Solid Waste Disposal Practices in Remote First Nations Communities

Presentation at the SWANA Northern Light Conference Fort Gary Hotel, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. May 14, 2015

Ahmed Oyegunle & Shirley Thompson Natural Resources Institute University of Manitoba

Geographical location : Island Lake’s Garden Hill Source: Wikimedia

• • • • • • •

Source: Four Arrows

Fly in community Lacks all weather roads Population: 2776 Households: 545 82.48 square kilometre 610km NE of Winnipeg Language: Oji-Cree & English …… & Wasagamack

Communities Profile Garden Hill

Wasagamack

Population Land area (km2) Population density (per km2) Average individual income (CAD $) Households Waste disposal

2776

1411

82.48

80.63

33.7

17.5

12,956

11,307

540

275

Open dumping and open air burning

Open dumping and open air burning

Transportation

Air, Water and Winter roads.

Water and Winter roads.

Sources:

Statistics Canada (2013), Zahariuk (2013)

 First Nations principle of OCAP (Ownership, Control, Access, Possession)  Obtained approval of Chief and council (Band Council Resolution)

Waste Storage & Collection: Wooden bins

Issues • Wooden bins absorb water, do not last as long as plastic bins • Attract animals (stray dogs and black bears) • No centralized waste collection system • individuals having household responsibility for their own waste disposal leads to open dumping on the reserves • Waste stream contains mostly packaging materials

• Community members complain about waste storage and collection: “There are so many stray dogs in our community, they are always looking for what to eat and following people around… Look, the dogs scatter garbage all around the places and creates a big mess all over. Also, most people do not have a place to store their waste properly and this makes it easy for the dogs to get to the garbage” -Community member (Wasagamack First Nation)

“My parents used to tell us to put away our food waste or bury them in the ground. I think this was done to prevent wild animals, especially bears and wolves, from our camping areas” - Elder (Wasagamack First Nation)

Waste Disposal: OPEN AIR BURNING

• • • •

Release of noxious substances (e.g., dioxin and furan) Air, water and land pollution Risks fire spreading to forest and community from ember and sparks. Health exposures

Current legislation related to waste disposal on reserves • Indian Reserve Waste Disposal Regulations • • • • • • •

Regulation under the Indian Act Prohibits burning of wastes on reserves Uses the word “garbage dump”, rather than landfill Permit required to operate garbage dump Minister of AANDC in charge of permits Penalties restricted to a max. fee of $100 or 3 months imprisonment Enforcement: ?

• Waste disposal sites have no environmental protection measures such as bottom liners, leachate collection systems, cover material or geological considerations for siting dumps. • Poor fencing allows access by dangerous animals.

Bears sighted at a garbage dump elsewhere Source: road stories

• “In the summer time, when you go to the garbage dump, you will see adult bears roaming around with their cubs. They are probably looking for something to eat after a long rest period. It is dangerous to stay around these areas during those period for fear that they might attack. Although I don’t think anyone has ever been attacked but people are frightened by their presence. A bear is a very huge animal and can inflict injuries on people.” - Earl (Wasagamack First Nation)

- “Many people just bring their garbage here and set them on fire. Some people even throw their garbage in the woods or along the road. There are no other options, we don’t have recycling here in the community” - Community member (Garden Hill First Nation)

Surface and groundwater pollution, air pollution, insect infestation and forest fire are some of the negative impacts.

Municipal Solid Waste Management Options: WASTE HIERARCHY

• Open air burning and Open dumping are the worst type of waste management practices considering their huge negative environmental impacts. • Not considered options in the waste hierarchy

• • •

End of life vehicles and e-wastes are big issues in fly-in First Nations communities Used motor oil, anti-freeze, mercury switches are serious concerns to the environment Most of the vehicles are not road worthy. Safety requirements not necessary to drive on reserves

“Oils and other harmful materials can leak out of these vehicles and contaminate our waters” - Ivan Harper (Garden Hill First Nation)

