In May 2020, the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako board of directors was updated by staff on the status of the Knockholt landfill and the need to proceed with an expansion [Phase 3B] a year ahead of schedule due in part to the addition of pipeline camp waste.
A groundwater investigation then found that there was a perched water table in a portion of the expansion area, causing the project to be delayed. For the remainder of 2020 and throughout 2021, staff continued working towards a robust design for Phase 3B.
According to RDBN staff, the design brief was submitted in May 2021. Due to the ground water issues in the expansion area, the design was highly scrutinized and went through several review processes before receiving final approval on Nov 17, 2021. Due to poor conditions however, the RDBN was forced to delay construction until things warm up again in 2022.
As a result, the delay in expansion has created a significant problem with available space at the Knockholt landfill, and efforts are being made to minimize the amounts of waste received there. In April of 2021, a preliminary plan to re-route large shipments of waste to the Clearview landfill was put into place, and has since developed into something more formal and concrete.
The first stage back in April stated that no greater than five loads would be accepted at Knockholt, and anything that exceeded that amount was sent to Clearview. Stage two, which is set to begin in January, will lower the volume to just one load that is acceptable at Knockholt, and anything larger will be re-routed. In addition, as part of stage two, 40 per cent of the waste from the 亚洲天堂 Lake transfer station [two loads per week] will be re-routed to Clearview as well.
Come May of 2022, all commercial loads and pipeline camp waste will be sent to Clearview, and by the summer, there will be a full diversion from Knockholt to Clearview except for municipal waste from the District of Houston.
It was noted by the RDBN board that the expansion progress at Knockholt will be closely monitored during the summer and every effort to avoid implementing a full diversion will be made.
READ MORE: Regional District hears strong opposition to proposed crematorium west of Smithers
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Eddie Huband
Multimedia Reporter
eddie.huband@ldnews.net
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