Ban on import or export of waste rescinded

By Kate Harries AWARE Simcoe October 26 2011

Despite reservations expressed by some, Simcoe County councillors voted unanimously yesterday in favour of rescinding a policy against importing or exporting waste because of an imminent shortage of landfill space (six years left, according to county estimates).

The policy did not apply to so-called commodity waste like organic green-bin material (which is trucked to Hamilton).

Oro-Medonte Deputy Mayor Ralph Hough said rescinding the ban gives county staff flexibility in exploring options with Barrie and Orillia, as well as Dufferin County, which is planning to build an energy-from-waste facility (incinerator).

Adjala-Tosorontio Deputy Mayor Mary Small Brett said she believes Dufferin’s charge for taking Simcoe County will be “reasonable.”

Still, Innisfil Mayor Barb Baguley cautioned, “when you rescind this rule, it goes both ways.” Dufferin may look for a “:reciprocal benefit,” she suggested, for instance that Simcoe County take the toxic waste ash produced by the incinerator.

Tiny Mayor Ray Millar challenged the assumption “that the waste that ends up here is somehow ‘our’ waste.” The waste exists because of design flaws at the manufacturing end, he said, and “we need to push back on this issue.”

Midland Mayor Gord McKay noted that waste should be considered a resource – for instance if Styrofoam can be processed in Hamilton, it makes sense to send it there. But, he expressed concern that there’s a danger of complacency if waste can be sent elsewhere. “We must make sure that we do not feed the waste beast,” he said. “My concern is that we wake up some day and we’re shipping everything out of Simcoe County.”

CAO Mark Aitken assured McKay that council will be involved in making decisions at every stage.

Councillor ratified the corporate services committee’s recommendation to allow for bids on one, two, three or four collection areas and to retain the two-envelope bid system, which permits staff to pre-qualify bidders according to a point system, and not even open the bid of any contractor who does not make the grade.

The advantage is that staff don’t waste time evaluating bids from contractors who are not going to be able to provide good service.

Penetanguishene Mayor Gerry Marshall, who argued vigorously against the system at the corporate service committee, noted that only a handful – up to seven – of firms are likely to be bidding. Oro-Medonte Deputy Mayor Ralph Hough echoed his concerns, as did Ramara’s Basil Clarke. “I was elected to buy the best service at the best cost, I can’t do that if I don’t see all the information,” Clarke said.

Springwater Deputy Mayor Dan McLean, a retired provincial civil servant, said he has used the two-envelope system. “I promote it, I agree with it, it’s very defensible.” And so the vote went.

Despite pushback from rural municipalities – Tay, Severn, Adjala-Tosorontio, Ramara – councillors voted by a large majority to bring in a uniform leaf and yard waste pickup service for all county residents.

“Sixty per cent of my residents will never use this service but will be paying for it,”grumbled Tay Mayor Scott Warnock.

Ramara’s Clarke questioned “how did leaves and grass ever become a curbside product that we’re responsible for?” Residents should compost their leaves, he said, and if they don’t want to, there should be a tag system for full user pay.

But Innisfil’s Baguley said residents on small lots don’t have space for leaf and yard waste and in fact, in areas like Sandy Cove Acres, want more frequent pickup.

Environmental services director Rob McCullough, responding to a question from Penetanguishene Deputy Mayor Marion about the vacuuming equipment used by Midland and Penetang, said the county will be requiring bagged leaves.

Midland Deputy Mayor Stephan Kramp, who had passionately defended the paperless, tree-saving vacuum system at the corporate services committee meeting earlier this month, backed down, saying he had been persuaded by his colleagues to support the county system. “I do listen sometimes,” he said.

KH note: If you have a corner for a bin to allow your leaves to sit and break down for a year, there is no better mulch. And beware the leaf blower, it contributes to “fugitive dust” which is implicated in a wide range of respiratory diseases (p 11, The New American Landscape: Leading Voices on the Future of Sustainable Gardening – Timber Press.)

Council voted in favour of a system that will allow residents to call the county and ask for pickup of bulky waste items, at any time between June 1 and August 31. It will be a user-pay system, costing between $35 and $50 for up to five items. The service will be contracted out separately from curbside collection, and this means the items will collected in flat trucks and not be compacted, allowing for reuse or easy separation into divertible materials. This replaces the current designated pickup days, paid for under the waste levy.