It appears that city council’s strategy to balance budgets and minimize taxpayer burden is to follow ill-conceived notions to generate revenue rather than aggressively tackling cost control.
The idea of incinerating garbage as an acceptable waste management practice is especially appalling.
First, municipal waste is not an effective fuel source and requires supplemental fuel to ensure complete combustion which increases over all emissions. The province is phasing out coal-fired power generation in Alberta to reduce emissions. Why would we recommend a plant that would add new emissions?
Second, emissions from waste incinerators accelerate climate change and create toxic cancer-causing pollutants. The City of St. Albert's environmental policy states: “The City is committed to being a leader in environmental management and environmental sustainability of its operations for the benefit of all.“ I don’t see anything in the policy to suggest the emission of toxic dioxins and furans is an example of responsible environmental stewardship.
Third, there are numerous examples of these systems creating long-term financial burden for communities which are now closing these plants and turning to waste minimization as a much more environmentally responsible waste management alternative.
I suggest that council poll City of St Albert residents for ideas on where they see opportunities to control expenses as a good start to improving the fiscal health of the city.
Alan Luck, St. Albert
