That’s a Lot of Garbage!
Saturday, May 19, 2012 @ 5:35 AM
Prince George, B.C.- The Regional District of Fraser Fort George has received the annual report on the Foothills Regional Landfill, and there are some big numbers to pass along.
In 2011, a total of 98,888 tonnes was managed at the Foothills facility.
Of that amount, 22,174 tonnes of material received at the Landfill were diverted through recycling, onsite use as cover material, or compost.
Here are some other numbers to consider:
· Approximately 76,714 tonnes of waste, or 98% of all waste landfilled at Regional District facilities, was buried at the Foothills site
· 5,518 tonnes of yard and garden waste were received in 2011 and a total volume of composted material sold in 2011 was 2,515 cubic metres
· Annual groundwater monitoring efforts continued in 2011 with two separate sampling events. Overall, sampling results from 2011 are relatively consistent with results from previous years
The estimated lifespan of the current footprint is 17 years, based on the Volume and Site Life Assessment.
Comments
17 years? I wonder what the life span would be if we didn’t accept truck loads of garbage from communities 200 km’s away? I know McBride ships all its garbage here, who else does?
That’s because the Regional District run the landfill and McBride is within the Regional Districts boundary.
is that why there is no pothole on the road into the dump?
There are three Landfills in the RDFFG. There is one to the east of McBride, the one in PG, and one in McKenzie. The rest are all transfer stations.
The McBride Landfill specializes in demolition and construction waste. Therefore, I assume that other garbage is sent to the landfill in PG.
Given that the population of McBride and Valemount area is around 2,000 and the regional population of PG is around 85,000, the landfill’s life could be extended by roughly 5 months if the amount of garbage sent is proportional to the population.
I wonder how much it’s increased since the automated garbage pick up system started? Now everything from batteries, piant cans, grass and everything else that fits goes into those things.
NoWay: “Now everything from batteries, piant cans, grass and everything else that fits goes into those things.”
Those didn’t fit into a standard garbage can before? And why does it matter if I throw grass out?
JohnnyBelt, it matters when you throw grass out, if it is in a plastic bag, because then it doesn’t compost, or melt into dirt. It becomes a plastic wrapped sludge somewhere in the middle of Mt. Garbage out there. I don’t think in makes much of a difference if the grass is loose, other than it may blow out of your can as it is dumped into the truck.
Both the landfill, and the transfer stations take yard waste for free, if you are willing to remove it from the plastic bags. :)
Ah, a true redneck PG resident speaking there, JohnnyBelt. ;-)
Let me see …. grass versus batteries ….
Grass is a compostable and can be sold, which they actually do, thus does not fill up a landfill. Separate it out, and it actually will extend the life of a landfill to a considerable degree thus reducing the cost of the operation even more.
Batteries …. Although “dry cell” batteries represent less than one (1%) percent of municipal solid waste weight, they account for fifty-two (52%) percent of all cadmium and eighty-eight (88%) percent of all mercury found in landfills
http://www.batterybroker.on.ca/why.html
BTW, I do not fault you JohnnyBelt. Why should you know those facts that most “streetwise” people know or care about if they do? Improved awarenss programs might help a bit, but not likely.
This City is so far behind the times when it comes to recycling it is really not funny anymore. Another example of a poorly run City.
http://www.nanaimo.ca/EN/main/departments/Engineering-Public-Works/garbage-and-recycling/GreenBin.html
Nanaimo curbside collection service.
CompostingThe program goes beyond what can be composted at home by accepting cooked food, meat, fish, bones, and food soiled paper and paper packaging such as waxed fast food cups and milk cartons. Instead of going to the landfill, compostable household organic material is converted into value-added resources â compost, nutrient-enriched soil, and eventually renewable fuels. Participating is as easy as following the simple steps in this guide. Your efforts will help achieve our regional goal of diverting 75 per cent of waste from the landfill, and leading the way in BC and Canada.
Such are examples of how to reduce the costs of operating landfills.
Municipal core services …… effective, efficient, value for money ….
“Ah, a true redneck PG resident speaking there, JohnnyBelt. ;-)
Let me see …. grass versus batteries ….”
Hold on there. I didn’t say I was throwing batteries out. I just made the point that it’s just as easy to throw a can of paint or a battery into a standard garbage can as it is the automated ones.
As for grass, I am guilty. But I don’t put it in a plastic bag.
