The Mountain View Regional Waste Management Commission approved the landfill operational plan at its regular meeting on June 27.
The plan sets out how it will meet Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development's approval process that was given in 2011. The approval is good for 10 years.
Shirley Lupino, resource recovery centre manager with the commission, who wrote the operational plan, explained that the ministry gives every landfill in the province approval to accept waste, setting out the types of waste and how they are handled.
The operations plan sets out measures such as odour control, the requirement for soil on the base of the landfill and other criteria.
“From that approval, we write an operations plan,” said Lupino. “In 10 years time, it will be reviewed again and if it needs to be changed, it will be changed and if not, it will carry on.”
The waste commission also purchased a new truck to be used in the rural areas of Mountain View County, replacing one that was in poor mechanical condition. It was put in service in June.
A tender was also authorized to purchase a second truck to replace another of the units that is in poor mechanical condition.
The old truck was constantly needing repairs every 2,000 kilometres, so the decision was made to replace it with a newer model, said Mary Jane Harper, chair of the commission.
“Instead of having another experience where you keep paying out money for repair bills and you don't ever see an end to it, it's best to replace the vehicle now,” she said.
The commission also authorized the construction of a new “cell” or defined area at the landfill, where waste would be dumped. Devcon Inc. has been awarded the contract to construct the cell beginning in August at a cost of $645,284.
When initial plans were drawn up for construction, it was estimated to cost between $750,00 to $950,000 for construction. It's estimated construction could begin in August.
Harper said the commission saved money on what it was initially thought to cost.
“It's good that we got the quotes before the floods so maybe a lot of those people would be busy doing other projects as a result of the flooding. We must respect our neighbours in reference to construction,” she said.
"Instead of having another experience where you keep paying out money for repair bills and you don't ever see an end to it, it's best to replace the vehicle now."Mary Jane Harper, chair, MVRWMC
