Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 07/05) - Someday a grassy knoll will overlook the city where, perhaps, families may venture in winter to ski or tourists may climb to an observation deck to view the Northern Lights.

That post-2007 knoll is currently Yellowknife's dump.

It's a whale of a bale with a mighty tale to tell of the amount of garbage that goes into Yellowknife's dump. Landfill manager Bruce Underhay, public works director Greg Kehoe, and Dillon consultant Colin Joyal brought this replica of a garbage bale to City Hall, Monday, to demonstrate how much space they save filling in the dump. If real, this bale would be made of 34,000 crushed aluminum cans.

Hidden away underneath will be three decades worth of garbage. The city estimates that every year each resident adds about 835 kg to the pile.

"It's going to look like a dome," says public works director, Greg Kehoe, of the city's current landfill site.

"We want to allow for water to be able to shed off of it."

In 2007, the by-then 33-year-old landfill will close. A carved-out rock quarry next door will take its place. Atop the garbage at the old site, a layer of peat and sod will be placed to protect the waste from wind and animals, with the added benefit of offering a more pleasant view.

As for recreational opportunities, Kehoe said that's the plan, but it will depend on how well the new hill holds together. "It will have to be closely monitored," he said.

Last Monday, Kehoe, along with Dillon consultant Colin Joyal, offered city council a preliminary report that examines, among other things, the logistical difficulties of moving the landfill.

The study predicts the project will cost $8 million over its 20 year lifespan.

One item council will have to consider is whether the city should continue baling its garbage.

Most trash entering the landfill is bundled into tight 1.4 cubic metre bales, but the machine purchased for the job in 1991 is starting to break down. Yellowknife is one of only five municipalities in Canada that uses one.

Joyal told council the city can either try to overhaul the baler, scrap it in favour of a tractor-like compactor, or replace it at a cost of $450,000.

"The preferred option is to buy a new one," said Joyal, who estimated that it would cost three per cent more than fixing the old one.

He said getting the compactor, which essentially pushes and rides over the garbage until it's flattened, would mean needing more soil cover because the garbage wouldn't be as densely packed as it would be with the perfect little cubes produced by the baler.

The peat moss used for cover, said Kehoe, is in short supply.

The compactor also couldn't be used to process recyclables brought to the dump.

Kehoe said all recyclable material - paper, aluminum cans, paper, refrigerators - is baled before being shipped south to Edmonton.

Some councillors are not pleased with either the city's recycling practises or the baler, even though Kehoe said shipping out recyclables keeps 500 bales-worth of material from entering the landfill every year, and saves the city $34,000.

Coun. Dave McCann wondered whether it was worthwhile baling recyclables for shipment when there are fleets of empty trucks heading back south that might not mind handling loose cans and cardboard.

"That's pretty cheap shipping," said McCann.

Coun. Mark Heyck thought it might be easier to deliver baled aluminum cans - 34,000 per bale - to the territorial government's bottle recycling depot when it opens up in November, collect the deposit, and let the depot ship it all south themselves.

The city's purchase of the baler heralded the city's $10 monthly solid waste levy charged to each household, increased this year by a dollar.

Coun. Alan Woytuik said it simply doesn't make sense to bale garbage for the landfill.

Woytuik reiterated previous statements that the city should look to the open pits of Giant Mine.

"I think everybody who drives by Giant Mine comes up with the same question I have had, which is, 'can we not utilize those pits that are out there?'" said Woytuik.

"I mean, that site's going to be contaminated forever, so why not expand that way."

As for the continued privilege of salvaging at the dump, Kehoe said it's something the city will consider at the new landfill.

"People love their landfill," said Kehoe.

"It's just a matter of doing it in a safe manner."

The city is holding a public meeting to discuss the landfill and other solid waste issues, Sept. 21.