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WHfl'BY FRE PRE$9S, WEDNESDAY, JULY 19,1989#, PAGE 15 Repôirt made, on tour of European waste mngement The foUlowing is a report to regional council by Durham Region works commissioner Bull Twelvetrees, one of the Region representatives who recent toured waste manage- ment~ facilities in Europe. The recent (May 24 - June 3, 1989) waste management European tour provided an opportunity for Durham participants te, observe severai useful waste management techniques with potential for application to Durhamn Region. As indicated later in this report it is pandin the near future te, deelppilot projects and/or studies based on this European waste management experience as part of the process of investigating alternative waste management systems for the Durham solid waste master plan. Familiai, Problemns In comparing European waste naemrent experience with that ini Ontario, we were impressedl by the similarity in the problims facing those who seek a solution te, the waste disposai dilema. For exampie, the municipal governuments in West Cermany have had te, deal with familiar problemns i siting a waste disosl iandfill. The major .ffcult is not a lack of suitable sites but rather local public opposition which, according te Hon. Clemans Reif, a mambar of the state legisiature, bas lengthened the approval process te, 8 or 9 years. Thus, many West German municipalities face a waste disposai crisis. The West German municipality of Sinsheimi exports 100,000 tonnes a year of its garbage to municipalities in France which are governed by ARE YOU EXPERENCING..a e Lower Back Pain e Lower Limb Pain *Foot Probllems Consuit our prof essionals for FREE video gait analysis. THE GMITWOK 375 Finley Ave., suite 103, Ajax 686-1969 DISCO VER SATISFACTION CUiltRE &TU. 800 Taunton Rd. W. Oshawa & 576-2239 ~ QUALITY NURSERY STOCK COMPETITIVE PRICES Corne in and compare. Cal/ about aur do it yourse ff Iandscaping package to save $$$. AIR CONDUTIONING AND HEATING SALES@. SERVICE@' INSTALLATIONS SAuhoftd Ad m*ima Ma fA cowMOMw communist mayors and con- sequently are in desperate need of the revenue garbage disposai can provide. Simnilar experiences were related by officiais in both Switzerland and Austria. In Switzerland, Household Hazardous Waste (1111W) collected from local communities has to be exported for disposai to East Germany or Czechoslovakia because local opposition has precluded siting HHW treatment facilities within that country.. In Austria, a neighborhood ratepayers' group refused to allow a waste. disposa] incinerator damnaged in a fire, to be repaired and placed back in operation. Thus an eisting waste incinerator operation had to be abandoned. It was obvious to al participants on the European Tour that there were no instant solutions to the waste disposai problem. Some critics of waste management in North Arnerica have cited Europe as an example where recycing rates of 50 Per cent and more are commonly being achieved. It was evident that this is not the case, particuiariy in larger urban municipalities. Not-withstanding these disap- pointmnents, a nuniber of interesting waste management techniques with potentiai ap- plication to Durham Region were observed. WetIDazy oel ioei It was interesting to note that the most innovative European waste management systems are in the area of waste collection rather than waste disposai. The wetidry collection system involves each househoid being provided with two plastic bins; a gray bin for wat wastes and a green bin for dry wastes. Raesidents are thus advised te separate their garbage into two waste streams. Wet wastes are normally collected once a weak and dry wastes, avery two weaks. Emptying of the bins into packer trucks is compietely automated with lifting arms on the truckcs. The bins take the place of green garbage bags and the wat/dry collection system allows for. each waste streani te be treated separateiy (ie., wet wastes te a centrai composting facility and dry wastas te a central dry sorting plant). .A wet/driy collection system will ha pilot tested latar this year in 500 homes in the City of Guelph. A jurisdictional issue should be noted; - in Ontario garbage collection is the responsibility of local area municipalitias while garbaga disposai is the responsibility. of the regional level of government. Central Composting Durham Region's 1989 waste disposai budget provides for a number of composting initiatives (eg., central 'composting study, backyard composting projects and leaf composting. program). The