London Ontario to ask for Stiff Trash Fee

If the province of  Ontario orders London to take Toronto's garbage, it could cost Toronto -- big time. In a report going to council's environment and transportation committee tonight, city staff recommends a tipping fee of $150 per metric ton -- twice the maximum fee -- for any garbage the province orders the city to take.

"We've done a good job managing our landfill and we don't want anyone touching it," said committee chairperson Coun. Roger Caranci.

"We think if another municipality has a problem with their garbage they should deal with it in their own back yard. But if we're told we have to take it and there's nothing we can do about it, then let's see what we can get out of it."

Toronto sends 125 transport trucks loaded with 4,200 metric tons of trash down Highway 401 to Michigan each day.

Southwestern Ontario communities fear the province will order them to take Toronto garbage if Michigan, or the U.S. government, closes the border to garbage, or for security reasons.

Other concerns are the increased truck traffic, safety and border delays.

Trucks carrying trash from Toronto have been involved in several serious crashes that forced the partial closing of Highway 401.

The pressure to stop cross-border garbage is also building in Michigan.

In March, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed 11 bills designed to curb the flow of out-of-state trash to Michigan landfills. Similar bills to stop the trash trucks are being considered in Washington.

Ontario Environment Minister Leona Dombrowsky responded to the Michigan move by pledging to help Toronto find a home for its garbage if necessary. However, Dombrowsky said she's confident Canada's most populous city will be able to meet the stringent new Michigan standards.

But Dombrowsky has so far refused to say whether a contingency plan would involve ordering other municipalities to take Toronto's trash.

The city staff report going to committee tonight includes new lower rates for city businesses to take trash to London's landfill.

In the past, the city set a high tipping fee of $72.75 per metric ton to discourage commercial waste, leaving the business sector to hire private waste companies.

London Chamber of Commerce initially balked at the proposed lower rates, saying it would be too costly since they would diminish the life of the landfill and compete with the private sector.

However, the chamber has since withdrawn its objection after meeting with city staff to review the business plan.

The new commercial waste fee being recommended is between $37 and $75 a tonne, depending on monthly volume. As well, the city will offer a lower fee of between $31 and $34 for residual waste from recycling operations.

The initiative is expected to produce an estimated $7 million in revenues before the landfill reaches capacity. The added waste will reduce the life of the landfill about two years, to 18 years from 20.

Toronto has been shipping its trash to the Carleton Farms landfill in Michigan's Sumpter Township since its Keele Valley landfill closed at the end of 2002. Michigan officials say nearly 1.4 million metric tons of trash, mostly from Toronto, was trucked to the landfill in 2003 . - The London (Ontario) Free Press