How do you safely search a landfill? And other questions about possible search for remains of 2 women

Emotions are running high with the leak of a feasibility study outlining ways to approach the search of a Winnipeg area landfill for the remains of two Indigenous women killed last year.

Police believe the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran — two of four victims of an alleged serial killer — were deposited last year at Prairie Green landfill northwest of Winnipeg.

First Nations leaders, advocates and loved ones feel the study supports plausible paths forward to search Prairie Green. 

Manitoba's premier has been reluctant to financially or otherwise support the search, pointing to potential safety hazards highlighted in the report.

There are also considerable financial costs and timelines associated with searching outlined in the report, contrasted against broader social impacts to loved ones and community members tied with not searching.

CBC News has compiled answers to a series of common questions about the report below.

In December, Winnipeg police suggested the scope and scale of a search wasn't feasible.

Between December 2022 and March of this year, a consortium of First Nations-led groups asked for and obtained federal government funding for a search feasibility study of Prairie Green.

Oversight and technical subcommittees were tasked with answering key questions: is such a search feasible, and if so, how could it be done, what would it cost and how long might it take?

The report was leaked in full late last month. 

On the high end, a search could entail going through about 62,000 tonnes of debris.

The report reviews a variety of possibilities, including the use of cadaver dogs specifically trained to sniff out gasses associated with decomposing remains.

In a scenario where dogs are used as the primary search tool, rows of debris would be excavated and lined up for them to go through.

But relying on dogs and their handlers comes with limitations given the size of area and vast volume of odorous materials, the report states.