Backhaul 2023/24

Map of Winter Roads

This winter season, FNWM has once again been supporting remote Northern communities to prepare for the 2023/24 Backhaul season. The removal of waste and recyclable materials from these communities takes place in a very short timeframe, usually from January to March. Winter road conditions have not been ideal (due to unusually warm weather) but thanks to the efforts of transporters and community landfill staff, loads have been successfully transported this year.

In November and January the Pathfinders traveled out to Northlands, St. Theresa Point, Wasagamack, and Bunibonibee. The intention of these trips was to assist the communities by preparing load plans, staging materials, and filling out transport documents. FNWM is taking on a greater role in coordinating these efforts in the future, with our team planning on leading the next backhaul season preparations.

Example of a load plan for Backhaul

Backhaul Diversion numbers:

• Bunibonibee – 3 loads out: 
• Load 1 – 114 scrap appliances (13060 lbs) 
• Load 2 – 900 tires
• Load 3 – 36 cardboard bales

• Northlands – 4 loads out: 
• Load 1 – scrap appliances (13720 lbs)
• Load 2 – Scrap metal (16780 lbs, hot water tanks, furnaces), e-waste (2 pallets) 
• Load 3 – 10 Household recycling totes, scrap appliances (12980 lbs), 5 boxes household batteries
• Load 4 – 10 Household recycling totes, scrap appliances (2040 lbs), e-waste (3 totes, 1 pallet), 24 boxes fluorescent lights

• St. Theresa Point – 2 loads prepared, but not removed due to Ice Road challenges

• Wasagamack – 1 load out:
• Load 1 – mixed hazardous
  • 2 pallets Lead Acid Batteries
  • 180 Tires (7866 lbs)
  • Scrap appliances (9214 lbs)

• Sayisi Dene – 1 load out:
• 18 totes household recycling
• 18 scrap appliances
• 4 waste totes (Construction waste)

FNWM would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the landfill staff of these northern communities. Backhaul is a specialized process that only they have had to learn and navigate. This includes all the extra labor of staging the materials as well as physically loading the semi-trucks and following transportation procedures. Your hard work does not go unnoticed, great job to all the landfill staff involved!