Environment, Ministry of

Active Earth engineers told the public and government that the Stebbings Road Quarry site was geologically ideal for a contaminated soil facility because the bedrock there was impermeable. Expert testimony before the Environmental Appeal Board proved that to be unfounded so that the site cannot be defended on that basis. The proponent now does not... defend their optimistic site description but suggests instead that the public and government should ignore the failings of the site, but instead accept that the engineering technology of the facility and their remediation securities will suffice to protect Shawnigans water forever. Why, we could put one of these anywhere! What a wonderful fairy tale! Landfills exhibit a hierarchy of environmental risk. At the bottom level of risk is a municipal waste facility, next in risk level is one taking industrial grade contaminated soil, a third level is industrial grade but with more noxious levels of contaminants and finally a hazardous waste level at the top of the pyramid. The CHH/SIA quarry proposes to take material at the third level of risk. If we were to proceed to select a site that is suitable for establishing a landfill for contaminated soils at the third level of risk, the CHH/SIA quarry would fail the most fundamental of selection criteria. Not only would it fail in the case of contaminated soils, but would not even pass as a location for the first level risk of a municipal waste landfill. The main characteristics of the site that would instantly disqualify it are that it sits atop a vulnerable aquifer and immediately adjacent to surface streams, all of which lead directly to a major community drinking water supply. The consequence of a system failure is a risk to public health. The Stebbings Road Quarry site was not selected after a systematic search for a suitable location that could meet technically sound criteria for a contaminated soil facility. It was an artifact of commercial opportunity, based on the favourable economics of reclaiming an existing quarry ...Read More