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Burning Construction and Demolition Waste at HSPP - Green Energy? by SCCAS member Louis Legal

Information from SCCAS member Louis Legal, retired meteorologist


Minister Stockwell Day announced in Gibsons last Wednesday that the Howe Sound Pulp and Paper (HSPP) mill was receiving $37 million in federal funds for boiler upgrades. The mill’s president, Mr. Palmiere, said that these upgrades would allow the sale of significant amounts of electricity to BC Hydro. As a result HSPP will become BC’s largest independent power producers (IPP). As well he indicated that this was green energy because it displaced the burning of natural gas.

Indeed there will be a reduction in the emission of green house gases (GHG) because wood is considered a renewable resource. I congratulate the HSPP mill’s management for acquiring this grant and helping to reduce its CO2 pollution. The mill also announced that it is hosting two public open houses so that we can learn more about its application for a permit amendment to allow the burning of construction and demolition (C&D) waste.

On October 26, 2009 the provincial Ministry of the Environment (MoE) granted HSPP a two year permit variance allowing the burning of up to 5200 cubic metres (one barge) of C&D waste per week. A number of monitoring conditions were attached to this variance.

Unfortunately, C&D waste contains plastics, preservative treated woods, manufactured glued woods such as OSB, plywood and particle board, and paint possibly even lead-based paint. These materials emit potentially hazardous toxins into the atmosphere when burned.

The mill management has argued that the emissions measured during the two year variance exercise were the same during the burning of C&D waste as with the burning of normal hog fuel. They also say that the sorting procedures of their suppliers ensure that the amounts of potentially toxic materials are minimal.

Recent history with coal burning and with C&D waste burning at the mill strongly suggests that management at the mill has not acted with good will and integrity. Given this behaviour, it is imperative that MoE implement safeguards to protect our communities.

Prior to granting any permit amendment, MoE must:

- Monitor all emissions independently of those measured by the mill. Potentially toxic emissions include dioxins, furans, arsenic, lead and others. Industry cannot always be trusted to do the right thing. For example, the tar sands industry in northern Alberta claimed that they were not dumping toxic waste into the Athabasca River. Dr. David Schindler proved them wrong.
- Explicitly prohibit or limit the content of certain waste materials to very small percentages as other jurisdictions have done. These of course include plastics, preservative treated woods, manufactured woods containing glues, and painted material from demolition sites.

Local citizens should attend the open houses on September 22nd in Gibsons and on September 23rd in Squamish. The government recently boasted that BC would Lead the world in sustainable environmental management, with the best air and water quality, and the best fisheries management, bar none. Let’s hold the government to this pledge.