LAC LA BICHE - It isn’t every day that people are able to dispose of confidential documents from the office at the same they can safely toss old paint tubs from the garage.
On Saturday, Lac La Biche residents had the opportunity to do just that at the annual Household Hazardous Waste Roundup and Shredding Event, which took place at the County Centre. This event wrapped up Environment Week activities in Lac La Biche that kicked off on June 2 with a launch party in McArthur Park.
During the waste disposal and shredding event, which ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., representatives of the Edmonton-based Clean Harbors sorted through and separated the variety of old chemicals, fuel containers, used oil and other hazardous household waste that arrived frequently during the event while Enviro Shred Inc. destroyed boxes of papers and documents onsite using an industrial shredder that was inside of a truck.
These companies were assisted by Lac La Biche County officials, who were on hand to deliver these items to their proper destinations.
According to Brennan Scott, the acting agricultural fieldman for Lac La Biche County, some very interesting items have been unloaded at the County Centre during the disposal and shredding event over the years. Some have even been recycled by other attendees before being disposed.
“Full things of Roundup that’s still good to use… tire foam cleaner… all stuff that you can kind of pick and still use,” he told Lakeland This Week.
Once the oil, fuel and other chemicals-and their containers-are sorted and separated by crews from contracted environmental company Clean Harbors, Scott explained, the waste is then taken to Edmonton to be disposed of at the company’s plant.
He continued by saying the Hazardous Waste Roundup and Shredding Event-which is put on by the County twice a year in the spring and fall-is important because it ensures that this the waste and papers are disposed of in a proper manner instead of finding their way into local ditches.
“We’ve had a few complaints in the past about people just kind of throwing their old oil containers in the ditch, or you know, littering throughout the County,” he said, adding that this event helps to prevent that. “It’s a free event…you don’t have to pay for it… so you may as well just bring it here.”
Environment Week coincided with World Environment Day, which this year was celebrated on June 5. This global day for environmental action was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972. Each year, World Environment Day focuses on a different theme and is hosted by a different country, with Saudi Arabia playing host for 2024. The focus of World Environment this year is on land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience.