Garbage deal may put Halton out of picture By Angela Blackburn SPECIAL TO THE CHAMPION In the wake of a U.S.-Ontario agree- ment to phase oui the shipping of municipal trash from the GTA to pri- vate Michigan dumps, Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn said he's confident the Ontario goverrument won't send Toronto's trash to Halton, but Halton Regional Chair Joyce Savoline isn't totally convinced. "What this says is that it doesn't have to do it (send trash to Halton) and iî won't do it," said Flynn. Hewas referring to a receni deal the Ontario govemmrrent reached with the State of Michigan to phase out trucking municipal trash to that state starting in 2007 with elimination by 2010 - pos- sible by the Province working with GTA mumicipalities to reduce the trash andeliminate the need for shipping. Tereduction was reported as being possible through increased use of recy- ding and composiing programs, and with the use of Ontario dumps, some 10 expand and somte newly approved. The trash in question is that gener- ated by munîcipalities. Industrial, com- mercial and institutional garbage is also exported t0 privaie Michigan landfîlls and isn'i covered under the newly-bro- kered deal. Even Halton, which handles its own municipal trash ai its landfill on Broute Road, sees its industrial/commercial/institutional sec- tors choose t0 slip their trash to Mic higan. The phase oui was agreed t0 in the face of a new U.S. Homelands Security Appropriations Bill amendment that could have closed the U.S, border to Canadian îrash trucks immediaîely - or made it difficuli and costly to gel through. The deal was reached with commit- ment from GTA municipalities and makes some inroads against Michigan residenis' concernas about Toronto and Ontario using their siate as a trash bin - not to mention the wear and tear on ils roads, safety issues, environenial concerns and more. While congratulaiing Ontario Enviromnent Minister Laurel Broten for brokening the deal, Savoline said Broten "lias bought four years." "This is an intenim solution, a Band- Aid if you would like. It does flot solve thse issue. There needs to lie a perma- nient solution to what Toronto does with is garbage. There is no plan." According t0 the Halton chair, despite thse apparent commitiment, thse minister is authorized in case of emer- gency to direct a municipalitys trash to a landfill of choice. Until there bas been whaî Savoline called "an unequivocal siatement" fromn the minister that it won't come t0 Halton, there stilI exisls a possibility And there hasn't been sucli a state- ment, said Savoline. Meanwhile, Flynn saîd the minisury is well aware, perhaps envious, of Halion's position of being able t0 look after ils own trash. He doesn't believe the ministry would interfere with il. Besîdes reduction measures, there are landfills, many private, in Ontario, and approvals for more, includîng expansions. 'Itls believed that we bave enough capacity t0 landfill if thats still the dho- sen technology," said Flynn. An additional 150,000 tonnes of industrial, commercial and institutional wasîe is produced annually in Halion and trucked to the U.S. If Halton were t0 dispose of thai waste here, the landfill's lifespan would be reduced to 2017. The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, September 12, 2006 -A7 No bylaw motion made yet j.ýi i\il.iil.' guc.d tic aci ý,,î t n LI tjj au th i i. ' ' lail. Nob d ohnd i le tht o ..nm ttec only brought in after years of Dr. Nosal noted thîs posi- put forward a motion regarding leadership demonstrated by tion doesn't preclude elected a pesticide bylaw. local governiments putting anti- representatives from putting a Milton council recently smoking bylaws in place. restrictive bylaw in place. decided itfs going to hold a Halton Medical Officer of Halton CAO Brent Marshallpulconltinonheos Health Dr. Bob Nosal said the went on to once again ou tline public pec isuion necos Halton Region Health the Regions current environ- mn eti pestcide iu ianuyary Department continues to sup- mentally-friendly initiatives,' n hndciei ya port a "prudent avoidance" such as the fact it discontinued should be put in place. approach to pesticides, mean- spraying pesticides along rural Melanie Hennessey can be ing to rely on natural control roadsides 20 years ago and on reached ai mhennessey@milîon- and preventative measures and ail Region properties four years canadianchampion.com. ___ __ M