My name is Sherri Saunders,…

My name is Sherri Saunders, and I am the Executive Director at the Chatham-Kent Community Health Centres commonly known as the CKCHC. CKCHC is privileged to provide care, support and advocacy for many diverse, marginalized and equity deserving populations within Chatham-Kent and the surrounding areas. CKCHC is also a part of the Chatham-Kent Ontario Health Team.

Details regarding the proposed landfill in Dresden include:
• A waste management service company based out of Mississauga purchased 29831 Irish School Road on (87.8 acres). The location of a former tile yard and dormant landfill located 1km from the town of Dresden.
• Through a separate company, they have purchased 2 neighboring properties.
• This proposed landfill is expected to receive over 6000 Tonnes of waste daily, 24/7, 365 days out of the year.
• Materials to be disposed at the landfill: Non-hazardous industrial, commercial, institutional, and municipal demolition/construction waste, non-hazardous contaminated soil, blue box material, organics, asbestos-containing material, tires, soil, and soil-like material.

Due to the proposed location, it falls within the CKOHT catchment area, and has the potential for negative effects on population health as outlined below.

Population Health and Health System Considerations:
- Environmental Concerns: Water contamination and increased risk of flooding; soil pollution; harm to wildlife, habitat destruction, decreased biodiversity, and impact on migratory birds; contamination of agricultural land; long-term environmental degradation
- Traffic & Road Conditions: Increased traffic congestion, road safety concerns, road wear and tear, noise pollution
- Local Economy Concerns: Agricultural impacts, disruption to local businesses, loss of local businesses and recreational opportunities
- Attracting Primary Care Providers (PCPs): Recruitment and retention of PCPs is likely to become more difficult and the community is at risk of becoming a primary care desert.
- Health Outcomes: The close proximity to town presents increased risk of respiratory issues that could exasperate lung diseases such as COPD & asthma and an increased risk of certain types of cancer.
- Mental Health and Addiction Outcomes: Community Members living close to a landfill are more likely to exhibit depression, psychological disorders, and anxiety
- Material Deprivation: Neighbourhoods living in the highest quintiles of Material Deprivation is likely to increase. This is a factor associated with increased healthcare utilization, including Emergency - Department Visits and Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSC) hospitalization rates.
- Health System Utilization: the culmination of factors is likely to increase the healthcare system utilization, including ED Visits, ACSC hospitalizations, which are very costly and inefficient ways of providing care.

In summary, the population living close to the landfill (within a 5m radius) will be subject to increased material deprivation, increased mental health and addictions issues/disorders, and increased negative health outcomes. These compounding factors will increase costly utilization of our location health system such as visits to the Emergency Department, ACSC hospitalization rates, etc. CKCHC is not in support of the Dresden Landfill proposal given the ill health and wellbeing effects that will result.

If you have any questions in this regard, please contact me at Sherri.Saunders@ckchc.ca or 519-437-8560.