Kelly Sinoski, Vancouver Sun, July 21, 2010
Covanta Energy and Green Island Energy will hold an open house in Gold River on Vancouver Island tonight to pitch their plans for a "thermal electric power plant" capable of converting 750,000 tonnes of post-recycled solid municipal waste per year to clean energy.
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Everyone wants to make money off the garbage |
The open house is being held the same day that Metro Vancouver's waste management committee is expected to come back with recommendations on the region's draft solid-waste management plan. The controversial plan proposes that Metro build at least one incinerator in the region to handle about 500,000 tonnes of waste that is now being trucked to the Cache Creek landfill. The Interior dump is slated to close in 2012.
Covanta has been intensely lobbying Metro Vancouver to locate the incinerator in their Vancouver Island community near Strathcona Park, saying it would provide much needed jobs.
In an advertisement promoting the open house, Covanta and Green Energy say they are proposing to develop the thermal electric power plant on the site of the former Gold River Pulp and Paper Mill. The meeting is being held to provide an update on the proposal, as well as information on permit applications under the Environment Management Act.
Metro Vancouver chairwoman Lois Jackson said she believes the open house is Covanta's way of keeping its name at the forefront of the incinerator debate, which will wrap up at the end of the month when Metro Vancouver makes a decision on the solid-waste management plan.
Jackson said Covanta's decision to apply for a permit is no different than one made by the proponents of the Cache Creek landfill. The province has since granted an extension to the Cache Creek dump if Metro decides to continue operating it.
"We've got so many people coming out of the mousetrap with different options," Jackson said. "Everyone wants to make money off the garbage and you can really see it coming out now. But some of the complications for the region is what is this going to cost?
"It was the same in Cache Creek. But it's still our garbage; we have to make sure what we're doing goes to a competitive bid and it's the best we can get for taxpayers and the best for the environment."
The draft solid-waste management plan has been mired in controversy. Residents in the Fraser Valley argue an incinerator will pollute the valley, while first nations in Cache Creek and Ashcroft say the dump is contaminating their water supply.
Metro Vancouver produces about 1.4 million tonnes of garbage every year. The draft solid-waste management plan aims to raise recycling rates from 55 per cent of garbage today to 70 per cent by 2015, with the remaining 30 per cent -- about one million tonnes -- burned or buried.
Metro has said it wants to move away from landfills in favour of burning waste, noting incinerators would bring in $10 million in revenue, provide hot water and heat to neighbouring buildings and stimulate the economy. By comparison, running the Cache Creek dump costs about $30 million a year.
But at least four municipalities, including Vancouver, have said they won't support the proposal for a $470-million regional incinerator until Metro has reduced its waste, boosted recycling rates and explored other options to deal with excess garbage. The solid waste plan will have to be approved by the provincial government.
ksinoski@vancouversun.com
