Flood-related waste added up to a “significant” amount of extra tonnage in 2021 at the Bailey Landfill in Chilliwack, according to fourth-quarter reports from City of Chilliwack.
“The combination of additional waste generated by the November/December flood events, and transportation routes to other disposal sites being cut off, resulted in significant waste increases at the Bailey Landfill,” according to the report.
Waste totals in November and December 2020 hovered at just about 7,000 metric tonnes each, but in 2021 those monthly totals jumped to about 9,000 and 11,000 in November and December 2021 respectively. That’s about six more metric tonnes of waste than the year before.
Emergency Management BC had authorized free disposal of flood debris with reimbursement through the province, and it had to be done within 30 days of flooding. The BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries also requested disposal assistance with livestock mortalities, which required special handling.
Additional equipment and labour was provided by the landfill contractor, Whissell Waste Solutions, to ensure the surge in incoming material could be managed.
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