European exparience confirms the viability of wet collection (eg. organic kitchen waste, yard and garden waste, etc.) and central compesting facilities as a means of diverting wastes from iandfill. The municipal composting oparation in the Burgeniand Countv of Austria (population 270,000) provides much valuabie experience for Durhami Region. Costly mistakas made at Burgenland can ba avoided. For example, the composting'of mixed municipal ýsolid waste must not ha attempted as the resuiting contaminated compost is of no use for 'agricultural application. Burgenland's future plans involva shifting te separate collection of wet waste in order te improva compost quality. (Incineration of dry waste is contemplated but Burgenland officiais expact local opposition to this proposai). I addition, the high technology Dano rotating druni compost aquipm!ent has proven te be an expansive "white elephant" and a simpier composting systam has just been installed. SAs a rasuit of this trip, Durhami Region staff have raquested that the consuiting engineering firmn of Cave and Associates who are affiliated with the Austrian firm of Innovative Umwelttechnik sub- mit a proposai te study the potential for wat waste collection and central cornposting opera- tions for Durham Region. Central Dry Soeting FacMlties Dry waste collected by wetidry systems cani be taken te a central sorting plant te, separate recyclable mateniais. The dry collection systems and central srnting plans observed during the Eurpean trip raised several concerrs: 1. Dry waste in Europe is a much smaller portion of the waste strearn than in North Amenica. This is further evidenice of aur problim of over-packaging and reinforces the nead for federal legisiation in this area. The GTA proposai will involve the regional chairmen in an extensive prograni of lobbying the Federal governiment of Canada for this much needad assistance in waste reduction. erS ea ~Vig rr'VdmalYhomeOvirersa agan cne ais 0aitiarnngtoaooloemanhairS Mn Cotr cntdral TSafuln of York and oen~ i agi c a ed seatigeqf ~"adselections fote 0~dierofana heat Ai tina eatng ualnn air anda ffera XIiSiflteçtuureS, aInofer ai totalnservic e a i nlS a na nc lans, an da ve service toalUe f sriePasother mnfcues OUT Pyoucts aseid. asbeconingmore agerGregMunha 8a ybut it js no "icent. 'homes. paopl Ii e le af& enJOmthei AomnirÇn tro îmaetotZd c, nesGas dealer, aua are dbY alh hra o c ai l . tisreputab'n .j Air reco fi rai aIl lc "I i i:nolan t 60 uc, aSt 11.(bac n .aand controi is are frou8 t .n oayt business horgSatuTdSay. .PTl . S Durham Region's Wood Specialilt for 1over 50Oyears a Selection of hardwoods & seftwoods. Pins, Oak,. Birch. Maple Decking & Fencing Hardwood Plywoods OAK, BIRCH, MAHOGANY Large selection: Oak, ptne mahiogany made on the premises GpýEG 2. Ail dry sorting plans visited were very small operations sarving rur-al type municipalities. It would seemthat the scale of a facility sized te serve a large urban population couid pose a. problem. 3. The key unit operation in al sorting plants is a. convayor hait with people hand sorting the dry garbage. Sorting of garbage hy mechanical means is only succassful te a certain point. lIn the final stages hand sorting is assential. In a number of sorting panta immigrat laborers had te De used for ths opa ration. 4. The worIng conditions (ag. dust and noise) were appalling in most dry sorting plants. Such working conditions would ha completely unacceptable in North America. 5. Dry collection systems would aliminate the popular blue box system and could resuit in adverse public reaction or public confusion concerning a radical shift te new recycing systems. 6. Dry collection and sorting aiso resuits in a higher levai of contamination- of the recyciable. end product. This may flot ha acceptable in North Amenica where recycied materials have te compete, with cheaper raw rasources. I ganeral, Durham Region should approach dry collection systems and centrai sorting facilitias with caution. The rasuits of pilot projecta in Guelph and Metropolitan Toronto should ha monitered hefore embarking on such a major programi. Household Hazardous Wasta (HIHW) Collection Sarvioe No -mattar what longterm waste disposai system is proposed SEE PAGE 17 ANNUAL INTERESTG.IC. liVEAR Call our rate hotlines for up to the minute Best G.I.C. rates on ail terms. Special rates en RRSP and RRIF. 428-8791 or 428-8613 55 CHURCH ST. SOUTH, AJAX Rates sublect to change wthout notice. 8-153 Brook St. N. 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