Oxford County is a regional…

Oxford County is a regional municipality in Ontario with a population of 141,000 and is responsible for delivering municipal solid waste services to eight (8) Area Municipalities. Waste management services include curbside garbage, source separated organics, large item, and business recycling collection services in addition the collection and diversion of leaf and yard waste, household hazardous waste, electronics, tires, agricultural plastics, and construction and demolition material.

The County owns and operates one active municipal non-hazardous solid waste landfill site at the Oxford County Waste Management Facility that was commissioned in 1986, has an expected closing date of 2055.

Oxford County has been very proactive in diverting biodegradable material from landfill over the last 15 years but not limited to actively promoting backyard composting to reduce residential yard and food waste, yard waste collection and diversion of construction and demolition material. Oxford County has committed to Zero Waste by maximizing resource recovery and promoting a circular economy.

Oxford County understands the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) is proposing changes to legislative requirements for waste disposal sites that would streamline the approval process to change the service area and fill rates by eliminating the Environmental Screening Process (ESP) and reducing public consultation requirements. Oxford County supports streamlining the approval process by eliminating duplication since the Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA) process is very prescriptive and provides for a thorough and responsible environmental review of proposed changes. Duplicating this process through the Environmental Screening Process (ESP) seems inefficient and unnecessary.

Providing communities with options to meet their waste disposal needs is a positive step forward. Oxford County strongly supports municipalities being responsible for managing waste produced within their community. The proposed change would allow changes to fill rate to undergo environmental review through the ECA process to ensure the appropriateness of the change while ensuring proper monitoring, reporting and operational controls are in place to manage environmental risk.

Oxford County is not supportive of changes to service areas as it is merely a temporary measure and does not encourage municipalities to find solutions that will address their future waste generating needs. Exporting waste outside of the generating community also increases the environmental issues associated with transportation such as increased carbon footprint and increase pressures on transportation infrastructure.

While the ECA amendment process is thorough in ensuring environmental protection, the consultation process and appeal process are important mechanisms to ensure all checks and balances have considered. Given that these changes pertain to existing landfill sites, which have already undergone permitting process, the County recommends that the public consultation process by way of the Environmental Registry of Ontario continue to ensure that all comments and concerns are considered before rendering a decision. The County would support removing any appeal rights under the Environmental Bill of Rights pertaining to capacity and fill rates as these are not a change in service and would fall within the purview of the original ECA approval process.