Between a rock and the garbage.

In the interest of full disclosure [always wanted to say that].

I have long had an interest in the world environment and what humans are doing to it.
We have had CFL bulbs in our house long before it became ‘the thing to do’. I even lobbied the local stores to stock them, long story.
We recycle to the extent one can up here. We compost all that we can. We very rarely use plastic bags when shopping. We use the minimum possible of petroleum products, if there was an available alternative to diesel generated hydro we would pay more for it. We are not idealistic lefty pinkos, just useing our bloody brains and care about future generations.
To the task at hand.

An anonymous person commented on the garbage issue, see post "just a couple of thoughts".

I have had a little time to think on it and less time to do deep research, for what it’s worth here are my thoughts.
What ever is done it won’t please every one, and it will have some sort of impact on the environment.

At the moment Nain collects the garbage and uses low tech technology. That is digging trenches, dumping the house hold waste, setting it on fire, then burying what is left. Nain has a recycle program funded by the province, drink containers only.

If we are to carry on with that method several things can happen. One you run out of land, I do not think here is enough usable land around Upashi for two hundred years use. Second is the gas problem. The un burnt garbage that is buried creates gas that leaches into the atmosphere. You also have the problem of possible leaching through the ground into the bay.
Possible up sides of this is the land in use now could be rejuvenated and landscaped and used for something. Down sides are mentioned above and what do you use it for next to a land fill?

Another site could be found; again available land is a problem. It would have to be a ways from town; you have the infrastructure cost, extra travel time to and fro, increased spillage from the transportation, which is a problem at the moment too.

On the $1.6 million Blast Burner: It’s a lot of money; work is in progress at the local government office on the economics of it all. How much will the operating costs be? Like fuel for the burner, operator cost, up keep etc. Environmentally you have emissions from the burner, the emissions from the burnt waste and proper handling of the ash at end of the process.

The process is a double burn at very high temperatures I’m told, but emissions are still a problem. I am told that about three burns a week are contemplated at today’s collection rate.
Also to be considered is security of the unit. I am told they are looking at the unit being enclosed, with maybe a fence around that.
Up side is it would reduce household waste volume therefore reduce the space needed for burial.

So, as to keeping the status quo or going with the 1.6 million buck furnace the jury is still out IMO. Needs more discussion, and information, to come to a reasonable educated opinion.

To do a complete overhaul and to minimize the damage to the ecology and the environment this is what should happen: First of all consumers, retailers, community leaders should do all in their power to eliminate the use of plastic shopping bags. Only bio degradable garbage bags should be used, and to a minimum.

All house holds to sort waste into designated colored containers, recyclables, compost able, paper/cardboard etc. A fee may have to be implemented per household for the service.

Community has an enclosed sorter combining mechanization and human labor. This would have compactors and a large composter. The resulting compost would be used in ether private or preferably public garden.

Any burnable waste would be used to heat the building.

What could be shipped out is, what is left is buried. No need for a blast furnace or large tracks of land.

Hazardous waist and larger items like vehicles and large house hold items are either contained and stripped and sent to a central depot in the south for dealing with.

Fees should be implemented in certain areas, like for dumping the larger and hazardous items.

This route would create jobs while at the same time protect the environment.

It is doable only if attitudes change and people are willing. This will need lots of education and persuasion. To do nothing will only result in this type of thing being forced on people in the not too distant future.

This implies to the entire province, which has an abhorrent record in dealing with environmental and waste deposable issues at the moment.

This is not the complete to do list, just a start. Any input is welcome.