Here’s the recycling program in my ‘hood in Port Moody. You dump it all into the recycling container (which you leave at the curb) and they sort it out at the plant.
http://www.portmoody.ca/index.aspx?page=283
from the regional district web site
CENTRALIZED COMPOSTING
Large quantities of source separated yard and garden waste can be dropped off at the Foothills Boulevard Regional Landfill at no charge. The material will be added to the centralized composting process, thereby
diverting a valuable resource from being landfilled.
Finished compost is sold at the Foothills Boulevard Regional Landfill.
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Personally, I set my mower to mulch and the blades are kept sharp enough so that I can just keep the grass on my own property. I do not have to put it into the bag that comes with the mower, do not have to rake it, do not have to rake it and bring it to the local transfer station – they take it at no cost there. It saves gas and time to boot.
Value for money/time …. ;-)
These numbers, in relation to what? Take a look at a map showing the regional district as a whole, can you find the dump? Can you see it from space:) Here is an interesting concept, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landfill_mining
Gus …they account for fifty-two (52%) percent of all cadmium and eighty-eight (88%) percent of all mercury found in landfills…
Mercury and cadmium are just two of the poisons found in the hydrofluorosilicic acid fluoride which is used for city water fluoridation.
But, not to worry! It’s alright to have these poisons go directly into your body with the tap water one drinks and showers with – but, wonder of wonders – they do represent a problem when they and up in the landfill!
(Sarcasm intended).
BTW, I recycle as much as possible, take grass clippings to be composted, burned out CFLs to the store I bought them from, empty paint cans to First Avenue, cardboard and newspapers to the city provided recycling bins….etc. I care a lot about all that but even more about needlessly putting well-known poisons into my body with the city tap water!
Actually, this is my biggest beef with this city. Everything else I can tolerate and avoid, but why do I have to pay for 50 pound water containers of purified water and hoist them onto my water dispenser when I am already paying twice a year for the water coming to my tap?
It’s totally unfair, unnecessary and disrespectful.
Pharmaceutical grade chemical fluoride (containing less cadmium, mercury, arsenic and lead) is indeed available from Chinese fluoride suppliers but the cost per tonne is about 10 times that of the industrial grade used by cities. Going to the pharmaceutical grade (when NO fluoride addition is actually required!) would raise the cost to the city to at least $750,000 per year!
That would be the end of it.
Dentists (they know the difference) use a pharmaceutical grade since they use only grams instead of tens thousands of kilograms per year.
Same goes for toothpastes.
PG: “It’s totally unfair, unnecessary and disrespectful. “
So is flogging this issue over and over again.
PG: “Actually, this (fluoride) is my biggest beef with this city.”
Your priorities are seriously messed up if that’s the case.
PG: “Everything else I can tolerate and avoid, but why do I have to pay for 50 pound water containers of purified water and hoist them onto my water dispenser “
The simple answer is, “You don’t.”
About the fluoride, you know what they say,
ignorance is bliss! But when it comes to our health it is better to be informed.
A few years ago, I was in the Hospital for a week and at that time everybody was allo-
wed to smoke in the Hospital including the
patients. But at that time we were ignorant
about how harmful the cigarettes can be.
Now we know. However, you don`t have to smoke if you don`t want to,but with the fluoride in our drinking water is different, we do not have a choice! And that is not right. What do you think?
How the hell did we go from landfill to fluoride? For god’s sake ppl keep it on topic.
According to PrinceGeorge, everything is about fluoride don’tcha know?
@Johnny Belt. When someone had to lift the garbage can they would generally leave it if it was too heavy. People that didn’t use garbage cans wouldn’t load up their plastic bags with paint cans and car batteries. But with those automated cans you don’t have to pick them up so people will put anything in them including old propane bottles.
@willyj. It’s hypocritical for the city to preach clean air, no weed killer, idle free zones and keep the poisons out of the landfill but have no problem mass medicating their tax payers with posion. Fluoride is a known hardening agent. Not only does it harden your teeth it also hardens your arteries.
At PG. You can get portable reverse osmosis filters but that won’t help you in the shower.
I am totally 100% against the mass medication of our water supply with industrial waste. I too agree its a deal breaker and should be raised as an issue every chance one gets.
If we had clean unfloridated water I would definitely stay in PG, but it tips the balance for me as well. I don’t want my family subjected to some ignorant bureaucrats decision to contaminate my water and the disrespect the local politicians show on the issue says it all about PG.
Bravo! Noway, good answer!!!! As for willyj
and jonnyBelt,they should not be so careless about the fluoride in our drinking
water. As it is a very serious health, and
environmental issue. It kills the fish in the river, it will kill us too, is just that it takes a little longer with us.
