Two Landfill Reports Present Opposite Recommendations
In December 2012 consultant engineers KGS Group presented a report “City of Moose Jaw Sanitary Landfill Long-Term Strategy Needs Conceptual Report recommending expansion of the existing landfill to the east.
In 2022 a second consultant’s report “Landfill Decommissioning and Reclamation Plan” by Pinter and Associates Limited the recommendation is for an entire new landfill site.
The questions the opposing recommendations the reports leave is when did the City ultimately decide to look exclusively at a new landfill location and how and when was Council informed.
“No I do not recall ever seeing that report. It’s not to say I didn’t but I don’t recall seeing it,” former Councillor Swanson said about KGS Group’s report recommending landfill expansion.
Former Councillor Swanson has been an ardent supporter of landfill expansion due to the higher costs he foresees in constructing on a new site. He last spoke about the expansion option at a March 19th open house drawing upon his 24 years experience as a Council member.
The KGS Group’s report was obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by MJ Independent.
A written request to the City as to when the KGS report was not responded to by publication time.
During the April 8th post Council press conference MJ Independent asked about the expansion of the existing landfill which city manager Maryse Carmichael replied “we are looking at all the options.”
The question was asked if the city Had considered selling the aggregate and gravel from any excavation in expanding the landfill as a way to reduce the cost of expansion. The landfill sits on an area that has has been mined for gravel.
Although it does not necessarily mean the report was not distributed to Council a written question to the City as to when the report was presented to Council was not responded to by publication time.
The 2012 report’s preliminary recommendation was for expansion of the existing landfill by constructing a new cell directly to the east of the present location for a very preliminary estimated cost at the time of $3,695,000.
“…it is recommended that the City begin detailed design work in 2013 or 2014 construction of a new cell in the expansion area to the east of the existing site with the understanding that construction would not begin until 2015 or 2016,” the report read.
Excerpt from the report City of Moose Jaw Sanitary Landfill Long-Term Strategy Needs Conceptual Report recommending expansion of the existing landfill
The need to expand the facility with a new cell to the east was based upon an estimated lifespan of 3 - 5 years of the existing landfill in 2012.
“The primary recommendation for the facility is to continue to utilize the existing face for a period of 3-5 years, however utilizing at least a 4:1 slope at all times,” the report read.
Recently Council was told the existing landfill has an estimated three to four years left until its lifespan expire.
The report further states that the City not underestimate the impacts of recycling but “at the end of the day, an detailed expansion plan design is required to ensure a proactive approach is utilized to ensure the long-term viability of the infrastructure.”
EXCERPT FROM THE REPORT CITY OF MOOSE JAW SANITARY LANDFILL LONG-TERM STRATEGY NEEDS CONCEPTUAL REPORT SHOWING THE VERY PRELIMINARY COSTS OF EXPANDING THE PRESENT LANDFILL IN 2012
The 2012 report does point out that the Province’s environmental rules were in the process of changing and needed to be taken into consideration.
It’s not known exactly when the City dumped KGS group’s expansion recommendation and decided upon the proposed new landfill option.
It needs to be noted KGS is highly familiar with the present landfill as they have provided monitoring on site.
COUNTER REPORT
Despite the 2012 report’s recommendations for expansion of the existing landfill an April 2022 report Landfill Decommissioning and Reclamation Plan provided by the City to MJ Independent says expansion is not feasible for two reasons.
Screenshot from page 20 of the report Landfill Decommissioning and Reclamation Plan pointing out the reasons why expansion of the present landfill was not feasible
The first reason given is the expansion area does not conform with Alberta regulations where all landfill expansions require a five thick layer of clayey deposit having the right consistency.
The Alberta environmental regulations are being utilized due to a lack of Saskatchewan regulations.
The second reason given is due to Transport Canada regulations.
Transport Canada’s rules prohibit the development of landfill sites within 8 km of zoned airport reference points.
Screenshot from Page 21 of the 2022 report Landfill Decommissioning and Reclamation Plan pointing out the reason why expansion of the present landfill is not feasible
The are additional reasons not in the Pinter report why the landfill cannot be expanded.
The 15 Wing air base is outside the area but the Moose Jaw Municipal Airport is within the 8 kilometer reference points for any lateral expansion.
It is unknown if any dispensation of the Transport Canada regulations can be applied for.
For RM resident and proposed new landfill opponent Wilda Soper the encroachment into the 8 km reference point just touches the corner of any expansion of the present landfill.
Soper said the City should look at constructing a state of art landfill and recycling centre in an expanded landfill.
She continued the entire process has been conducted in too much secrecy and the expansion option was too quickly dismissed.
(Editor’s Note - MJ Independent is presently working on a story of the extensive interview conducted with Wilda Soper.)
Another reason the landfill cannot be expanded is not outside the 500 meter separation required from homes and water bodies.
Additionally the existing landfill does not have a leachate collection system and an unfavourable water table would limit the depth of cells to fall within industry standards.
The preceding is the first in a series of stories on the proposed new landfill.