Waste Management Responds to its Proposed Ottawa Landfill Expansion
Waste Management of Canada (WM) responded
today with facts to address the misinformation regarding its proposed Ottawa
landfill expansion.
Greater Toronto Area Waste
It has been reported that the proposed expansion could accommodate waste
from the Greater Toronto Area with specific reference to the company's
contract with the Region of Peel. This is false. WM has no plans to accept
waste from Toronto or any other municipality within the GTA.
Waste Management signed a 20-year contract to dispose of the Region of
Peel's solid waste in October 2005. This waste is currently being disposed of
in Michigan. In the event of a US / Canada border closure, WM would be
responsible for disposing the Region's waste at one or more of WM's Ontario
landfill sites which could accommodate the waste. This will not include the
Ottawa facility. It is important to note that WM will continue to reserve up
to 90 per cent of it's Ottawa landfill capacity for the City of Ottawa with
the remaining 10 per cent allocated for eastern Ontario.
Important Component of City's Integrated Waste Management Strategy
The City's new Official Plan recognizes the role and siting of WM's
Ottawa waste management facility. The extension of waste management operations
is consistent with this land use designation and an important component of an
integrated waste management strategy for the City of Ottawa. Our proposed
extension will provide an environmentally safe disposal solution for current
and future waste management needs.
What is the Process?
WM will be undertaking a comprehensive Environmental Assessment (EA)
process that will consider the interests of the public and the environment.
This process is expected to continue for two to three years.
The first step in this process is the preparation of a draft Terms of
Reference document, -- a detailed plan for how WM intends to conduct the EA.
After WM receives input from the community, a Terms of Reference will be
submitted - anticipated in May 2006 - to the Ontario Minister of the
Environment for approval. Following the Minister's approval, the EA will then
be initiated, with WM conducting further public consultations on the details
of the proposed expansion with the Ministry of the Environment providing
oversight and guidance throughout.
Public Consultation
Waste Management is committed to ensuring that its neighbours and the
community are informed of the company's activities surrounding the proposed
expansion and hosted an Open House on Tuesday, February 7, 2006. The company
is hosting another Open House scheduled at Ecole Jean Paul II from 6:00 to
9:00 p.m. in Stittsville.
WM has distributed a community newsletter to residents in the immediate
vicinity of the landfill, launched a website (ottawalandfill.wm.com) and
established an information line (1 866 332-6145) to provide the community with
the latest information about the proposed expansion.
The Proposed Expansion
On January 12, 2006, WM announced its proposal to extend its waste
management operations to meet the recycling, composting and landfill capacity
needs of a rapidly expanding City of Ottawa. WM plans to capture the landfill
gas and use it to generate 4 megawatts and eventually approximately
13 megawatts of electricity, which is enough power to supply up to 13,000
homes every day.
"This extension of operations is absolutely necessary to meet the needs
of a thriving and growing city over the next 25 years," explained Michael
Walters, WM's Senior District Manager of Landfills for Eastern Canada. "It is
an important component of an integrated waste management strategy for the City
of Ottawa to provide an environmentally safe disposal solution for current and
future waste management needs. What's key to our proposal is that we will
continue to reserve up to 90 per cent of our landfill's capacity for the City
of Ottawa."
The environmentally safe, multi-purpose facility will be designed, built
and operated in accordance with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment's
strict landfill regulations. Among other initiatives, the facility will
further enhance the environmental protection of the ground water by building a
double composite liner system that's more than three metres thick and includes
leachate collection and treatment along with systems for the comprehensive
monitoring of groundwater, surface water and landfill gas.
Waste Management
today with facts to address the misinformation regarding its proposed Ottawa
landfill expansion.
Greater Toronto Area Waste
It has been reported that the proposed expansion could accommodate waste
from the Greater Toronto Area with specific reference to the company's
contract with the Region of Peel. This is false. WM has no plans to accept
waste from Toronto or any other municipality within the GTA.
Waste Management signed a 20-year contract to dispose of the Region of
Peel's solid waste in October 2005. This waste is currently being disposed of
in Michigan. In the event of a US / Canada border closure, WM would be
responsible for disposing the Region's waste at one or more of WM's Ontario
landfill sites which could accommodate the waste. This will not include the
Ottawa facility. It is important to note that WM will continue to reserve up
to 90 per cent of it's Ottawa landfill capacity for the City of Ottawa with
the remaining 10 per cent allocated for eastern Ontario.
Important Component of City's Integrated Waste Management Strategy
The City's new Official Plan recognizes the role and siting of WM's
Ottawa waste management facility. The extension of waste management operations
is consistent with this land use designation and an important component of an
integrated waste management strategy for the City of Ottawa. Our proposed
extension will provide an environmentally safe disposal solution for current
and future waste management needs.
What is the Process?
WM will be undertaking a comprehensive Environmental Assessment (EA)
process that will consider the interests of the public and the environment.
This process is expected to continue for two to three years.
The first step in this process is the preparation of a draft Terms of
Reference document, -- a detailed plan for how WM intends to conduct the EA.
After WM receives input from the community, a Terms of Reference will be
submitted - anticipated in May 2006 - to the Ontario Minister of the
Environment for approval. Following the Minister's approval, the EA will then
be initiated, with WM conducting further public consultations on the details
of the proposed expansion with the Ministry of the Environment providing
oversight and guidance throughout.
Public Consultation
Waste Management is committed to ensuring that its neighbours and the
community are informed of the company's activities surrounding the proposed
expansion and hosted an Open House on Tuesday, February 7, 2006. The company
is hosting another Open House scheduled at Ecole Jean Paul II from 6:00 to
9:00 p.m. in Stittsville.
WM has distributed a community newsletter to residents in the immediate
vicinity of the landfill, launched a website (ottawalandfill.wm.com) and
established an information line (1 866 332-6145) to provide the community with
the latest information about the proposed expansion.
The Proposed Expansion
On January 12, 2006, WM announced its proposal to extend its waste
management operations to meet the recycling, composting and landfill capacity
needs of a rapidly expanding City of Ottawa. WM plans to capture the landfill
gas and use it to generate 4 megawatts and eventually approximately
13 megawatts of electricity, which is enough power to supply up to 13,000
homes every day.
"This extension of operations is absolutely necessary to meet the needs
of a thriving and growing city over the next 25 years," explained Michael
Walters, WM's Senior District Manager of Landfills for Eastern Canada. "It is
an important component of an integrated waste management strategy for the City
of Ottawa to provide an environmentally safe disposal solution for current and
future waste management needs. What's key to our proposal is that we will
continue to reserve up to 90 per cent of our landfill's capacity for the City
of Ottawa."
The environmentally safe, multi-purpose facility will be designed, built
and operated in accordance with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment's
strict landfill regulations. Among other initiatives, the facility will
further enhance the environmental protection of the ground water by building a
double composite liner system that's more than three metres thick and includes
leachate collection and treatment along with systems for the comprehensive
monitoring of groundwater, surface water and landfill gas.
Waste Management
posted by PondPine.com at 7:53 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home