Knowing Your Solid Waste Management Plan
The CRD has developed a new Solid Waste Management Plan to help reduce the amount of waste sent to Hartland Landfill. This plan will help guide how we manage garbage in our region safely, securely, and in a way that protects the environment now and in the future.
The plan includes strategies to reduce and manage all types of waste—like recyclables, compostable material, and garbage—with the goal of keeping Hartland Landfill open until the year 2100 and beyond.
After being approved by the CRD Board in May 2021, the plan was given final approval by the Province of BC in July 2023. Now, CRD staff are working to put the plan into action by focusing on diverting certain types of waste, helping multi-family homes (MFD) and businesses (ICI) manage their garbage better, and researching new technologies in collaboration with other municipalities.
Plan Actions
Some actions currently happening include:
- Changing the tipping fee structure to encourage more redirecting waste
- Expanding bans on certain materials at the landfill when better options exist
- Finding ways to reuse energy from savable materials
- Strengthening rules to ensure people follow waste guidelines
We are making changes to the costs of dropping off waste at the landfill (these costs are called tipping fees) to encourage people to divert their waste through more sustainable disposal options. We are also making rules to ban certain types of waste from the landfill if there are more sustainable options available. Our goal is to make diversion, recycling, and energy recovery more accessible and desirable through these new cost changes.
What's New
Multi-family waste comes from apartment buildings and condos, while ICI waste comes from businesses, industries, and institutions. Together, these two groups make up about 53% of the waste at Hartland Landfill.
In the past, the CRD has been successful in recycling about 43% of waste by focusing on single-family homes with the residential blue box program.
Now, we see a chance to improve recycling efforts for multi-family and ICI waste. Staff are currently working on a new strategy specifically for these areas.
An important part of the new waste management plan is to explore new waste management technologies. The goal is to reduce the amount of waste each person creates by over 30%, aiming for 250 kg per year within the next 10 years.
In spring 2022, the CRD Board agreed to start a test program to look at ways to recover energy from some construction waste at Hartland Landfill.
What's New
Commercial Traffic Access
The Hartland Landfill has been using Phase 2, cells 1, 2, and 3, to store waste since 1997. In the next two years, cell 3 will be full, and the landfill operations will move to the north end of the site, starting with cell 4. Because of this, trucks will need to enter the landfill from the north entrance on Willis Point Road starting in late 2024 or early 2025.
This change in traffic patterns has been carefully studied in two engineering reports. One looked at traffic volume and road conditions, and the other focused on the nearby intersections and the impact on greenhouse gas emissions.
Based on community feedback, the CRD Board decided in May 2021 to work on improving the road access around Hartland. They set aside up to $4 million for these improvements, which will be reviewed by both CRD staff and the District of Saanich.
In October 2022, after talking to the community, the CRD Board approved the funding. They also asked staff to work with the District of Saanich to finalize the intersection improvements and address any remaining community concerns.
Project Resources