Aurora mayor seeks odour control at composting facility

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May 12, 2014
Sean Pearce

 

York Region is poised to enter a new 10-year agreement for yard waste composting services with Miller Waste Systems, but at least one councillor wanted to ensure the deal passed the smell test before giving it his approval.

Provided council gives the nod to last week’s committee of the whole recommendation to proceed with the deal, Miller will continue to process yard waste at its facility near Bloomington Road and Leslie Street for the next decade, at a cost of some $37.2 million, with an optional five-year extension after that.

Aurora Mayor Geoff Dawe told colleagues he didn’t have any issue with the staff report urging acceptance of the contract, but was concerned continuing operation of the Richmond Hill site could result in some unpleasant aromas wafting into his community, especially with the volume of yard waste projected to grow steadily in the years to come.

“I’m concerned about the odour,” he said. “Sometimes, if the wind blows the wrong way, we get an odour that drifts up to Aurora.”

Whenever that happens, councillors often get phone calls from residents raising a stink, Mr. Dawe added.

Commissioner of environmental services Erin Mahoney explained the practice of accepting liquid manure as a source of nitrogen may have been behind some of the odour in the past, adding it’s not something that’s done any longer.

On top of that, Miller has committed to stepping up its odour-mitigating measures through means such as adding forced aeration to the process which maintains optimum oxygen levels for more efficient composting and a reduction in the level of odours, she said.

“That will help reduce the off-site odours associated with the composting process,” she said.

Council next meets May 15 and is expected to move forward with the new agreement at that time.