Mayor leads way in recycling
'Hopefully every community in Nunavut will follow'
Clean drinking water and safe disposal of sewage and garbage is
essential in any community. In this third part of a three-part series, Nunavut News/North reporter Michele LeTourneau looks at how Nunavut hamlets struggle to provide water and waste services to residents.
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Published Monday, October 6, 2014
IKALUKTUTIAK/CAMBRIDGE BAY
"Of all the communities in Nunavut, I think there are only three or four communities in compliance with the Nunavut Water Board water licence and Cambridge Bay is one of them," said Jeannie Ehaloak, the hamlet's mayor. "I am proud of that."
Ehaloak cites funding as the major problem facing communities that want to be in compliance.
"It all has to do with funding from the federal government," she said. "Our municipalities don't have the budgets to completely turn over every waste and water management program in Nunavut. We just don't have the resources to do that."
Besides simply having an active and current water licence, Cambridge Bay is forging the way with recycling.
Ehaloak has been personally invested in getting the recycling program off the ground since the day she started campaigning three years ago.
"I ran for mayor because, one, the recycling program and, two, I believe in healthy communities. I think recycling is important. There is no recycling in Nunavut."
When the recycling program wasn't in place by the end of her two-year term, she sought reelection.
"It takes awhile, just for one initiative, to get it up and running," she said.
The household recycling bins are now in the community and being inventoried. There will be two bins in each home. Scheduling is being organized because each bin will be picked up on different days.
"Our overall capital cost for the waste management recycling project is $376,000. This includes the purchase of a new garbage truck, recycling bins, bailer, job shacks for the dump sites, etc.," said Jim MacEachern, the hamlet's manager of economic development, communications and information technology.
The territorial Department of Community and Government Services is contributing $173,000.
Ehaloak said it's too early to say if new staff will be hired. Council is working on drafting a new garbage bylaw.
"It's in the works. If more staff is required, that won't happen until the garbage bylaw has been changed and approved by council. Council will look at it first, and then we'll send it out to the community for comments.
"Fees are going to change within the community, for residential and commercial," she said. "Dropping off at the actual garbage dump itself, there will be a fee."
Asked if she thinks the community is on side for this recycling program, Ehaloak replied that it is half and half.
"Some are not used to change. Some are willing to change. Some are excited about the recycling program. Some say it's not going to work. It all depends on who you talk to."
The mayor is adamant about not wanting a dump like Iqaluit or Rankin.
"We've just cleaned up our metal dump. We've cleaned up our garbage dump. We're in the process of completely fencing it off. We've got a building up there now. We've got a person there - they're open from eight to five. We want to keep the dump controlled. So people aren't just throwing anything there."
Ehaloak would also like to see a partnership with one of the barge companies.
"Once we have the recycling program going, if we can partner up with one of the barges they could take it out of the community. Instead of us profiting from the recycling program, we can give it to them. The profits from that could recover their costs."
The hamlet is also working on acquiring an incinerator. Currently, a federally-funded gasification system is hooked up to the wellness centre and is intended to heat that building by burning waste.
"With the ACS 150 project, two of the three primary components arrived in August and they are operational," said MacEachern. "There is a third component of the system that is scheduled to arrive in the community on the last barge, Oct. 10. We really won't be able to assess the ACS 150 until all three components are operational."
During a visit to Greenland, Ehaloak noticed their excellent paved roads and was told they are paved annually. She was shocked and couldn't imagine the cost. It was explained that old tires are shredded and used as paving material. Ehaloak thinks that's a great idea.
"The hamlet's administration is looking into using the tires at the Cambridge Bay dump and shredding them so we can at least pave our main roads, or even our airstrip," she said. "Our biggest fear with the dump is those tires. If they ever caught on fire, we'd have to shut down."
Ehaloak said she is open to any idea that would ultimately help protect the environment and deal with waste issues.
"Cambridge Bay is the pilot project for the recycling program. Hopefully every community in Nunavut will follow."
