Our town has been shocked…

Our town has been shocked and blindsided by the York 1 proposal for a regenerative facility that is an alarming 1 km from our town and 1.5km from where our children go to school. How unpardonable- to think this would even be pushed on us against our protests, into our village of Dresden, Ontario.

Their proposal has had no communicative transparency and has had misleading information.

This historic area -which York 1 are wanting to reopen, and ride the coat-tails with ancient zoning on,-is a site used 40 + years ago for the town, only for incinerator ash and small local concrete waste. It then was a scrap wood business and 0.8 hectares in size. This historic site was used by our town only, before laws needing extensive environmental assessments were needed. We just want it stopped, so we are not the victims of health hazzards and scapegoats for York 1s hollow information and intentions.

York 1 is proposing an out of scale proposal that doesn't fit our comminity . York 1 are trying to destroy everything our town stands for and is proud of. 

6000 tonnes of waste a day including: metal,paper,cardboard,concrete,
asphalt,blocks,brick,plastic drywall,shingles plus more. 1000 tonnes of blue box recycling material,3000 tonnes of solid waste,500 tonnes of source separated organic,putrescible waste,asbestos containing waste,100 tonnes of tires and contaminated soils. In the end there will be 2.5 million tonnes a year and this is only the beginning. They want expansion and are trying to buy up valuable farmland.

Dresden residents were kept in the dark, and now we know why. When York 1 did have meetings in our quaint town it was with extremely limited capacity, with most having to stand outside in the cold. Rotating into their meetings to inadequate information that left our community more upset and frustrated when they left. In the meetings residents were trying to get to the front of the tables to be given answers to their questions. The answers given were furtive and distressing.

The health and safety problems that York 1 are going to cause if this isn’t stopped is devastating.

Molly’s Creek that runs through this property and directly into the Sydenham River with 80 species of fish, 34 freshwater mussels and many endangered species including the salamander mussel, the only known habitat to exist in Canada. How does the Ministry and government not protect our ecosystems and habitat? Shouldn't it always be consistent, not just when it fits city problems, we are hours away from by choice.

Plant and animal species must be protected and also to not endanger the feasibility of our communities commercial and recreational fishing.

The threat of leachate alone, a toxic liquid that seeps through waste materials will compromise our water supply and there will never be a guarantee especially when residents, businesses and our schools are in close proximity. It affects plant growth,and reduces crop yields, agricultural quality and we are a strong farming community. This is our livelihood and we need the ministry of environment to protect it and our families for years to come. This will affect all the generations who we want to stay in our town and continue our strong heritage.

Infiltrates to the soil can cause decreased fertility, soil erosion and the organic compounds release hazardous air pollutants. The machinery alone will worsen our air quality with dust.

The noise levels can cause physical and psychological effects as the World Health Organization has reported. Their reports show noise is one of the worst stressors for people second only to air pollution which this site will cause both. Immune systems and birth defects have also been noted on negative effects from landfills. 

Methane gas and other gases are also released from waste decompensation and that will cause potential respiratory issues for all of us who live too close to this site. Methane is already widely known to be unhealthy for the environment and can easily explode if concentrated or ignited. Who can guarantee our safety with methane? Are we going to take York 1s word in all of this? That would be unfair to our town considering they have been spurious for many months and closing one ERO before anyone in town even knew what was happening!

Decreased property values, decreased consumer confidence... and truly who would have any confidence in investing beside a mega dump?

Traffic is a huge safety concern for 700 trucks a day coming into a small rural agricultural town where small children ride hours on the bus on these same roads. The same roads farmers are hauling tomatoe, bean, wheat and all variety of crop loads on already stressed roads in need of repair.  

I am begging you to help us and our town not to be the "fall guy " because there are present problems that we had nothing to do with. How can York 1 search out a beautiful country town while we have already chosen not be anywhere near their megalopolis!

You can save and protect the safety of our small town from York 1.  I have faith you will see what our town is going to lose not even just our health, safety and livelihoods but also our mental health will be impacted.

We are asking you to please stand up for the people of Dresden Ontario and say No for all the right reasons against York 1s underhanded plans.

Our lives and our community are more important than York 1s money…. don’t you agree?