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EAB grants GFL extension to complete enclosed facility

An East Ladner composting facility has been granted another extension to complete its new enclosed facility. GFL Environmental Inc.
GFL update
GFL Environmental Inc. was granted a second interim relief application by the Environmental Appeal Board (EAB) in late April to extend the construction deadline of its enclosed facility designed to reduce odours that have been a point of contention with the community since 2004.

An East Ladner composting facility has been granted another extension to complete its new enclosed facility.

GFL Environmental Inc. was granted a second interim relief application by the Environmental Appeal Board (EAB) in late April to extend the construction deadline of its enclosed facility designed to reduce odours that have been a point of contention with the community since 2004.

The original deadline, as stipulated in an air quality permit issued by Metro Vancouver, was for the enclosed facility to be in place by March 31, but GFL was given an additional two months in January by the EAB to have the facility built by May 1. Now with the second extension, GFL has until July 1 to finish their facility.

The EAB granted the latest extension after GFL argued that they were experiencing difficulties accessing materials and technical advisors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The EAB panel has stipulated that if GFL comes to them asking for another extension, then you better show proof because this time around they didn’t,” said Peggy Richardson, spokesperson for the resident appellants who have been challenging GFL through the EAB hearings. “It is my sense because of what has been happening and the urgency of the matter, the EAB gave them this extension based on goodwill, etc. They say they are having issues getting advice from their U.S. counterparts.”

Residents have been fighting the permit since June, 2019 when the hearings began in Tsawwassen. The hearings then moved to Richmond last November and continued in March, where there were six days of testimony before the resident appellants asked that the hearings be halted due to health concerns of the pandemic.

The hearings were supposed to last 15 days, but there has been more than 40 days of testimony with no end in sight with the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We were very concerned because first of all we were there over health issues, arguing that the quality of our air is not healthy for us and now we are being exposed to the possibility of a virus,” said Richardson. “We said we would not be coming back until this was resolved. GFL was actually reluctant, but Delta and Metro Vancouver all agreed that this was just not appropriate for us to be in a hotel room in Richmond.”

Richardson said all sides are looking at ways to resume the hearings, possibly in a virtual way, but nothing has been decided yet.

Ironically, since the pandemic started, Richardson said the air quality has improved, but the odours are still present, especially when the wind shifts direction.

“We have had to lodge some complaints, but it has been much better,” she said. “The reason is, the restaurants are closed. They [GFL] are taking in less feed stock, not as much yard waste and they have a better balance of product in the composting process. So we have been able to enjoy our backyards lately. If there is a silver lining on this is that our air in East Ladner is cleaner.”

She says the residents continue to have little faith that GFL will get the facility built in the next few months.

“This is all based on their past performance,” she said. “Even to get them to come to the table with Metro Vancouver to work out a permit was like pulling hens teeth for Metro Vancouver. Even after the permit was issued, they are still appealing what those conditions are.”

When GFL submitted its interim relief application, the resident appellants countered with their own application, asking the board to amend the permit to stop GFL from receiving food waste until the building was enclosed and to cover the existing exposed compost piles from rain, which residents say causes the compost to go anaerobic and produce even more odours.