“We have counted thousands of abandoned vehicles in our community.We have tried quite a number of times to get something done about it but nobody seem to be interested. I think we need a crusher and hauling truck to get rid of these junks through the winter roads. It is really causing a lot of nuisance here and there. Just like everywhere you go, there are junk cars”. -Donald Harper (Garden Hill First Nation)

Source: Winnipeg Free Press

• Drinking water contamination is a major concern- Run-off in the spring

Percentage composition of materials in End-of-life vehicles

http://www.athens-recycling.com/gr/recycle/car

• Vehicles are complex systems • Components are made up of human toxins (lead in batteries, mercury in switches, hexavalent chromium in paintings and finishing etc.) • A larger fraction can be recycled or re-used

Who is at risk?- Children!

“Kids play everywhere and they can be injured while playing around the junks areas” -Gilbert Harper (Wasagamack First Nation)

E-waste and ELVs hazards • Heavy metals • Cd, Cu, Ni, Cr, Pb, Hg, etc. • Can cause environmental and health impacts • Open burning and dumping on land not appropriate • Leaching to soil, ground and surface water • Burning create dioxins and furan Case studies in Guiyu, China

Sources: http://e-stewards.org/learn-more/for-consumers/effects-of-e-waste/environmental-impacts/

Key issues • Inadequate government funding • Lack of education and awareness on the impacts of unsafe waste disposal • Jurisdiction: Provincial programs do not cover remote First Nations communities • Legislation: No working regulations to ensure proper waste disposal in First Nations communities. • Inadequate monitoring system: No operations at landfill sites • Landfill does not meet required environmental standards : No liner, cover materials, leachate collection system, located close to the lake.

Way forward: GOVERNMENTS NEED TO ACT Federal (AANDC) • On-site waste disposal operations and training • Review existing regulations on waste disposal: licensing, monitoring and penalties • Require and commission clay lined landfills with assigned funding for regular service

Provincial responsibilities (Manitoba Conservation) • Require deposit return for bottles, electronics sold for reserves, tires, etc. • First nation people pay advanced disposal fees for all purchases and receive no services – Province must provide services people pay for • Encourage institutional composting (school, nursing station and band office)

Waste is only one of many issues. • Poor housing: As of 2011, 65.4% of households need major repairs according to stats Canada. • Food insecurity: high food costs, about 50-80% of income goes to purchase of food • Infrastructural issues: no running water and sewage disposal systems in many households..

First Nations often have limited financial means but can ban bags and other product and open burning.

• NGOs and civil society

• Advocate for adequate government attention to critical issues concerning FNs • In the absence of government action - provide patch funding to get the immediate hazards out by winter road

Partnerships with Universities, NGOs, civil society and governments would benefit First Nation waste management.

THANKS

Thanks for listening

References Statistics Canada. (2007a). Wasagamack, Manitoba (Code 4622800) (table). Community Profiles. 2006 Census. Statistics Catalogue no. 92-591-XWE. Ottawa. Retrieved May 2013 from http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=4622800&Geo2=PR&Code2=46&Data=Count&SearchText=Wasagamac k&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=4622800 Statistics Canada. (2007b). Garden Hill First Nation, Manitoba (Code 4622048) (table).Community Profiles. 2006 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 92-591-XWE. Ottawa. Retrieved May 2013 from http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/censusrecensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=4622048&Geo2=PR&Code2=46&Data=Count&SearchText=Garden%2 0Hill%20First%20Nation&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=4622048 Statistics Canada. (2012a). Garden Hill First Nation, IRI, Manitoba (Code 4622048) (table). National Household Survey (NHS) Aboriginal Population Profile. 2011 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 99-011-X2011007. Retrieved June 08, 2014 from http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/aprof/index.cfm?Lang=E Zagozewski, R., Judd-Henrey, I., Nilson, S., & Bharadwaj, L. (2011). Perspectives on past and present waste disposal practices: a community-based participatory research project in three Saskatchewan First Nations communities. Environmental Health Insights, 5, 9–20. doi:10.4137/EHI.S6974 Zahariuk S., (2013). Food Insecurity within the Island Lake First Nations Communities in Northern Manitoba, Canada. Master’s thesis. University of Manitoba.