Pemberton Transfer Station Joins MARR

Introduction

Located in the Pemberton Industrial Park, The Pemberton Transfer Station is set against a stunning alpine backdrop of mountains and trees. As part of the Squamish Lillooet Regional District’s waste management facilities, Pemberton Transfer Station joined the Major Appliance Recycling Roundtable (MARR) on March 1, 2024, as part of the regional district’s commitment to continually provide better service for their residents.

As part of the MARR program, Pemberton Transfer Station accepts end-of-life large appliances covered by the program for free from residents. So, residents can simply drop off any old, broken appliances without any fees that used to be charged. This also means that the Pemberton Transfer Station technicians abide by the MARR Processing Standards, which includes compliance with the Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) and Other Halocarbons Regulation. Refrigerative appliances, such as refrigerators and ACs, all contain ODS gases that must be extracted, collected and disposed of properly and safely by certified technicians before the appliances can be recycled. This extraction process requires knowledge and expertise and can only be performed by certified technicians.

MARR ODS Technician Guidance

To assist with these new requirements, MARR Field Service Manager and ODS extraction-certified technician Bill Paton visited Pemberton Transfer Station for 3 days in early March. He spent some valuable time with Kaleb Potts and Kane Bob (newly certified ODS technicians) and their manager Nathan Saul to share industry best-practices and offered useful ODS removal insights. He also ensured that the procedures used followed the guidelines established by provincial regulations.

The Pemberton team was eager to learn from MARR Field Service Manager Bill Paton to be able to safely decommission their pending 60+ units collected.

During this 3-day visit, the team was able to complete many training modules. In addition to reviewing the refrigeration system in large appliances, the different kinds of MARR program units, and explaining the different gases used in refrigeration, Bill spent some valuable time going over the recommended safety equipment and recovery equipment.

The ODS extraction process must follow a strict procedure to avoid accidental discharge. Due to the pressure and power of the equipment, improper processing can lead to injuries and/or exposure to hazardous substances.

After the initial educational guidance, Bill, Kane and Kaleb spent a few hours each day practicing the extraction process on actual large appliance units, making sure to spend enough time answering questions and making sure that everyone was feeling safe and comfortable and that the process was following all regulations and requirements.

In addition to the ODS gas extraction education, Bill shared his knowledge and experience on removal of mercury switches and PCB capacitors, which are two other substances of concerns that must be collected to properly decommission large appliances and to make sure that they do not contaminate our environment.

Summary

Overall, this was a successful 3-day training session that resulted in over 30 units processed. Bill left the Pemberton team with full confidence that they'll be able to safely handle the remaining units on site, and that Kaleb and Kane will be able to handle anything dropped off in the future!

About

Kaleb, Kane and Nathan all work for Líl̓wat Construction Enterprises (LCE). In 2022, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) and Lil’wat Construction Enterprises (LCE) announced an agreement for LCE to take over the operations and servicing of the Pemberton Transfer Station. LCE’s parent organization, the Lil’wat Business Group (LBG), is locally owned and operated, and is one of the largest employers in the area.