Don`t you guys GET IT! You don`t have to joke about it! Is nothing funny about the
fluoride! And yes, it is also in the garbage dump!!!! Because it is and everything! in your food, clothing, pots and pans, but do we have to drink it too?
I really object to that!!!!!
Eagleone, you are so right! You know what!
We`re thinking about leaving this town if
this primitive attitude does not improve.
If it does not ghange for the better. They
have been fluoridating the water since 1955
and maybe at that time, they did not know
how dangerous the fluoride was, but today!
We have so much info about everything! That
someone has to be really dumb not to understand. Give me a break!!!!!!!
Prince George is well known for having some of the world’s best quality tap water. So give me some more of that poison!
Good luck to everyone trying to live a chemical-free lifestyle.
I’ll listen to the vast majority of medical and dental professionals before I listen to a bunch of raving conspiracy theorists any day of the week.
johnnybelt:”According to PrinceGeorge, everything is about fluoride don’tcha know?”
I don’t ridicule your priorities so why are you trying to ridicule mine? Get educated about the subject instead of repeating like a parrot what certain interest groups are saying!
Eagleone:”I am totally 100% against the mass medication of our water supply with industrial waste. I too agree its a deal breaker and should be raised as an issue every chance one gets.”
Obviously you have done some research! I have talked to some health professionals in the Okanagan and they thanked me for alerting them to the fact that Prince George is the very last large holdout in all of B.C. to still needlessly ruin the water with an industrial chemical waste. They told me that it would a reason to refuse any transfer to work in their profession in Prince George.
I am firmly convinced that it is the responsible thing to do to demand un-medicated water! So, the issue will be raised by me (and many others) at every opportunity!
jonnyBelt. Yes you will have more of the main engridient in the fluoride which is rat poison. So you can love it even more and those professionals that you are talking about, are the same that said that was nothing wrong with smoking,lead in paint,asbestos and lead in gasoline, etc,etc. Good luck to you and your professionals!
“I’ll listen to the vast majority of medical and dental professionals before I listen to a bunch of raving conspiracy theorists any day of the week.”
Lemming?
Do you roll up your sleeve once a year for your flu vaccine? British medical journal reports flu vaccine is only 59% effective. US slams report because flu vaccine in big business. EU Doctors are saying it’s a waste of time.
Dentists agree that fluoride is a hardening agent. It works great for preventing cavities when applied to your teeth when brushing or getting a fluoride treatment. Dentists will tell you not to swallow tooth paste, I wonder why? Fluoride does damage to your teeth and other parts of your body when consumed.
No one is saying to stop treating your teeth with fluoride johnnyb. We just want to have control of the dose. Choose when we will medicate on our own.
“Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (www.cape.ca) do not support fluoridation of drinking water.”
“BC Provincial Drinking Water Officer, Barry Boettger, says the following communities still add fluoride to their public water: Prince George, Fort St. John, Prince Rupert, Terrace, Williams Lake, Sparwood and Cranbrook. In addition, the only community left fluoridating on Vancouver Island is Lake Cowichan.”
The rest of the communities in BC dropped it johnnyb aren’t you curious why?
http://www.hans.org/magazine/590/BC-Fluoride-Update
No Way: “Lemming?”
Raving Conspiracy Theorist?
Clean: “As it is a very serious health, and
environmental issue. It kills the fish in the river, it will kill us too, is just that it takes a little longer with us.”
Like about 85 years or so? Yeah, that’s deadly all right.
Has anyone been hospitalized locally due to fluoride? Any documented local cases at all?
PG: “I don’t ridicule your priorities so why are you trying to ridicule mine?”
Mainly because you try to clog up every thread with this worn out topic.
Well said JohnnyBelt, I get tired of one topic being derailed and forgotten to hash up another topic that has been said and read to death. Keep this for the friday free for all and stay on topic plz.
JB:”Mainly because you try to clog up every thread with this worn out topic.”
On the right hand side of your screen you can engage the scroll down button!
You are cordially invited to IGNORE anything you DON’T like on any thread! On this one you can keep on talking about garbage (the main topic) until others get tired of it! If you would just ignore ‘hydrofluorosilicic acid in city water’ and refrain from aggressively commenting on it, some would consider that a blessing.
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Noway:”No one is saying to stop treating your teeth with fluoride johnnyb. We just want to have control of the dose. Choose when we will medicate on our own.”
JB doesn’t get it! NOBODY is trying to prevent HIM from brushing his teeth with fluoridated toothpaste or to get his annual fluoride fix at the dentist.
However, others want to have control over the dosis which one does not have when the stuff comes in the water we drink and shower with.
