The Jasper Environmental Association (JEA) wants Parks Canada to clean up its act and change the way it disposes of ash from Jasper National Park鈥檚 campgrounds.
During the summer of 2015, former Jasper resident Kim Wallace learned that each day during camping season, campground staff would scoop up ash and debris from dozens of fire pits in the park and put it into plastic garbage bags鈥攖he bags would then be double bagged and trucked off to the Jasper Transfer Station.
鈥淐onsidering Parks鈥� conservation mandate, I found it very disturbing,鈥� said Wallace in an interview. 鈥淚 had a picture of all these plastic bags from just one day on my Ipad and I kept seeing it...I just couldn鈥檛 let it go.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just so unnecessary to put something that is biodegradable into plastic bags that will end up sitting in a landfill.鈥�
In February 2016, Wallace emailed her frustrations to JNP superintendent Alan Fehr, urging him to reconsider the way Parks Canada disposes ash.
鈥淚 highly suggest that you consult with your campgrounds and waste management resources to come up with better ideas than the one used to deal with this issue in the summer of 2015,鈥� Wallace wrote in her email. 鈥淭his is shameful.鈥�
A few weeks later, Fehr wrote back to Wallace acknowledging her concerns and agreed there was an issue.
鈥淓ach year we review our waste management practices to take into consideration issues like this. We strive to improve our processes, take advantage of new products and innovative practices to manage waste in a way that protects our special places for future generations to enjoy,鈥� Fehr wrote to Wallace. 鈥淵our concern and suggestions will be part of the discussion this year.鈥�
However, in July 2016, Wallace said she found out Parks was still using the same process so she sent Fehr another email.
On behalf of Fehr, his executive assistant, Megan Vicente replied to Wallace. The email stated that JNP鈥檚 visitor experience and campground staff are working towards implementing a new approach for the summer of 2017.
鈥淚 felt like I was getting the runaround,鈥� Wallace said. 鈥淚t was a very rhetorical response.鈥�
Frustrated by the lack of action, Wallace contacted the JEA at the beginning of August. JEA member David Hatto said since being notified about the ash issue, the association plans to sit down with Parks staff to discuss an alternative solution.
鈥淏asically our stance is that something has to be done about it,鈥� Hatto said. 鈥淭here are solutions readily available.鈥�
Hatto suggested that Parks collect the ash in large bins鈥攚ithout the bags鈥攁nd then truck the ash off to a suitable area where it can decompose naturally.
鈥淎sh is very good for gardens in reasonable amounts because it has the right chemicals to assist with growth, but it can also be used for other purposes,鈥� Hatto said. 鈥淭he first thing is it鈥檚 biodegradable...ash won鈥檛 harm the environment provided it鈥檚 not too close to running water鈥攜ou don鈥檛 want it 10 feet from the Athabasca (River) because then you get too much concentration.鈥�
If Parks starts letting the ash decompose naturally, Hatto said the agency will also have to implement some sort of screening process to remove garbage.
鈥淭he only issue with that is what else is in the fire pits, but it wouldn鈥檛 be difficult to put a screen across a garbage bin when they dump the ash,鈥� Hatto said. 鈥淭he screen would remove any unwanted items like cans and melted plastic.鈥�
Steve Young, a communications officer with Parks Canada, confirmed that the agency is in the midst of reviewing its practices for ash removal from campgrounds in the park as part of a larger and more comprehensive look at its approach to waste management.
鈥淲ith respect to future ash collection and disposal, Parks Canada has reviewed industry standards and has been consulting with experts and will begin testing elements of new approaches in the next few weeks,鈥� Young said. 鈥淭his will allow for operational review and refinement prior to full implementation of a new process for 2017.鈥�
Kayla Byrne
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