RDOS Committee meetings Thursday
Two votes today. a) revisit the Marron Valley for a regional compost site. Defeated. b) revisit Summerland for a compost site. Defeated
Despite an impassioned plea from locatee owners from the Penticton Indian Band – the arguments were not enough to sway directors to change their minds from previous board decisions.
Elizabeth Bent (above) represented locatee owners who had offered their land (for a price) for a regional sewer-sludge and food waste composting facility just off Road 3a heading towards Twin Lakes.
Best one liners during the long discussion and debate. A letter from a 6 year old “If you create garbage look after it yourself”. Many directors now thinking – this whole situation is going to cost money one way or the other – “We can continue to do what we are doing and just pay more” – said one.

Headline quote : No No lets not read this book again – Frank Armitage, Mayor of Princeton
Fact: Planning began 12 years ago – a lot of studies completed – but so far no action. Message to staff – find a better site with some buy in from neighbours and board members. Apparently it’s commercial food waste that is smelly most landfills could handle yard waste and home based compost in “windrows”.
“windrow” composting is the production of compost by piling organic matter or biodegradable waste, such as animal manure and crop residues, in long rows (windrows). This method is suited to producing large volumes of compost. These rows are generally turned to improve porosity and oxygen content, mix in or remove moisture, and redistribute cooler and hotter portions of the pile. Windrow composting is a commonly used farm scale composting method.
Campbell Mtn. Landfill in Penticton acts as a regional garbage and compost hub. It is 48 years old and is near the end of its life. Another site must be found relatively soon – so that a major cleanup can occur.