All of the municipality of…

All of the municipality of Chatham Kent is 100% oppose to York1’s application for the amendment to ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-8417 to re-open and operate a 40 year old dormant 8-hectare landfill for the disposal of non-hazardous solid construction and demolition waste from industrial, commercial, institutional, and municipal sectors, due to the risk of severe harm to species at risk, ground and surface water quality, as well as the potential impact on community health.

On March 15, 2024, Andrea Khanjin, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and
Parks initiated a comprehensive Environmental Assessment under the
Environmental Assessment Act for the proposed dump site.
After the announcement was made we expected the proposed amendments to ECA No. to be
canceled and are confused by the fact that this ERO posting is still active.

The Potential environmental impacts on water and species in the area will be enormous to this region and not in a good way.
If approved, up to 1,000 tonnes per day, or 365,000 tonnes annually, of
construction and demolition waste will be stored on an 8-hectare landfill site adjacent to Molly’s Creek, a naturally fed, spring-origin creek that flows directly into the eastern branch of the Sydenham River.

This river is a biological hotspot home to at least 33 species at risk.
Toxic substances and chemicals such as phthalates from PVC, mercury from switches, and asbestos from demolition among other major contaminants found in older buildings will potentially leach into Molly’s Creek and eventually transfer into the Sydenham River.

This would contaminate critical habitats and threaten some of Ontario’s rarest species.
These species at risk include the Eastern spiny softshell turtle and Salamander mussel. Additional loss of individuals and suitable habitat would push them closer towards the brink of extinction.
Contamination of the river could also have impacts beyond those indicated for species at risk.

Game fish in the river and in the Lake St. Clair/Lake Erie watershed would also consume chemical contaminants that could leach from this dump and through bioaccumulation make their way throughout the ecosystem and into human food. This will be devastating to our Health care.

Potential impacts on ground and surface water would be very serious if our clean wells and drinking water are affected because the proposed landfill could have significant impacts on groundwater quality. Residents living in proximity to the landfill rely on domestic water wells that are
located approximately 500 meters from the proposed site. Leachate from construction and demolition waste stored in the landfill could potentially make its way into groundwater and contaminate residential drinking water with toxic chemicals that pose a potential risk to human health. York1 states that by building a new, engineered landfill along with the existing clay and two impermeable layers
in the ground, seepage will not occur and the groundwater will be protected.
The layers of clay are like swiss cheese right now because the clay was originally removed 40 years ago to make tiles which is why it was a tile yard so many years ago.
This land was never intended to be used as a landfill with what York1 is planning.
Why is York1 being so NIMBY ( Not in my back yard)?
In our region there is already 2 huge landfills 40 minutes away from this proposed site in each direction, so we already have 2 mega dump landfills in our back yards, We do not need a 3rd in a region that grows Ontario's vegetables and fruits.
Where does this government think their fresh vegetables will be grown, if this government keeps putting landfill dumps everywhere that grown Ontario's fresh food?

Why cant Toronto and York1 deal with their own waste?

This is something ALL of Ontario has been wondering for years?

Toronto needs to deal with their own waste and garbage and construction materials!!

Toronto needs to STOP sending their own garbage and waste to places that do not want it!!
It has nothing to do with Southwestern Ontario being NIMBY, Its about Toronto and York1 being NIMBY
(NIMBY- Not In My Backyard )
Toronto is lazy because they feel they do not need to recycle and deal with their own garbage and waste.

Chatham Kent need more housing and we have a plan to build more housing, however that will never happen if you put a landfill less than 500 meters from our town, homes and schools.

Dresden has proven that the depth of the clay in the area where the proposed landfill will be
developed is known to be full of holes and is missing the majority of what York1 requires, so how can we be certain that groundwater and gas / oil aquafers are protected?

There is also the concern surrounding a decommissioned water well located on the
proposed site property.
Though the well has been capped off, some of the well casing may still be in the ground.
This may open up another pathway for leachate to enter into the groundwater. A number of items are still outstanding including but not limited to: a survey of the residential wells and additional hydrogeological work.

