HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1993-12-22, Page 3Waste treatment project
could increase recycling
by Pat Halpin
WALKERTON--Bruce County
council has approved in principal a
waste . treatment demonstration
project that could convert all of the
county's household garbage to
recyclable material.
Doug Fletcher of Canadian Agra
described a waste treatment plan
called Adaptable Waste Treatment
Systems or AWTS, and designed in
Switzerland, that is capable of
taking 36,000 tonnes a year of
mixed household garbage and turn-
ing it into pellets.
The plastic, metal and organic
pellets in turn could be made into
building materials for the construc-
tion and agricultural industries.
Fletcher said that in Canadian
Agra's case, the cellulose pellets
would go into ethanol production at
a plant the company hopes to build
in the Bruce Energy Centre.
Canadian Agra also wants to build
the $13 million demonstration
AWTS plant at the Energy Centre.
Fletcher emphasized he was giving
a "layman's presentation" to council
as he described a process where
garbage is dumped at the plant,
inspected, sorted,: dried and made
into pellets. Fletcher assured council•
at its December 14 session the
process is clean and odorless.
Fletcher said Canadian Agra does-
n't want .financial help from the
county, but did ask for its "willing-
ness to investigate" a different kind
of solution for the waste manage-
ment problem.
Barry Randall, coordinator of the
county's waste management master
plan study, called the proposal
"exciting", but was hesitant about
the marketability of the pellets the
facility will produce. He said': if
unmixed loads of garbage are ii§ed
to' make the pellets, they may have
contamination levels too high to be
used in potting soil, insulation or
wallboard.
Randall said purity standards are
higher in Ontario than in Europe.
One councillor wondered if the
county would have to import gar-
bage to keep the plant running.
"Will it generate more waste or
make us import garbage if we have
to depend on volume to keep this
going?" asked Walkerton reeve
Dale Wilson.
Figures show Bruce produces
about 30,000 tonnes of garbage a
year. Fletcher said he doesn't want
to increase that volume. The plant
can work in conjunction with blue
box programs, he told council.
Smaller plants would eventually
be set up in various communities
instead of hauling garbage to a
. central plant.
Fletcher said Canadian Agra even-
tually hopes to sell licenses for
AWTS, or build and lease the
plants back to individual municipal-
ities. He predicted those municipali-
ties will everwally be able to close
their landfills.
"Conversations I've had say that
this (technology) is going to hap-
pen," said Paisley reeve Andy
Cormack. "I'm happy. Bruce County
was chosen to be the first to have
it."
Randall said the county's waste
master plan allows for private in-
dustry to set up pilot projects for
new waste management technology.
Council indicated Canadian
Agra's proposal falls in that catego-
ry.
Fletcher said his company is now
working on environmental approv-
als for the project, and hopes to
have the demonstration plant build
in the next 12-14 months.
Pay hikes refused for
county administration
Bruce County council has refused
to approve a finance report that
would have meant salary increases
and title changes for the county's
senior administration.
The issue bagan three years ago
with a proposal to give raises to
seven position which were more
than $2,000 under market. The plan
was rejected. Since then, job titles
and salaries for senior administra-
tors have been under study.
An eight -month-long review this
year showed the conclusions of
three years' ago are still valid, ac-
cording to a finance report, and in
fact the disparities have grown,
Will repeat
leadership
program
A repeat of last year's highly
successful 10 -steps program has
been announced. The program will
be called "Leadership For Com-
munity Action" for 1994. It is open
to anyone with a desire to improve
their leadership, communication,
and people management skills.
Many local agencies have recog-
nized that strong links exist bet-
ween personal 'leadership develop-
ment and economic prosperity. So
again this year, sponsors are fun-
ding the majority, of the program's
cost.
The program commences on Jan.
12. It is comprised of three day
sessions, three evening sessions.and
one weekend retreat, ending on
Mar. 30. During that time, par-
ticipants will develop a close
professional network with 23 other
motivated individuals. A desire to
understand and deal with the impor-
tant issues in Huron County is the
common thread.
The deadline to apply is Jan. 3.
Only 24 applicants will be accepted,
so act now. For more information
contact: George Thompson 482-
3428 or 1-800-265-5170,
The finance committee report
tabled December 14 recommended
title and salary changes for eight
department heads, but in a surpris-
ing move committee chair Bill
Ferris agreed to drop that section of
his own report.
Ferris indicated his committee is
still divided on the proposals, which
came up at the end of a long meet-
ing. Ferris admitted there is "great
discrepancy" between the pay of
supervisors and employees in some
departments, but added "it's a poor
time to bring it up, politically
speaking."
"Judging by the number of phone
calls and visitations I'.ve had, it's a
very controversial issue," Ferris
said.
swer three
fire calls
The Lucknow and District Fire
Department responded to three
calls last week.
On Dec. 12, at 6:45 p.m. they
attended a chimney fire at the
residence of Dean and Diane
Duvall on Outram Street. There
was no damage.
At 9 a.m. Dec, 15 , they
answered a call to the home of
Barbara Machan, on the division
line of West. Wawanosh
Township.
The exterior wall near the
chimney was on fire.
Firefighters were on the scene
for about two hours. Damage
was estimated at $4,000.
On Dec. 19, the department
was called to the scene of a
single vehicle accident. on Bruce
Country Road' 1, north of Kin -
lough.
Two people were injured., One
man was freed by the firefighters
and ambulance personnel. Both
men were takento hospital.
Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, December 22, 1993 -- Page 3
The nativity scene was portrayed by students In the junior/senior kindergarten class at St.
Joseph's School, Kingsbridge during the Christmas concert on Dec. 16. From the lett, John
Dalton, Rachael Simpson, Travis Farrish, Martin Quinlan and Jessica Maize. (Pat Livingston
photo)
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