Plans to incinerate Metro Vancouver’s garbage are not going over well in Fraser Valley communities like Abbotsford and Chilliwack. This is not surprising considering the fact that pollutants released into the Lower Mainland’s air always end up hovering over the Fraser Valley where they become concentrated.
People in the Fraser Valley fought hard to stop the Sumas 2 project a few years ago. They were equally relieved when it was announced that Burrard Thermal was being permanently shut down (once the biggest single source of greenhouse gas pollution in the whole province). So why would they be happy to hear about plans to incinerate Metro Vancouver’s garbage?
To be fair to supporters of the garbage incineration plan, electricity would be generated through the incineration process. But B.C. has more than enough renewable green energy resources that we’ve barely even begun to tap into.
Supporters of the incinerator plan might also point to jobs being created. But many more jobs would be created by tapping into B.C.’s renewable energy resources.
Therefore, jobs and electricity from any garbage incineration plan would essentially cancel out, which leaves us with air pollution as the only distinguishing feature of the incinerator plan. And if that’s the case, then perhaps a better plan than incinerating Metro Vancouver’s garbage downwind of Fraser Valley residents still needs to be found.
Mike Taylor
Port Moody
