An environmental advocacy organization is calling the province’s promise of a full environmental assessment at the site of a proposed regenerative recycling facility north of Dresden “a good first step” — but says it’s “not enough.”
Environmental Defence issued a statement this week in response to an announcement made by Environment Minister Andrea Khanjin’s regarding York1’s plans to reopen and expand a dormant landfill on Irish School Road.
After hearing several concerns raised by the local community and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent about the proposal, Khanjin’s said she will be taking steps to ensure York1 completes a comprehensive environmental assessment under the Environmental Assessment Act.
Environmental Defence said the minister’s commitment does not go far enough.
Citing the potential contamination of a nearby creek that connects to the Sydenham River, potential at-risk species in the watershed, and negative impacts on the health and well-being of local residents, Environmental Defence said it is calling on the Ontario government to pull the plug on York1’s proposal altogether.
York1, which owns the property on Irish School Road, has made two applications to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks to amend the existing waste processing site Environmental Compliance Approval for a 35-hectare waste disposal site with an 8-hectare landfilling area and a 0.8-hectare waste processing site. The proposed amendments to the waste processing facility are also seeking to allow a maximum daily receiving rate of 6,000 tonnes per day of non-hazardous solid waste and 1,000 tonnes per day of residual waste for final disposal on an annual average basis. The amendments would also allow the landfill to operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
York1 has also purchased 300 acres of farmland surrounding the property.
Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff has also openly opposed the proposed landfill expansion, along with the rest of CK Council. He said those who disagree with York1’s proposal should continue to make their voices heard.
“We don’t agree with this, we don’t want it and we totally support the environmental assessment moving forward,” he said. The dump site is 40-50 years old and it wasn’t meant for this, it wasn’t even envisioned for this.”
Canniff added that in the meantime, the environmental assessment will ensure the project does not move forward anytime soon.
“[An EA] takes years and years and adds a significant cost to it, but we need to do that,” he said.
