UPDATE: The RDKB announced Thursday that reimbursement will be available for residents who paid tipping fees on garbage prior to the provincial announcement to cover fees for flood victims.
Residents will need original receipts, and will assist all impacted residents (including renters and small business).
The applications must be made by mail, including original receipts, to the RDKB office in Trail (843 Rossland Avenue, Trail, V1R 4S8).
Application forms are available at rdkb.com, at the City of Grand Forks office, or at the Grand Forks RDKB office (2140 Central Avenue).
Original: Flood garbage will now be collected curbside, and residents can take it to the landfill without paying tipping fees, the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary announced this week.
The RDKB announced Tuesday afternoon that it had reached an agreement to allow curbside pick-up of flooded materials by a local contractor. Pick-up is set to begin later this week in the city.
This was further to last Friday’s announcement that they had reached an agreement with the province to reimburse the RDKB for tipping fees related to the disposal of flood-damaged materials.
Both agreements mean that flood victims will not have to pay usual tipping or garbage fees. These agreements come after intense public pressure to waive fees or otherwise allow victims to dispose of garbage at no cost.
The curbside pick-up will be available for flood-affected areas, and limited to flood-damaged materials.
“Removal of damaged and contaminated materials is one of the many problems the EOC has been working on, particularly for those who don’t have access to trucks or trailers to transport material to the landfill,” said Grand Forks Mayor Frank Konrad in the RDKB press release.
In order to avoid tipping fees in person at the landfill, residents must show identification with name and proof of address to confirm residence in a flood-affected area, according to the RDKB. Landfill staff will also be verifying the waste is flood-related and document weight and volume.
The agreement for fees does not apply to restoration companies and clean-up businesses, but will apply to local businesses doing their own clean-up work. Those businesses will also need to provide proof of address, like a utilities bill, property tax notice or invoice.
The RDKB will submit a invoice for the amount of flood-related garbage to the province. This agreement will also apply to debris pick-up curbside.
The Grand Forks Landfill is also extending its hours from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.
The RDKB asks residents to separate flood waste according to the following for both curbside collection and landfill drop-off:
• Clean wood like branches, trees, lumber material
• Fridges and freezers: if the contents can be cleaned out, they should be; if not, the door should be secured with tape or rope
• Other metals
• General flood debris like carpet, underlay, rugs, books, drywall, insulation, clothing and plastic items.
Hazardous materials should be separated, for example: paint cans, batteries, propane tanks, tires, and sprays. These materials will need to go to the landfill for disposal and should not be left curbside.
The RDKB notes that the fees are not being waived — they are still being paid, albeit by the provincial government.
Flood damaged electronics can be taken to Alpine Disposal for recycling. They should be hosed down and left outside to dry before taken for recycling.
“Collection of flood waste curbside will start in the City of Grand Forks (North and South Ruckle addition, Johnson Flats), as these areas have the highest population density,” according to the RDKB. “Other areas of the regional district will also be serviced, but pickup times will be scheduled based on need.”
Residents are still able to take materials to the landfill if they wish. The contact for the Emergency Operations Centre is 1-888-747-9119.