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november 16 , 2022
But the majority of the 2,800 tonnes are applied as top fill to municipal waste, a practice which is not compliant with ministry regulations.
These biosolids are not benign substances. They contain so called “forever chemicals” that never break down and are potentially carcinogenic. The non-compliance dumping is thus a risk to human health, wildlife and aquatic life through contamination of groundwater.
An aerial view of the Hartland Landfill. Continued dumping of toxic waste from treated sewage is putting watersheds and public health at risk, Jonathan O’Riordan writes. TIMES COLONIST
RE: Jonathan O’Riordan: Op. Ed.:
Comment: Time to do something about the toxic waste at Hartland
Times Colonist / Read Full Article
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December 10 , 2021
Globally there is growing concern and opposition to the spreading of biosolids. Numerous reports by scientific researchers and government agencies identify toxic metals, organic chemicals, prions, and potentially active viruses (including COVID) which may be found in biosolids.
RE: Daniel Kenway: Letter to the Editor:
Landfill no place for biosolids - misinformation can hurt our children
Times Colonist / Read Full Article
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December 2 , 2021
Under pressure from a coalition of concerned citizens, businesses, elected officials and environmental organizations, the CRD Board agreed to ask the ministry to release it from its obligation to spread the biosolids at Hartland.
RE: Hugh Stephens: New Approach Needed to Our Broken Biosolids Plan
Times Colonist / Read Full Article
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March 2 , 2021
Saanich residents are reiterating their concerns after a workplace safety closure at a Richmond cement plant has caused months worth of biosolids to be redirected to the Hartland Landfill.
The disposal of biosolids, or processed human waste, has been at the heart of a decade-long debate in Greater Victoria. In 2011, following public concern, the Capital Regional District (CRD) banned the land application of biosolids. But last year […] the CRD reversed its ban to allow for biosolids (700 tonnes) to be spread at the Hartland Landfill during that period of time.
RE: Jane Skrypnek: Plant closure sends more biosolids to Hartland Landfill
- Saanich residents are concerned they were never consulted
Saanich News / Read Full Article
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January 5 , 2021
Press Release:
Mount Work Coalition Heralds CRD Decision to Extend Consultation Period on Draft Solid Waste Management Plan.
Mount Work Coalition / Read Full Article
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December 17 , 2020
The international definition of zero waste is 90 per cent of waste diverted from landfills, primarily through the top three Rs of the waste hierarchy: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
Re: Jon O’Riordan: Comment: We Should Strive for Zero Waste Instead of Expanding the Landfill
Times Colonist / Read Full Article
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november 15, 2020
Earlier this year, with a new $775-million sewage treatment system on the verge of completion, the CRD board, somewhat reluctantly, agreed to partially lift the biosolids ban. The change of heart allows about 700 tonnes of biosolids to be spread on closed areas of Hartland Landfill […]starting in 2021.
[…] chemicals such as flame retardants, PCBs and other hormone disrupters will find their way into the environment. A particular concern is PFAS—per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances found in items ranging from frying pans and rain-jackets to dental floss—known as “forever chemicals” because they are almost indestructible.
Re: Judith Lavoie: CRD Flip-flop on Biosolids
Focus On Victoria / Read Full Article
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november 15, 2020
We produce a lot of solid waste in this region: 382 kg per person in 2019, according to a Capital Regional District staff report in September this year; for a family of four, this is more than 1,500 kg or 1.5 tonnes per year, although it is not all produced directly.
But zero waste is where we need to be […] If we are to get to zero waste, expanding the landfill is entirely the wrong approach.
Re: Trevor Hancock: Zero Waste means not expanding Hartland Landfill
Times Colonist / Read Full Article
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October 19, 2020
130,000 litres of sewage sludge - containing raw sewage, bacteria, Covid-19 and many contaminants - destined to CRD’s new biosolids plant leaked into Mount Work Park near Durrance Lake on October 13th.
