The Kokanee Creek Recycling Depot will permanently close at the end of this year, with its final day of operation on December 31.
Upon its closure, the next closest facilities to use are the Balfour Transfer Station (821 Heyland Road), the Nelson Lakeside Recycling Depot (70 Lakeside Drive), or the Grohman Narrows Transfer Station (1201 Insight Drive).
The Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) Board of Directors approved the closure at its November 14 meeting, based on recommendations from the RDCK’s Tipping Fee Cost Recovery Assessment & Resource System Efficiency Study, completed earlier this year.
A media release from the RDCK states that the study identified options for improving the operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and equitability of the region’s Resource Recovery Program.
The study compared the RDCK to other regional districts based on hours of operation and the number of facilities per capita. It recommended closing facilities that collect less than 50 kilograms of recycling per hour of operation and are located less than a 20-minute drive from other RDCK facilities.
Kokanee Creek is a Satellite Depot, accepting fewer materials than a Core Depot due to transportation costs and space restrictions.
It receives an average of 40 kilograms per hour of household glass, plastic, and paper products and is approximately 11 kilometres from the Balfour Core Recycling Depot and 28 kilometres from the Lakeside Core Recycling Depot.
Closing the Kokanee Creek Depot will save an estimated $68,562 annually in operational costs, including rent, snow removal, hauling of recyclables, staffing, and supplies.
The RDCK notes that the study is expected to propose further changes in 2025.
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