Yukon looks for bidders to manage rural dumpsites

Yukon has begun the process of tendering out operations of rural solid waste treatment facilities.

The government is moving to a business model, rather than relying on volunteers and non-profits.

Tender notices have already been posted for Carcross and Tagish.

The non-profit society that operates the facility in Mount Lorne says it intends to put in a bid once the tender is posted.

"I hope that we get the contract, and that we are the successful bidder on this contract. I don't expect to see a lot of changes," said Mike Bailie, the society's general manager.

"Our level of service will stay the same or increase." 

But some users of the facility are wary of change.  

"We have more of our stuff that gets reused than almost anyplace else in the territory. So I worry if you make this a business model, where profit is a fundamental agenda, we lose the quality of community we got here," said area resident Bob Sharpe.

"I mean, heck, we have here a compost program that people can use to take compost, we have a garden over here," Sharpe said. 

Others local residents say the non-profit society, which has operated the site for more than 20 years, has taught them the value of recycling.

Colton Jarvis just moved to Yukon. He says he never really thought about recycling before coming here.

"Met a nice guy here once and he taught me how to sort everything out," Jarvis said.

"The last time I was here, the guy was teaching me where everything goes, all the different plastics."

The site also emphasizes re-use. One of the most popular features is the free store.

"We love it," says Elizabeth Gorman, another local resident who was there on the weekend with her three young kids.

"Last week we found board games, and we found blocks and books and all kinds of toys" she says.

Bailie says finding new life in discarded goods is an important part of reducing waste.

"It's the old saying, one person's trash is another man's treasure."