Residents continue to ramp up the pressure against the ongoing odour issues at the Green for Life (GFL) composting facility in East Ladner.
At Delta council’s Sept. 16 meeting, civic politicians received a staff report updating the status of the Environmental Appeal Board hearing of GFL’s air quality permit and a construction update of its enclosed facility, which is required to be in place by March 2020.
City manager Sean McGill told council construction of the $37-million facility on 72nd Street is well underway and on track.
Council approved receipt of the staff report, but provided no comment.
Earlier in the night, during the question period prior to the start of the meeting, East Ladner residents Wendy Betts and Peggy Richardson provided further information to council on the Environmental Appeal Board hearing to date and what they expect when the hearing resumes in late October.
“I want to thank staff and council for taking the time to review the impacts that GFL continues to have on my home and my community,” said Betts. “The resident appellants at the EAB hearing have devoted countless volunteer hours and their own financial resources to protect our own environment and the community from the adverse effects this business continues to cause. It does give residents great comfort knowing that Delta’s legal counsel and always a staff member sit directly behind us at the hearing. We are grateful for this support that staff has given us when we have been asked. We feel we are being listened to.”
Betts said three more weeks of testimony is scheduled to take place, but given recent submissions from Metro Vancouver, she expects an additional one to two weeks will be needed and the board could take up to six months to reach a decision.
“This problem that plagues us is far from over,” she said. “There are 236 properties located less than one kilometre from the new factory, 1,466 homes located two kilometres or less. We guesstimate about 4,500 residents – an entire community – including an elementary school, community garden, playgrounds small businesses are all impacted by the odour and pollution that are identified as product from this food composting waste business.”
Betts made reference to a Fraser Health letter from July 2018 which stated that health authority had never visited GFL and thus made assumptions on the health concerns raised by the residents throughout the process.
Betts asked that council insist that Fraser Health meet directly with residents to get a clear understanding of the negative health effects.
Betts also asked council about business licences for GFL and not just for West Coast Insta Lawn (the turf farm). She also asked about the possibility of an increase in tonnage once the enclosed facility is built.
Council said staff would research all the questions and provide responses in the coming weeks.
“People are sick. It’s been an awful summer for us in East Ladner,” said Betts. “Maybe we are not complaining enough as we used to because we are tired of complaining.”
