Liberty vows incinerator will be world 'showcase'
By Richard Leitner
News
Aug 29, 2008
California-based Liberty Energy Inc. has moved a big step closer to building a giant sewage-sludge incinerator in Hamilton with the posting of the plant's proposed licences on the province's environmental registry.
The public has until Sept. 20 to comment on draft licences governing air, sewage and waste emissions, but cannot appeal any conditions because the project has already received the necessary environmental approvals.
Liberty spokesperson Trevor Pettit said his company hopes to begin construction next spring on the first phase of the $120-million plant and show naysayers that sludge incineration is "the wave of the future."
The Strathearne Avenue North incinerator will generate enough electricity to power 8,000 homes by burning up to 400,000 tonnes per year -- nearly eight times the amount generated by the city, which presently hires a contractor to spread its sludge on area farmland.
"Without question we want this to be a showcase for energy-from-waste for the world," Mr. Pettit said.
"I don't think you expect everybody to embrace it, but I think we can illustrate the success stories throughout the world and we intend to surpass those success stories," he said.
"This is proven technology and we've gone the extra lengths to accommodate virtually every study they wanted, anything that anyone has wanted in terms of tests that we'll do."
Lynda Lukasik, executive director for Environment Hamilton, said her group remains opposed to the incinerator, but welcomes Liberty Energy's willingness to listen to concerns about monitoring.
Although not reflected in the current draft licence on air emissions, she said company officials have verbally agreed to her request that they continue to test for emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons beyond the first year -- a commitment she wants reflected in the final version.
Ms. Lukasik said although allowing the public to comment on the licences is better than not doing so, she would have preferred having the right of appeal under the Environmental Bill of Rights.
"We still haven't been convinced that this is the best way to deal with sewage sludge," she said, arguing the province needs to come up with a long-term strategy that includes clamping down on sewer toxins, a key concern for its use as fertilizer.
"Having said that, the reality is that this facility has been approved.
We're certainly going to take steps to ensure that there is rigorous monitoring and there are strong requirements in those (licences) to ensure there aren't any negative impacts."
The licences are available for viewing on-line at
www.ebr.gov.on.ca.
The registration number is 010-4084.
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