The economical sides of this landfill dilemma become an issue when the landfill job market goes out of place. By the end of Cache Creek, there are going to be many questions for the future of employees of this dump site. Is GVRD or the provincial government going to provide them with new positions? Is this change going to make some lose jobs and some others get jobs? I am assuming it will be a trade off somehow and I am hoping that no one will be taken for granted.
But, how is this waste become an economical issue from a production stand point?
I believe that after almost 4 months of reading and researching, I am at a point to state that the idea of waste should be considered as an inefficiency in production. We produce so many things that we really do not need and bundle it in something that is not required, and probably put that bundle in a plastic bag that does not really need to be in. Therefore, we should aim for a more efficient production and market.
The public image of consumerism needs to be changed. Our society should first of all not be so influenced by consumerism but also promote more healthy choices. Ideas such as garage sales, donations, and recycling should be encouraged more.
By efficient shopping both businesses and individual people will be saving and also produce less waste.
*********************************************
Well, here it is, the end of my weblog. I started with an idea that I randomly heard, and by researching I found out about the GVRD's recent problem. Then I studied different disposal methods, waste issues in other places, and discussed small waste issues that came up here and there. I am ending this topic with Social, Political and Economical aspects of the Urban Waste. This was very educational for me, and I hope it was for you as well.
Let's hope for the day with Zero-Waste.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Political Issues
This delay in the decision making for the future garbage site is also a result of the complicated political relationship of the different government levels. In our Urban Geography class, we read that Canadian provinces have assigned the collection and disposal of residential solid waste to municipalities (pg. 308). However, in case of proposed Ashcroft ranch, it was rejected by the provincial government indicating not including enough native consultation. In a way the involvement of the provincial government has made the situation a bit more complicated.
Another political issue adding more difficulty to the situation is the political activity of municipal parties. If the council of a municipality supports a green environment and is not interested and in need of creating more jobs they will oppose the establishment of a landfill in the city. On the other hand, if the council of a municipality would be interested in creating more local jobs, they would welcome and support the idea of a waste landfill in their city.
Another political issue adding more difficulty to the situation is the political activity of municipal parties. If the council of a municipality supports a green environment and is not interested and in need of creating more jobs they will oppose the establishment of a landfill in the city. On the other hand, if the council of a municipality would be interested in creating more local jobs, they would welcome and support the idea of a waste landfill in their city.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Social Impacts Continued...
Like many other issues in urban societies, GVRD's landfill issue creates the NIMBY-Not In My Backyard- syndrome within the province. Many proposed sites are the "backyard" of many of our people. Living close to a landfill site can be very dangerous as the carbon produced from composing or burning of organic compounds can be very damaging to our respiratory system. It also assists the production of acid rain which is harmful to our farms, our buildings and in general our environment. Another factor is the production of leachate that can enter the ground water system and eventually our rivers, it can become our drinking water, or the water we swim in. These points are all very logical reasons for why one may not want a landfill close by.
In addition to all the health issues related to having a dump site in your residence area, the presence of it also lowers the value of your property. Just like how a lot of people do not want to live by a landfill site, a lot of people do not want to buy a house close to a landfill. So, in many ways one may be pressured to live where they are because they do not have the money to leave. They may sell their house at a price lower than property level, so they can get away. This not only will not be beneficial but will be detrimental.
One other social problem is the job market for the waste industry. Many people such as the employees of the Cache Creek landfill may be losing their jobs if, the landfill chosen will be either very far away that they can not commute, or could be owned by a private company that would get their own people in work.
Another issue worth mentioning is that if the chosen landfill is a privately owned site and is not owned by GVRD it will have higher expenses for everyone. People may end up paying more than they do now for their annual waste collection and disposal. It is inevitable that there are going to be a group of people who will be unhappy with this additional cost.
All the problems mentioned may cause a change in people's garbage production conscience. However, people will not be changing for the next two years while Cache Creek is filling up. If any change in people, it will be showing in the next decade.
In the mean time, it is the municipal governments, GVRD, and the provincial government to make the right choice so it will be beneficial to everyone.
The next question will be who is really deciding? Is there a cooperation level between the government levels?
