Landfill Charges Changing May 1st
The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen (RDOS) will be adjusting fees for wood products/ lead paint
containing materials, asbestos, assessed demolition and new construction waste mixed load materials. The
new landfill fees for the Oliver and OK Falls Landfills & Keremeos Transfer Station will begin soon.
2 weeks from today
Wood products, including lumber cuts, pallets, painted wood, cabinets and wood tables, will no longer have a free component. Historically these materials were free for the first 500 kg. Wood products continue to be charged at $60 a metric tonne, but with a $5 minimum charge. The removal of the free component for wood products is due the cost of handling wood grindings. Due to contaminates, ground wood products at landfills are very difficult and expensive to manage. Yard and garden waste and tree waste continues to be free for the first 500 kg per load. There is no change of fees for compostable leaves, pine cones, branches, garden waste, prunings and tree waste brought to local landfills.
Hazardous materials are changing rates to better match the high cost of management. Asbestos containing
materials will be charged $110 per metric tonne. Asbestos must be identified and an appointment made
prior to hauling to Campbell Mountain or Oliver Landfills.
Lead painted materials and preserved wood, such as pressure treated boards for decking, will be charged
$60 a metric tonne. These materials contain dangerous chemicals and should never be mixed with other
wood products. Lead painted materials and preserved wood are immediately buried when brought to the
landfill.
At the Okanagan Falls Landfill-DRC Sorting Site, the cost for assessed demolition and renovation waste and for mixed waste from new construction will drop from $125 to $110 per tonne (in-service area rate)/ and from $150 to $135 per tonne (out-of service area).
The demolition sort facility at the Okanagan Falls Landfill is able to divert over 95% of materials it receives, saving the Regional District thousands of dollars per year.