Recycling program removes wrecks from Nain, Hopedale

There's no road into Nain or Hopedale, but a recycling program has removed 114 vehicles from dumps in the northern Labrador communities.

Volunteers and locals have crushed 118 fridges and freezers,and 215 other appliances,into scrap metal, ready to ship south on the cargo shipAstron.

It's been done through a program called Tundra Take-Back, whichis run by the environmental non-profit Summerhill Impact.

Program director Jennifer Court says the group found "quite a pile" of old cars and trucks in Labrador67 in Nain and 47 in Hopedale.

Vehicles need to be 'hulked'

"The challenge really is that they are so bulky, and both for safety and regulatory reasons the vehicles need to be de-polluted before they can be transported out of the communities," Court told CBC'sLabrador Morning.

"Typically there are a lot of fluids. Gas,various kinds of oils, antifreeze and windshield washer fluid and then a few other more solid pollutants," Court added.

"Many older vehicles contain mercury switches. There could be lead wheel weights around the rims, which are used for ballasting, and of course the batteries."

Court said small, remote communities don't have the skills or the money to clean up the waste.

Tundra Take-Back brings in volunteers and hires local people and equipment to do the job.Typically, it spends a week to 10 days on the ground.

Court said the vehicle cleanup is a chance to remove other scrap and waste.Before vehicles are crushed into "hulks,"they are filled with fridges, freezers, oil drums and other discarded metal.

"What that does is further clean up the dump and also adds to the amount of scrap that we're going to be recycling." said Court.

"So there is a value associated with that scrap, and then all of that money will go back into the program, into the community."

Impressed with 'before and after'

Tundra Take-Back started as a pilot project in Nunavut, before moving to Labrador. Court said funding comes from the Nunatsiavutgovernment, Inuit Pathways and the Automotive Recyclers of Canada.

She said everyone worked hard in Nain and Hopedale, and her group "was impressed with the before and after."

Now, Courthopes the local program can operate on its ownto de-pollute vehicles as soon as they come off the road.

"Because as the vehicles sit there over time there are a lot of risks associated with them rusting out," said Court. "If there's a fire, anything like that releases pollutants into the air, water and soil."

Here's the Tundra Take-Back total haul:

• 114 vehicles
• 118 fridges/freezers
• 215 other appliances
• 600 drums
• 31 diesel tanks