Guidelines for Establishing Transfer Stations for Municipal Solid Waste
It is desirable that a transfer station be located near the centroid of the population to be served, and near a major haul route to the destination landfill. The specific location of a transfer station shall be described in the Regional Solid Waste Management Plan, and should be acceptable to the majority of the public and the regional district board. As required in the Guide to the Preparation of Regional Solid Waste Management Plans by Regional Districts (BC Environment, 1994), if a new station is proposed, and is not included under an approved Plan, then an amendment to the Plan shall be prepared, documenting the public discussion and acceptance of the site.
The location of solid waste management facilities, including transfer stations, in relation to the presence of indigenous and migratory wildlife, is an issue of increasing importance as the activities of human beings intrude more heavily into the traditional habitat of bears and other wildlife. It is important that attention be paid to avoiding areas of high concentration of wildlife, such as migratory paths and other high use/high presence locales, in the siting of transfer stations and other solid waste management facilities. Local staff in the ministry's regional wildlife sections should be consulted for information related to a specific site under consideration as well as for advice as to general areas to be avoided.
Location has a strong influence on the cost of operating a transfer station, on its convenience to the public and on operational problems associated with wildlife such as bears. Notwithstanding these issues, suitable land may not always be available in the best general location or may not be acceptable to the public.
Sufficient area should be provided for existing needs and buffers, but also for potential future expansion. The planning horizon for the provision of transfer services at a particular site, or at an alternative site, should be a minimum of 20 years, or consistent with the applicable Regional Solid Waste Management Plan.
The selected site should conform to local zoning bylaws relative to land use, and building heights and setbacks. Appropriate land use designations include industrial, commercial, institutional, and agricultural. Residential zoning may be appropriate in areas where the lots are large, and where the station is accepted by the local residents.
A vegetated or landscaped buffer zone of at least 15 metres should be left around the perimeter of the active transfer area, in order to minimize any potential nuisance associated with noise, dust, or odours, or any objections based on visual aesthetics. For small, unmanned, rural stations adjacent to forested areas, and where there is a threat of fires being set in the waste containers, an additional buffer zone may be desirable. In this situation, it would be appropriate to provide a cleared firebreak of 35 metres between the waste bins and the vegetated buffer.
Some flexibility should be allowed, based on local conditions and adjacent land use.
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