Director concerned about odours at proposed regional district composting site

PENTICTON – The most preferred site for a new organic waste composting facility would be the Penticton Indian Band reserve, according to regional district staff.

The site, which is located on locatee land on Marron Valley Road a short distance from Highway 3A, is approximately eight kilometres from Kaleden. It was deemed the best of five possible sites.

Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen solid waste coordinator Cameron Baughen told directors today, March 2, transport and access were key points in rating the Marron Valley site.

But Area D director Tom Siddon expressed concerns about the location in his electoral area. He asked Baughen about revenue, noting the land was on locatee land. He wanted assurance the Indian band would receive some profits from the operation as well as some certainty neighbouring residents would not be negatively affected by odours.

Baughen said the Band would be in control of taxation of the facility, assuring Siddon the regional district would also be overseeing the contractor hired to run the facility to ensure standards were maintained.

Siddon also disputed Baughen’s suggestion odour issues would only affect 30 households, suggesting prevailing wind patterns in the region would likely carry the odour down valley towards Kaleden.

“I don’t want to be a NIMBY (Not In My Backyard), but when we go to public meeting, I think we need more information,” Siddon said, adding it was imperative full consultation with the Band also take place.

The Summerland landfill is second on the list of potential sites. Baughen said odour modelling showed there were no residences close enough to the landfill to be affected by odour, but the site was not as centrally accessible as the Marron Valley site.

Staff are also looking at a second site on private land, the Oliver landfill, the Campbell Mountain landfill and the Penticton Advanced Wastewater plant.

Public consultations on the location of the organic waste composting facility should be finished by late spring with the board making a decision by late summer or early fall.

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