Black Lake develops develops hazardous waste removal program
- Submitted | December 28, 2014
The Black Lake Denesuline First Nation is facilitating a first-of-its-kind hazardous waste removal project in the community.
Financially supported by AANDC, the project specifically includes the removal of fridges/ freezers and other solid white metal appliances from the local landfill (which serves both Black Lake First Nation and the community of Stony Rapids). The project also aims to collect unwanted appliances from the community at-large, including yards, basements and roadside ditches. All of the collected appliances will be transported to a facility in Regina, where they will be fully recycled.
Black Lake First Nation hired local community members (seven hired in total, although 10 will receive training), and is providing them with valuable work experience in the next few weeks. These individuals will receive a number of industry-recognized courses, including: Safe-Lifting & Rigging, WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information Systems), plus CPR & First Aid training. In addition to these training courses, the crew members will also receive personal protective equipment (steel-toed work boots, work gloves, safety goggles, shoulder lift straps etc) to safely complete the work required for the project.
Community economic development is one of the primary objectives outside of the obvious environmental goals for this project. Employment and training opportunities are very rare in the North, so all parties involved wanted to maximize the outcomes of this seemingly one-dimensional project. Not only will the community benefit from the removal of these environmentally-damaging and unsightly appliances, but the region will also receive a bit of an economic boost as well. People will receive marketable employment skills and experience, wages will be paid and spent within the community, local trucking companies will be hired, and the message about environmental protection will be shared.