Prince Rupert’s landfill is running out of space and needs to be expanded yet again.
At the July 23 council meeting, Broadwater Industries was awarded the contract to expand the west berm to buy the city more time before the next 35-year landfill cell is built.
“Unfortunately at this time right now we only have airspace until April 2019. So what we have to do immediately is get into an expansion project so we can continue to landfill waste,” Richard Pucci, the city’s director of operations, said at the meeting.
READ MORE: City landfill too full to accept bans boats, other large materials
“The west berm expansion contemplates an additional four to five years of much-needed airspace. With this extra time, the operations department will design and construct a new 35-year cell.”
Broadwater Industries submitted the lowest tender cost for the project at just under $3 million.
After awarding the contract, councillor Barry Cunningham asked if city staff had researched incinerator disposal units.
“I don’t know if it’s feasible or not, but it seems this $3 million is just the beginning, and in another four to five years we’re going to have to come up with another for another berm,” Cunningham said.
Pucci responded that staff is researching that kind of method as part of the cost analysis for the new 35-year cell.
READ MORE: Contractors wanted for Prince Rupert landfill expansion
keili.bartlett@thenorthernview.com
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