Trash talk in Gander about commercial waste disposal

Businesses in Gander had a chance to literally talk trash Thursday night, as the local chamber of commerce hosted an information session with the Central Newfoundland Waste Management Authority. 

Effective January 2016, commercial customers will face a new compliance fee.

If a load dumped at the landfill in Norris Arm is not properly sorted, the authority can charge the hauler an extra fee which would automatically be passed on to the business responsible.

Brad Blundon of PBO Industrial Disposal has a problem with that approach.

"So this is a very, very difficult thing to enforce, that's the real issue," said Blundon.

"I don't have a lot of faith in the compliancy and the enforcement — because it's just too difficult to enforce."

Blundon wants an independent spotter to check all commercial waste.

Gander Chamber of Commerce chair Phallon White says most business owners are thinking about the environment instead of their wallets. 

"The money part of it didn't really seem to be a big issue," said White. 

"Everyone wants to do what's right for the environment, as well as what's right for their businesses. So it's more along the lines of knowing what they need to do and then avoiding that fee, which is possible, as long as you know what you're doing."

White said she believes Thursday's meeting will help clear up some earlier communication errors.