S TANDARD TERRACE
1.30
$
$1.24 PLUS 6¢ GST
VOL. 26 NO. 14
www.terracestandard.com
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Huge recycling shift coming By JOSH MASSEY THE CITY has provided a glimpse of what will be a dramatic shift in how garbage collection and recycling is handled beginning next spring. Residential garbage will be picked up once every two weeks and recyclables placed in large, clear plastic bags in the off weeks as of next May. The new system is designed to fit in with the creation of a
province-wide organization called Multi-Material BC (MMBC) which will expand recycling beyond current items to include paper and other packaging materials used in consumer goods. The residential service will be operated by the city and provided to family and multi-family residences that have up to four units, with an as-of-yet undetermined collection company providing pick-up for businesses, apartment buildings and other institutions.
The new MMBC program will provide the city an estimated $134,000 a year for the curbside recycling program as part of a new system whereby producers will pay for the recycling of packaging contained in their products. Though MMBC Chair Allen Langdon said the organization is still forming, it has signed up approximately 1,200 producer companies, and has forecast a budget of $100 million. The impact on consumers of packaged goods has
yet to be determined but projections are that costs to consumers will increase as producers cover their payments to MMBC. Langdon said that under the new system municipalities have the choice of providing their own service using MMBC money or having MMBC pay contractors for residential pickup. In both scenarios MMBC is in charge of a depot where material would be sorted and then transported, though Langdon said local
specifics still need to be worked out. City public works director Rob Schibli said the city is choosing to provide collection services because it fits well with the current curbside garbage pick-up program. The report shows that with recycling forecast to reduce garbage loads by up to 50 per cent, allowing the city to reduce garbage pick-up to a new biweekly system, Terrace stands to save up to $81,000 a year.
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Heli propels power line
JOSH MASSEY PHOTO
Valard employees were on deck July 8 at the Lakelse Air helicopter base on Hwy 16 to learn the ins and outs of operations using this Erickson Aircrane. The heavy load aircraft is being used to lift in the majority of the hydro towers for the Northwest Transmission Line.
An Industrial accident Saturday morning shut down the installation of the Northwest Transmission Line towers for the day, with early reports saying that a worker lost a finger. Before the mishap occurred production using a massive helicopter had gotten off to a faster-than-expected start. An Erickson Aircrane helicopter arrived in Terrace July 8 and was at work the next day following safety training sessions with crews from Valard, the transmission line's main construction contractor. Nearly 900 of the towers will be lifted into place along the 344km transmission line route over several work periods between now and the fall. The steel hydro towers vary in weight between 12,000 and 17,000 pounds, a task the Aircrane can accomplish because of its 20,000 pound lift capacity. In all, the Northwest Transmission Line will consist of just over 1,100 towers, bringing electricity into the northwestern section of B.C. to spur industrial development. While not exactly fuel efficient – the Aircrane burns 500 gallons of fuel an hour – it was seen as the most efficient way to lift preconstructed towers quickly to their foundation sites. Before its trip to Terrace on July 8 the aircraft was being used for a coastal logging job in southern B.C. The goal is to lift as many as 20 towers a day with a goal set of placing 160 towers in this first period of helicopter work. Crews began working north of BC Hydro's Skeena Substation just south of Terrace. Once all the towers are in place, Valard linemen will work with smaller helicopters to string the power lines from tower to tower, with completion of the line scheduled for Spring 2014. Lakelse Air is supplying smaller helicopters to fly about 50 Valard workers in and out of the tower installation sites. They were on hand when the Aircrane touched down for safety training related to working with and around both it and smaller helicopters. “We want to make sure about the hazards ... lots of people are local and haven't had exposure to this kind of work,” said Valard safety specialist Hayley McNeil of the training.
Guiding girls
Gas tax
Fore!
A Terrace RCMP officer spends time on the water with local youth \COMMUNITY A11
Have you checked out your natural gas bill lately? There’s a new tax. \NEWS A9
Heads up – the results of the Men’s and Ladies open are inside \SPORTS A27