The new Saturday waste drop-off in Grand Falls-Windsor for residential garbage has only been in operation for three weekends, but it is already being widely used, according to finance committee Councillor Darren Finn.
He released figures for the Saturday drop-off dating from 2009 at council’s regular meeting Oct. 23. The Town originally offered the service at the public works depot on weekends, but had to choose a different site and plan a new approach in the wake of the new landfill at Norris Arm North because there was no source separation.
“I’ve noted that in 2009, the drop-off represented 16 per cent of the waste total, which was 470 tonnes,” Finn said. “The total amount was 2,900 tonnes of residential waste.”
Finn said the 470 tonnes was delivered by a total of 11,900 vehicles in 2009.
The popularity of the service has been increasing. In 2011, 700 tonnes of garbage came from the Saturday drop-off, 22 per cent of the total waste.
Last year before the Town stopped offering Saturday drop-offs at the public works depot, 20,555 vehicles were recorded. The total tonnage of garbage, including the drop-off, was 3,052 of residential waste.
The new drop-off site on Whitmore Street off Toulette Drive has been only open for a short time, but people are already driving over with their trash. The Town recorded 45 tonnes brought over the first Saturday, with 170 vehicles passing through. The second weekend saw 270 vehicles and 60 tonnes of residential waste.
Finn said approximately 300 vehicles went through on the third Saturday, and he estimated 60 tonnes of residential waste was dropped off.
“The new drop-off is being widely used,” said Finn.
Tonnage is still high at the new site, and now there is a fee in place, he explained, so he expects to see fewer vehicles, but the same tonnage.
“This site is not finished yet, as there is landscaping and paving that has to occur,” Finn said. “It will be a quality site when it’s done.”
There were still reports of indiscriminate dumping going on, however, he said.
“I still think there’s a lot of waste going on and it escapes me why it happens when this service is here, though it’s not offered in every community,” said Finn. “It’s just a transfer site, a great service.”
It also offers an opportunity for PBO (industrial disposal company) to accept commercial waste, the councillor said.
“The fact is that there are private operators who can do it,” he said. “They will charge as if they are doing service themselves. “It’s something extra for the business community as well.”
