Incinerator could handle 140,000 tonnes per year

Incinerator could handle 140,000 tonnes per year
Mon Apr 07, 2008

By: By Reka Szekely

DURHAM -- Plans for a proposed incinerator in Courtice call for a facility capable of processing 140,000 tonnes of waste per year.

York and Durham regions are currently working on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the facility. In order to put out a request for proposals for companies to build it, the two municipalities have to agree on its size.

According to a report on the MOU, approved at York Region's last council meeting, York would commit to 20,000 tonnes of garbage per year and Durham would commit to 100,000 tonnes. An additional 20,000 tonnes of excess capacity, shared equally by each municipality, would be included as well, for a total of 140,000 tonnes.

Last year, Durham land filled 116,285 tonnes of garbage.

"We're going to hope we continue to increase our recycling and our composting targets, and hopefully not continue increasing our waste, but we also know the Region of Durham over the next three years is going to grow," said Durham Regional Chairman Roger Anderson. "More growth means more garbage."

The Region's target is 70 per cent of its waste diverted from landfill by 2010. Last year, its waste-diversion rate was 53 per cent.

When it comes to building the facility, York picks up the tab for its share of the tonnage and half the excess capacity. That amounts to 21.4 per cent of the construction cost with Durham picking up the remainder.

Initially, York was looking at a 50 per cent partnership in the project, but that dropped after it signed a long-term contract to have 100,000 tonnes of its waste pelletized annually by a York company. The pellets will be used as fuel to generate heat and electricity. The regions remain equal partners in the environmental assessment process.

"We're now planning on putting the majority of our residual waste in the Dongara plant, leaving lower quantities for the energy-from-waste facility with Durham Region," said Erin Mahoney, York's commissioner of environmental services. York has a 65 per cent waste-diversion target,

After choosing the Dongara deal, York announced it was looking at a 12-per-cent stake in the project. That number now rises with the proposed MOU.

"That says to me York realizes this is a viable alternative to them ... it doesn't prevent York from becoming a 50-50 partner in the future," said Mr. Anderson.

In fact, both regions would get the first crack at the excess capacity before third parties.

"It's useful to have some access to supplementary capacity ... but we think the capacity that's provided would meet our needs," said Ms. Mahoney.

Any future expansion would be paid for by the region requiring the additional capacity.

"There's not a limit, but it would have to be based on York's needs on quantities of waste and the reasonable commercially available size of the technology," said Ms. Mahoney.

Mr. Anderson said Durham will look at approving the MOU later this month, likely at the same time as council votes on a business case for the energy-from-waste project.