Public response to GFL review

By Sharon McLeay Times Contributor

Many Wheatland residents may be contemplating wheather the GFL facility near Nightingale has interfered with their Section 7 Charter of Rights protection of life, liberty and security of person.
At the GFL review held at Wheatland County council on Aug. 20, many people gave pictorial presentations to verify their complaints that they link to the compost facility’s activities.
“This operation has been the bane of our existence for the last 21 years,” said resident Betty Lou Mercer, whose property borders the facility. “It has caused us countless hours of extra work, damaged our property and wasted our time. It has negatively impacted our quality of life and threatened our health and that of our animals. We live with the worry our water is being ruined, and at some time our house might burn down.”
Mercer said worries increased when GFL took over the facility. She said she felt that responsibility should not be placed on residents to monitor facility practices.
Several people bordering the facility commented that the complaint system for Alberta Environment is inadequate. No feedback or significant action was taken on their complaints, so they said they quit registering their concerns with the province.
Mercer listed odours, garbage heaps and dust that altered soil quality and left asbestos contaminations. She estimates seven acres of her property is contaminated. She said blowing sulphur and dust affected breathing and coated belongings, and that several fires have already occurred at the site. Mercer said her family has had to spend thousands of dollars to protect property and ensure their health in considering the risks living next to the facility.
Other residents also testified about increased pests and predators that were drawn to the area by the site, posing risks to animals, cattle and crops. Residents have noted changes in species numbers in area wetlands which they suspect is due to the influx of non-indigenous predators, or drifting contaminants.
And, residents say property values had decreased.
Joanne Melville testified to the heartache of watching her two little boys develop unknown breathing problems that she attributes to air pollution from the GFL facility.
Legal counsel for GFL, Stephen Roberts, discounted residents’ pictorial and verbal evidence because, in his opinion, it has no bearing on what exists at the site as of July 2019, or apply to the remedial orders. He didn’t qualify three fires in several years as a common occurrence. He speculated some of the fire incidents might have been caused by arson because the fires had inconclusive causes, and he stated health claims presented had no concrete evidence. Findings of asbestos contamination on a drywall sample verified by a health authority was deemed inadmissible at the review.
Roberts offered no sympathy or understanding for ongoing fears and concerns of residents, nor did he suggest GFL would work with them in the future to address their concerns.
Wheatland County Reeve Amber Link said the county would review all the material presented and would have a public statement in two weeks.
Critics of composting facilities are calling for reviews of provincial regulations allowed by Alberta Environment. They state that the present regulations do not address neighbouring resident concerns and health issues. Experts in the field indicate elimination of problems come through employment of best management practices. Best practises are not always required under current guidelines.
Community conflict occurs in other areas of Alberta, such as Airdrie, Rocky View County, Edmonton and Calgary.
The National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health 2018 study, http://www.ncceh.ca/sites/default/files/Odour_from_compost_facility-Feb_2018.pdf presents data linking compost facilities and health concerns, and indicates communities worldwide are calling for stricter practises and examinations of health risks associated with compost facilities.