The CRD’s revised Solid Waste Management Plan, modified after consultation with the public, including the Mount Work Coalition, was adopted by the CRD Board on May 12. Among the changes to the original Plan were the following (taken from the CRD document “Proposed Plan Revisions” (agenda package May 12, 2021 Section 8.1. 21-314, Appendix B);
- a) “Content has been revised to speak more explicitly to the vision to keep the Hartland footprint as small as possible, and to review evolving regional demand and landfill capacity as part of the annual progress report on the Solid Waste Management Plan before phasing-in future development of the Hartland Property in 2030, unless more waste is diverted, or a new technology for managing waste becomes available and economically feasible for the CRD”.
- b) “Content has been strengthened to further highlight the inter-relationship between climate change and solid waste management. This section discusses the greenhouse gas implications of the waste system more broadly than the landfill, references the important roles that zero waste and the circular economy play in addressing climate change, and identifies the potential to mitigate fugitive emissions from the landfill.
In addition, specific reference was made to zero waste targets and strategies within the Plan. While the overall direction of the Plan did not change, these changes were nonetheless significant in that they recognized that expansion of the Hartland Landfill is not inevitable.
The Plan now includes a firm commitment not to expand the landfill before 2030 at the earliest, while reporting annually on progress toward achieving waste reduction targets. Preventing the expansion of Hartland depends on the region exceeding the Plan’s reduction target of 250 kg of waste per person per year, by achieving the aspirational goal of reduction to 125 kg per person. (Per capita waste is currently in the range of 395 kg per person.) It will be important for Mount Work Coalition members to closely monitor CRD’s progress toward meeting reduction targets and to hold the Board and staff accountable.
We cannot let the CRD proceed as if it is “business as usual”.
The incorporation of zero waste strategies into the Plan was a direct result of the Mount Work Coalition working with Zero Waste BC. Zero Waste BC produced a critical audit of the Solid Waste Management Plan, pointing out numerous weaknesses and lack of plans for concrete action. Many policy steps have to be taken to reduce the amount of waste directed to the Landfill, including enhanced separation in multi-residential buildings, a reduction in construction waste through greater recycling, and use of new technologies such as Integrated Resource Management (IRM) through advanced gasification projects that turn waste to energy and reduce carbon emissions.
Mount Work Coalition members can take great satisfaction that their efforts made a significant difference to the revision of the Plan.
The CRD Board heard loud and clear that the public opposes the removal of 73 acres of forested land on the slopes of Mount Work that contribute to greenhouse gas absorption and provide biodiversity.
On May 12, 2021, the CRD Board approved the revised Solid Waste Management Plan for the region. It will now be submitted to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change for final approval. A number of public groups had a major influence on the final plan that included many changes. Read full article here >