It is not a permanent fix, but at least garbage from the western region will soon finally be diverted to central Newfoundland.
Western Regional Waste Management and Central Newfoundland Waste Management have reached an interim agreement that paves the way for trash collected in western Newfoundland to be transported to the engineered landfill site at Norris Arm in the central region.
Related stories:
Deer Lake requesting delay to start of new waste collection system
That was the plan all along, but Western Regional Waste Management began rolling out its new Sort-It Western waste management strategy in mid-July without having a contract in place with the central facility. That meant all trash collected continued to be dumped at landfills in the western region.
Recycled material has been processed by Scotia Recycling, as per the strategy.
The interim deal, reached between the two entities Thursday, will result in waste being transported from western to central early this week.
Efforts are being made to work out a more permanent deal.
Municipal Affairs and Environment Minister Andrew Parsons has appointed an independent firm to conduct a cost analysis study to determine a fair and reasonable fee for disposal of waste at Norris Arm.
The cost analysis is expected to be provided to Parsons in about 30 days. The report will recommend what the cost should be for waste to be processed at the Norris Arm facility, which could help both sides reach a formal agreement.
Josh Carey, chair of Western Regional Waste Management, said Monday the two sides reached the interim agreement on their own and it was not forced on them by an external agency.
Carey said the cost analysis due in the coming month will lead to a formal deal to ship waste to central Newfoundland and expects there will be no further disruption in transporting the waste to Norris Arm.
