Proposed draft terms of reference are now available as part of the Mayer Waste Disposal Site Environmental Assessment (MWDS EA).
What does that mean?
Establishing terms of reference is one of the steps required as Mayer Waste Management (781998 Ontario Inc.) seeks approval to increase the total approved capacity for solid non-hazardous industrial and domestic waste at its landfill facility located north of Highway 17 east of Hawkesbury. The company wants to increase its capacity by 650,000 cubic metres. There is currently about six or seven years of capacity remaining at the site, which has been operating since the 1950s.
An expansion of the capacity–if approved–would add 20 years of life to the site, which services parts of the United Counties of Prescott-Russell and the Greater Gatineau area.
A terms of reference document lays out the process that will be followed during the preparation of an environmental assessment (EA) as three alternatives (called Alternate Methods) are reviewed. An EA is required by the Ontario Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, prior to approval of the expansion.
You can comment on draft terms of reference
You can find the proposed draft terms of reference in French or English here.
Written comments must be received by no later than December 8, 2023, so they can be considered as part of preparing the proposed Terms of Reference prior to its winter 2024 submission to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks for formal review.
You can provide your comments related to the draft Terms of Reference on the project by email to: [email protected].
Going forward, key consultations will occur as part of the process, including three public open house events for the public to view information and ask questions.
One public open house will be a discussion of the developed Alternative Methods, the evaluation criteria and indicators to be applied to the Alternative Methods, and the evaluation methodology that will be used.
A second public open house will take place to review the comparative evaluation results of the Alternative Methods and identify the recommended Alternative Method.
A third public open house will review the impact assessment results of the Preferred Method, including potential environmental effects, recommended impact management measures, proposed monitoring requirements and proposed approvals/permits required for implementing the Preferred Method.
Background
The Mayer landfill site has been in operation since 1955. The domestic landfill received approval for expansion in 2004. The site includes 36 hectares of land
The entire site encompasses 36.34 hectares of land, with 11.94 hectares used as landfill, which accepts municipal and solid non-hazardous industrial waste. The industrial landfill was closed in 2008.
The site can currently receive up to 480 tonnes of waste per day.
There are three proposed alternatives for expansion.
The annual volume accepted at the site would not change.
Proposed Alternative One
Alternative One would mean expansion to the south and east, with a footprint increased by 6.72 hectares, relocation of on-site buildings and relocation of one pond. (Note that each of the proposed alternatives includes a lined site with leachate collection for the expansion.)
Proposed Alternative Two
Alternative Two would mean expansion to the north and east, including a .375-metre height increase, a footprint increased by 6.4 hectares, no disruption of on-site infrastructure and relocation of three ponds.
Proposed Alternative Three
This expansion would be east of the existing site, would represent a one-metre increase over the small portion, a footprint increased by 5.12 hectares, no disruption of on-site infrastructure and the relocation of one pond.
Environmental Assessment components include air quality, odour and noise, land and aquatic environment, geology/hydrogeology and surface water. Built environment elements include land use, soil and agriculture and visual landscape.
Traffic and community character would be considered as part of the social environment. Local employment and the official plan and by-laws would be considered as part of the economic environment.
In 2003, the Ministry of Environment approved an expansion assessed at approximately 400,000 cubic meters of additional non-hazardous solid waste landfill capacity, representing approximately 20 years of additional landfill capacity.
Preparing Terms of Reference for an Environmental Assessment, a draft Environmental Assessment (EA), Ministry review and possibly approval of the EA, the project timeline includes tentative EA approval in 2025 and implementation is the spring of 2026.
