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Trash study moves forward

Jun 14, 2017 | 5:00 PM

The City of Prince Albert wants to know what residents are throwing out.

Earlier this week, council gave administration the greenlight to conduct a $16,000 study that will be incorporated into the solid waste management master plan, which is currently in development. The goal of the study is to get a better picture of what people are throwing out.

This is expected to lead to ways to improve waste efficiency and reduce some materials going to the landfill.

The money to cover the study is coming from savings found by recycling concrete and will be conducted by Solstice Canada.

Mohammad Kraishan, the city’s operations manager, explained to council the study should be conducted twice – once in the summer and once in the winter – to get a complete picture of what’s being sent to the dump.

He explained Solstice Canada will handle the summer study with the hope city staff will learn how to do the winter one.

Mayor Greg Dionne he wasn’t sure how the city was going to divert unwanted material from going to the dump.

“For example, there’s nothing stopping me from filling my grass clippings (into) my green garbage bin,” he said, referring to the city’s switch requiring yard waste be in brown paper bags.

“I know lots of people are doing it now strictly because they are not going to pay for bags. They don’t believe it will hold especially if there’s problems because we don’t pick up the grass for two to three weeks.”

He said he regrets not asking how much it would cost residents to purchase the paper bags before the switch was made.

Ward 8 Ted Zurakowski said the cost of filling up the landfill will hit residents’ pocket books far harder than paper bags.

“There’s way too much plastic going to the landfill as it is now,” he said. “I think for too long this department has been without any innovation coming to us with any ideas. I think the mayor sort alluded at what comes after this. I understand the process and whatever the process is but I want results coming out after this.”

He added he wants a solid commitment from administration the city will find efficiencies once these studies are completed.

The results of the study are due back next year.

 

Jeff.labine@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @labinereporter