Landfill Application Update
The Powell River landfill application has been approved. The new permit is available here. The Ministry assessment report and supporting documents are also available. The new permit (sections 3.3 and 3.4) makes reference to two reports from the early 90s. The fish sampling study is provided here [pdf: 7.8MB / 127 pages] and the sediment sampling study is provided here [pdf: 7.2MB / 92 pages].
The new permit also requires monthly posting of ambient air quality charts. The Wildwood King Avenue charts for Particulate Matter sized 10 micron and smaller are available here. The Wildwood King Avenue charts for Particulate Matter sized 2.5 micron and smaller are available here. The Wildwood James Thomson School charts for Particulate Matter sized 10 micron and smaller are available here. The Wildwood James Thomson School charts for Particulate Matter sized 2.5 micron and smaller are available here. The Hivol chart for sampling of Particulate Matter sized 10 micron and smaller from within the landfill site is available here. Finally, Total Dustfall results are available here.
Background information: Powell River Division held open houses on April 18, 2007 (for the public) and May 17, 2007 (for the Sliammon community) to provide information and gather feedback about its plan to expand its existing Wildwood landfill. The materials available at these open house sessions, including the draft environmental assessment report, are posted on this page.
Feedback received from the community, as well as MOE, during and following these open houses was used to prepare the final environmental assessment report. That report is available here. (To view figures from the report, see Figure 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 or all [pdf: 9.2mb / 20 pages]. For information contained in the appendices, see Appendix I, II, and III.) In addition, hard copies are available for check out from the Powell River library.
A consultation report has also been prepared as part of the application package. Letters of concern received from the community by June 1, 2007 (June 17 for Sliammon community members) are included in the consultation report, along with the mill's responses. That report is available here. (For information contained in the appendices, see Appendix I, IIa, IIb1, IIb2, IIb3, IIb4, IIb5, IIb6, IIb7, IIb8, IIb9, IIb10, IIb11, IIb12, IIc, IId, IIe, III, IV, and V.) In addition, hard copies are available for check out from the Powell River library.
With the consultation report now submitted, the permit amendment application to MOE is complete. As part of our application we have also provided MOE with a document from Golder Associates that restates the 2006 dustfall results to include the soluble portion. This document is available here.
In addition, it has been brought to our attention that a May 11 email (response letter) was omitted from our consultation report. That email is available here.
We have also advised MOE that we would like our application documents amended so that the total authorized volume of waste discharged to the landfill be increased to 620,000 m3, rather than 850,000 m3, as originally stated. The letter to MOE explaining this change is available here.
MOE commissioned an independent assessment of the historical landfill management practices and a determination of the ongoing ecological impacts to groundwater. This report is available here. Requests for additional information, or any questions about this report, should be addressed directly to Susan Woodbine at MOE. Revisions have since been made to this report, and these are available here. These revisions include rewording of the recommendations in the executive summary, corrections to the historical background information on page 1, and a correction regarding the number of samples referred to in the discussion of dioxins and furans in water.
As requested by members of the community, we are making a list available which details the type and quantity of waste placed in the landfill each year. This list is provided here, and will be updated on an annual basis. We are also providing the most recent annual landfill report here [pdf: 10.7MB / 320 pages].
At the April 2007 open house, a concern was expressed about a material, possibly from the landfill, surfacing along the bank of the river, but only visible when Powell Lake drops to low levels. In response to this concern, the mill commissioned Golder to conduct four reconnaissance trips along the bank between May and October of 2007. No suspect material was identified, however the lake level remained high during this period. In March 2008, the lake level dropped to almost 272 feet elevation. At that time, arrangements were made to tour the area with a member of the public who had also reported this observation to MOE. Following this, more tours of the area were conducted with MOE staff and finally Golder staff. Based on input from MOE, samples were collected and tested, and the results are provided in a report.
If you have feedback on the mill's landfill application, please contact Sarah Barkowski at 604-483-2850 or by e-mail.
You Asked Us...
Answers to some of the questions you've asked us since the open house are included below. You can also read a question and answer sheet about the Powell River landfill application here and an advertisement that ran in the Powell River Peak newspaper on May 23, 2007 here.
Air quality
Does the flyash that will be dumped contain dioxins and furans?
