Frequently Asked Questions
The following questions represent those most frequently asked by residents regarding the Durham/York Residual Waste Study.
What do the terms “thermal treatment” and “energy from waste” mean?
• In June 2006, both Durham and York Regional Councils accepted the recommended technology of thermal treatment.
• Thermal treatment, or energy from waste, includes combustion, modern incineration and gasification processes. In these processes, the waste or synthetic gas produced from the waste is burned to produce energy in the form of steam, electricity and heat.
• Thermal treatment using proven technologies is a safe and cost-effective way to deal with Durham and York 's post-diversion (post-recycling) waste and is more sustainable than our current practice of landfilling.
How do I learn more about this Study, the identified sites and provide my comments?
• A short-list of five potential sites has now been identified and approved for further study and public consultation. Residents have an opportunity to learn more about the project and provide their comments by attending scheduled public consultation events that take place at every major milestone in the Study. Details on the events will appear in local newspapers, as well as on the Study's website.
LOCATION
Where will you build the facility? And why is the East Gwillimbury site located in the Greenbelt ?
• The facility will be built on industrial lands, close to a major roadway (as identified in both Regions' Official Plans) and away from any residential, recreational, national heritage areas. This will minimize any impact on residents and surrounding areas.
• The East Gwillimbury site is located in the Greenbelt and was included for consideration because zoning by-law approvals that were completed prior to the Greenbelt Plan allow these lands to be considered for potential development of a waste management facility. Public opinion on this matter will be sought through consultation events and incorporated into the evaluation and viability of this site.
If I own property next to the site, will the Region compensate me for any
loss in property value?
• All identified sites are in industrial areas so this should not be an issue.
If I own property located beside a roadway close to the selected site, how will York and Durham Regions ensure that I am not negatively impacted by dust or noise as a result of increased traffic and construction?
• We are currently conducting additional studies and public consultations, helping us to identify the potential impacts unique to each of the sites. Once a preferred site is selected, we will be able to better determine what needs to be done to ensure the impact on local residents is minimal and specific concerns are addressed.
JOBS AND SAFETY
What will the air quality be like inside the facilities? Will you protect your workers?
• Worker health and safety is very important to both York and Durham Regions. This will be an important aspect incorporated in the design and operation of the facility ensuring it will comply with all Occupational Health and Safety standards.
• Thermal treatment plants for municipal solid waste have been shown to operate safely around the world, including in Europe , Asia , the United States and in nearby Brampton .
How many jobs will be created once the facility is ready?
• It is estimated that the facility will employ approximately 40 people on a full-time basis.
How will trucks transporting waste be routed to the facility?
• During the next steps of the project, a transportation study will be undertaken to monitor which roads will be used as access routes and the expected number of vehicles on these roadways.
Is rail haulage an option, especially since four of the short listed sites are near a railway line?
• Transporting waste to the thermal facility using rail lines is a much more expensive option for taxpayers than using trucks and is not appropriate for this facility due to its cost, logistical challenges associated with unloading waste and the short distance of hauling routes.
COSTS AND ECONOMIC VIABILITY
What are the costs associated with building and operating this facility?
• We expect the cost of the Environmental Assessment and approval process to be approximately $5 million. The estimated cost of building the proposed facility is approximately $250 million, with annual operating costs, net of energy and recovered metal sales revenue estimated at $5.5 million.
• Processing costs for an energy-from-waste facility varies from $110 to $160 per tonne based on the type of technology, facility size and location (comparable to processing costs of the Green Bin program).
• We expect that the costs for processing waste at the new facility will be offset by the energy created during the thermal process.
How much are the Regions paying the consultants to complete the Environmental Assessment portion of this project?
• The estimated cost for the study and engineering is $5 million or less than 2.5 per cent of the total cost of the facility.
Who will own this facility and be responsible for day-to-day operations?
• Both Durham and York Regions are currently investigating various models for ownership and operations of this facility. A decision will be finalized following the Request For Proposal process and vendor selection, scheduled for early 2008.
RECYCLING AND DIVERSION
Will this new facility work in conjunction with recycling and compost?
• Yes, this facility will manage only the residual waste remaining after recycling and composting efforts. Diverting waste is best for the environment and remains a very cost-effective choice for taxpayers. Both Regions will continue to invest and encourage diversion programs, such as the Blue Box, Green Bin and yard waste.
Burning waste does not promote recycling. Why don't we just increase recycling programs?
• Waste diversion is a high priority for York and Durham Regions. York Regional Council has committed to diverting 65 per cent of its waste from landfill by 2010 (up from 34 per cent in 2006).
