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Incineration won’t foul air

One tonne of garbage produces roughly the annual particulate emissions from 10 heavy diesel trucks.

To the Editor,

Re: Incinerator wouldn’t burn off toxins, Letters, Feb. 13.

The Regional District of Nanaimo is currently diverting construction and demolition waste to a third-party processor who chips the wood waste into hog fuel. The hog fuel is usually sold to the pulp and paper industry to burn in their incinerators and they are not held to the highest standards like a waste-to-energy facility. Most people refer to this as ‘recycling.’

A recent article states that one tonne of garbage produces only 0.0005 kilograms of particulates or only approximately 100kg per year – roughly the annual particulate emissions from 10 heavy diesel trucks.

Did you also know that three Island regional districts have all hired consultants to review the feasibility of WTE?

It started many years ago. There are more than 480 locations in Europe and more than 80 locations in the U.S.A. that all disagree – maybe everyone in Nanaimo should listen and learn a bit more before jumping on the bandwagon.

Tim McGrathvia e-mail