CAW Durham Regional Environment Council

St. Marys cement plant in Bowmanville

The Ministry of the Environment has notified the public about a request from St. Marys Cement for a temporary approval to burn “alternative fuels” at its Bowmanville and St. Marys locations.  The company proposes to burn paper biosolids, post-recycling and post-composting plastics in addition to its conventional mix of coal and petroleum coke.

Lake Ontario Waterkeeper and co-applicant Gord Downie reviewed the application and forwarded comments to the Ministry of the Environment. The main concern is that incinerating plastic waste will produce additional dioxins, organic pollutants, volatile gaseous emissions, and residual substances that discharge into the environment. The potential environmental impacts from these discharges must be analyzed and posted on the Environmental Registry for public comment before an approval is issued.  To date, the evidence and science necessary to protect the community from increased burning at the plants has not been collected.  The Ministry of the Environment has also exempted the alternative fuels proposal from the traditional public consultation process and eliminated the public’s ability to appeal.

The proposal would see “test burns” of approximately 4000 tonnes of waste at the two locations over the course of 30 days.  St. Marys would use the burns to measure the efficiency and potential consequences of burning these types of fuels in its cement kilns.  The cement company may apply for approval to use the alternative fuels permanently if the results are positive.

More information

Lake Ontario Waterkeeper and Gord Downie recently completed a lengthy battle for a hearing into a similar Alternative Fuels proposal from cement giant Lafarge. In that case, the company cancelled the project rather than face the scrutiny of an independent tribunal.

• Read our timeline of events with Lafarge at www.waterkeeper.ca/lafarge

Leveling the playing field (Mar. 10, 2009)

This week on Living at the Barricades, we speak with Bruce Cox, Executive Director of Greenpeace Canada about the different rules for different players in the Ontario energy business, as well as Trevor Herriot, author of “Grass, Sky, Song” about access to information.

Music on this week’s show:

The Kids Don’t Get It - The Tragically Hip
See You in the Light - Michael Franti and Spearhead
Daylight - Coldplay
Sunny Side of the Street - The Pogues

Listen to the show…

Listen to this week’s show online (right-click to download).
Subscribe to the Living At the Barricades Podcast via iTunes

BONUS!

Author Andrew Nikiforuk will be our guest for the March 17th episode of Living at the Barricades.  Download a free copy on Andrew Nikiforuk’s latest book “Tar Sands” until March 20, 2009 here.

• New pesticide ban will help health, economy
• St. Marys Cement proposes two “Alternative Fuels” sites in Ontario
• Watchdog seeks more training
• Greenpeace executive eyes nuclear-free energy solutions
• Province’s green act empowers local utilities
• Clearing the air about mill shutdowns
• Ontario proposes massive renewable energy boost with new Feed-In Tariff Program
• New pesticide law takes effect April 22 — Earth Day
• The Great Lakes on the great big screen
• Senators: Please get to work
• Sinclair appeal adjourned to April 15
• Western premiers tout strength during recession
• Prentice confirms cuts planned to environment reviews
• Ontario must stop funding nuclear projects if it hopes to become clean and green
• ideaCity brain camp features past stars
• Proposed bill could cut federal environmental assessments, NGOs warn
• Kerr concerned Green Energy Act may clash with Brighton’s official plan
• Slash renewables target to protect nuclear, says EDF
• Canoeists still in the Dark
• Fixed prices proposed for green-energy projects
• Liberal, Conservative senators unite to pass budget bill
• Reactors? Yes we CANDU
• Waterway used as dump
• Ontario government invites comments on guidelines for municipal waste thermal treatment facilities
• Budget bill, Navigable Waters Protection Act amendment passes Senate
• Greenpeace blockades Pickering nuke plant
• Keep the stink in York
• Greenpeace blocks Pickering nuclear plant entrance
• Green Energy Act has some seeing red
• Bungling AECL could land on feet