Now he wants to get off the subject because he knows we are right! Fortunately there is no requirement on this site to keep silent even though there is a clear connection from one subject to another! This site invites opinions! These lead to input and discussion! As long as there is no bullying or foul language discussions can be useful and educational! It’s a kind of freedom, like the freedom of choice to imbibe hydrofluorosilicic acid or not!
Uncle Joe Stalin – the great defender of freedom and democracy – apparently used the stuff in his gulags to keep the inmates docile! It’s perfect: One cannot see it, smell it or taste it! That is why it is the main ingredient in some rat poisons!
O.K., that’s it for toady!
NoWay, the BC Provincial Drinking Water Officer’s information is not up-to-date:
Lake Cowichan and Williams Lake stopped fluoridation after last fall’s municipal elections (by referendum in the Puddle).
Prince Rupert’s fluoridation system has not been functioning for a long time, the city is looking for funds for a possible repair/replacement. It isn’t cheap!
Sparwood and Cranbrook are not on my latest list, leaving only Fort St. John, Terrace and Prince George as far as I can tell.
“The rest of the communities in BC dropped it johnnyb aren’t you curious why?”
No, hear no evil, see no evil!
“Has anyone been hospitalized locally due to fluoride? Any documented local cases at all?”
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/toxicchemicalsan/a/flouride.htm
Know anyone with hypothyroidism?
How about this?
“Dr. William Marcus, believes that a study conducted by Battelle for the National Toxicology Program on the toxicology of fluoride shows that there were dose-related increases in bone cancer in male rats. Dr. Marcus also questions the removal by peer reviewers of cancers at other sites in the rats as well. Especially worrisome to Dr. Marcus is the fact that that levels of fluoride that caused the cancers in the rats were lower than those seen in humans who ingested lower amounts, but for a longer period. These levels are generated because fluoride is accumulated in the body and is not secreted.”
At Harvard University, researchers identified a link between fluoride and bone cancer.
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/030123_fluoride_babies.html#ixzz1vQdtt976
How about kidney desease, hardening of the arteries and hip fractures. Maybe there has been a few cases of that JohnnyB.
My gosh man pull your head out of your arse!
“If you would just ignore ‘hydrofluorosilicic acid in city water’ and refrain from aggressively commenting on it, some would consider that a blessing. “
The way I see it, if you stopped trying to hijack every thread with this topic, it would be far more of a blessing.
So NoWay, I take it your answer is “no”. Thanks for coming out.
Specifically this person has his problems because of fluoride? Get two doctors in the room and they will debate what the cause is. Some might say or used to say genetics.
So if the health professionals can’t agree JohnnyB and many communities around North America are stopping mass medication, don’t you think we should err on the side of caution? Heck you used to be able to smoke in every bar and restuarant in town. Now you can’t. Why should we be the last community to stop this insanity?
Harvard is a pretty respectable institution and they have identified a link between fluoride and bone cancer. That alone should be convincing enough. But you are right JohnnyB no one has been diagnosed with fluoride induced bone cancer in PG. I think they just call it bone cancer. People don’t die from smoking either.
Seems to me that in days gone by, the mental institutions in BC medicated people with salt peter to keep them docile. Castration was also an option. In addition some were given labotamies. Dont blame everything on Joe Stalin.
I will answer Johnny Belts, question in regards to whether or not there is a documented case of sickness in PG Hospital due to drinking flouridated water. NO.
If there was you can rest assured that Prince George would have let us know a long time ago.
Most people just drink the water, and carry on. Its not an issue in this town.
Car accidents, hunting accidents, and other sicknesses are much bigger killers, and deserve more time than a concern about flouride. In fact you could make a case that canned goods, meat, flour, sugar, milk, etc; are much worse for your health than flouride in water.
Have a nice day.
That’s the point Palopu. The people of PG can choose to consume canned goods, meat, flour, sugar, milk, etc;. Heck they can even choose to drink bottled water if they want to pay for it. The problem is that you still have to bath in the water and fluoride is absorbed through the skin. So there is no getting away from it unless you move out of Prince George. So the more you bath the more of a dose you get, the more water you drink the higher the dose you get. They will ban wood burning appliances and backyard burning but not fluoridating the water?
“I will answer Johnny Belts, question in regards to whether or not there is a documented case of sickness in PG Hospital due to drinking flouridated water. NO.”
How can you be sure Palopu? It’s like saying there isn’t one documennted case of sickness in the PG Hospital due to smoking tobacco. Smoking tobacco doesn’t kill you or make you sick does it? Nope not one case.
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