Grand Opening of the Frog Lake First Nation New Waste Transfer Station
The mission
The project mission was to work collaboratively with the Frog Lake First Nation (FLFN), Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and project partners to create a sustainable waste management system that is community led and operated. The community is hoping to increase community participation in the recycling programs with a new waste transfer station and increase waste diversion from landfill. The new system aims reduces pollution to the environment by transporting wastes to an engineered landfill or appropriate recycling facility and provides the opportunity to close the existing uncontrolled dump located in the community.
Another goal is to create additional business opportunities for the FN by providing employment through waste operations at the Transfer Station waste hauling services. By creating these opportunities, it reduces the need and reliance to contract services to on non-FN contractors.
The challenge
The existing waste transfer/dump site was not meeting the needs of the community and relied on external contractors for waste collection, hauling and disposal that did not provide adequate levels of service. Without appropriate access restrictions, the site had deteriorated to an uncontrolled dump site and there was little opportunity for waste diversion.
Funding for an improved waste management system and new waste transfer facility was available through ISC’s First Nations Waste Management Initiative. ISC, FLFN as well as other project partners needed to come to a shared vision of a successful project outcome. GHD was selected to lead the planning, design, and implementation of the project as the engineering consultant through an RFP process. While our team has an immense depth of experience with similar projects in British Columbia, having worked with close to 100 First Nation communities, this was our first transfer station design project for a First Nation in Alberta.
Our response
GHD worked to foster a collaborative team working environment, especially during the early stages of project planning to ensure that FLFN’s needs were being put at the forefront while ISC’s requirements were being met. Together, the Project team developed a transfer station layout that would improve storage and handling of waste materials and support an automated curbside side collection program.
The transfer station was designed to provide the opportunity for the community to increase material separation of recyclable materials so they can be diverted from landfill. This sustainable practice also provides potential to reduce the communities landfill disposal costs. After evaluating alternative locations, the new waste transfer station is now located north of the FLFN School and next to their wastewater treatment lagoon. The facility has two grade-separated areas – the upper for waste drop-off, handling, and storage and the lower for commercial traffic to access and load/unload roll-off bins. The site includes a large garage/office building for equipment storage, two storage sheds for various recyclable materials, and bays for collection of scrap metals, appliances, and tires. GHD completed detailed design and provided construction CQA.
GHD will continue working with the nation, providing guidance to the transfer station operators, and providing education for the community to ensure they understand the new resources available to them.