The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is encouraging residents who receive notices regarding York1 Environmental Waste Solutions Ltd.’s proposed Dresden waste facilities to submit their comments and concerns directly to the Province of Ontario.
The Municipality has received copies of the notices and understands that other members of the Dresden community, including adjacent property owners and tenants, will also receive them.
The notices outline York1’s applications to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks related to two proposed operations at 29831 Irish School Road in Dresden: a waste transfer and processing facility and an associated landfill.
York1’s proposal for the waste transfer and processing facility includes receiving, transferring, sorting and processing non-hazardous waste, construction and demolition waste, wood waste, soils and other materials. The notice states the facility would be permitted to receive up to 3,000 tonnes of material per day.
A separate application proposes an eight-hectare landfill for non-hazardous solid waste, primarily construction and demolition waste and excess soil that cannot be beneficially reused. The application proposes a maximum receiving rate of 1,000 tonnes per day, or 365,000 tonnes annually.
The Municipality has retained an independent expert to review information related to the proposed project. That review will help inform Chatham-Kent’s submissions to the Province and ensure the Municipality’s concerns are supported by appropriate technical expertise and evidence.
Chatham-Kent council remains unanimously opposed to the York1 proposal. The Municipality says it will continue to advocate on behalf of the Dresden community and raise its concerns with the Province through the appropriate regulatory processes.
Residents who receive a notice are strongly encouraged to participate in the provincial process and submit their own comments and concerns. According to the notices issued by York1, comments must be submitted within 15 days of receiving the notice.
Comments can be sent by email to wasteproposalcomments@ontario.ca, attention Neryed Ragbar, director appointed for the purposes of Part II.1 of the Environmental Protection Act, Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, Environmental Permission Branch, 135 St. Clair Avenue West, Floor 1, Toronto, Ontario, M4V 1P5.
The Municipality encourages residents to clearly outline any concerns they have about the proposals when making their submissions to the Province. Updates will continue to be posted at www.letstalkchatham-kent.ca/dresden.
