While repairs are underway at the Kimberley Transfer Station, right next door at the old landfill, the Regional District of East Kootenay is preparing a final closure plan.
Environmental Services Manager Kevin Paterson says the landfill was closed in 1999 and a progressive closure has been underway since.
“The landfill has only been receiving clean fill; no garbage,” he said. “Now we have to submit a final closure plan.”
A public meeting was held last week in Kimberley to inform people of the plan and seek input.
A consultant has been hired to prepare the plan, which will be submitted to the Ministry of Environment for approval.
“It’s still a lengthy process,” Paterson said. “We are trying to gather a bit of history on where the garbage is buried. It’s a big area and it wasn’t operated in the fashion of modern landfills. The challenge is, where is the garbage buried and how deep is it buried?”
Closing the landfill will see it covered with with fill, and once that is in place, uses for the land are limited, as you cannot disturb the soil.
“You can’t disturb it once the earthen cap seals it,” Paterson said. “But if there was a desire to explore a dog park or a soccer field, we could look at that.”
Input on what possible uses there could be for the old landfill land are part of what the consultant will be hoping to hear from the public.
Once the final plan is submitted to the government and the final closure will be done.
Paterson says the RDEK has been setting money aside for what will be an expensive closure.