If all goes according to plan, Battleford will see a waste transfer station early in the new year.
On July 17, Battleford Town Council approved a proposal from Loraas to build a waste transfer station. To be located directly south of 13th Street West, and adjacent to the town’s decommissioned landfill site, the proposed building is to be 7,560 square feet, made of steel, with a concrete floor. Once full, waste would be transported to a landfill south of Marshall.
Assistant General Manager of Loraas Environmental Services Aaron Beres said the waste station will be enclosed, meaning no waste would be stored outside the facility, and pests and vermin wouldn’t be attracted to it. The facility will be fenced and doors closed. He added noise from transferring waste would be enclosed within the building, as would smell.
“For the most part, you won’t really be able to tell what’s happening inside, because the intention is that it’s a self-contained facility,” Beres said.
The facility would also give residents an opportunity to drop off items, including appliances, scrap metal, used oil, scrap tires and electronics for recycling. Plans also feature regular recycling bins. Public hours would be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday.
Beres said there will be no additional charges for residents or non-residents, and no charge for people who’d want to bring recycling. Charges begin when people bring excess waste items, as there would be a cost to transfer them to a landfill. Chief Administrative Officer John Enns-Wind said he currently doesn’t know what those charges would be.
Beres said Loraas will work with local contractors and that the facility could be built by January 2018, but timelines depend on when concrete can be finished, as different processes are used in freezing temperatures. Beres said he’s confident crews can complete the concrete before the end of construction season.
According to Enns-Wind’s administrative report, preliminary figures show the waste transfer station could save the town approximately $48,000 during the first year, and potentially more each year after that as the facility’s use would be expected to increase.
Councillor Kevin Russell was enthusiastic about the proposal.
“I think it’s awesome,” Russell said.
