Emerald Energy from Waste is a private waste burning company located on Brampton’s southwest border with Mississauga. Emerald has been operating this plant since 1992. Recently, they submitted a proposal to the Ontario Government for permission to dramatically increase their plant capacity, to accommodate the equivalent of 1/3 of all of Ontario’s household waste and become the largest mass burn facility in Canada.

Emerald claims they are a clean, green technology company turning unwanted waste into sustainable electricity. Representatives, including experts from Environmental Defence, Toronto Environmental Alliance, and Region of Peel Public Health Department, dispute those claims citing the following facts:

• Burning waste produces 50% more carbon emissions per kilowatt-hour generated than coal and almost 3X the emissions compared with burning natural gas to create electricity,
• Burning plastics, textiles, preserved wood and other man-made materials produces a range of chemicals that are known to cause health problems including cancer, endocrine system disruption, and respiratory issues such as asthma. Peel Public Health has noted that air quality in the area near the plant is already compromised. If the expansion proceeds, the level of these chemicals in smokestack emissions would greatly exceed Provincial and Federal guidelines according to the company’s own forecasts,
• The expansion would result in a 6-fold increase in carbon emissions that would affect municipal emissions reductions targets,
• The emissions from the plant’s stacks are self-monitored by the company. They are subject to inspection by the Province but that happens only once per year, and then only after the plant has been notified of the coming inspection,
• The waste stream can contain high amounts of moisture that must be driven off before combustion. This often requires the facility to burn natural gas along with the waste stream to keep the material burning,
• In order to feed the plant, garbage would need to be trucked in from all over the Province adding to traffic congestion and exhaust emissions,
• Providing municipalities across the province with a cheap waste disposal alternative to landfill reduces the incentive for these local governments to support reduce, reuse and recycle programs.

The Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks is still reviewing the company’s proposal. There is time to stop this project. Time is of the essence. A decision could be rendered any day.

TELL THE PROVINCE TO REFUSE THE EXPANSION OF THE MEGA-INCINERATOR IN BRAMPTON