Another issue that came up to my attention in the last few weeks, is GVRD's dilemma (23 proposed sites) to find a new place to dump the garbage! Here is more technical information about one of our contemporary urban problems...
The concerns initially began when the estimated closing time for the now nearly full Cache Creek landfill was approaching. Cache Creek, one of three local waste dumps (the other two are Burns Bog landfill and Burnaby incinerator), is the end of a journey for 500,000 tonnes of waste generated annually in our region. The Cache Creek landfill is expected to be full by the end of 2008.
Cache Creek was opened in 1989 in an area appropriate for a long-term solid waste disposal site because of its dry climate, suitable geology and good access to highway.
ASHCROFT
Ashcroft is only 15 kilometers south of Cache Creek and has the same dry climate and suitable geology.
The Ashcroft site is owned and would be subsequently run by the GVRD, therefore preventing any private company from overcharging for services and tipping fees.
Also, the well-trained waste management employees, truck drivers, and many more key players at the Cache Creek waste facility could easily be transferred to the new Ashcroft landfill.
But, First Nations asserted their disapproval and concern about the possible effects of Ashcroft landfill on Thomson River Valley’s water table, with the threat of court action.
BURNABY INCINERATOR
Another option submitted to the GVRD is the proposal of Burnaby operators Montenay Inc. to increase their existing incinerator capacity by 80 percent.
As I mentioned in the previous postings, incinerators still require a landfill for waste that simply does not burn and for disposal of the hazardous ash generated.
But, increasing the capacity of a local incinerator can have various troubling effects on the Fraser Valley region.
BURNS BOG
Burns Bog at 4,000 hectares is the largest urban green space in Canada, roughly ten times the size of Stanley Park.
The southern portion of this internationally known ecological phenomena is where the City of Vancouver dumps its garbage in a landfill.
An additional suggestion for the waste currently being disposed at Cache Creek is to be transported to Vancouver landfill, Burns Bog, Delta.
This landfill currently has a life expectancy of 40 years. It is reported that diverting more garbage to the Vancouver landfill in Delta would cut its life expectancy from 40 to 20 years.
HIGHLAND VALLEY COPPER MINE
The Highland Valley Copper mine is the largest copper mine in Canada and one of the largest copper mining and concentrating operations in the world.
It is owned and operated by Teck Cominco Ltd. The nearest community to the Highland Valley Mine is Logan Lake, 60 kilometer south of Kamloops and 320 kilometers east of Vancouver, BC.
This is the Thompson Nicola region of BC, an area of hills, desert, the large and spectacular Thompson River, and a number of large provincial parks.
Its substantial open pits can now be filled up with waste and the the ore removal transportation network has already created the required roads to get down to the lowest points in the pits.
Above were just a few examples of the proposed sites, and there are some other options such as transferring the waste to Washington State or our Canadian neighbor, Alberta.
However, a final decision is yet to come...
The questions that may come to mind are; How are we being affected by this decision making?
How will the final decision affect us on a social and economical level?
* If you may be interested in the rest of proposed sites, you can check them out at GVRD's website.
1 comment:
Back in the early '90's, I was up in Cache Creek and heard a song about local resentment of the landfill there:
"Cache Creek is a dumpsite/ trash is our goldmine...."
Last weekend, Stephen Rees blogged about a local initative considering this current campaign about the need for a new landfill a "manufactured crisis".
An alternative to immediately seeking new landfill space, posed by the GVRD board last year, would be a serious waste reduction challenge. Municipal composting programs, increased Producer Responsibility, and better knowledge & use of existing recycling programs would all go a long way towards extending landfill life.
Here's hoping that the political will could be found to begin genuinely sustainable waste management. I'm most excited by the Producer Responsibility aspect, because it sounds like that might be the ticket to convince producers to eliminate overpackaging and make products actually reusable/recyclable.
According to the "Zero Waste Challenge" citizen's group announcement, "Environment Minister Penner has said that eventually all products will be covered by these laws, leaving local governments responsible only for organic materials — a 75% reduction in municipal waste."
I wonder how much clout the GVRD would have with global producers to make them cooperate. If the GVRD were a pioneer in this area, I bet other regions would soon follow suit. We're certainly not the only region with a landfill crisis.
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