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Recommendation: That, the following
actions be taken with respect to the Orgaworld composting facility located at
4675 Wellington Road South:
a)
the
Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to increase technical assistance with
the Orgaworld Public Liaison Committee and the community; it being noted that
this would include the following:
i)
undertaking
technical research;
ii)
reviewing
related activities in other jurisdictions;
iii)
providing
updates at the Orgawowld Public Liaison Committee meetings;
iv)
increasing
frequency of reporting at the appropriate City of London Standing Committee;
v)
providing
City of London Civic Administration or Municipal Council recommendations to
Orgaworld; and,
vi)
contributing
funds to community technical research;
it being
noted that any potential financial impact to the City would be tied to the
specific items listed in clause a) i) to vi), above, that have been
increased; it being further noted that technical research performed for the
City and/or the community and involving technical consultants, may require a
budget of $25,000 to $50,000 per year;
b)
the
Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to actively work with officials from
the Ministry of the Environment; it being noted that this would include the
following:
i)
monitoring
the outcome of the Environmental Review Tribunal decision and assisting with
community reporting;
ii)
undertaking
collaborative technical research;
iii)
assisting
with public outreach and engagement;
iv)
increasing
frequency of reporting to the appropriate City of London Standing Committee;
v)
providing
City of London Civic Administration and/or Municipal Council recommendations
to the Ministry of the Environment; and,
vi)
contributing
funding to community technical research;
it being noted that
any potential financial impact to the City would be tied to the specific
items listed in clause b) i) to vi), above, that have been increased; it
being further noted that technical research performed for the City and
involving technical consultants, may require a budget of $25,000 to $50,000
per year; and,
c)
the
Middlesex-London Health Unit BE ASKED to provide information on
potential health impacts of the odour from the Orgaworld composting facility;
it
being noted that the Planning and Environment Committee reviewed and received
the following communications with respect to this matter:
·
a communication from D. Harley, Orgaworld;
·
a communication, dated October 25, 2012, from G. Macartney,
CEO, London Chamber of Commerce;
·
a communication, dated November 5, 2012, from J. Preston,
M.P., Elgin-Middlesex-London;
·
a communication from R. Cook, Chief Executive Officer,
Ontario Waste Management Association; and,
·
a communication, dated November 8, 2012, from J. Yurek,
M.P.P., Elgin-Middlesex-London;
it
being pointed out that at the public participation meeting associated with
this matter, the following individuals made oral submissions in connection
therewith:
·
Dr.
Greg Mariotti, Manager, Operations, Canadian Facilities and Sandra
Drouillard, London Site Plant Operations Manager and Dale Harley, Canadian
Plant Operations Manager, Orgaworld – see attached presentation.
·
Peter
White, London Economic Development Corporation – expressing concern with the
negative affect a nuisance by-law would have on London businesses and
businesses that may wish to invest in London, especially the food industry;
advising that this will affect long-term expansion plans; and advising that
there are new Ministry of Environment Regulations for the Toxic Reduction Act.
·
Tim
Mould, 230 Portsmouth Crescent East – advising that he has worked at
Orgaworld for five years; indicating that this has provided him with a chance
to own a home and raise a family; indicating that he previously cleaned
industrial buildings; and advising that he has never worked with people who
have put so much into what they do.
·
Peter
Firth, 4499 Wellington Road – see attached presentation.
·
Darlene
Nuvell, Westminster Drive – indicating that they don’t have time to continue
complaining about the odour issue; and advising that she has had company
beside the pool ask to move indoors due to the odour.
·
Ron
Baldacchino 4542 Avenue Road – advising that he can smell the odour at night;
indicating that he cannot smell the odour on Westminster Drive; indicating
that he has contacted Orgaworld twice and has received no response; and
enquiring as to why Orgaworld has offices off-site.
·
Peter
Hargreave, Ontario Waste Management Association – reading the Ontario Waste
Management Association communication on the Planning and Environment
Committee Added Agenda.
·
T.
