By Kate Harries WaterWatch
Stantec has little faith in the ability of Simcoe County residents to effect change.
The County’s consultant predicts that, with a “significant” change in behaviour, the most Simcoe County residents can hope to divert is 70 per cent of their waste within 10 years (the present rate is 54 per cent).
A “profound” change in behaviour could lead to a 76 per cent diversion rate by 2029.
“So much for Zero Waste,” commented Gord McKay, the committee’s vice-chair, disputing the assumptions Stantec has made and noting that changes in process can fundamentally alter outcomes.
“Yes, it is going to take change, but if we don’t pursue the path to change, we will never get there,” McKay said.
Stantec’s conclusions are based on computer modelling, using diversion rate improvements in other areas that have resulted from specific policy changes like using clear garbage bags or adding pet waste and diapers to the green bin.
McKay, who is the chair of Zero Waste Simcoe, said he asked Ken Donnelly, who led a study commissioned by ZWS on the job potential of a green economy, the best way of increasing the diversion rate.
The answer: Two simple measures – banning recyclable materials from landfill sites, and making recycling mandatory – could lead to a 70 per cent rate within three or four years.
With additional measures, the County can probably attain 75 per cent within three to five years, McKay said.
“If our society can only get 76 per cent by 2029, we should all be ashamed of ourselves,” he added, asking Ralph: “Are we going to see any more analysis of what is possible?”
“The 76 per cent number represents to the best of our knowledge right now what the maximum number would be,” Ralph replied.
“How do I explain the Town of Markham, Ontario, a very large community that’s currently sitting at 71 per cent, in the year 2008?” McKay asked. “This is 20 years in the future.”
Ralph replied that Simcoe County manages a system that’s more complex than Markham’s.
The consultant’s recommendations will be put to the committee at its next meeting, March 29. The committee can chose whether to adopt or change them, and after more public consultation, a strategy will be finalized and forwarded to County Council for a decision.
On Tuesday, when Nickolas Rowe pointed out that many members of the public are questioning the haste with which the strategy is being devised, committee chair Gord Wauchope explained that County Council doesn’t want to leave the matter to the council that’s elected in October. However, he said, if the job can’t be completed by June, so be it. “I don’t want to rush it.”
Rowe also questioned Environmental Services Director Rob McCullough on the difference between his estimate under oath in court last summer of the landfill capacity remaining in the county (10 to 20 years) and the 5-6 years presently estimated by Stantec.
McCullough said subsequent information from Genivar, the consultant that monitors the county’s landfills, indicated there was substantially less capacity than previously estimated but – (SDS41 note: good news!) – the latest 2009 figures “actually make the future look a little brighter.” (SDS41 note: no exact numbers yet.)
Based on the 76 per cent figure, Stantec calculates that Simcoe County will have to find disposal for up to 963,000 tonnes of waste by 2029.
Ralph said Stantec will be recommending continued operation of the County’s three landfill sites (Site 10 – Nottawasaga, Site 11 – Oro and Site 13 – Tosorontio) and getting MOE approval of Design and Operations reports for Site 9 – Medonte and Site 12 – Sunnidale, for use if needed.
Under questioning by McKay, she said that no new landfills are being recommended.
She said the amount of waste generated under the 76 per cent diversion scenario would be too small to justify the County developing its own garbage processing facility, although it could enter into partnerships with other municipalities (for a facility either in or out of the county).
Mystery man: Public member Mark Guthrie, a Clearview Township resident who works for municipal consultants Ainley and Associates in Collingwood, has yet to make his mark on the process. He keeps his mouth shut.
That’s in sharp contradistinction to some members of the public gallery who felt compelled to offer guidance during the committee’s proceedings Tuesday.
Such contributions may be channelled to the end of the meeting if County Council approves a motion passed by the committee to allow a 15-minute question period for the public at each waste strategy meeting.
Memo from administration: This would be a radical departure from current County practice.
See the Stantec presentation to the committee (Phase 2 Task F Update) by linking to the County’s waste management strategy page.
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This is becoming more farcical by the week. Stantec and Genivar are consultants who live off the misplaced generosity of the taxpayers.
No business would pay for garbage of the sort being passed off as ‘research,’ in this process.
Here is the bottom line: we cannot afford to waste money on consultants and contractors who have a vested interest in making sure that there is as much waste as possible. And make a living off landfill and incineration.
Zero Waste is a practical solution and it will allow us to create jobs, in Simcoe county, for our own people, immediately.
We are living in very bad times, economically, we can no longer afford to be governed by Councillors who make the spending habits of drunken sailors on crack look sensible.
Back to basics. No more consultants. No more spin doctors. No more over-paid County staff. Compost the bovine manure.
Councillors: if you can’t run the county you shouldn’t run for election.
Right on the money, Chris! You sum it up beautifully.
I can visualise everything in your last two lines being displayed on banners and picket/election signs.
COME ON, OCTOBER!!
So the County of Simcoe is asking us to trust Stantec’s computer modeling that is based on subsequent information gathered by Genivar. How could landfill capacity shrink by approximately 10 years in a few months? Should we not be just a little suspicious of capacities that appear to be draw out of a hat and computer modeling that we have learned is more art than science.
Great news to hear that Chairman Wauchope doesn’t want to rush the process. I actually look forward to seeing the committee actually debate the information that Stantec has gathered.
As we all have heard the City of Barrie has also budgeted funds to work on a waste management strategy this year. Maybe the County could work with both Barrie and Orillia to realize, a without borders, solution to our waste situation.
Hats off to Kate Harries for a great review of the meeting.
I agree with you Chris. There’s too many p**s at the trough fattening themselves on our money!
The way I see it is that Stantec is trying to make sure that SC doesn’t achieve zero waste so that they can ship our garbage to the proposed incinerator in Durham which was another project handled by Stantec. Durham needs our garbage to get approval for and operate the planned incinerator and I feel SC has already agreed to that.
However the people in Durham don’t want an incinerator and are fighting their politicians to stop it. They want to work towards achieving zero waste. Marianne Else and I went to their meeting in Courtice on Tuesday and found that the same scenerio is taking place there as with us here re Site 41. Their desperate pleas are being ignored and their council is doing things underhanded to make sure they get their way and their CAO operates in the same manner as our CAO Mark Aitken..signing documents and giving approvals without consulting the council.
Durham at this time has the worst air quality and the highest asthma rates in the province because of the Darlington nuclear plant there. Now the people are terrified that building an incinerator there as well will add to the pollution and totally destroy their health.
One member of the public suggested that they sue the MoE for not following their mandate and not protecting the environment. A lot of people agreed with that and would support it, and it will likely be their next plan of action. The MoE is certainly not doing their job of protecting the environment whether it’s in Durham or at Site 41 or most other places. It’s high time that their incompetence and corruption is exposed and Minister Gerretsen is hauled on the carpet and held accountable!