Compost program trashed

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Peachland’s compost site will be closing as of Oct. 1, due to a crackdown by the province on burning regulations.

The District of Peachland has operated the site as an unmonitored yard-waste dumping site after the landfill there was closed in 1997. Much of the woody material that was dumped there was burned.

The province has recently enforced its rules on burning materials that come from off-site, which would force the District of Peachland to truck waste to the West Kelowna transfer station.

“We had always gotten the permits to burn and everything, but we were told this year, that due to this clause we’re not allowed to,” said Joe Mitchell, Peachland's director of operations.

This shipping of waste to West Kelowna would have come with an estimated $350,000 per year price tag, compared to the annual $50,000 it cost to run using burning methods.

“With the expense it was going to cost, we just couldn’t afford it, it would have just been out of the range of what we could do,” said Mayor Cindy Fortin.

The facility was well-used, roughly 3,000 tonnes was dumped annually, according to Mitchell, but Peachland residents have other options for their yard waste.

“Residents will be able to take it to either the Westside transfer station free of charge, or the green bin program, where you have a green bin, you fill it up every second week and they come and pick it up,” said Mitchell.

While residents won’t be able to use the site come October, some landscaping companies will be able to use it on a pay-per-use basis.

“Commercial users can’t drop their materials off at West Kelowna, they have to go all the way to Kelowna, so it’s really a hardship for them and their business,” said Fortin.