Minister Benoit Sharett notes that he understands the disappointment of those who oppose pursuing waste management activities in Drummondville. Remember that the burial site of the American giant was initially scheduled to close in 2021.
However, the minister stresses that no other site in Quebec can currently hold 430,000 tons of material buried at the site each year.
This would have created serious problems, especially in public health, if we had not been able to act on this in an appropriate manner.
I want to assure people that all options have been considered
, confirms André Lamontani, Minister of Agriculture and in charge of the Center de Québec.
lack of planning
However, these explanations do not satisfy the Quebec Common Front for Environmental Waste Management.
It is a lack of planning. We just licensed a site in the Montreal area at 1,250,000 tons, and we could probably have allowed a few tens of thousands more tons to avoid expanding our technical landfill site in Drummondville.
, says Karel Maynard, Managing Director of the Common Front.
Faced with this decision by the county government, Drummondville intends to evaluate all of its options over the coming weeks, Mayor Alan Carrier asserts.
First, we’ll see on a legal level if we can appeal, and if we can, we will. Second, we will ensure that there are tangible things in the decree. As an example, you know, right from the start, sorting had to be done at the source, at the site of a waste management landfill. It was in the decades, it was there, it was pointed out. That didn’t happen
, he explains.
atmosphere of cooperation
Waste Management says it wants to reach out to citizens and elected officials, and promises to be a good citizen.
A few years ago, the city supported and defended the project before the Office of Public Hearings on the Environment. We would like to return to this atmosphere of cooperation.
The environment minister would also like to specify that the special intervention area remains temporary. Quebec also states that the Office of Public Hearings on the Environment is currently studying the issue. The report is due to be released in December.
Based on information from Jean Francois Dumas
