Despite now being a member of the Western Regional Waste Management Service Board, Peter Fenwick still has lots of waste concerns.
He was unsuccessful in being elected to the post of chair at the Western Regional Service Board election on Jan. 11 in Corner Brook with that position going to Josh Carey, a councillor with the City of Corner Brook.
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Fenwick, the mayor of Cape St. George, is one of two representatives from Bay St. George on the regional board.
He said one of the first things he did on the regional board was to bring forward a resolution on behalf of the Bay St. George Waste Management Committee, for which he is chairman, to ask for a six-month delay on implementing the transfer of waste to Norris Arm, which he said was defeated.
Fenwick has concerns about moving from black and green back to clear and blue tinted bags for garbage and recyclables respectively, which is to come into effect in July. He would like to see a meeting to go over what everyone is getting into, as he said most of the public aren’t aware of what’s taking place.
He is still pushing for diversion of organic waste to the New World Dairy digester in Maidstone in the Bay St. George South area. He said the Department of Environment is saying it needs permission from the Western Regional Service Board but that could take some time.
Fenwick said Brent Chaffey of New World Dairy is being invited to a future meeting of the Western Regional Service Board to explain what he’s got to do to move that proposal forward.
He is encouraged that board members seem to be receptive to having organic recycling done but he says the delay is something he’s not comfortable with.
“Considering every kilogram of waste is going to cost 16.4 cents at the tipping station, the sooner the better for getting this digester into use,” Fenwick said.
He wants to see towns and local service districts go over the alternatives and put into place much more backyard composting, especially as the average household produces about 600 kilograms of garbage per year.
“I’d like to push that down by one-quarter, which would equal $10,000 in savings on tipping fees. We have to cut the garbage loads way down,” he said.
Fenwick said this Saturday he’s hoping for a meeting of the Bay St. George Waste Management Committee to discuss a lot of issues in relation the waste management.
Fenwick said another big issue on the Port au Port Peninsula is a drop off site at West Bay for large items, including those from renovations.
So far he said there has been no funding from the Gas Tax money to set it up but that it’s on the Western Regional Service Board’s radar now.
He said it’s something needed so people don’t do the alternative, which is dump items into a ditch or off on some side road.
