Submitted by the Regional District of Central Kootenay
The Regional District of Central Kootenay is now accepting yard and garden waste at all transfer stations and landfills for free. The program has been fast-tracked to start earlier this year to accommodate the growing need to dispose of residential waste.
“We have implemented many changes to our facilities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and we appreciate our residents’ patience and understanding as we navigate these unprecedented times,” said Uli Wolf, general manager of environmental services. “We are offering this program earlier than usual to allow residents to remove excess debris from their properties to prepare for the upcoming wildfire season.”
Delays can be expected at all sites with increased traffic. To mitigate this issue, there is a limit of one load of waste per week. Please be patient and follow instructions to ensure proper distancing measures can be maintained.
The free programs have the following guidelines:
• Residential loads equivalent to one pick-up truck bed (less than 2.5 cubic metres) can be deposited at transfer stations.
• Free tipping of commercial loads of waste and loads larger than one pick-up truck bed is only available at landfills.
• All waste must be secured while being transported, must be tipped as loose material, and any bags must be emptied and removed by customers.
• Yard and garden waste means biodegradable, organic materials, substances or objects including, but not limited to: hedge clippings, weeds, shrubs, and shrub and tree branches less than 15 centimetres in diameter, chipped.
“The COVID-19 situation has placed multiple constraints on the RDCK waste system that the public may not be aware of,” said Wolf. “Our team is diligently working within these constraints to come up with innovative ideas to ensure we can maintain our levels of service.”
In order to serve residents better, the RDCK is gearing up to accept more material types. Using a phased approach, some transfer stations will be able to accept materials such as wood, metal, construction and demo materials. More information on this will be coming out in the following weeks.