I am writing to express my…

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed landfill operation just 800 metres from our town without a full environmental assessment. This is an unacceptable risk to the health, safety, and well-being of our community.

The scale and nature of this new operation are significantly different from the previous site, which dealt primarily with fly ash. This proposed “mega dump” would handle construction waste, silica dust, asbestos, and potentially residential garbage — substances known to pose serious health hazards. The inclusion of asbestos and silica dust is particularly concerning, given their well-documented links to respiratory illness, cancer, and long-term environmental contamination.

It is deeply troubling that this project is being justified by outdated policies written for a much smaller and less hazardous operation. When the nature of the waste changes, so too must our safety standards and environmental assessments. We cannot allow proponents to piggyback off outdated approvals to push through a far more dangerous project.

There is a reason experts recommend significant buffer zones between landfills and communities — to protect air and water quality, limit exposure to harmful dust and leachate, and reduce risks to public health. An 800-metre distance is wholly insufficient for an operation of this scale.

We understand the need for landfills, but location matters. This is not the place. Our community should not bear the burden of an unsafe, outdated waste management model when safer, more sustainable, and appropriately sited alternatives are possible.

When we know better, we must do better. Please reject this proposal.