The Ontario Ministry of Environment provided this response to the Don’t Let Ottawa Go to Waste group’s press release from earlier this week regarding Waste Management’s current and past compliance with environmental regulations. (You can read the press release here.)
Waste Management (WMCC) continues to operate the groundwater and leachate control systems, the landfill gas to energy system, and to conduct all required environmental monitoring and reporting programs, at the Carp landfill which closed in 2011. The results of the annual monitoring reports are carefully scrutinized by ministry scientists and regulatory compliance officers.
The site has had historical exceedances of some groundwater trigger parameters on closed landfill property and lands owned or optioned by WMCC. WMCC continues to operate control systems to address these exceedances through ongoing monitoring, and, where necessary, property acquisition. The exceedances do not pose a threat to local drinking water supplies.
The ministry remains satisfied that WMCC is taking the appropriate steps to address the issue of historic groundwater contamination from the closed site. The ministry will continue to work with WMCC to ensure groundwater continues to be monitored and addressed as required. The closed Carp landfill is in compliance with its Environmental Compliance Approval.
The results of the ministry’s annual reviews are shared with the Carp Landfill Community Liaison Committee (CLCLC). The ministry also has ongoing dialogue and is sharing information with a coalition of interested parties opposed to the proposed facility expansion known as “Don’t Let Ottawa Go To Waste – The Coalition of citizen groups opposed to a new landfill in our community”. The comments and concerns of the coalition will be given full consideration by the ministry.
The Minister’s approval of the environmental assessment for the landfill in August 2013 contained several conditions including the requirement to do an annual compliance report, establish a community liaison committee, submit groundwater and surface water monitoring plans, and develop a complaint and response procedure.
Waste Management has submitted applications for approval related to waste, industrial sewage, and noise and air for the proposed expansion. The ministry is undertaking a fulsome technical review.
The “Don’t Let Ottawa Go To Waste” group is providing the ministry with comments on the applications. The comments will be given full consideration by the ministry.