Re: CFAX’s Adam Stirling speaks with Hugh Stephens, Mount Work Coalition, about Hartland Sewage Spill
Listen here / iHeartradio.ca - CFAX 1070-Adam Sterling Noon Hour
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October 16, 2020
The spill began on the site of the new treatment plant. Some of the sewage was contained to the property but some did escape through a culvert pipe running under Willis Point Road which then settled in the regional park.
Warning sign at Mount Work Regional Park where 130-cubic-metres of sewage spilled and settled in the park. (CTV News)
Re: Diluted Sewage Spills into Mt. Work Park from Hartland Landfill
CTV News/ Read Full Article
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October 16, 2020
About 130 cubic metres of sewage sludge was released, and affected an area within the site of the Residuals Treatment Facility and an area of about 600 square metres within Mount Work Regional Park, the CRD said. Photos from the nearby resident show the spill cut a large swath through the forest at Mount Work.
Hartland sewage spill cut a path through forest in Mount Work Regional Park
Sewage spill near Mount Work bike path.
Photos: Nearby Resident
Re: Sewage Spills from Hartland Landfill into Mount Work Regional Park
Times Colonist / Read Full Article
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October 15, 2020
On Oct. 13, nearby residents of the Hartland Landfill were informed that a pipe had failed, leaking residual solids, or sewage sludge, into Mount Work Regional Park.
The pipe is part of the Capital Regional District’s $775-million wastewater treatment project.
Crews arrived at Mount Work Regional Park on Oct. 14 to pump away the leaked sludge. (photo: Hugh Stephens)
Re: Pipe Leaks Residual Waste from Hartland Landfill into Saanich Park
Saanich News / Read Full Article
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October 9, 2020
Mount Work Park is home to 16 species at risk that live within one kilometre of Hartland landfill and might not survive the Capital Regional District’s disruptive landfill plans.
The western screech owl is one endangered species facing extinction which is living in Mount Work Park.
Re: Letter to the Editor - Western Screech-Owl threatened by CRD Plans
Times Colonist / Read Full Article
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October 3, 2020
A CRD staff report estimates 475 to 500 commercial and residential trucks and other vehicles would be added to Willis Point Road daily if the change went through.
This raises worries for area residents who don’t want increased traffic and for cyclists who fear the road would no longer be a safe place for them to ride.
Fellow cyclist Deborah Chamitoff added that Willis Point Road is an excellent training route for competitive cyclists and not being able to ride there anymore would be a huge loss for them.
Re: Great Victoria Residents Held Protest Over Changes to Landfill
Victoria News / Read Full Article
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October 3, 2020
Members of the Mount Work Coalition rallied near Wallace Drive at Willis Point Road in Saanich on Saturday to protest plans to expand the garbage pit at Hartland Landfill over the next 80 years.
A draft plan calls for extensive rock blasting and removal, and the loss of nearly 30 hectares of forest within the site’s boundaries.
Darren Stone, Times Colonist
Re: Protesters Rally Against Proposed Changes at Hartland Landfill
Times Colonist / Read Full Article
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October 3, 2020
Protesters gathered along Wallace Drive near Willis Point Road in Saanich Saturday to voice their displeasure with plans to expand the Hartland Landfill.
[…]
He said the change to the traffic pattern, if implemented, could be irreversible, and it would mean roughly 300 trucks per day using the affected roads.
CTV News
Re: Protesters Call for Freeze of Hartland Landfill Expansion, Traffic Plans
CTV News / Read Full Article
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August 25, 2020
Hartland Expansion Details Were Withheld
Regarding your story on the Capital Regional District’s plans to expand Hartland Landfill […] CRD staff are reported to have insisted that “proposed changes were shared with residents” during a transparent consultation process.
Nowhere did [the strategic consultation document] mention that there would be blasting and quarrying, with 12 trucks per hour removing aggregate on a long-term basis, likely for years, trucking it through neighbouring communities to wherever it will be disposed of.
Re: Letter to the Editor by Hugh Stevens
Times Colonist / Read Full Article
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August 16, 2020
Residents and some CRD directors say the district should be setting more aggressive targets to reduce waste and looking for other disposal methods rather than simply digging an ever larger hole.
