Local Environmental Groups Are Worried

Friday, 5 January 2018 05:02

Cermeuse Lime has filed an Environmental Compliance Approval permit for air and noise emissions that would allow them to burn waste.

INGERSOLL/BEACHVILLE - The Transition to Less Waste and Oxford Environmental Action Committee are concerned about a recent application from Carmeuse Lime.

The applications calls for an Environmental Compliance Approval permit for air and noise emissions that proposes to see waste being burned as fuel along with coal, natural gas and petroleum coke.

If approved this would take place at Kiln number 1 at the Beachville Ingersoll location. President of the Action Committee Suzanne Crellin says this could have devastating impacts on our environment.

"The contaminants that are going to come out of the Kiln, when this waste is burned is going to be similar to what comes out of the Kiln's when coal is used."

She says they were upset to read this proposal from Carmeuse.

"To be honest, our group is pretty angered by the proposal. A few years ago we identified an 11-year data gap of missing Ministry of Environment air quality information for our air shed, and we're often contacted by people who report their homes are still being impacted terribly by industrial air pollution. The Ministry takes a really hands off approach in our area that doesn't give us any confidence that new complaints about impacts from burning trash would be taken any more seriously than the dust, odour or health impact complaints that are still being ignored or brushed under the rug."

The groups oppose the project on several grounds and Crellin says we need to protect our local residents from air pollutants and odours.

"A test project like this puts the public in the position of assuming all of the risks and un-known's. You're asking our kids, our grandparents, our neighbours, to breathe in particulates and contaminants that would result from the burning of plastics and other waste materials. What health impacts would we see in the short term or down the road?"

Transition to Less Waste President Mike Farlow calls the application appalling.

"Transition to Less Waste is appalled to hear that Carmeuse Lime has come up with another plan for importing waste into our community. As if the landfill proposal wasn't enough of an insult, now we're having to deal with a plan to burn waste? It’s really disappointing to see this is being considered."

Both groups are asking residents to contact the Ministry of Environment to let them know your thoughts on this.