The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is developing new rules for the screening and handling of asbestos in landfills.
A staff report presented earlier this month to the infrastructure services committee recommended adding six new material types to the list for asbestos screening -vinyl floor tile, sheet vinyl flooring with paper backing, ceiling tiles, stucco, roofing and cement panels (used in fireproofing).
Asbestos screening procedures currently exist only for drywall and vermiculite.
On May 9, the SCRD board adopted the proposed changes, setting an implementation date of Jan. 1, 2014.
The added materials will mean changing landfill acceptance procedures, environmental technician Beth Brooks reported to the committee.
"The identified materials will require sampling documentation for disposal," Brooks said. "If the material contains asbestos, customers will be able to bring the material to the Sechelt landfill provided they follow the asbestos disposal and acceptance procedures (double bagged using 6 mil plastic, 24-hour notice) and pay the associated tipping fee."
Asbestos-contaminated drywall, she noted, is not accepted at SCRD landfill sites.
Also under the new system, due to airspace requirements the Pender Harbour landfill will no longer accept asbestos waste effective Jan. 1, 2014.
Procedural changes earmarked for the Sechelt landfill include installing a new camera at the weigh scale and creating an asbestos waste cell to receive the materials. The landfill will also establish set times and days for asbestos disposal.
SCRD staff is collaborating on changes to the building permit process that will identify renovation and demolition projects that have asbestos-containing materials.
An education campaign will also be undertaken.
Given the new acceptance requirements and the increase in tipping fees for residential waste, more illegal dumping should be expected, Brooks said.
The board agreed to amend the landfill site bylaw to include an offence for the undisclosed disposal of controlled or asbestos waste at landfill sites.
However, a staff recommendation to include penalties under the adjudicator-based bylaw enforcement notification (BEN) system was put on hold until the BC Civil Liberties Association responds to the board's request for an opinion on the BEN system.
Staff was also asked to report back on how the existing BEN system pilot program has been working for the SCRD -specifically on how complaints of disputed tickets are dealt with -and to include statistics from the District of Sechelt and Town of Gibsons in the analysis.
