Plan
calls for west end site to more than triple
By
CHRIS GILLCASH
for Metro Ottawa
Spurred by concerned west end residents, some
Ottawa councillors yesterday vowed to fight
a proposed expansion of the Carp Road Landfill
that would more than triple the site’s
capacity within four years.
“This is visual pollution,” said
Coun. Janet Stavinga (Goulbourn ward). “There
is a great amount of concern for the surrounding
communities.” Stavinga suggests there
are significant omissions in a report that Waste
Management of Canada, the owner of the landfill
site, will present to Ottawa’s planning
and environment committee on Tuesday. The draft
copy contains terms of reference for the expansion
of the site — from eight to 26 million
cubic metres capacity — which is the first
step to receiving provincial approval to expand.
But Stavinga said the report lacks reference
to neighbouring residential communities' concerns
and odour complaints. “The company has
not provided adequate answers to some of my
questions,” she said. “This makes
one cynical of the process that is being undertaken.”
Coun. Peggy Feltmate (Kanata)
said it’s still early in the process,
but there must be more public input into the
proposal. She will table a motion next week
to extend the consultation process by up to
45 days. “The proposed expansion is much
bigger than what I was forewarned about when
the idea was first circulated,” she said.
The city should be studying innovative new ways
to dispose of waste, including examining incinerator
technology currently being used in Europe, Feltmate
said, adding, “It’s a red flag that
we need to expand existing dumps.”
Michael Walters, a senior manager for Waste
Management, said the expansion is necessary
to support the city’s growing needs. The
project will include an increased ability to
recycle and compost material, as well as capture
gases for the hydro grid. “The lifespan
of the area landfills is quickly running out,”
he said. “I live in this community and
I have a vested interest that this works.”
Rumours about the possibility of Toronto garbage
ending up at Carp are unfounded, he said, adding
that 90 per cent of the landfill is reserved
for Ottawa garbage, with the remainder reserved
for other eastern Ontario communities. “There’s
been a lot of misinformation surrounding this
proposal,” he said. “We’re
putting forward a solution.”
Metro Ottawa
Feb 24, 2006
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