By Mark Squibb
The Eastern Regional Service Board (ERSB) announced last week that both the Bay Bulls and Renews-Cappahayden dumps would be closed until further notice.
Typically, the two dump sites are open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and again from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The ESRB announced on Tuesday, January 2, that the Bay Bulls facility would be closed that day.
The next day, the board announced that both sites would be closed until further notice.
ERSB spokesperson Will Hillard explained that provincial health and safety regulations prevent staff from working at any waste recovery facility without a warming center when the windchill is lower than minus 7°C.
“The flux in windchill this winter has made it difficult to keep Bay Bulls and Renews-Cappahayden facilities operating normal business hours,” said Hilliard. “ERSB is working with government authorities to arrange for electricity to be installed at these sites and they will reopen when weather conditions permit or when electricity has been installed.”
The board recommends that because of the closures, residents bring their household bulk waste to the Robin Hood Bay facility in St. John’s. That dump is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday.