In addition to all the health issues related to having a dump site in your residence area, the presence of it also lowers the value of your property. Just like how a lot of people do not want to live by a landfill site, a lot of people do not want to buy a house close to a landfill. So, in many ways one may be pressured to live where they are because they do not have the money to leave. They may sell their house at a price lower than property level, so they can get away. This not only will not be beneficial but will be detrimental.
One other social problem is the job market for the waste industry. Many people such as the employees of the Cache Creek landfill may be losing their jobs if, the landfill chosen will be either very far away that they can not commute, or could be owned by a private company that would get their own people in work.
Another issue worth mentioning is that if the chosen landfill is a privately owned site and is not owned by GVRD it will have higher expenses for everyone. People may end up paying more than they do now for their annual waste collection and disposal. It is inevitable that there are going to be a group of people who will be unhappy with this additional cost.
All the problems mentioned may cause a change in people's garbage production conscience. However, people will not be changing for the next two years while Cache Creek is filling up. If any change in people, it will be showing in the next decade.
In the mean time, it is the municipal governments, GVRD, and the provincial government to make the right choice so it will be beneficial to everyone.
The next question will be who is really deciding? Is there a cooperation level between the government levels?
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Social Impacts?
Strike, strike, strike this is what we have seen and heard in the last few days. The next thing we have heard has been, garbage, garbage, garbage! The headlines we have been seeing recently has been all about how to keep the volume of waste down, how to recycle, how to compose. Out of all the issues that city workers may be discussing, the one thing that has kept people preoccupied the most, is what to do with the garbage?
The one thing that comes up to mind is how could we make the people and media concerned enough about GVRD's landfill issue, that this worrying could become part of our social behavior. We automatically would become more cautious about recycling, or we all build our back yard composts or create our small worm compost in our balcony. Maybe a company with a creative marketing design would find a way to build a shopping bag that would be like the Nalgene of those who used to buy packs of bottles of water. We need a cool shopping bag! Our society needs things that are "cool" and stylish to make the habit of using it, positive.
To be continued...
The one thing that comes up to mind is how could we make the people and media concerned enough about GVRD's landfill issue, that this worrying could become part of our social behavior. We automatically would become more cautious about recycling, or we all build our back yard composts or create our small worm compost in our balcony. Maybe a company with a creative marketing design would find a way to build a shopping bag that would be like the Nalgene of those who used to buy packs of bottles of water. We need a cool shopping bag! Our society needs things that are "cool" and stylish to make the habit of using it, positive.
To be continued...
Sunday, July 15, 2007
GVRD's Dilemma
Another issue that came up to my attention in the last few weeks, is GVRD's dilemma (23 proposed sites) to find a new place to dump the garbage! Here is more technical information about one of our contemporary urban problems...
The concerns initially began when the estimated closing time for the now nearly full Cache Creek landfill was approaching. Cache Creek, one of three local waste dumps (the other two are Burns Bog landfill and Burnaby incinerator), is the end of a journey for 500,000 tonnes of waste generated annually in our region. The Cache Creek landfill is expected to be full by the end of 2008.
Cache Creek was opened in 1989 in an area appropriate for a long-term solid waste disposal site because of its dry climate, suitable geology and good access to highway.
ASHCROFT
Ashcroft is only 15 kilometers south of Cache Creek and has the same dry climate and suitable geology.
The Ashcroft site is owned and would be subsequently run by the GVRD, therefore preventing any private company from overcharging for services and tipping fees.
Also, the well-trained waste management employees, truck drivers, and many more key players at the Cache Creek waste facility could easily be transferred to the new Ashcroft landfill.
But, First Nations asserted their disapproval and concern about the possible effects of Ashcroft landfill on Thomson River Valley’s water table, with the threat of court action.
BURNABY INCINERATOR
Another option submitted to the GVRD is the proposal of Burnaby operators Montenay Inc. to increase their existing incinerator capacity by 80 percent.
As I mentioned in the previous postings, incinerators still require a landfill for waste that simply does not burn and for disposal of the hazardous ash generated.
But, increasing the capacity of a local incinerator can have various troubling effects on the Fraser Valley region.
BURNS BOG
Burns Bog at 4,000 hectares is the largest urban green space in Canada, roughly ten times the size of Stanley Park.
