Emissions from the Enviro-Smart Organics composting facility in East Ladner are not expected to directly cause significant health effects.
That’s what Fraser Health’s medical health officer had to say when he appeared as a delegation at Delta council Monday night.
In its ongoing effort to bring an end to the foul smells emanating from the facility, Delta sought advice from Fraser Health as to whether there are any health concerns related to the air emissions and if so, what action could be taken.
Michael Schwandt, along with Dr. Goran Krstic told council that Fraser Health investigated the question of the potential for adverse human health effects.
Schwandt said in the absence of available emissions data from the facility, Krstic used available information from other similar types of operations, the complaint information from residents sent to Metro Vancouver, and from published literature to make reasonable assumptions regarding odourous compounds emissions and potential exposure levels in the adjacent residential community.
“Composting can produce an array of highly odourous compounds,” said Schwandt. “Although some of these emissions can be extremely odourous, we don’t expect them to reach the concentrations in the air that would cause serious acute health effects or long-term health effects from chronic exposure.”
Schwandt said based on the health information they wouldn’t classify this as a health hazard and it wouldn’t be something that would be regulated under the health act for that reason.
“We want to be very clear that these odours could certainly limit enjoyment of the outdoor environment,” he said. “We have reviewed the comments and complaints received by Metro Vancouver. We take very seriously if there is a barrier to physical activity or to cool a home, while there is not a direct health impact in what is in the air, there is certainly a potential health and quality of life impact indirectly.”
Several councillors questioned the Fraser Health officials on the data that was looked at and how they could come to the conclusion that the facility was not creating adverse health effects.
“We have a council chamber filled with residents because they have been so impacted by the smell, and then to hear there isn’t the documented evidence that there is a health hazard is puzzling,” said Coun. Jeannie Kanakos. “There are health impacts on the quality of life. They are closing up their homes, not enjoying the outdoors. I just can’t see how that is not measurable. How do residents go about documenting this? Maybe we need to look at something else.”
Schwandt offered to work with Delta to design survey tools and to work with residents further to come up with other solutions.
“I think I have been very clear and careful in fact to say that yes we do see quality of life impacts and we do recognize those,” he said.
Later in the meeting, Delta’s director of corporate services Sean McGill provided council with an update on the air quality permit that was issued by Metro Vancouver last week.
“What I do think we have here is a really good step forward,” said McGill. “It is a pretty stringent permit that addresses improvements for the existing operations and to ensure that the whole facility is full enclosed.”
As part of the permit, the 72nd Street composting operation is required to be fully enclosed by March 1, 2020. The permit also prohibits odour detection at decreasing distances until March 2020, when there should be no odour coming from the facility.
“There are changes in the short-term as well as long-term. I know in a perfect world we’d all like this to happen a lot sooner than 2020, but my understanding is that the proponent wants to move forward as quickly as possible,” said McGill. “We will do everything at a staff level...we would like to see a fully enclosed facility as soon as possible.”
Residents meanwhile will get a chance to learn more about the air quality permit at a town hall meeting set for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 21 at the Sundance.
