THUNDER BAY — A proposed massive expansion of an industrial waste disposal site in the Lappe area is meeting opposition from neighbouring property-owners.
The site on Kam Current Road, off Dog Lake Road, is currently approved to accept solid non-hazardous industrial and commercial waste from anywhere in Northwestern Ontario, to a maximum capacity of 3.5 million cubic metres.
The operator now wants to nearly double the approved capacity, to 6.5 million cubic metres, and to accept waste from anywhere in Canada.
Neighbours such as Bill Jarrett have worried for years about material leaching out of the dump.
"Over the history of this pit, every time runoff – what they call it, but legally it's leachate – leaves the property, they buy out the neighbouring property, so it remains their property and there's no environmental impact," Jarrett said in an interview.
Neither the dump operator, Jack Milne, nor his company's consultant could be reached Monday for comment.
In a notice this month to Gorham Township residents, the consultant said the expanded site will remain within an area currently designated Disposal Industrial Zone.
It also said a minimum buffer zone of 30 metres will be maintained between the waste disposal area and the property boundary.
However, the consultant noted that groundwater flows to the northwest.
"Our property is right dead in line with that, and the McIntyre River is on the other side of our property. So whatever's running off of there is going to wind up in the McIntyre River," Jarrett maintained.
According to the consultant's letter, "Groundwater is anticipated to report to surface water in a ravine and wetland area northwest of the landfill that flows west into the McIntyre River, then south to Lake Superior."
Jarrett said there's already a steady stream of GFL recycling trucks bringing material to the dump from Thunder Bay five days a week, "and there's other unmarked trucks that are always coming in."
Unorganized townships such as Gorham, he said, are at a disadvantage when it comes to environmental issues.
"They didn't have to go through an awful lot of regulations and rules by the community to do this. People seem to think that because we're unorganized, we're basically just vacant land. But there are about 600 families living out here."
Jarrett alleged that a couple of property-owners have resorted to buying bottled water because their wells are already contaminated.
The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks did not immediately respond on Monday to an inquiry from TBNewswatch.
However, residents with concerns about the proposed expansion of the Lappe Waste Disposal Site can give feedback to the ministry.
A ministry spokesperson previously told TBNewswatch the site operates within provincial guidelines.
In March 2020, the dump accepted thousands of cubic metres of soil contaminated by crude oil after a train derailment in the Fort Frances area.
Expressing frustration with the permitting process, Jarrett said "The ministry of the environment seems to say yes all the time. It's time they started to use the environment part of their name and say no."
