view \/ download the minister\u2019s decision<\/a> ]![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.otterlakecmc.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/pdf-150x150.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe society now plans to weigh its options at the next board of directors meeting.<\/p>\n
Mr. Halman also rejected similar appeals from John Cascadden and Scott Guthrie, both former chairs of the Halifax Waste Resource Society and the Community Monitoring Committee. Mr. Cascadden is a member of the current board of directors for the Halifax Waste Resources Society while Mr. Guthrie just relinquished his leadership after five years at the helm.<\/p>\n
The minister\u2019s decision is the latest setback by the society and its subsidiary organization, the Community Monitoring Committee, in their campaign to keep the equipment operating. The organizations represent the interests of the communities within a five km. radius of the landfill. They include the Timberlea, Lakeside, Beechville, Prospect and Hubley area communities<\/p>\n
Together the front-end processor (FEP) and waste stabilization facility (WSF) remove and stabilize organic waste found in residential garbage at the landfill site before the rest is buried. Also removed by the FEP hazardous waste products and recyclable waste paper and plastic. The equipment stops the build up of organic waste in the landfill that can lead to explosions in rodent and scavenger bird populations, the circulation of bad odours and other issues. Problems such as road litter are also avoided and the removal of hazardous products helps the landfill steer clear of other potential environmental problems.<\/p>\n
The Halifax Regional Municipality, the owner of the landfill and Mirror Nova Scotia. the landfill operator, received conditional approval for their plan to switch off the equipment earlier this year from the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Climate Change. The approval is \u201ccontingent upon obtaining subsequent approval of a Compliance Plan,\u201d Mr. Halman noted in his decision.<\/p>\n
HRM and Mirror Nova Scotia filed their compliance plan with the province, June 29.<\/p>\n
The minister explained, \u201cThe plan will detail how the facility will achieve its performance targets – compostable waste shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of total amount of municipal solid waste landfilled, by mass; and the recovery of visible white goods as well as dangerous\/waste dangerous goods\/household hazardous wastes. Prior to the acceptance of the compliance plan all municipal solid waste shall be processed through the FEP, with all organic material being sent to the WSF. Presently, there are no changes in the operation of the landfill.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile certain designated materials are banned from landfills, these materials will still be received despite the extraordinary efforts by government, municipalities, organizations, private companies, and individuals to divert them for recycling. The current criteria are to insert a target level for banned materials in a landfill approval as a term and condition to improve diversion and mitigate environmental effects over and above those provided for through landfill design and operation.\u2019<\/p>\n
The society argued the department\u2019s approved changes will encourage residents to stop sorting their garbage once they realize the landfill has become a truck and dump operation. The minister countered that \u201cGoing forward the landfill will be required to meet certain diversion targets in order to allow the FEP\/WSF to be discontinued. This should create an incentive for HRM to continue to encourage residents to properly sort and dispose of their waste.\u201d<\/p>\n
The minister was satisfied that \u201cThe technical review of the application concluded that there would be no off-site impacts or increase in leachate over the designed volume of the cells and no increased risk associated with Dangerous Goods (which amount for less than 2% of the waste and includes Household Hazardous waste). There is no requirement for front-end processing or waste stabilization under provincial guidelines.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the sensitive issue of alleged environmental racism with the siting of the landfill close to the historically black community of Beechville, the minister responded, \u201cWe recognize environmental racism exists in the province. We are working as a province to address its impacts. The department does not approve the siting of landfills rather we ensure its construction and operation adheres to the Environment Act and regulations. In this instance, we have ensured the terms and conditions in this approval will ensure this solid waste facility operates in a manner, which does not impact the environment negatively.\u201d<\/p>\n
Various problems, including an alleged conflict of interest associated with the public survey, were raised by the society in its appeal. The survey was an electronic questionnaire on the HRM\u2019s website, that tested public satisfaction with various mitigation methods to deal with potential problems at the landfill after the deactivation. The survey was developed by Dillon Consulting, the same company that prepared the Closure Review Report on the FEP\/WSF for HRM and Mirror Nova Scotia. The alleged conflict was flagged by Don Mills, a well-known Nova Scotia pollster, in a report on the survey he prepared for the society.<\/p>\n
The minister stated, \u201cAs part of the application, the HRM\/Mirror was required to undertake public consultation in accordance with the NSECC Public Consultative process. The applicant followed this process to the satisfaction of the department. There is no requirement for the consultation to be undertaken by a third party or preventing Dillon Consulting from leading the consultation process. 97% of respondents raised concerns however none differed from those already raised or expressed by the Community Monitoring Committee\/HWRS. The concerns raised were already known to the Department.\u201d<\/p>\n
And on the issue that the proposed deactivation breaks the 1999 agreement between the society and HRM that allowed the landfill to be sited at Otter Lake, the minister replied that \u201cThe Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Climate Change is not a party or signatory to the 1999 agreement. We do not have the authority to enforce the terms of a privately arranged agreement between two other parties. The Halifax Waste Resource Society is encouraged to seek legal advice concerning what options they may have under the agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n
The society noted a 2013 resolution was introduced by the PC caucus and unanimously adopted by the legislature committed the government to enforce the 1999 agreement and reject the deactivation of the FEP\/WSF. The minister deemed the resolution irrelevant. He stated, \u201cAn administrator evaluating the merits of an application to amend an approval, must consider the relevant factors under the Environment Act and regulations, standards and guidelines. This must be done fairly, based on the relevant science, technical and engineering information before the decision maker. Resolution No. 794 was made at a different time and circumstances and does not bind the decision making of myself or an Administrator acting under delegated authority.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\n\n\nThe HALIFAX WASTE RESOURCE SOCIETY’S ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING<\/h3>\nTHE CHAIR’S YEAR-END REMARKS for FISCAL YEAR 2021-2022<\/h4>\n
Jason Timms<\/span> June 16
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