GFL told to lower Taro waste piles
April 10 provincial officer’s order states heaps are up to 14 metres higher than allowed
A resident who has long complained that upper Stoney Creek’s GFL Taro industrial dump appears to be exceeding waste height limits says he’s “thrilled” the Environment Ministry’s Hamilton district office is finally taking action.
A provincial officer’s order issued to GFL on April 10 states that waste piles in some areas are up to 14 metres higher than allowed by the dump’s licence and that lowering their height should be a priority over accepting new waste.
In her 12-page order, environmental compliance officer Tamara Posadowski concludes the waste piles have contributed to the odour issues that have plagued the dump for the past year.
While the stench has previously been blamed on the site’s leachate, “odours that are now being experienced off-site are usually associated with waste material,” she states, noting the ministry received 302 complaints from residents between Jan. 1 and April 8.
Posadowski’s notice gives 12 compliance orders, including that GFL stop piling waste higher than the limit of 221.75 metres above sea level by June 1 and begin relocating the higher waste to two new liner cells being built near the dump’s Green Mountain Road boundary.
Wes Connor, who unsuccessfully sought a hearing to oppose the dump’s expansion in 2019, said the order validates three main concerns he’s raised with the ministry and GFL for at least two years.
It does so by confirming that GFL is violating the expansion’s licence conditions, requiring the non-compliant waste piles to be lowered and rejecting GFL’s contention that it must only meet height limits by the time the dump closes, he said.
“I couldn’t have written it better, I was so impressed,” Connor said, also praising a compliance order requiring GFL to provide weekly updates by June 1 on the amount of waste relocated.
“Overall, I’m thrilled that the ministry stood up to GFL and is making them adhere to the (licence). I think it’s a big win for the citizens of upper Stoney Creek on this topic and we’ve had very few big wins along the way.”
GFL officials did not respond to emails seeking comment on the order, which the company is required to post on the dump’s website. The order gave GFL 15 days to appeal but there is no indication it has done so.
The ministry’s action follows through on a commitment made by district manager Stephen Burt in December after others also raised concerns about the dump’s height during an online meeting of the site’s community liaison committee.
Coun. Brad Clark, who represents the area, said he’s grateful the ministry is confirming his view that the higher waste piles have contributed to the site’s odour problems.
“It’s higher than the houses, the wind blows it, and when it starts to evaporate, that’s when people start smelling this awful odour,” he said.
Clark said the order also supports his contention that the waste piles prevented those areas from being covered, adding to the volumes of leachate at the dump that are above licence limits and the subject of a separate order Posadowski issued last October.
“I sincerely hope that this is a sign that the Ministry of the Environment is going to continue to vigilantly monitor the landfill operation to ensure compliance. No one else can do that. It’s only the ministry that can do that.”
Liz Roediger, speaking on behalf of citizens group Stand for Stoney Creek, said the community has “tirelessly pursued” an explanation on why GFL has been allowed to pile waste so high.
“Now we have the answer via the latest ministry order — that GFL’s endless stockpiling of waste is yet another noncompliance of their (licence) on top of their odour noncompliance,” she said via email.
“We are tired of the incompetence at the expense of the community’s well-being and enjoyment of our neighbourhood.”