TOWN OF BLIND RIVER Municipal Waste Management Plan Environmental Assessment Task 1 Report – Description of the Problem/Opportunity December, 2009 KEC Ref: 0508.04 Town of Blind River Municipal Waste Management Plan Environmental Assessment: Task 1Report – Description of the Problem/Opportunity TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................ i List of Abbreviations ............................................................................................................... iii 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ........................................................................ 1 1.1 Background.................................................................................................................... 1 2.0 NOTICE OF EA COMMENCEMENT ............................................................................... 1 3.0 STUDY AREA, PLANNIGN PERIOD AND POPULATION ........................................... 2 3.1 Study Area ..................................................................................................................... 2 3.1.1 Natural Environment ............................................................................................ 2 3.1.2 Social/Cultural Environment ................................................................................ 6 3.1.3 Economic Environment ........................................................................................ 8 3.1.4 Transportation Environment ................................................................................. 9 3.2 Planning Period ............................................................................................................. 9 3.3 Population ...................................................................................................................... 9 4.0 EXISTING WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ............................................................ 10 4.1 Waste Generation Rate ................................................................................................ 10 4.2 Existing Waste Management Systems ......................................................................... 11 4.2.1 Residential and IC&I Pick-Up ............................................................................ 11 4.2.2 Recyclables Pick-Up .......................................................................................... 11 4.2.3 Landfill Disposal and Stockpiling ...................................................................... 12 4.2.4 Diversion of Household Hazardous Waste ......................................................... 13 4.2.5 Other ................................................................................................................... 13 4.2.6 Cost of Operations .............................................................................................. 13 5.0 WASTE QUANTITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS ...................................................... 13 5.1 Waste Composition ..................................................................................................... 13 5.2 Projected Waste Generation ........................................................................................ 15 5.3 Waste Diversion Rates ................................................................................................ 16 5.4 Cumulative Waste Volume .......................................................................................... 16 6.0 OPEN HOUSE NUMBER 1 ............................................................................................. 17 7.0 WASTE MANAGEMENT PROBLEM STATEMENT ................................................... 18 8.0 NEXT EA STEPS .............................................................................................................. 18 APPENDICES Appendix A: Notice of Commencement of Environmental Assessment Appendix B: Public Open House No. 1 – Notice and Material Appendix C: Public Open House No. 1 – Display Boards Appendix D: Public Open House No. 1 – Attendance Sheet Appendix E: Public Open House No. 1 – Summary of Comments Received kresin engineering corporation i Town of Blind River Municipal Waste Management Plan Environmental Assessment: Task 1Report – Description of the Problem/Opportunity LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Projected Annual Population .................................................................................... 10 Figure 2: Household Waste Composition ................................................................................ 14 Figure 3: IC&I Waste Composition ......................................................................................... 14 Figure 4: Construction and Demolition Waste ........................................................................ 15 Figure 5: Projected Annual Volume of Waste Generated ....................................................... 16 Figure 6: Projected Accumulated Volume of Waste In-Place ................................................. 17 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Climate Data ................................................................................................................ 6 Table 2: Estimated Annual Waste Quantities .......................................................................... 10 Table 3: Waste Generation Rates ............................................................................................ 11 kresin engineering corporation ii Town of Blind River Municipal Waste Management Plan Environmental Assessment: Task 1Report – Description of the Problem/Opportunity LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ACAC Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee C&D Construction and Demolition Waste CPR Canadian Pacific Railway EA Environmental Assessment HCR Huron Central Railway HHWD Household Hazardous Waste Day IC&I Industrial, Commercial and Institutional KEC Kresin Engineering Corporation MCCR Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation MNR Ministry of Natural Resources MOE Ministry of the Environment ToR Terms of Reference Town The Corporation of the Town of Blind River kresin engineering corporation iii Town of Blind River Municipal Waste Management Plan Environmental Assessment: Task 1Report – Description of the Problem/Opportunity 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND The Town of Blind River is developing a Solid Waste Management Plan to determine the preferred approach to address the Town’s waste management needs. A draft Environmental Assessment (EA) Terms of Reference (ToR) was prepared and underwent Agency and public review. Comments received following review of the ToR were incorporated into a final document and submitted for review by the Minister of the Environment. In July of 2008, approval of the ToR was granted for the Town of Blind River Municipal Waste Management Plan EA. The ToR set out the Town’s framework and work plan for addressing the requirements of the Environmental Assessment Act including: a description of the proposed undertaking; the alternatives to be considered, characterization of the study area environment; methods of evaluating the alternatives; and, public consultation activities to be carried out. The EA is being carried out in accordance with the approved ToR to meet the requirements of the Environmental Assessment Act and will identify the preferred method of addressing decreasing landfill capacity. Although waste diversion activities do not require EA Act approval, they will be considered during the EA Planning Process as an integral component to a waste management plan. 1.1 Background The Blind River municipal landfill has been serving the residents of Blind River and area since the 1970s. The 2 hectare landfill (approved area), located 2 kilometres east of Town on Highway 17, currently accepts disposal of domestic, commercial, and non- hazardous solid industrial wastes, scrap wood and brush, and iron sludge produced by the water treatment plant at Cameco Corporation. These wastes are being received in accordance with Certificate of Approval (C of A)No. A713870, including amendments made since the certificate was issued in November 1980. A Hydrogeological/Engineering Report prepared by Kresin Engineering Corporation (KEC) and submitted to the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) on September 20, 2002, estimated the lifespan of the existing landfill site to be 15 years. The latest estimate (October 2008) indicates that approximately 6 years of capacity remain at the current landfill site. Reports prepared on behalf of the municipality also identify the existence of landfill material that had been disposed of outside the area approved in the Certificate of Approval (termed “Fill Beyond Allowable Limits – FBAL”). Should the FBAL be brought into the approved 2 hectare approved disposal area, the current landfill capacity is less than 6 years (potentially significantly less). 2.0 NOTICE OF EA COMMENCEMENT A Notice of Commencement of Environmental Assessment was run by local newspapers on February 11, 2009 to inform the public that the Terms of Reference had been approved and that the environmental assessment would be carried out (a copy is provided kresin engineering corporation 1 Town of Blind River Municipal Waste Management Plan Environmental Assessment: Task 1Report – Description of the Problem/Opportunity in Appendix A). The Notice stated that the Environmental Assessment would include a comparative evaluation to identify the preferred method of addressing decreasing landfill capacity and that consultation