“To me, that’s repeating the same mistake as what happened in the past, and to expect different results is the definition of insanity,” Highlands Mayor Ken Williams said.
Re: Hartland Landfill Expansion Plans Rile Neighbouring Residents
Times Colonist / Read Full Article
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August 11, 2020
“I don’t know how you can declare an individual issue to be an emergency and then not do anything more to address that issue since making that declaration. That, to me, seems disingenuous.” ~Ned Taylor, CRD Director
Taylor likewise called on the district to follow through on its commitments and put more money into fighting climate change.
Re: CRD ‘Not Even Close’ to Meeting Its Climate Targets
Times Colonist / Read Full Article
*Editor’s Note: the CRD’s Massive Landfill Expansion plan will deforest 73 acres of carbon dioxide sequestering forest and will increase GHG emissions from increased commercial/industrial trucking (200 trucks per day) to removed mined aggregate and will further increase GHG emissions with increased garbage truck traffic required to transfer increased waste from the rapid development in municipalities such as Langford and View Royal.
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July 23, 2020
There is a proposal to move the main vehicle access point to the CRD's Hartland landfill. Hear from an elected official who says that plan is flawed.
April 23, 2020
VICTORIA -- The Capital Regional District (CRD) and FortisBC are working together to transfer renewable natural gas (RNG) from the Hartland Landfill to FortisBC to add to the province’s natural gas supply.
Re: FortisBC Taps Victoria-Area Landfill for Natural Gas
CTV News / Read Full Article
Editor’s Note: What is concerning is the CRD is committing to contracts with FortisBC when landfill expansion is in early draft planning stage. The question that arises is why plans are going ahead when draft plans have not undergone public consultation, Environmental Impact Assessment nor received approval.
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March 28, 2020
This lack of consultation contradicts the established CRD policy regarding community consultation, is a reversal of a policy in effect since 2011 to not spread biosolids and is inexcusable given that the CRD has had several years to plan how residuals would be disposed.
There is a well-documented risk to the spreading of biosolids, which is why in 2011 the CRD made the decision not to allow it to be spread on land.
Re: Letter to the Editor by Hugh Stephens
Victoria News / Read Full Article
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february 25, 2020
Treated biosolids have been controversial because some may contain contaminants like metal compounds and pharmaceuticals.
Re: Residents raise stink at Capital Region's proposal to spread biosolids at local landfill.
CBC News / Read Full Article
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February 21, 2020
The Tsartlip and Tsawout First Nations say they were not consulted by the Capital Regional District about its plans to ease a ban on the land application of treated sewage sludge so that some of the material can be used at the Hartland Landfill.
Tsartlip Chief Don Tom says he learned about the CRD’s decision from the media and warns that it sets a “dangerous precedent” for governments to take such steps without properly consulting First Nations and other nearby residents.
Re: CRD fails to consult as required
Times Colonist / Read Full Article
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february 20, 2020
The Capital Regional District's plan to spread sewage biosolids at the Hartland Landfill for several weeks each year has people who live nearby worried about potential impacts on health and drinking water.
Willis Point resident Nikki Macdonald spoke with Kathryn Marlow.
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February 20, 2020
Hugh Stephens, who lives at Willis Point, said local residents were blindsided by the CRD’s “reversal of a long-standing position without even as much as an information session or any evaluation of the health and safety risks.”
Re: CRD reverses ban on spread of toxic biosolid waste and plans to spread 700 tonnes of the toxic substances in forest near Mount Work Park and Durrance Lake despite evidence of the risks.
Times Colonist / Read Full Article
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February 12, 2020
Saanich Councillor Rebecca Mersereau supported the staff recommendation to spread toxic biosolid waste despite CRD existing ban on spreading biosolids in the region due to known contaminant risks.
“I see it as our only option,” she said. “…I think this is what we have to do in order to protect CRD’s broader interest in a project that’s been underway for almost a decade now.”
Times Colonist / Read Full Article
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January 19, 2020
Adrian Raeside cartoon: What to do with biosolids left over from sewage treatment.
Times Colonist/ Read Full Article
