Minister of Environment and Energy Jamie Ballem has announced that the provincial Environmental Advisory Council will conduct public consultations on requirements for construction and demolition (C&D) disposal sites.
Earlier this spring, Minister Ballem announced a one-year moratorium on new C&D disposal sites to allow for a comprehensive review of the Environmental Protection Act Waste Resource Management Regulations which govern C&D disposal sites.
The Environmental Advisory Council is appointed under the PEI Environmental Protection Act to advise the minister on issues of environmental concern. The council has been asked to review the current Waste Resource Management Regulations to ensure that they provide adequate protection for the environment and public interest` and look at future requirements for C&D sites in the province.
“The regulations are relatively new. They came into effect in 2002 and, since then, I believe they have served to protect the environment. However, I also recognize there have been public concerns in some areas,” said Minister Ballem. “So we want to take a good look at the regulations and hear from Islanders to find out how they think these sites should be governed. I appreciate the willingness of the Environmental Advisory Council to take on this task and I look forward to receiving their report.”
The subcommittee carrying out the review is co-chaired by Summerside lawyer Sherra Profit and Elmer MacDonald, a potato producer from Augustine Cove. Other members are Stan Campbell, president of the Federation of Prince Edward Island Municipalities; retired teacher Rudy Croken of Kensington; and Leslie Hartling, a graduate student at the University of Prince Edward Island. Staff of the Department of Environment and Energy will provide technical support to the group.
Over the summer months, the subcommittee will meet with groups with a vested interest in C&D disposal sites including site owners and applicants, contractors, and community groups. In September, the subcommittee will host three public meetings, one in each county. The dates and locations will be advertised in late summer.
The Environmental Advisory Council will report its findings to the Minister of Environment and Energy by the end of the year.
Construction and demolition disposal sites are used for disposal of C&D debris which the regulations define as materials that are inert and not hazardous. That includes soil, asphalt, brick, mortar, drywall, plaster, cellulose, fibreglass fibres, gyproc, and lumber and wood that is not chemically treated.
The Waste Resource Management Regulations require C&D sites to meet specific design and operational requirements before they are approved, and owners must apply annually to the Department of Environment and Energy for an operating permit. The regulations include requirements on such things as setbacks from homes; groundwater monitoring; site security; and odour, dust and noise control.
Since 2002, five C&D sites have been approved: Kings County Construction Limited, Brudenell; Maintenance Services Limited, Hazelbrook; Waugh’s Construction Ltd., Kelvin Grove; East Prince Waste Management Facility, Wellington Centre; and G&P Trucking and Construction Ltd., St. Peter’s. As well, Toomb’s Plumbing & Heating Ltd. in St. Ann’s has been issued a conditional permit, with final approval expected shortly.
The Waste Resource Management Regulations can be found online at www.gov.pe.ca/law/regulations. For further information on the review, contact the Department of Environment and Energy at 569-7746.