Summerside ponders what to do with Dorian debris

It's been almost seven weeks since Dorian made landfall on P.E.I., but its effects are still being felt throughout the province.

In Summerside, officials are trying to figure out what to do with a huge mass of toppled trees and other debris collected from properties after the post-tropical storm swept over the Island.

"We do have a big pile of debris that we're going to have to figure out what we're going to do with," said Gordon MacFarlane, the deputy chief administrative officer for the city of Summerside.

For now, the pile of debris is piled up in a field near one of the city's wind turbines.

MacFarlane said he's spoken to a number of companies about chipping the materials, but it doesn't seem to be a viable option.

"The pile of debris basically has too much dirt and other large stumps and other material in it," he said, addingthe city is also considering a controlled burn for the debris.

"If that becomes the most viable option, then more than likely we would let the material sit for a year or so to dry out."

'Not doing any harm'

MacFarlane couldn't say how many tons of material there is.

He also said he doesn't know when a decision will be made but he isn't concerned.

"It's not doing any harm where it is right now. It doesn't affect the wind turbine at all," he said.

He said the city is trying to figure out the most environmentally-friendly and cost-effective way of dealing with the pile.

"For us it's about making the right decision, not making a decision really quickly," he said.

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