Seven charges against the City of Guelph for alleged contravention of the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) related to Guelph’s compost facility were withdrawn by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) in court today. On the eighth charge related to odour, the City pled guilty and will pay a fine of $40,000.
“Both the City and the MOE share a mutual commitment to protecting the environment,” says Guelph’s mayor, Karen Farbridge. “That commitment had much to do with both parties’ ability to reach a resolution.”
Guelph was the first Ontario municipality to build a composter of this kind in 1995, with considerable financial support from the Province. In 1997, the MOE acknowledged odour from the facility was a possibility.
The City of Guelph’s composting facility was often regarded as a provincial pilot. Guelph’s experience with composting set the stage for several other cities in the province to build composters of their own. Composting technology has advanced considerably since Guelph built its composter more than 12 years ago.
Guelph’s composting facility has not been in operation since June 2006. The City is committed to considering updated technology options for processing compostable waste.