BETTER REPORTING REGARDING LANDFILLS

Today's Waterloo Region Record carries the following story titled "Energy from trash? What's next for Waterloo's landfill". This story is written by Adam Jackson of the Waterloo Chronicle. Among many items, Mr. Jackson advises the readers about the existence of many closed landfills in Waterloo Region from Kitchener, Cambridge, Ayr, North Dumfries, and Woolwich Townships. He also advises of all the problems that have occurred at the former Ottawa St. Landfill site in Kitchener. At least that is he mentions the settling of garbage beneath the ground covering causing proken sub-surface pipes as well as damage to the skate park. He did not mention the horrific abandonment of homes around the landfill in the 1970s for decades due to methane leakage into their basements causing massive risks of fires and explosions.

Mr. Jackson as well as Region of Waterloo officials understate the environmental damages caused by our past burial of garbage. The fact is that improved methane collection as well as leachate collection from landfills does nothing to improve soil, ground and surface water contamination that occurred prior to any collection methods being implemented at most of these landfills. Also the fact is that not all of our former dumps have even been retrofitted (after the fact) with collection systems. They all should have been done so, decades ago. My opinion is that regional politicians would rather spend our money on sexy, vote getting projects such as the ION trains. Legacy projects to burnish political credentials usually do little for the general public.