AWARE O-M throws support behind recycling facility

Environmental group OK with proposed facility
By JENNIFER BURDEN, THE PACKET & TIMES January 10 2011
An outspoken watchdog and environmental group has thrown its support behind a proposed recycling facility in Oro-Medonte Township.

AWARE Oro-Medonte, a nonpartisan citizens environmental group that works for transparency and accountability in government, initially raised con-c erns about the potential Ontario Recycling facility at 18 Small Cresc., near the corner of Sideroad 15/16 East and Line 13 N.
“They sent a letter to us dealing directly with each question and answering it,” Ann Truyens, member of AWARE Oro-Medonte, said. ” They (addressed) each concern that we had. They bent over backwards to work with us.”
In November 2010, AWARE member Bernard Pope sent in a submission to the Ministry of the Environment’s (MoE) environmental registry raising concerns about leachate, waste storage, noise, dust and toxic gases coming from the facility. The MoE was looking for public feedback as part of the certificate of approval process for Ontario Recycling.
Those concerns have since been alleviated, as the facility will only operate as a material transfer station.
“We promote zero waste and this will make a huge impact on that,” Truyens said.
AWARE approached Conestoga-Rovers and Associates, the consulting firm working with Ontario Recycling, with the request to hold a public information meeting in the township.
They agreed to hold a meeting on Tuesday night at the Old Town Hall starting at 6:30 p.m., to discuss with all neighbouring property owners the proposed facility.
” The thing we’re really pleased with is how accommodating they have been to us. They have totally co-operated with us in a very transparent way,” Truyens said.
In Ontario Recycling’s application for site plan approval, the proposed facility’s operation would include sorting of primarily solid, non-hazardous construction and demolition materials.
Once enough material is collected, it would be shipped off-site for processing. The approximately 4.2 acre site, bought by the company in 2010, is zoned industrial with an economic d e v e l o pme nt classification.
The facility proposes to accept a maximum of 500 tonnes of waste per day, with a maximum annual amount of 151,000 tonnes. They expect 60 trucks (about five an hour) will enter and leave the facility each day.
“This operation, they have all their ducks in a row. It’s in an industrial location. It will not impact the environment. They have made sure all the steps are in place… They’re not going to have any hazardous material there,” Truyens said.
AWARE Oro-Medonte has been vehemently opposed to the proposed TRY Recycling plant, located at Line 7 and Old Barrie Road.
“We don’t have concerns at all. We want to show support to this company as opposed to TRY Recycling, which we are still fighting,” Truyens said. “We are hoping that once this facility is approved and goes ahead, there will not be a need for TRY Recycling, because it’s duplication.”
But Mayor Harry Hughes said his impression is that the facilities are “completely different types of operations.”
“The appearance I have is that they are not a processing (plant). They simply accumulate stuff for recycling and then ship it out somewhere to actually have the processing done,” he said. “The intent of TRY Recycling is to actually have things processed.”
Hughes said he didn’t know too much about the Ontario Recycling facility other than what he read on the site plan approval application.
He plans to attend the information meeting to learn more about the facility as well and expects the majority of council to do the same.
“I see what the application says ; sometimes you have to listen to all the details to know exactly how that translates into the actual operations,” he said. “I’m going to be looking to see if I’ve interpreted what I’m reading (correctly).”
The meeting is taking place on Tuesday night at the Old Town Hall, 833 Line 7 N. (corner of Line 7 North and Sideroad 15/16) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.