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Call will discuss tsunami debris

Village and band council administrators and the RCMP will be holding a teleconference later this month to discuss growing concerns about tsunami debris on Haida Gwaii.Port Clements administrator Kim Mushysnky said she started to organize the call after getting questions from residents that she couldn't answer."I've had people come into the office saying they don't know what to do with the debris," she said.Many islanders have been clearing the flotsam - such as chunks of styrofoam and insulation, plastic bottles, and buoys - from local beaches. But there is no clear direction about what should be done with the material once it's off the beach.Ms Mushynsky said the residents she's talked to don't want to pay tipping fees at the dump to get rid of it. Some wonder if there is any way it could be recycled.The provincial government has been issuing information bulletins about the debris, advising residents to leave hazardous items alone, for example, and how to report the discovery of hazardous or personal material. But none of the information so far addresses the issue of who will pay to dispose of the debris.Ms Mushynksy said she has invited Jim Standen, co-chair of the Provincial Tsunami Debris Coordinating Committee, to join the conference call.