Most likely you have already heard the news that Metro Vancouver meeting last Friday was a bit of a gong show. The meeting took 5 hours to complete and by the end very little was decided in regards to incineration. First the directors quickly approved the first 2 parts of the waste management plan with some positive amendments. They approved an 80% waste diversion target by 2020 and a ban on wood waste and compostable orgrganics from landfill or incineration by 2015. This is particularly important given the connection between organic material and methane from landfill that causes climate change.
The majority of the meeting was spent debating incineration. In region and out of region proposals were debated and defeated. The city of Vancouver lead the opposition to incineration regardless of the location and suggested a focus on waste reduction and alternative technologies. Finally the directors decided to keep all options on the table and sent the waste management plan to Barry Penner, Minister of the Environment. It is quite possible that Minister Penner will reject in region incineration given concerns about the Fraser Valley Air Shed. If you would like to email Minister Penner to outline your concerns you can reach him by emailing env.minister@gov.bc.ca .
Regardless of the Minister's decision we are still a long way from an incinerator being built. If Metro sends out a request for proposals and selects a location we will have another opportunity to raise our concerns and stop any specific proposals. Opposition has been intense and no location has even been suggested. The hardest part of building an incinerator would be getting a location approved. Friday's meeting could have been an end but instead it is just a beginning.
Our primary task at this point should be making the road to zero waste clearly understood. We need decision makers to understand that the public supports these initiatives and they are both practical and doable. We should be trying to redirect the focus of Metro Directors and other decision makers to even more aggressive diversion targets. We could reach 90% diversion by 2030 if not earlier and it would create more jobs and cost less money if we do it right.
There is a lot of good news in regards to Zero Waste initiatives as of late. The Capital Region District that represents southern Vancouver Island is also considering a ban on organic compostable materials and has set a target of 90% diversion by 2020. Seattle just decided to ban single use plastic packaging from local restaurants including fast food chains. In BC the next round of product take back programs came into effect last month expanding the materials that are banned from landfill. Our Extended Producer Responsibility laws are some of the best in the world and are fundamentally important in getting us to Zero Waste.
Thank you to all those that wrote letters to Metro and helped spread the word. There is still a lot of work to do but for now we hope you are having a great summer.
Ben West | Healthy Communities Campaigner
Wilderness Committee
I came from Spain to volunteer @ the Seton Portage Aboriginal Farm and Trail Project near Lillooet, BC. I spent my days either working on the Indian Reserve Community Farm, or helping re-open ancient First Nation Trails in the Wilderness. I intended to spend only 2 weeks but instead stayed for a month! What a WILD place! Thanks for the opportunity!