Approval would mean landfill could still operate for well over 20 years
KAGAWONG—Billings Township council has asked Pinchin Environmental to request the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks push forward the final approval for the expansion of the Kagawong waste disposal site. That approval would see an extension of the site’s operating lifespan for well over 20 years.
Pinchin’s Tim McBride and two other company representatives presented at Billings Township’s September 5 council meeting and requested permission to “push the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MOE) to approve the applications” on behalf of the municipality.
The application has been put on hold (by the ministry) and is “caught up in the administration game,” Mr. McBridge said when asked by Mayor Bryan Barker how long it could be on hold. It is typically a two to three-year process.
The original certificate of approval for the landfill was provided in 1980 for a 0.81 hectare (ha) dump site. The current environmental certificate of approval has a volume restriction of 40,000 cubic metres (m3) and an area restriction of 1.0 ha. Pinchin is currently going through the process to get the area expanded.
The 2012 plan for the site was revised in 2013, and the 60.2 containment attenuation zone was approved in 2015, for 20 ha on-site and a 40 ha off-site area to the east of the current site.
“In the expansion we have gone for the 40 cubic metres, which is a small landfill. There are things we could do without a licence,” said Mr. McBride. “The 40 m3 is a trigger to do bigger things. We have to be cognizant that we can’t increase by another 40,000 ha or we have to do an environmental assessment. We are trying to work within the rules, so (it’s) not a higher level and we don’t have to go through these type of assessments.”
The most recent topographic drone survey of the landfill site was conducted in 2019 with 42,039 m3 waste in-place and a 1,070 m3 annual fill rate, Mr. McBride said. He pointed out that with seasonal residents spending more time in the township during COVID, there did seem to be a huge influx of garbage.
A graphic showed the site as per the current ECA amendment application for site expansion. “We haven’t expanded beyond the current site boundaries,” he told council. “We want to expand a little to the left. The other thing to note is, there was a fill beyond allowable limits (FBAL) of 2,550 m3 in the southeast portion of the site. It was filled before (with) glass, metal, cans.”
The waste was sampled by Pinchin in September 2022 for analysis and was found to be non-hazardous, non-ignitable solid waste. Pinchin wants to close and regrade the area with the waste in place. “I did the testing myself and again we submitted that it be classified the same as the garbage that is already in the site,” Mr. McBride said. He doesn’t want to move it to landfill but wants it to be capped.
As for the site expansion, the current fill area is 1.0 ha and the proposed expansion would be 1.25 ha. The current volume of waste is 40,000 m3 and with the expansion would be 73,061 m3. This has not been approved but the proposed expansion would see 2,550 m3 and 0.05 ha added.
The landfill is currently over capacity and the proposed expansion would give the site a lifespan of 26.5 years as of 2019. (The MOE will not extend an approval beyond 25 to 30 years).
The application for the expansion was submitted in September 2021, and was reviewed by an MECP technical reviewer (waste), with comments received in April 2022. All comments were addressed in September of the same year and Pinchin is waiting for review by a hydrogeologist and a surface water specialist. The application was administratively placed on hold this year to retain the application fee.
“The landfill is functioning well,” said Mr. McBride, noting that is based on the water quality monitoring program, which is conducted annually in the fall but is likely to change to twice a year with the expansion approval. “All 12 groundwater monitoring wells were observed to be in good condition and in compliance with regulations, apart from BH1 and BH3 which have no casings.”
Groundwater results from 2022 showed Guideline B-7 exceedances (TDS, chloride, sodium and boron) at the downgradient property boundary, but these were interpreted to originate from the preparation and storage of winter sand and salt occurring at the adjacent property to the east. Pinchin has not identified any significant landfill related impacts originating from the site, Mr. McBride said.
Councillor Vince Grogan said he wants Pinchin to go ahead and get the application approved. “We’re down to 21 years now as long as there’s not an increase in population.”
Councillor Jim Cahill agreed.
Landfills are an asset and municipalities should wait until they’re done to see how much it costs, Mr. McBride said. “They need to be handled as an asset and need to be properly maintained. This landfill is pretty good for a community of this size. I like the way it’s run.”
“There has been a lot of talk about repurposing what goes into the landfill,” said Mayor Barker. “A true re-use center for bicycles and other items would need to get special approval and should also be reviewed by the municipality’s legal counsel. Sudbury has a re-use centre, as an example.”
“I would put this in the application now if this is the case,” said Mr. McBride. “Get it in and be done with it. It is probably something worth doing. Anything to divert waste and streams and extend (the landfill) life.”
“This our focus and we are fortunate to have a dump,” Mayor Barker said.
