A Hamilton, Ont., MP has joined several residents in a call to close a private landfill accused of emitting a terrible stench around east-side neighbourhoods for months.
Local Liberal MP and former Hamilton councillor Chad Collins told the province in a letter he believes the GFL Landfill on Green Mountain Road in Upper Stoney Creek should be closed until the company implements measures to eliminate odours at the site.
“This issue has been extremely distressful to residents in Upper Stoney Creek and east Hamilton who have had to deal with foul odours for months on end,” Collins wrote.
“Something must be done to rectify this situation as it is compromising people’s quality of life and mental health.”
Residents affected by the alleged stench have gone as far as demonstrating out front of the GFL facility on Green Mountain Road in recent weeks seeking closure of the facility through an awareness campaign.
Coun. Brad Clark characterized the issue with the industrial landfill as a “conundrum” despite public health revealing no hazards after air quality testing from the Ministry of the Environment Conservation and Parks (MECP).
Recently, Clark has been pushing for municipal veto power from the province in the hope of getting a say in private applications for expansions.
Area resident Kathleen Taylor said she and her neighbours have been catching a break with little odour to speak of in recent weeks, but added the past few days are back to “the way it was.”
She said there has been some communication with officials at the plant and a monthly meeting residents can attend online.
“So I suppose that’s better,” Taylor said.
“They did send out some fliers in the mail letting us know about those monthly meetings, but that’s been pretty much it.”
In October, Mayor Andrea Horvath said she’s been in touch with the MECP and will do what she can for a problem that primarily falls under provincial jurisdiction.
“I’ve certainly been in touch many times with the minister of environment. She has been very responsive, but we still continue to have unresolved challenges,” Horwath said.
“So we’re going to continue to do that advocacy work.”
Ontario’s Environmental Assessment Act already requires municipal support for any new private landfills but is silent on the expansion of existing facilities.
Hamilton’s medical officer of health on numerous occasions has said there are “no public health hazards” connected with hydrogen sulphide detected in the air around the Green Mountain Road facility.
Air quality measurements, taken by the Ministry of the Environment Conservation and Parks (MECP), also reveal “no violations.”
The MECP did admit in a September report that odours from the gas have been known to “cause stress” and affect one’s “quality of life.”
Hamilton Public Health says it is continuing to explore options to provide independent, third-party air monitoring in the area.
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