A coastal haze drifted over the city of Prince Rupert mid-January, and this time it wasn’t the fog.
Once a year, the Harbour Debris Society sorts and burns debris that has been deemed hazardous for navigation in the harbour. Throughout the year, debris is collected and dropped off at Osbourne Cove, in the north end of Tuck Inlet.
Only natural materials are burned, such as debris from river washouts, or debris from the beach that finds its way into water at high tides. The Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) said that derelict vessels and treated wood are not burned.
READ MORE: Port Edward Harbour Authority applies for funding to remove abandoned boats under new ban
The society has a permit from the BC Ministry of Environment to burn materials from Jan. 9 until Jan. 17. Osborne Cove is on provincial Crown land.
“While PRPA does not manage the society, members of our staff have in the past and currently hold elected positions on its board of directors. The society relies on donations it receives from marine-related businesses, and PRPA supports the society financially through an annual contribution of $50,000, as well as in-kind towing of debris with our harbour patrol vessel,” said Monika Coté, communications coordinator for the port, in an email.
In 2018, there was 163 hours of towing and 400 cubic meters of material are currently being burned in Tuck Inlet.
The Harbour Debris Society has been around since 1983, when it was first was incorporated as a non-profit group. The society’s intention is to control and reduce danger to navigation in the harbour.
One of the biggest burns was in 2011 when approximately 2000 cubic metres of debris was set on fire.
READ MORE: Shoreline cleanups around the coast
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