Dresden and Chatham Kent has full support from the Environmental Defense and even they are concerned by York1’s proposed solution to a lack of municipal infrastructure to support leachate management in a well documented Flood Zone which this land is apart of.

In the same way that storm water management ponds often result in higher runoff temperatures into cold water creeks during summer rainfall events, the leachate lagoon connected to two storm water ponds next to Molly’s creek will result in leachate eventually flowing into Molly’s creek via the storm water ponds. As a result of the significant unknowns with York1’s proposal, we encourage the Ministry to refuse this permit and revoke this permit

Dresden and Chatham Kent feel this proposal needs to be stopped also because BILL 197 needs to be enacted because this new landfill is less than 1 km away from town, homes and schools.

We thank you for the opportunity to comment on this proposal and ask that you revoke and reject the application to amend ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-8417 for an 8-hectare landfill for the disposal of non-hazardous solid construction and demolition waste from industrial, commercial, institutional, and municipal sectors, located at 29831 Irish School Road in Dresden, Ontario.

York1 states they will be shipping Asbestos and Everyone knows Asbestos IS a hazard, so how can the minister think asbestos is non hazardous?
We have seen the minister's reports on what chemicals come from soil washing.
The chemicals being shipped 300 km from Toronto to Dresden will be dangerous to the entire regional environment.
Concrete dust and silica dust will spread on the winds up to 10 km and will coat all the land, growing vegetables, fruit and breathable air.
This dust can kill people. The health care system will never be able to handle the amount of new chronic conditions from residents who have to breath in this poison.

York 1 has been purchasing hundreds of hectares more land surrounding this site so to expand so they can be sustainable for the next 70 years.
This may start out to be a small landfill, but with the hundreds of hectares more, they are hoping to expand, and in no time will it grow to be one of the largest twenty four hour, seven days a week mega dump accepting construction materials from all over the province

York 1 has been lying to the minister of the environment.
Their paperwork is full of flaws and un truths.
York 1 has claimed they own the land next door to this property, when they do not and York 1 has even insured the property they do not own. York 1 has been committing insurance fraud and Dresden has proof in York 1's own documents and records.

How can the ministry believe anything York 1 claims in their proposal when York 1 has not been upfront to the Municipal of Chatham Kent, The St Clair conservation Authorities, The Province of Ontario or the residents of Dresden.
Please revoke this proposal, or at Least make York 1 responsible to do a FULL Environmental Assessment, because there has NEVER EVER been a full Assessment done on this property.

York 1 has plans that they gave the ministry that shows 2 drains from their leachate ponds will drain directly into Molly's Creek
Molly's Creek is a small river that holds historic precedence because it is one of the creeks that is fed by a spring
This proposal site is less than 500 meters from the historic Dresden cemetery and will cause so much erosion around the cemetery it will cause the dead issues, because their caskets will start falling into the Sydenham River and Molly's Creek due to this erosion on a flood plain.

York 1 has not done their due diligence in this matter.

There needs to be a full Environmental Assessment.
York 1 needs to stop being NIMBY.
York 1 needs to find a way to deal with all their proposed tonnes and waste somewhere that is NOT Dresden.
Our Climate nor our infrastructure can not handle the garbage 700 trucks, their emission's on these roads nor the twenty four 7 days a week noise.
The huge amount of carbon that will be released from all their trucks and huge tractors, will certainly not help the environment or climate.
This proposed site needs to be closer to a main highway, not in the middle of a historic, touristy, rich farming agricultural community

Our buildings will fall down because they are all old historic brick buildings and the shaking because of all the many trucks rumbling through town, will cause so much damage.
Wheatley has just sued $100.000.00 million dollars because their town exploded.
With so many gas and oil pockets in and around Dresden, what does the minister think will happen here, when these oil and gas pockets ignite because the huge amounts of weight from a mega landfill dump will further rupture where these oil and gas aquifer pockets lay.

PLEASE reconsider this proposal and revoke this proposal from York1 and do not allow this landfill waste facility to open

All of Ontario is looking at the ministry to do the right thing and stop York1 from killing this community, its people and the environment by opening this type of facility