Jeff Nagel and Kevin Mills, Black Press, January 08, 2010
Metro Vancouver’s aim to incinerate more garbage instead of dumping it is in doubt now that a huge expansion of the Cache Creek regional landfill has won environmental approval.
The $100-million 42-hectare expansion would extend the lifespan of the nearly full dump by another 17 to 25 years.
“What this means is there’s an option on the table that some people said wasn’t available to Metro Vancouver,” environment minister Barry Penner said Wednesday after issuing the environmental assessment certificate.
The minister continues to urge a thorough look at the alternatives.
“They should not underestimate the challenges of getting public support in the Lower Mainland for waste-to-energy given the concerns about air quality in the Fraser Valley,” he said.
Abbotsford Coun. Patricia Ross said the announcment “certainly eliminates the argument of no options” but has doubts whether Metro will alter its focus on incinerators.
She also emphasized the landfill expansion is still a stop gap solution, believing the “aggressive pursuit” of other methods, including more recycling and composting, are key.
Metro politicians voted two years ago to phase out Interior landfilling because the Cache Creek site was nearly full and a replacement seemed unlikely to gain approval.
Metro has since embarked on the controversial pursuit of new waste-to-energy plants, raising the ire of air quality defenders in the Fraser Valley and recycling advocates who oppose burning waste.
Surrey Coun. Marvin Hunt, Metro’s waste management chair, sees no reason to alter course.
“I’m still thoroughly convinced that waste-to-energy is the route we should be going,” he said.
Landfilling pollutes the air and soil more than incineration, he said.
The existing waste-to-energy plant in Burnaby made $10 million last year by generating electricity and heat, he noted, compared to the $30 million it cost Metro to landfill the rest of its waste.
Hunt said he views the certification as simply another approval by the province – a former pulp mill at Gold River on Vancouver Island also has its approvals in place to incinerate waste. And he said both present options for various B.C. communities.
Until Victoria formally rejects incineration and orders Metro to landfill, he said, the regional board should continue to pursue what it believes is best.
Hunt also said he’s “amazed” Penner okayed the expansion when some of the same aboriginal leaders who opposed the Ashcroft Ranch site are fighting the Cache Creek expansion.
The Cache Creek landfill takes about one third of the waste Metro Vancouver generates, as well as garbage from the City of Abbotsford and the Powell River and Thompson Nicola regional districts.
The expansion would open up an adjacent area to dump 12.6 million tonnes of garbage.
Without Metro on board, however, the economics of the expansion plan are questionable.
Metro’s board plans to consult the Fraser Valley regional district board later this month on its waste-to-energy strategy, before seeking broader public input.
To build a new incinerator it must adopt a new solid waste management plan, which requires provincial approval.
