North Okanagan district seeks applicants for waste management advisory group

Members of the business community are sought by the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) to come forward and apply to take part in the Regional Solid Waste Management Plan Monitoring Working Group (PMWG).

The RDNO is looking for 15 members from the private, non-profit and business sectors, along side community members to represent a balance of community interests and act as advisors to the Board of Directors on how to move forward with the solid waste plan.

These volunteers will be tasked with reviewing information related to the waste management plan, including waste quantities, population and diversion rates for each component of the plan, the RDNO post said. Volunteers will also provide input on design and rollout of public surveys and consultation processes for new programs and disposal facilities, while identifying issues and new opportunities.

Volunteers will be appointed to the working group for a two-year term which is expected to begin in March 2020. Meetings will be held at the RDNO office in Coldstream every three months and the committee will dissolve once the waste plan is updated around 2023.

"Monitoring the implementation of strategies to maximize the diversion of waste from RDNO landfills is an important part of reaching our new, lower waste disposal target set by the Board of Directors and approved by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy in 2018," RDNO chairman Kevin Acton said.

"Contributing to programs and policies that are in the best interests of residents of the North Okanagan and balancing both community and industry needs and technical requirements will be major parts of this Working Group's objectives," Community Services general manager Mike Fox said.