The flyash contains carbon-bound dioxins and furans at levels well below the hazardous waste limit, a consequence of burning wood that contains small amounts of sea salt absorbed by logs when transported in log booms.
The flyash consists mostly of metal oxides, the most abundant being silicon oxide (sand) at 54%, calcium oxide at 15% and aluminium oxide at 10%.
How will dust from the trucks and the landfill site be controlled?
As it is now, and has been since July 2006, the flyash will be mixed with water before it is transported in one of our cement mixer trucks. Numerous tests have shown this is an effective way to control dust during transport and discharge.
In addition, an ambient air-quality monitoring station is located on the corner of King Street and Highway 101. This station measures two categories of dust particles: those smaller than 10 microns and those smaller than 2.5 microns. Results for both categories are well within the provincial objectives.
A dust monitor was also set up at the north corner of the landfill in February 2006 to measure particles 10 microns and smaller. Results show no increase since the mill began using the landfill again in July 2006.
Dustfall monitoring was performed for a 30-day period during the late summer of 2006. Results showed dustfall deposition rates below all regulatory guidelines.
Does the "slurry" of flyash and water become dust when it dries out?
The flyash becomes hard when it dries -- like concrete -- and, if left undisturbed, does not produce dust. Landfill operating procedures will ensure the flyash is covered and protected from disturbances.
Do prevailing winds blow the dust into the nearby neighbourhood?
The dust is controlled during transportation and discharge by mixing the flyash with water. Tests conducted last summer indicated the dust levels at the periphery of the landfill were well below all environmental and health guidelines. Further dust testing has not shown dust blowing into the nearby neighbourhood.
Will the dust problem become worse as the landfill grows higher?
As the landfill grows higher, we will take measures to monitor and prevent dust. We will maintain and monitor the Wildwood ambient air-quality station and the dust monitor at the north corner and continue to share the results at our quarterly stakeholder meetings. We will also continue to mix the flyash with water, and to maintain the road surfaces for the transport trucks. At final closure, the landfill will be capped with a drainage layer, a layer of soil, a layer of topsoil and vegetation.
Groundwater
Will the landfill contaminate groundwater?
Leachate is produced by rain filtering through the landfill. The leachate will be collected by an engineered liner system and sent to our mill's wastewater treatment plant. We will also build a surface water diversion system to prevent rain from running into the landfill and a collection pond to manage the runoff. We will monitor groundwater quality using wells, and ensure the groundwater is protected with a leak detection and pumping system below the landfill's liner.
Does most of the leachate from the landfill go straight into the groundwater, contaminating residential drinking water?
No, the leachate from the existing landfill is collected by the liner system and sent to the mill's wastewater treatment plant.
Aesthetics
Will this landfill be the highest man-made structure in the Powell River area?
The landfill will reach a maximum height of 20 metres -- nine metres below the top of a nearby rock bluff, and shorter than many buildings and structures on the mill site.
Isn't this landfill being built too close to residents?
There has been a landfill at this site since the 1960s. A Wildwood resident suggested that rather than occupy another site for a new landfill, it would be better to use the existing site. There are several safety features built into the landfill design that will protect human health and the environment. This includes leachate collection and treatment, surface water diversion and control, dust control and monitoring of air and water.
Earthquakes
Has the landfill area been assessed as a relatively high seismic risk?
The landfill is located in a relatively high seismic risk area. The seismic behaviour of the expanded landfill was therefore assessed under "design earthquake" conditions, which show the site has a low potential for substantial slope failure.
The landfill will be designed to the current earthquake standard for the Powell River area, and we will continue to monitor the seismic risk.
Zoning
Is part of the landfill site located on land zoned R-2 Rural?
Part of the capped landfill is located on land zoned A-2 Rural. The majority of the landfill is zoned M-3 Industrial. A rezoning application has been prepared to bring the existing use into conformance with the applicable municipal bylaw.
Technical report
Why did the public only see a "draft" version of the technical assessment?
The report was kept in a draft form so public comments from the open house could be incorporated. It will only be considered "final" when it becomes an attachment to the formal application to the Ministry of Environment. The final version will be posted on our website.
Why doesn't the technical assessment take into account social and economic impacts?
The scope and content of the report, primarily the potential impacts on the environment and human health, was defined by the Ministry of Environment during a pre-application meeting in August 2006.
