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March 31, 2007 Dear Premier McGuinty: I was outraged when I’ve heard about your support for incineration in this province and about the plans to build a super-incinerator in Halton. It is purely scandalous to even contemplate incineration, at the time when many municipalities all over the world (i.e. Detroit) have decided to abandon such plans, or to close them. There is extensive worldwide scientific research which casts a doubt over the safety of the latest high-tech combo-incineration technologies (Gasification, Pyrolysis, Plasma, etc.) and indicates that the negative effects of any kind of thermal process, (health risks and high costs) by far outweigh its doubtful benefits; as long as there is the slightest doubt over health safety, they shall not be used. All benefits of incineration, as claimed by its advocates, such as energy generation, job creation and efficient garbage disposal, are questionable. Scientific reports demonstrate that the net energy generated through incineration is minimal, or could even be negative, after all direct, indirect (such as long term health effects) and hidden (not anticipated) costs are considered. Therefore, the net energy from incineration is much lower than the net energy obtained from clean energy plants. Instead of misguided support for incineration, the majority of Ontarians expect strong measures and investment into programs that reduce pollution and garbage production, rather than maintain the status quo. Has the government forgotten about its commitment to reducing air pollution and climate change? Or its commitment to RRR? There are much greater benefits for society (environment, health, jobs, energy, etc.) resulting from Reducing, Reusing and Recycling, than from burning. There are also much greater benefits resulting from investment into alternative forms of energy. The 800 million dollars needed for the Halton incinerator would be much better spent for producing clean energy, creating jobs and reducing garbage. The paradigm of safe and efficient incineration of garbage shall be replaced by a new paradigm: Zero waste. Dear Premier, have you considered the harmful effects of the extremely toxic nanoparticles which are inevitably released into the atmosphere because they are too small to be filtered? I trust you don’t want to be held responsible later for allowing this madness to happen. God only recycles, the Devil burns!
Nicholas Varias, Dipl.Arch. OAA, CBCO
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Last updated on April 3, 2007