Vinder, 578 Wyndham, Norfolk County – advising that she does not live in the
community; indicating that she and three Councillors came to London to meet
with the Coalition; noting that they drove by Orgaworld; indicating that they
could smell Orgaworld ten times in one hour; indicating that the smell was so
sour that it took your breath away; indicating that if she lived near
Orgaworld, she would sell her house and take it at a loss; indicating that
they had headaches and loss of appetite for the remainder of the day;
advising that Norfolk is dealing with similar issues; indicating that
Oakville has nuisance by-laws for odour; indicating that this should be
regulated at the Provincial level; noting that the Provincial government is
currently at a standstill; indicating that the Ministry of the Environment
continually visiting the site, is not effective; noting that there have been
cutbacks at the Ministry of the Environment; indicating that this problem
would not have gone on so long if it was a massage parlour or a strip joint;
indicating that her husband wants to sell their house because of this issue;
indicating that this is not similar to a septic system as a septic system is
underground; and requesting the Committee listen to the Coalition.
·
S.
Kernohan, Home Hardware, 4425 Wellington Road South – advising that he relies
on customer service in order to stay in business; indicating that customers
have asked him about the stench; noting that any time a customer says
something, others are thinking it, but not saying it; and requesting that the
quality of South London be maintained.
·
P.
Hunstein, Dingman Drive – advising that she could not go outside this summer;
indicating that the smells gives her headaches and makes her ill; advising
that she has now been referred to a specialist for allergies; enquiring
whether or not you are going to deprive residents for a stinky business;
advising that a gentleman from Orgaworld came to her door and she told him
what she thought of their business; indicating that this would not happen in
Masonville; indicating that this is disgraceful; and advising that the City
and Councillors want the residents to go away.
·
Robert,
24780 Caroline, West Elgin County – advising that there is a 50 acre field
beside him; advising that hundreds of tons of compost were dropped off in a
massive pile; noting that another load was dropped off in a field on the
other side of him; advising that the compost was spread on a field of
soybeans and the soybeans were so pathetic, that it was not harvested;
enquiring as to why the rest of the world is not composting like this;
indicating that it is a weird experiment being done in London; advising that
farmers have contaminants and glass on their fields; indicating that there
are ways to test smell; and indicating that people are offended by the smell.
·
Rick
and Roxanne Ayers, 212 Centre Street, Dutton – advising that he has not been
enticed or paid to be here; indicating that he has toured the Orgaworld
plant; indicating that Orgaworld is doing everything possible to make people
happy; advising that he has eight composters at home; requesting that
Orgaworld be given a chance; indicating that we all use our blue boxes;
advising that we all know what happens when you take food outside in 30oC
weather; indicating that they are very compassionate about this; advising
that her husband does his own studies; advising that he added compost to his
corn and it doubled in size; noting that there are 80 different components in
his compost; advising that their vegetable garden is beautiful; noting that
they have so much, that they give vegetables to other people; advising that
her flower gardens are overflowing; indicating that if the City had green
bins, the City would make the guidelines of what is able to be put in them;
enquiring as to what goes on farmers’ fields – manure and it stinks;
indicating that she did a survey while her husband was in the hospital for a
week and most of the nurses admit that they compost; indicating that they
live in the country and smell the manure, but they still sit outside;
advising that people cannot wear perfume to work; advising that Orgaworld is
clean, passionate about what they do and are trying to keep everyone happy;
advising that they have some office staff on-site; enquiring as to whether or
not people take their children horseback riding; noting that there is manure
at the farm; indicating that your children smell after playing hockey; and
advising that, at the celebration for “Volunteer Day”, Rick’s compost is
highly sought after.
·
Steve
Peters, on behalf of the Alliance of Ontario Food Processors – requesting the
Committee to enforce Section 14 of the Environmental Protection Act; advising
that London has companies in the beer business, the second largest dairy farm
in Canada, a cereal plant and a glucose-fructose plant; and enquiring whether
or not the City would enforce a by-law against itself.
·
D.
