Christine Kay
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Aug 05/02) - City council unanimously passed a motion to purchase a trash compactor so that burning Iqaluit's waste, which has had many environmentalists concerned, will stop.

The city has $125,000 to pursue a lease-to-own agreement.

"It will cost less than that, though. It will be a three- year lease with a buy-out option in the end," said the city's acting director of engineering, Steven Burden.

Burden said this is the most economical way to handle the waste and at the same time, it helps reduce the volume of waste at the dump.

The city hopes to select a compactor within two months so it can be brought up before the last sealift reaches Iqaluit.

When the three-year lease expires, council will have to decide whether to buy the compactor or pursue another method of dealing with the waste.

For now, the main goal is to pick a compactor and get it to the city.

Officials say they are aware of the time constraint and hope to make a decision shortly.