Public Notice on Incineration Report

DURHAM/YORK RESIDUAL WASTE STUDY [Incineration]

The Regions of Durham and York are jointly undertaking an Environmental Assessment Study to determine how to manage the residual solid waste remaining after blue box and green box waste diversion efforts [they have already made the determination - they want to build an incinerator]. The study has identified a number of potential sites in Clarington, as well as one in York Region, for the construction and operation of a facility to thermally treat [incinerate] the residual waste and to recover both energy and materials [recovery is not a priority - burning garbage is the priority].

The General Purpose and Administration Committee of Clarington Council will be considering a Staff Report with respect to the proposed studies and peer reviews the Municipality of Clarington would carry out on the Durham/York Residual Waste Study on:

DATE: TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2007
TIME: 7 P.M.
PLACE: Council Chambers, Municipal Administrative Centre
40 Temperance Street, Bowmanville, Ontario

A copy of this Staff Report may be obtained by contacting the Municipality of Clarington Planning Services Department at (905) 623-3379.

Should you wish to appear as a delegation in respect to this item, arrangements should be made through the Municipality of Clarington Clerk’s Department ON OR BEFORE TWELVE NOON ON FRIDAY, May 18, 2007 to have your name appear on the agenda. Please note that we cannot confirm the precise time at which the delegation portion of the agenda will be heard. The start time listed above reflects the time at which the General Purpose and Administration Committee Meeting commences.

********************************

Don't hesitate to sign up and speak to our Council about this very important incineration issue. Let our local politicians know how you feel about it. They have been told by the project consultants that there is very little public opposition to it - one of the things we have found to be untrue in their reports to Durham Region Councillors. Speak up at this meeting or regular Council meeting on May 28. Write a letter to Council (Local and Regional). Talk to neighbors. Do some investigating on the issue. Register your health concerns, traffic concerns, financial concerns. Remember that our politicians work for us - we are their employers. We're the bosses, not them. Remind them of that fact too.

You don't need to be confrontational - some of the politicians are on our side, but too few. Most just "go with the flow" and believe whatever the proponent consultants tell them, with no independent investigation on their own.

A few residents seem to think that the government would not allow an incinerator if it was not safe for our health. Need we remind you of asbestos? Thalidomide? Leaded Paint? PCBs? Pesticides? etc. If you want more examples, just ask.

Incineration is not a "clean" way of getting rid of garbage nor is it safe for our health or environment, as we are being told. Emissions of dioxins and furans (google them) are dangerous to all of us, but especially children.