Rastin, 201
Westfield Drive –
advising that for fifteen years he worked in grain processing throughout the
world; indicting that he knows what pig manure smells like; advising that he
has watched kids fight with goats over garbage in garbage bins in poor
countries; advising that he has no interest in Orgaworld; indicating that he
arranged a tour of Orgaworld and did not give them any of his background;
noting that he toured the facility inside and out; indicating that he keeps
hearing that the stench is horrible, but that was not his experience;
advising that he was asked to change into a uniform for his tour so that his
clothes would not smell; indicating that he noticed a few diapers, dog and
cat feces in the facility; indicating that he also went into the humidity
rooms; advising that he is one of three grain dryer experts in the world;
advising that he understands contaminants and the amounts allowed; indicating
that Orgaworld was clean; advising that it is a business decision to have the
offices on Kent Street; advising that smell is very subjective; noting that
he loves the smell of Kellogg’s; indicating that he has watched and listened
to the amount of money that Orgaworld has spent on this facility; advising
that if this was the United States of America, they would not listen to the
neighbours complaints; indicating that Orgaworld is doing everything that it
can; advising that shutting the plant down will affect 22 families; and
indicating that Orgaworld is not being irresponsible, they are trying to meet
the needs of the city.
·
Robert
Scott, 3044 Westminster Drive – advising that he lives one kilometer south of
Orgaworld; noting that he loves his neighbourhood and his home; indicating
that he is here for everyone in the Brockley-Shaver area; advising that their
quality of life has been seriously impacted; advising that he has been
embarrassed too many times when barbequing and had to go inside; advising
that he has made numerous odour complaints; advising that twice this summer
they turned off the air conditioner and opened the windows; indicating that
they deserve a better quality of life; expressing sympathy for the lady who
owned the driving range and had to sell it at a loss; expressing concern for
his families health; noting that his wife has a chronic cough and has been to
the doctor four times; enquiring as to where the value of their homes is
going; noting that two realtors advised him that he needs to disclose the
odour issue if he is going to sell his home and that he could lose of 40% of
his property value; enquiring who is going to cover these losses; and
enquiring why we are taking Toronto’s garbage in south London.
·
Allan
Tipping, 2809 Dingman Drive – enquiring as to how many Councillors have been
to a party and had to endure a terrible smell; advising that you offend
everyone if you go to the bathroom and make an odour; advising that there
have been no changes in the CSA and the intake; indicating that the previous
owner of the lands composted steak bones and sawdust; indicating that he was
advised that you never put diapers, mediations, plastic and animal feces in
compost; advising that Orgaworld advised the area residents that there would
be no odour; noting that, six years later, they are now coming back and
saying there will be odour; requesting that they be made to pay for their
crime; advising that if it is only moisture and hot air in the stack, there
would be no odour; advising that Orgaworld had to enclose its curing pad due
to the odour; advising that the City was pushed into giving Orgaworld a
building permit as fast as they could; indicating that all you see is the
ductwork on the top of the building; indicating that the stack was 40 metres
tall and is now 60 metres tall; expressing opposition to the increased height
of the stack; enquiring as to whether or not anyone has gone out a further
distance to determine what the odour disbursement is; advising that a farmer
who has worked near the W12A has advised him that the odour is not coming
from the landfill; indicating that there is no fix for this odour; advising
that the City is responsible for this facility because the City allowed the
original permits and then allowed additional permits; advising that science
and times change; enquiring as to where we go from here; enquiring as to how
many months that it has been open has it been at a stable state; noting that
there have been restrictions from the first day for odour issues; requesting
that their property values be protected; enquiring as to whether the City is
going to allow one facility to dictate what it can do; requesting that
Orgaworld be shut down to protect the community; requesting that the original
plans be revisited to see what was originally proposed; indicating that the
facility now has five biofilters when two were originally approved; noting
that there are a lot of people in the gallery to listen to this matter; and
indicating that elections come and go, but the community needs your support.
·
J.
Pieterson, 5011 Wellington Road South – advising that he has spoken to the
Ministry of the Environment with respect to the compost being dumped on
farmers’ lands; expressing concern with the amount of plastic in the compost;
advising that he has spoken with a local farmer who noted that there is some
nutritional value in the compost, but that there is lots of crushed glass and
plastic; advising that contaminates come through in the beans that are grown
on the land; indicating that with one bad test, the food industry shuns you;
advising that Southwestern Ontario is blessed with an abundance of good
quality farmland; noting that why anyone would put this compost on their land
is beyond him; advising that the Ministry used fine mesh nets in the Great
Lakes and indicated that there is a lot of plastics in the water; expressing
concern with the number of geese and ducks on the fields and what we are
introducing into the environment; indicating that he is going to ask on the
Andy Ooudman show for farmers who use the product if he can come out and see
their lands; advising that the odour is terrible and that they have had to
leave their home several times; indicating that he ordered fridge magnets
with the Ministry of the Environment phone number on them and had no problem
distributing them through the neighbourhood; and advising that there have
been a lot of registered complaints as the facility affects a large area.
