Waste disposal in the Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo area is expected to increase considerably for the next 6 months or so, and as landfill space is used a lot of the waste being disposed of may have special considerations that need to be taken into account. Over the next 6 months it is expected that more than 771,000 tonnes of waste will accumulate as a result of the recent wildfire. Some neighborhoods saw 80% of their residences destroyed or severely damaged. A previous fire in Slave Lake which destroyed 400 homes in 2011 resulted in 4 years of waste accumulating in just 4 months. The manager for the landfill in Slave Lake, Tom Moore, explained that “The clearing and disposal is going to be an immense operation. But it will be done.”

Fort McMurray is already setting up waste disposal arrangements for residents who return during the re-entry plan, with drop off locations and pick up routes being scheduled. Some of the materials and debris will not end up using landfill space and will be recycled or reused instead. Some debris contains asbestos and other health hazards though, and this waste must be handled carefully to avoid any risks. Moore discussed the challenges that lie ahead and said “Fort McMurray’s infrastructure is larger and largely in tact. They have the equipment and technology to handle the waste. Once the big chunks come in from tearing down buildings and clearing neighbourhoods, that’ll be a lot of waste. But the only real struggle they’ll have is the traffic outside the landfill on Highway 63. Under normal circumstances, the landfill receives these kinds of toxic materials everyday. Your landfill is designed for that. Nothing has changed. Only the volume. The probability of the landfill contaminating the outside is extremely low.”