Technologies, siting to be assessed for central composting facility

By Kate Harries AWARE Simcoe November 9 2011

The County has let a Request for Proposal to find consultants to review composting technologies, develop a process to select a supplier, and evaluate suitable sites.  The facility should be capable of handling new materials such as diapers and pet waste, and accommodation of organics from Barrie and Orillia, if the separated cities are interested, a staff report to today’s corporate services committee meeting states. 

The report also stipulates that a suitable location should provide adequate separation from adjacent land uses, convenient access to transportation routes and consideration of groundwater wells and surface water bodies in the vicinity. Council should receive recommendations on technologies in April 2012 and on siting of a central composting facility by October 2012.

Last month, County Council decided to extend curbside waste collection (with limits) to the Institutional, Commercial and Industrial sectors. Midland Deputy Mayor Stephan Kramp asked today what impact taking the extra waste will have on the County’s landfill capacity – extimated at six or seven years. “We could look at the issue and report back,” said engineering, planning and environment manager Rock Newlove. Could this have been useful information before council made the decision? 

At the MTP (Midland Tiny Penetanguishene) site, landfill effects were noted in the groundwater at seven observation wells and four residential wells.  The County is in the process of establishing a containment zone and the ministry has yet to issue a certificate of approval for the operations.  Kramp asked whether it’s appropriate for private wells to be used as “the canary in the coal mine.”

 That’s not a reasonable statement, replied CAO Mark Aitken. The private wells are monitored for “peace of mind,” as part of a “good neighbour strategy.” They’re not wells where contaminants might travel to, Aitken said. 

Kramp pulled back, stating that the term “canary” might have been considered more carefully.

With regard to other closed sites, the county has purchase lands to the north and west of Vespra site 14, to establish a contamination zone. A staff report states the site is operated in compliance with its certificate of approval, as are the Alliston, Essa, Elmvale-Flos, Flos South, Mara, Matchedash, Wasaga Beach, Bradford West Gwillimbury, and Collingwood incinerator and ash landfill sites. 

The environment ministry has approved elimination of monitoring program at the Mt. Saint Louis Landfill

For more detailed info, check Aecom reports, attached to Item 21 on CS agenda

Landfill-leachate-influenced groundwater from the Oro site is migrating in a southeasterly direction. The county has completed a large-scale remediation project there and the liner in the redeveloped landfill is containing leachate, a staff report states, and water quality is improving. The Medonte, Nottawasaga, Sunnidale and Tosorontio sites are operating within ministry guidelines. (However, as Site 41 veterans know, “reasonable use” allows for significant contamination.). The staff report states there is no “conclusive” evidence of off-site landfill impacts at the Collingwood site.

For more detailed info, check Trow Associates reports, attached to Item 20 on CS agenda

The corporate services committee approved an extra $250,000 to complete remediation of the closed Creemore landfill site. Initially, $490,000 was budgeted fot the project, but that amount was boosted to $600,000 in the spring after more testing revealed an increased volume of waste. Excavation began in September and even more waste was discovered, at greater depths (2 metres below the low water table which is approximately 7 metres below surface), and extending into an unopened right of way. The project has been discontinued for now as the groundwater table is  rising due to rainfall and will be completed next spring.

The county will undertake a study of the feasibility of providing recycling programs in public and open spaces. Experience elsewhere has found that contamination (when garbage is improperly thrown in with recyclable materials, making them useless and destined for the dump) is a major problem for such programs. The study will look at issues like signage, bin placement and design to improve the usefulness of such programs

The county will also study special events recycling. A pilot project at five events in 2010, including Oro World’s Fair and Carrot Fest, found significant contamination of materials that had to be sent to the dump. Staff recommend a continuation of the pilot, with specialized containers, improved signage and training for organizers.

The county has two dormant landfill sites that could be re-opened – Site 9 (Medonte), and Site 12 (Sunnidale). A report to the corporate services committee states that staff are concentrating efforts to get environment ministry approval for Site 12, which has 800,000m3 compared to 150,000m3 at Site 9.