Pollution Probe Dumps on Adams Mine

(Toronto, ON) -- Pollution Probe has taken a strong position opposing the proposal by Toronto City Council to dump Toronto’s waste into Adam’s Mine.

Tony Barrett, Pollution Probe's first employee in 1969 states "when Pollution Probe was formed, dumping garbage into open pits was a big public issue. It has taken Toronto 30 years to go from dumps, to sanitary landfills, to waste management and the 3Rs, and back to dumps again.  This is a disgrace and as far from sustainability as Toronto can get."

Peter Love, a member of Pollution Probe's 'garbage team' in the 1970s, feels the same. "When Probe coined the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), we didn't have this in mind. Toronto is throwing away years of hard work and leadership on waste management and pollution prevention. The people of Toronto should not allow this to happen."

Dr. Tom Burnett, a former Inco executive and now an advisor to Pollution Probe on environmental matters agrees. "Putting Toronto's waste down Adams Mine is like stuffing the periodic table down a deep hole. If something goes wrong, this ill-considered venture will pollute the environment for decades, if not centuries, to come.”

According to Pollution Probe's executive director Ken Ogilvie, it's time to close the books on sanitary landfilling.  Ogilvie states “with 30 years of waste management experience behind us, we have now developed the ability to divert 50 per cent or more of municipal ‘wastes’ to useful ends.  We can recover and reuse valuable materials. The remaining, largely organic, material can be composted in bioreactors to generate methane, which can be collected and burned as a fuel.”

The value of landfill gases as fuels will only increase over time as the world searches for ways to offset fossil fuel burning due to concerns about global climate change. Ogilvie notes “it's time to stop wasting our garbage”.  Adams Mine is the worst possible long-term expenditure because Toronto will be throwing away valuable materials.

Pollution Probe has joined the growing number of municipalities, citizen's groups and individuals opposed to the Adams Mine proposal. Toronto City Councillors are being urged to reject this proposal and put Toronto on the path to sustainable development in the new millennium. Mayor Mel Lastman has been called on to lead this charge.

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For More Information:

Ken Ogilvie               (416) 926-1907 x231