The southern portion of this internationally known ecological phenomena is where the City of Vancouver dumps its garbage in a landfill.
An additional suggestion for the waste currently being disposed at Cache Creek is to be transported to Vancouver landfill, Burns Bog, Delta.
This landfill currently has a life expectancy of 40 years. It is reported that diverting more garbage to the Vancouver landfill in Delta would cut its life expectancy from 40 to 20 years.
HIGHLAND VALLEY COPPER MINE
The Highland Valley Copper mine is the largest copper mine in Canada and one of the largest copper mining and concentrating operations in the world.
It is owned and operated by Teck Cominco Ltd. The nearest community to the Highland Valley Mine is Logan Lake, 60 kilometer south of Kamloops and 320 kilometers east of Vancouver, BC.
This is the Thompson Nicola region of BC, an area of hills, desert, the large and spectacular Thompson River, and a number of large provincial parks.
Its substantial open pits can now be filled up with waste and the the ore removal transportation network has already created the required roads to get down to the lowest points in the pits.
Above were just a few examples of the proposed sites, and there are some other options such as transferring the waste to Washington State or our Canadian neighbor, Alberta.
However, a final decision is yet to come...
The questions that may come to mind are; How are we being affected by this decision making?
How will the final decision affect us on a social and economical level?
* If you may be interested in the rest of proposed sites, you can check them out at GVRD's website.
The concerns initially began when the estimated closing time for the now nearly full Cache Creek landfill was approaching. Cache Creek, one of three local waste dumps (the other two are Burns Bog landfill and Burnaby incinerator), is the end of a journey for 500,000 tonnes of waste generated annually in our region. The Cache Creek landfill is expected to be full by the end of 2008.
Cache Creek was opened in 1989 in an area appropriate for a long-term solid waste disposal site because of its dry climate, suitable geology and good access to highway.
ASHCROFT
Ashcroft is only 15 kilometers south of Cache Creek and has the same dry climate and suitable geology.
The Ashcroft site is owned and would be subsequently run by the GVRD, therefore preventing any private company from overcharging for services and tipping fees.
Also, the well-trained waste management employees, truck drivers, and many more key players at the Cache Creek waste facility could easily be transferred to the new Ashcroft landfill.
But, First Nations asserted their disapproval and concern about the possible effects of Ashcroft landfill on Thomson River Valley’s water table, with the threat of court action.
BURNABY INCINERATOR
Another option submitted to the GVRD is the proposal of Burnaby operators Montenay Inc. to increase their existing incinerator capacity by 80 percent.
As I mentioned in the previous postings, incinerators still require a landfill for waste that simply does not burn and for disposal of the hazardous ash generated.
But, increasing the capacity of a local incinerator can have various troubling effects on the Fraser Valley region.
BURNS BOG
Burns Bog at 4,000 hectares is the largest urban green space in Canada, roughly ten times the size of Stanley Park.
The southern portion of this internationally known ecological phenomena is where the City of Vancouver dumps its garbage in a landfill.
An additional suggestion for the waste currently being disposed at Cache Creek is to be transported to Vancouver landfill, Burns Bog, Delta.
This landfill currently has a life expectancy of 40 years. It is reported that diverting more garbage to the Vancouver landfill in Delta would cut its life expectancy from 40 to 20 years.
HIGHLAND VALLEY COPPER MINE
The Highland Valley Copper mine is the largest copper mine in Canada and one of the largest copper mining and concentrating operations in the world.
It is owned and operated by Teck Cominco Ltd. The nearest community to the Highland Valley Mine is Logan Lake, 60 kilometer south of Kamloops and 320 kilometers east of Vancouver, BC.
This is the Thompson Nicola region of BC, an area of hills, desert, the large and spectacular Thompson River, and a number of large provincial parks.
Its substantial open pits can now be filled up with waste and the the ore removal transportation network has already created the required roads to get down to the lowest points in the pits.
Above were just a few examples of the proposed sites, and there are some other options such as transferring the waste to Washington State or our Canadian neighbor, Alberta.
However, a final decision is yet to come...
The questions that may come to mind are; How are we being affected by this decision making?
How will the final decision affect us on a social and economical level?
* If you may be interested in the rest of proposed sites, you can check them out at GVRD's website.
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