RIC (EOR) Inc. operating as Northwood Transfer Station - Environmental Compliance Approval (air)

A total of three comments were received by email by the ministry on the proposal. Comments received were reviewed and, where appropriate, were considered in the ministry’s decision whether or not to proceed with this proposal. The following concerns were raised:

1. The facility must meet all air quality regulations and standards and should provide additional design information including justification for the projected emissions. Concerns were also expressed about odour and the quality of the data in the ESDM Report. Air emissions monitoring should be required.
    

   Ministry’s response: The application has demonstrated that the operation of the facility complies with the ministry’s applicable air requirements including but not limited to the air discharge requirements in Reg. 419/05: Local Air Quality Regulation.

   Conditions 10, 11 and 12 in the ECA contain requirements for odour including maintaining the fully enclosed Organics Receiving Building under negative pressure, at all times, maintaining an Odour Management Plan and implementing an Odour Monitoring Program.

   Condition 8 in the ECA requires annual source testing of the Air Treatment System.

2. Facility should have effective process to report and address complaints
    

   Ministry’s response: Condition 17 in the ECA outlines the requirements for receiving and responding to complaints.

3. Records should be kept for longer than proposed 2 years.
    

   Ministry’s response: Condition 18 in the ECA requires that records be retained for a minimum of five years from the date of their creation.

4. No odour or other emissions from existing transfer station operations have been included in the application
    

   Ministry’s response: The existing transfer station will be decommissioned prior to receipt of organic waste and has therefore not been included in the ECA.

5. Request that cumulative impacts be considered, particularly given high nitrogen oxide point of impingement concentrations.
    

   Ministry’s response: The Cumulative Effects Assessment in Air Approvals Policy decision was posted to the Environmental Registry in April 2018 and came into effect on October 1, 2018. This policy strengthens and clarifies the consideration of cumulative effects when making decisions related to environmental compliance approvals and indicates when additional measures may be needed beyond current regulatory requirements.

   Under this policy, no further action is required for the facility at this time. The ministry will continue to look at other contaminants, sources and geographic areas and consult with public and stakeholders as we expand the cumulative effects policy over time.

   The emission scenario for nitrogen oxides presented in the application is conservative since it assumes that the maintenance/emergency flare is operating 24 hours per day at maximum capacity.

6. Concerns about the noise generated by the proposed operations on site and overall compliance to the MECP noise guidelines and the City of Oshawa Noise By-law 112-82. The comment also proposed the installation of equipment to monitor and report noise emission levels from the site.
    

   Ministry’s response: The proposal’s Acoustic Assessment Report demonstrates that the operations of this proposed facility will meet the Ministry’s noise limits upon completed construction and implementation of the proposed Equipment and Noise Control Measures which should occur prior to commencement of operation of the facility and its equipment.

   The ECA imposes specific noise conditions which will ensure that the facility always operates in compliance with the applicable ministry sound level limits at all receptors. Condition 6 requires the facility to submit an updated Acoustic Assessment Report verifying that the design/equipment shall be implement as proposed. Condition 20 requires the facility to complete an Acoustic Audit.

   The truck traffic and related noise issues out of the facility property as well as the facility compliance with the City of Oshawa Noise By-law are outside the scope of the noise review process.