Campbell River’s trash could end up in Cumberland’s dump by the end of this year.
The Strathcona Regional District has plans to install a temporary transfer station at the Campbell River landfill as early as this winter. City council approved a major development permit at last week’s Tuesday council meeting for the construction of a transfer station.
The transfer station is expected to be 988 square metres in size and 11 metres in height, according to Ian Buck, the city’s planner.
“The public will not see much change to how they use the site,” Buck said in a letter to council. “The most significant operational difference is the public will dispose of waste on the floor of the new building and loaders will push it into trailers for transport.”
The Comox Strathcona Waste Management estimates that an average of 2.5 walking floor trailers of waste will be transferred each day from the Campbell River landfill to the Cumberland dump.
The transfer station is expected to be in place for about five to 10 years, until construction to extend the life of the Campbell River landfill is complete.
Currently, the dump is expected to reach capacity in about 12 months.
“The (Strathcona) Regional District is in discussion with the Ministry of Environment regarding the closure plan for the site,” Buck said. “The process is expected to include mechanical stabilization of the steep earthern wall along Argonaut Road which may create capacity to add five to seven years to the life of the current landfill.”
Buck added during those five to seven years, waste would not be transferred to Cumberland. After those years are up, Buck said the long-term plan is to have a larger, permanent transfer station as the temporary structure is not a long-term solution. The temporary transfer station, expected to be operational by wintertime, will involve construction of an asphalt laydown area, removal and reconstruction of the existing retaining structure and the construction of the temporary transfer building, said Buck who added the Regional District hopes to add one or two staff to the operation. The dump’s existing recycling area will undergo minor changes, such as paving and relocation.