.”

This year will also be challenging financially for REACT due to the provincial budget, says Yaworski.

“The municipalities are going to have to plan carefully for how they help pay for work done at REACT, which is owned by the municipalities.”