RE: ERO number 019-8417 I AM…

RE: ERO number 019-8417
I AM TOTALLY OPPOSED TO YORK1’S PROPOSAL
I cannot believe that this proposal is even being considered. This is a dormant landfill. It was established before landfills were recognized as dangerous to the local resident’s health and the devastating effects landfills have on the environment. This particular former landfill is located on a creek that feeds the Sydenham River which flows into the Great lakes one of our most valuable Canadian water resources. It never had to pass any environmental testing but the fact that it borders a significant fresh water source which is home to many endangered and non-endangered species should be enough to shut this proposal down now. What do we have an Environmental protection agency for it is not protecting the environment. Prior to the landfill this property was originally used to manufacture clay bricks and clay tiles. The clay base has been seriously compromised and is not suitable for a landfill site.
YORK1 is asking to bring contaminated soil from the greater Toronto area which will leach into the water and blow throughout the air compromising the health of the entire population of Dresden. YORK1 is asking to bring ASBESTOS into our town. The landfill is less than 1km from the high school. Do you really think it is safe and responsible to expose children to the airborne asbestos. They report to handle it safely. What a joke it is contained in double garbage bags and dumped off the trucks and then spread and shoveled. Has no one there ever been to landfill. The garbage bags are ripped and torn and stuff blows all around as the bulldozers crush and spread the bags and garbage all around. A new landfill must be over 3km from any residences and towns. This landfill is surrounded by homes less than 500’ and the entire town including the high school and public school are closer than 2km. This is outrageous and unbelievable that a company could try and use an old designation that flies in the face of all that we now know is wrong. This is not a suitable site for a landfill.
It is unbelievable that not only do they want to use it as a landfill but to expand it, You know that the original landfill site was only a small portion of the property and YORK1 is looking to expand it to the entire site and beyond.
You site you are aware that people are against the NOISE that a landfill that operated 24/7 365 days of the year. How are the people who live within less than a km of the supposed to sleep. When can they sleep. We will lose the enjoyment of our quiet rural properties. This will effect the physical and mental health of the people in the vicinity of this monstrosity.
The area around the landfill is abundant with many wild animals and many bird species. Landfills destroy animal habitats and have devastating effects on animals and birds.
The SMELL is another issue. There are no landfill sites that do not stink. Our homes and schools will be filled with the putrid stench.
The value of our properties will be destroyed.
YORK1 is proposing to pile the garbage 80’ high. There is nothing in the area 80’ high. As the landfill level rises the more that it will be more wind born as Chatham-Kent is flat as far as the eye can see. The wind will blow the refuse all around.
The numbers that YORK1 sites show that they are land filling most of the garbage they will be bringing from Toronto and area. The recycling part of their proposal is a joke. They do not have a market for their alternative fuels. These are just test products. Ground up wood and drywall would only be combustible products which would not help with the atmosphere. This all seems to be a ploy to get this landfill reopened. I was at their meetings and they spoke out of both sides of their faces. YORK1 says they are bringing building materials to recycle and for waste. We have seen YORK1 demolishing buildings and it was just a bulldozer crushing and demolishing and spreading. It was noisy and there was debris flying everywhere and it was all being reduced to rubble and put in dumpsters. There was no salvaging. Who knows what was born in the wind but you could see the dust for blocks.
YORK1 provides dumpsters for commercial and residential customers. Homeowners and businesses who are doing renovations often are unaware that the items they are demolishing are full of asbestos. A lot of insulating spray foams were full of asbestos. YORK1 does not have a inspector on site to ensure that the bins are not asbestos free. When they arrive at the facility most of these bins will probably never get sorted and even if they do you cannot tell by just looking at it if it is asbestos it has to be tested. This is why it cannot be located so close to a town.
It is also environmentally irresponsible to be trucking this garbage 3&1/2 hours to Dresden. YORK1 has constantly been adjusting the numbers of trucks expected, but lets go with their latest quote of a truck arriving every 4 minutes. That means there is a truck leaving every four minutes travelling back to Toronto for another 3&1/2 hours. The 401 will be backed up with more trucks than ever. Which will have a huge effect on carbon emissions. Is this okay with the Environmental Protection agency. Plus all the wear and tear on the 401 causing more need to repair the highway. Toronto’s garbage should be kept closer to Toronto to have less impact on the environment. Not to mention the wear and tear on our local roads and how the residents of Chatham-Kent will have to pay for the repair of our roads so the Toronto can get rid of their garbage.
The landfill will contaminate the local aquifer which feeds many of the local wells which is the source of household water for the homes outside of Dresden. Plus and industrial use of the water supply will most likely drain the local aquifer and deprive everyone in the area of water.
The stress of thinking this proposal is moving ahead is having an affect on the health and well being of many people I know. Our fears are real. We expect the Environmental Protection Agency will do the right thing and deny this proposal. It is an absolute joke that YORK1 should get to hire the expert and provide the report.
We want a fair and independent study done by a qualified expert, if you are not willing to do the right thing and squash this proposal now.

Environmental and socio-economic impacts of landfills:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/278738702_Environmental_and_so….

Landfill leachate has multiple negative impacts on soil health indicators in Hyrcanian forest, northern Iran:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969723049665

Spotlight: Landfill Pollution Exposures:
https://p1enviro.com/recent-activity/spotlight-environmental-exposures-…

The Environmental Impact of Birds in Landfills:
https://wasteadvantagemag.com/the-environmental-impact-of-birds-in-land…

The Sydenham River:
https://www.sydenhamriver.on.ca/

Species at Risk in the Sydenham:
https://www.sydenhamriver.on.ca/sydenham-sar/

Municpal Solid Waste Landfills:
https://mostpolicyinitiative.org/science-note/municipal-solid-waste-lan…

The Hidden Damage of Landfills:
https://www.colorado.edu/ecenter/2021/04/15/hidden-damage-landfills

Landfill standards: A guideline on the regulatory and approval requirements for new or expanding landfilling sites:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/landfill-standards-guideline-regulatory-and…

Threads of Life - Rivers & Floodplains:
https://caroliniancanada.ca/sar/threads-of-life