The Rural Voice, 1993-06, Page 58BRUCE
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
44610th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1P9
519-364-3050
• The Rural Voice is provided to Bruce
County Farmers by the BCFA.
Planning ahead to manage Bruce's waste
(This article is the second in a series
of articles designed to inform Rural
Voice readership about the progress
of the County of Bruce Waste
Management Master Plan Study
IWMMPJ.)
The mandate of the County of
Bruce WMMP is to describe and
recommend a system to manage solid
waste generated in Bruce County for
the next 50 years or so. Currently the
first of three stages has been
completed and a draft report has been
produced for review. Local
municipalities, the general public,
special interest groups as well as a
number of provincial review agencies
have until June 8, 1993 to submit their
comments on the Stage One report.
As WMMP documents go, the
Stage One reports generally are not
controversial but rather are detailed
accounts of the study area, the cur-
rent landfill situation and 3Rs (Re-
duction, Reuse, Recycling) prog-
rams. A quick read of the Stage One
report reveals an incredible variety of
both recycling programs and landfills.
With 31 municipalities, each
responsible for their own disposal and
waste diversion (3Rs) programs, it is
understandable that such a variety of
programs exist.
Stage Two is when things really
begin to heat up. The first part of
Stage Two will describe and
recommend a diversion system for the
County while the second half will
recommend a landfill disposal system
to deal with the "residual" material
still remaining. Establishing an ach-
ievable waste diversion target is one
of the important tasks of Stage Two.
If, for example, the County adopts a
50 per cent diversion target, this
would have a dramatic impact on the
landfill requirements for the future,
assuming the target is achieved. Acc-
ording to the county's Waste Man-
agement consultant, Dave Merriman,
achieving a 50 per cent diversion rate
by the year 2000 is realistic, however,
it would require a slight change in
attitude across the county.
According to Merriman, it all boils
down to cost. What are you willing to
pay to achieve a certain level of
diversion? Another reality
reminiscent of a popular commercial
is "you can pay me now .. . or pay me
later". The Town of Kincardine
estimates their 1993 landfill
expansion costs to be in the order of
$1.6 million. Using a "full cost
accounting" system of cost and
benefits, trying to decide whether to
spend money now on diversion
programs or on disposal systems in
the near future seems obvious.
Those municipalities who have not
experienced the cost of replacing or
upgrading a landfill site or the
benefits of a comprehensive 3Rs
program will have a difficult time
appreciating what seems obvious to
some. With reduction, reuse and
recycling regulations in the works, the
choices for both business and
governments seem to be narrowing.
For a long time the notion of
"profit from pollution prevention" has
been a reality for some businesses.
Many people have voluntarily
changed their lifestyles in order to
minimize their impact on the
environment. It doesn't matter
whether it happens voluntarily or in
response to government regulations,
as long as it happens.
For further information on waste
reduction opportunities or the county
waste management study, call Barry
Randall at 881-1782 or your local
PLC member.0
Submitted by Barry Randall, Co-
ordinator, Bruce County Waste
Management Master Plan, and Bob
Bregman, Culross Township Director
and member of the County of Bruce
Waste Management Master Plan,
Public Liaison Committee.
Bruce County
Federation of Agriculture
Directors' Meeting
Monday, June 28, 1993
8:00 p.m.
OMAF Boardroom, Walkerton
Members are welcome to attend
BRUCE COUNTY FEDERATION
COUNTY EXECUTIVE:
Past President Allan Smith (Alice) R.R.
President Byron Monk (Joanne) R.R.
1st Vice President Jim Farrell (Fran) R.R.
2nd Vice President Gerald Poechman (Marlene) R.R.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS:
Grant Collins (Carol) R.R.
Ron Garland (Koleen) R.R.
Lloyd Schnurr (Lorraine) R.R.
Tom Sweiger (Karen) R.R.
REGIONAL DIRECTORS:
Bruce North Ken Kelly (Lynda) R.R.
Bruce South Tony Morris (Judy) R.R.
OF AGRICULTURE
#2, Tara
#2, Elmwood
#3, Ripley
#1, Walkerton
#1, Kincardine
#2, Cargill
#3, Walkerton
#2, Dobbinton
#5, Paisley
#1, Mildmay
NOH 2N0
NOG 1S0
NOG 2R0
NOG 2V0
N2Z 2X3
NOG 1J0
NOG 2V0
NOH 1L0
NOG 2N0
NOG 2J0
934-2928
363-3153
395-5628
364-5657
395-5131
366-9934
881-3998
363-5704
389-5347
367-2136
54 THE RURAL VOICE