The Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) is "disappointed" in the decision made by the Metro Vancouver Waste Management Committee to recommend the Draft Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan (ISWRMP) without amendments to the full Metro Vancouver Board.
In addition to initiatives to reduce and divert waste by 2015, the Plan proposes a Waste-to-Energy (WTE) strategy to annually incinerate 500,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste that will not be recycled, composted or otherwise diverted from households, business and industry, FVRD officials say.
In late June 2010, the FVRD Board unanimously agreed that it does not support WTE as a viable option for handling residual municipal solid waste and forwarded its decision to the Metro Vancouver staff and Board.
"To say we are disappointed in this decision is an understatement," says Patricia Ross, FVRD board chair. "Across the spectrum, there has been strong opposition to Waste-to-Energy incineration of municipal solid waste as an option."
The FVRD -- along with a number of civic governments, environmental groups, and business and community agencies in the Metro Vancouver region -- has raised concerns about the impacts of WTE on human health and the environment. Concerns have also been raised about the cost-effectiveness of the proposed strategy and its impact on overall waste reduction targets.
"If the Metro Vancouver Board votes to support this recommendation and builds these facilities, it will have far-reaching impacts on air quality in the Fraser Valley," says Ross. "We are hopeful that the full Board will consider amendments and remove the WTE options for municipal solid waste from the Plan."
The FVRD supports the other initiatives in the Metro Vancouver Plan to divert waste and increase reduction, reuse and recycling.