Glenda Luymes, The Province, May 16, 2010
A new poll shows 59 per cent of Fraser Valley residents who know about Metro Vancouver's proposed plans for garbage incineration oppose them -- and 74 per cent connect the issue to the fight against Sumas Energy 2.
Although the controversy surrounding SE2, a proposed Washington state power plant, ended five years ago, Fraser Valley residents seem to equate the two projects, according to an Angus Reid survey released Friday.
That could be bad news for Metro Vancouver politicians who hope incineration will solve the region's garbage problems.
According to the poll, 74 per cent of Fraser Valley residents closely followed the SE2 proceedings and connect it with the garbage-incineration issue.
The poll also found that, given the choice between incineration and composting and recycling all waste, residents were most likely to choose composting and recycling (66 per cent) over incineration (10 per cent).
Although 100-per-cent recycling is not yet possible in the region, incineration opponents said the poll shows residents are not in favour of burning garbage to create energy if it means harming air quality.
"This new poll confirms our conviction that Metro Vancouver does not have accurate information for opinions and concerns of the vast majority of Fraser Valley residents," said environmentalist John Vissers.