·
David
Gillis, 2753 Dingman Drive – see attached presentation.
·
Roma-Lynn
Gillis, 2753 Dingman Drive - see attached presentation.
·
Bradley
McLellan 4759 Wellington Road – advising that he lives directly east of the
plant; indicating that the last six years have been the worst; indicating
that he has bankers boxes of information and has lost a lot of time fighting
the problem; noting that it has cost him thousands of dollars and time;
indicating that his kids friends do not want to come over because of the
smell; indicating that he removed his pool and no longer barbeques because of
the smell; enquiring as to whether or not anyone has thought of the carbon
footprint from the trucks driving to and from the Plant; advising that Europe
has learned its lesson; advising that he composted on a farm in the 1980’s;
advising that the City has a chance to pass a by-law on waste; noting that Orgaworld
and everyone else has been on the map for the last ten years; indicating that
he went straight to the Ministry of the Environment; indicating that the City
should use the by-law for the amount of compliance and pull their license;
requesting the City take the initiative and pass a by-law; indicating that
Orgaworld is the only facility of this type in Canada; indicating that their
facilities are newer and are on the urban boundary; and advising that the
South West Area Plan and Orgaworld need to be tied together.
·
Margaret
Sigmund, 2428 Dingman Drive – advising that they built their dream home and
then Orgaworld was built; indicating that they are very involved in their
Church; indicating that people complain about the smell when they have
barbeques; and advising that they have a new puppy and attend Mr. P. Firth’s
veterinary clinic for obedience class and many people in the class complain
about the smell.
·
Leoni
Westi, Cherryhill – advising that she lives in a city that has beer and
cereal making facilities that stink; enquiring as to how much this meeting
has cost; noting that it would be better spent helping abused children;
indicating that she has lived in Dublin, Ireland, and cities stink; enquiring
as to what normally happens with stinky diapers; indicating that by closing
the facility, you are putting jobs in jeopardy; asking people to think about
who cleans the sewers and asking them if you can imagine the stink;
indicating that pig farmers stink and to get over it; and enquiring as to why
research was not done to see what was being built.
·
Rochelle
Lambert, Norfolk County – indicating that Norfolk County is dealing with
similar concerns; advising that she is appalled by what the residents have to
deal with; indicating that the Mayor asked questions about the Ottawa
Orgaworld facility; noting that the Ottawa facility does not accept diapers,
sanitary products, plastics, etc.; recommending that the Nutrient Act
be followed; indicating that an area farmer put quality compost on his land
and had the best crop ever; advising that a different farmer used Orgaworld
compost and his cows fed off the land and had no babies; noting that the
farmer was advised to remove his cows because of the amount of female
contraceptives they had consumed; indicating that the Town of Oakville has
adopted an Air Quality By-law; indicating that this would cost Orgaworld
millions of dollars to meet the Air Quality By-law; advising that area
residents are experiencing health concerns; and indicating that what is
occurring is disturbing.
·
A.
R. Patton, on behalf of the Shaver Brockley Coalition – emphasizing that his
clients are not lunatics or constant complainers and are able to express
substantive concerns; indicating that Orgaworld was welcomed when it first
opened; advising that Orgaworld has been oversold, overpromised and is an
underperformed business; indicating that the complaints that have been heard
are real; indicating that he has sat in Mr. Scott’s backyard and the smell is
offensive; indicating that he has spoken with area business employees and
they do not go for a walk at lunch because of the smell; indicating that the
smell is an unintended consequence; indicating that the Chamber of Commerce
is disingenuous in its comments in its letter; requesting that a nuisance by-law
be passed; recommending that recourse be sought; indicating that the City is
leaving it to the Shaver Brockley residents and others to file a class action
suit against Orgaworld; indicating that the City has the power to lead;
advising that the Shaver Brockley community is a well-established community;
and requesting the City establish a nuisance by-law that is fairly drafted
and enforced.
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