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KITIKMEOT
Scrap metal, old cars and other recyclable waste should be brought south for recycling, Kitikmeot mayors agreed.

The Kitikmeot mayors passed a resolution, during their meetings which ran from Sept. 11 to 13 in Cambridge Bay, calling on the territorial government, Northern Transportation Company Limited (NTCL) and the municipalities to begin a back-haul program.

Municipal solid waste sites are "over capacity" and no programs exist to haul back the waste to southern recycling facilities, reads part of the resolution.

Cambridge Bay Mayor Jeannie Ehaloak, who seconded the resolution, said they want to start getting rid of some of the material from the dump.

"Stuff that can be recycled, we would like to back haul it out of our communities so that our dumps are not overflowing," she said. "I was told it was a successful program."

NTCL ran a one-sealift-season pilot program in Cambridge Bay two years ago, back-hauling scrap metal and other waste material to Vancouver, with the company co-ordinating the sale and disposal of the material.

The program proved feasible and successful, said Scott Dryden, manager of sales and chartering at Northern Transportation Company Limited, speaking from Edmonton.

"If we can co-ordinate with the hamlets in the Kitikmeot to have their support to get their waste material ready to go in the spring," said Dryden.

"We will work with them on some heavily discounted back-haul rates in order to help get the material out of their communities."

He added they would now ship any scrap metal and other waste material to Hay River, because the company no longer transports material to Vancouver.

NTCL services Taloyoak, Gjoa Haven, Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk and the company would like to do it from all four of those communities in 2013, he added.

"And based on how much success we have on getting that together next year, then we would look to try to make it a permanent thing," said Dryden.

They don't service Kugaaruk because of low water levels. The Canadian Coast Guard brings in supplies to that community. But if Kugaaruk can get its material to another community, Dryden said NTCL would be happy to accommodate them.

At this point, Dryden said they need to determine what the federal and/or territorial government would support, if anything, and also determine the infrastructure and labour needed in the communities to get the material ready.

Gjoa Haven Mayor Allen Aglukkaq said back hauling waste south is something the community supports because they have lots to recycle.

"Across Nunavut, we should have it done, any vehicles or any ... other stuff that contain metals, should be recycled and can be reused," he said.

The Government of Nunavut declined to comment at this time.

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