​Originally published May 30/18 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

I have regular conversations with people about recycling and waste. Recently, someone reported they had seen someone dumping used motor oil out in the bush.

Nothing should be dumped in the bush, but used motor oil is particularly damaging.

Motor oil picks up nasty things like lead, cadmium, arsenic, dioxins, benzene and polycyclic aromatics in engines. Dumping it on the ground or in drains can harm people, plants, animals, fish and other water creatures.

A single litre of used motor oil will contaminate a million litres of ground water. It sits on the surface of water, preventing sunlight and oxygen from getting into the water, affecting fish and water plants. It can kill fish, frogs and other animals that breathe from the water surface.

Burning used oil at low temperatures puts these things in the air that can harm human health.  

Antifreeze (new or used) is harmful to people, animals and plants. Recycled antifreeze jugs should not be recycled for food containers so need to be separated from regular recycling.

In Manitoba, the used motor oil collection program began in 1999. The program has been expanded to collect antifreeze and its containers.

There are collection sites at the local landfills.

Used oil can be recycled at 2 plants in Ontario and BC. In our part of the country it is used in high temperature oil furnaces certified and registered to burn used motor oil.

Antifreeze is recycled for reuse.

Oil and antifreeze containers are made into parking lot curbs and fence posts.  Oil filters are squished to remove the oil and recycled into rebar for cement construction.
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Please be responsible. Tipping fees are not charged for these products. 

Originally published May 23/18 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

There is a saying – When you throw things away, where is away?

Landfills do not usually get much attention. The recent fire at the Flin Flon landfill resulted in more attention than it has received since the City decided to charge tipping fees in 2012.

The fire reminded me of several things.

First, the way the landfill is organized prevented very serious environmental problems.

The fire was in the general or household garbage area. The tires, propane tanks, used motor oil and hazardous waste which would have caused serious issues are located a good distance away.

Burning tires are nasty creating toxic smoke and liquids. The storage area for the tires is organized to prevent this. The tires are placed in rows with space between. This means if a fire gets into the tires, it does not have very much fuel in one spot and is easier to put out than a pile of tires.

Propane tanks often have a little bit of gas in them and can explode. Bits of metal flying through the air can injure fire fighters.

The propane tanks are stored by the metal pile and will be removed this summer.

Secondly, everyone needs to do a better job of sorting their waste.

Many people reported hearing explosions a considerable distance from the fire. This was probably caused by aerosol cans and small green disposable propane cylinders that were thrown in with other household garbage.

These items should be separated out of regular garbage and left at the hazardous waste depot which will send away for safe disposal.
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The City has done a lot of work to organize the landfill. Residents need to do their part. 

Originally published May 16/18 The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

According to Google, a workplace is ‘a where people work such as an office or a factory’.  It seems very simple and straight forward.

At second glance, there is more to it. The work being done may be simple, repetitive with very little contact with the public, complicated with a variety of goals or designed to provide a public service.

Google’s other options for the word ‘workplace’ including culture, learning, diversity, and violence, bullying, safety provide a hint of its complexities.  
 
The Flin Flon & District Environment Council, Inc. operates two workplaces: the Recycling Centre and the Flin Flon landfill. There are 10 employees.

The work is not real complicated but there are many important details in each workplace.

The Environment Council strives to provide a well-organized and supportive workplace. There is a great team of employees working hard to get the jobs done.

Dave Didyk began working at the Recycling Centre in August 2008. He moved to the weekend position at the landfill in October. In January 2010 he took the full time position.  

At the time he was working alone keeping warm in the winter in the small cement shack warmed by a wood stove burning scraps from the landfill.

The only thing recycled was the used motor oil.

A lot has changed. Tipping fees began in 2012 which added another employee and a warm trailer.  

The landfill has been reorganized. Fridges are set aside for removal of refrigerant. Tires must be stored in rows until they are recycled. Dave finds workers to load them for shipping.

A hazardous waste depot was added last year.
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Dave’s knowledge and hard work are an important part of making the landfill work.
 

May total – 49,043 kg
       
        Co-mingled* - 15,518 kg
        Office Paper – 3,173 kg
        Cardboard – 26,198 kg
        Glass – 3,488 kg
        Books -  909

Total for 2018 – 211,906 kg
Total for 2017 – 183,562 kg
Difference – +28,344 kg

 
Batteries – 59 kg

* Co-mingled is unsorted materials sent to Winnipeg for sorting


Comments –  May is the month people bring all the recyclables they have collected over the winter. This is reflected in the commingled tonnage which is 3,600 kg more than last month. 

We are ahead of last year by 28 tonnes. At this rate we will set a new record for tonnes per year in 2018.  The current record is 500 tonnes set in 2007 when our community was larger and we offered basically free curbside pickup.