Barry Wright

The Independent

Waste Management wants to nearly double the amount of garbage that will be coming to its Zion Line facility each year.

The company informed Warwick Council that it wants an amendment from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment to increase its fill rate at its Twin Creeks landfill to up to 1.4 million tonnes per year.

The current rate at the facility, north of Watford, is 750,000 tonnes.

In a presentation to council on Monday, Waste Management’s Reid Cleland said the requested increase is an estimate and the company may want to bring in less garbage once all studies are completed.

“It (the 1.4 million tonnes) is not something that is set in stone,” he said, noting that WM will look at variety of potential annual tonnage rates, including the maximum request of 1.4 million tonnes.

Cleland says the increase will give the company can retain its current customers from both the Twin Creeks and Petrolia landfills at the one location.

He said once the Petrolia landfill closes, all waste from that site will be diverted to Twin Creeks, including all Lambton County waste that is currently being disposed of at the Petrolia site as part of a 25-year agreement with the county.

But, it appears the closing date for Waste Management’s Petrolia site is now somewhat of a moving target.

A recent report to the county indicated the Petrolia landfill would be closing in June, however in answering a question from Mayor Todd Case at the council session this week, Cleland appeared to leave the door open for a minor extension, saying the Petrolia facility would likely close in July or August.

Cleland says the Environmental Screening Process to increase the amount of waste going to Twin Creeks typically takes up to a year and will include several stages of public input.

Council was also assured that the township’s Technical Review Team for the landfill would be given access to the company’s plans for comment.