Freezers and refrigerators have been drained of ozone-depleting substances before being crushed for recycling at landfills in the Cariboo.
The appliances ended up there after many residents were able to return to their homes as evacuation orders due to wildfires were downgraded.
Tera Grady is the supervisor of solid waste management for the Cariboo Regional District.
“Our 100 Mile House landfill received just over 800 fridges and freezers mostly containing food waste of some sort. In Williams Lake, we in only expect to receive appliances from the Spokin Lake area-that was the only area that was without power for any length of time.”
Grady says they have received about 150 fridges and freezers at the Williams Lake site, and that’s about all that they are expecting at this point.
A metal recycler from the Lower Mainland had hired an ozone-depleting substance remover from Kamloops at their 100 Mile Site, while a combination of local service providers and also from Kamloops were used in Williams Lake.
Landfills within the Cariboo according to Grady do not deal with full fridges and freezers on a regular basis, although they do accept empty ones at most of their sites.
Williams Lake Scrap Metal located on Frizzi Road will accept empty fridges and freezers. Empty fridges and freezers are also accepted at the 150 Mile transfer station, Wildwood transfer station, and Frost Creek transfer station.
Anyone with fridges and freezer they believe to have been affected due to the wildfires is asked to contact their insurance carrier to determine their next steps.