• As a result of public feedback through the consultation process, the proposed thermal treatment facility is only being designed to handle York and Durham 's residual waste AFTER 65 per cent diversion has already been achieved. In future years, this diversion rate will have to increase to even higher rates to offset the effects of population growth in the regions.
What if there isn't enough residential garbage to keep the incinerator working? Are you looking to accept garbage from other municipalities?
• In 2005, Durham and York Regions shipped approximately 350,000 tonnes of residential waste to landfill, waste that can potentially be processed at a thermal treatment facility. In 2006, Durham and York Regions shipped roughly 330,000 tonnes.
• Waste from eastern non-Greater Toronto Area (GTA) municipalities, such as Peterborough or Northumberland, could be processed with those from York and Durham Regions, but the operation of the facility does not depend on waste outside Durham and York .
• Durham and York will not accept waste from the City of Toronto in this facility. These terms are outlined in the specific conditions of the Environmental Assessment process approved by the Ministry of the Environment.
ENERGY OUTPUT AND EFFICIENCY
You say the new facility will produce energy � what kind and how much?
• Similar thermal facilities in Europe are producing both electricity and heat in the form of steam or hot water, which can be used for heating systems.
• The primary purpose of this facility will be to process garbage leftover after diversion efforts. The benefit of a thermal waste facility is that it produces steam that can be used as a heat and energy source for operations and facilities.
• A thermal facility processing 250,000 tonnes per year of municipal waste provides about 19 megawatts of power, generating a total of about 150,000 megawatt-hours per year. This is enough energy to power approximately 15,000 homes.
• The residual waste generated from a single household and going to the proposed facility would produce the equivalent amount of power to provide that same household with its energy-efficient lighting requirements.
What is the longevity of these plants?
• We expect the thermal facility to be in operation for approximately 35 years from its opening date in late 2010 or early 2011. This prediction includes an upgrade after approximately 20 years.
HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT
How does this project impact climate change?
• Throughout its lifetime a thermal facility will release less greenhouse gas than the current waste management practices of trucking the waste to remote sites and landfilling it.
• The European community, who are leaders in greenhouse gas reduction, continue to use and promote energy-from-waste (thermal) facilities instead of landfill sites.
• The residual waste generated from a single household and going to the proposed facility would produce the equivalent amount of power to provide that same household with its energy-efficient lighting requirements.
Will you be burning garbage on smog days?
• Durham and York take smog and air quality seriously. The proposed facility will emit less smog-forming compounds than our current practice of landfilling outside of our jurisdiction. In fact, thermal treatment of waste will take garbage trucks off the road travelling to Michigan � a road that runs through communities with significant smog problems.
• We are prepared to review operations if the Province calls for cutbacks in emissions because of a smog advisory.
What happens to the waste? Will it be turned into something toxic?
• A thermal facility will reduce the volume of waste that would normally go to landfill by 90 per cent.
• The largest portion of this will be a non-toxic bottom ash, which can be used as a landfill cover or, in some jurisdictions, as a construction aggregate.
• The smaller portion (2-4 per cent), from the cleaning of the exhaust gases, is fly ash and residue, which is hazardous due to the concentration of hazardous materials in the waste. This will be landfilled in a secure landfill or will be treated prior to landfilling in a conventional site.
Will the air emissions from the thermal facility be safe?
• Thermal facilities have strict monitoring programs in place to ensure the safety and protection of human health and the environment.
• A thorough assessment process of all of the short-list of proposed sites will be taking place over the next few months. Once a preferred site is chosen a number of site-specific studies will be conducted to address any potential air, land or water impacts or related health concerns.
• The emissions you see coming out of the stacks of similar facilities are mostly water vapour.
• Air emissions will meet ALL of the strict guidelines and standards set out by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. Please visit: http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/envision/gp/1746e.pdf
and http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Regs/English/050419_e.htm
to view these standards.
Why can't you provide specific details outlining the emission quantities of the facility?
• Air emissions of the proposed facility will meet all provincial regulatory requirements.
• In order to provide specific emissions details, the type of thermal treatment technology that will be used for this facility, such as incineration, gasification or plasma needs to be chosen. This will take place during the Request for Proposal process, scheduled to be finalized early 2008. Once a technology and vendor is selected, the emissions data specific to this facility will be compiled.
Will there be any water pollution from this facility � surface and/or groundwater?
• Human health is the primary concern of both York and Durham Regions and is a key factor in our Environmental Assessment of the potential sites.
• Surface or groundwater does not come into contact with any process of a thermal treatment facility.
• Any process water or other matter that may be discharged into the sewer will be treated on-site and would meet applicable requirements of municipal sewer use by-laws as well as the Ontario Water Resources Act.
• The impact of air emissions on the surrounding area will not impose an unacceptable risk as detailed in the Preliminary Generic Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment Study.
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