Lively citizens who have odor concerns arising from a Vale Inco tailings pond can get more information Tuesday, July 22 at the McClelland Community Centre in Copper Cliff starting 4 p.m.
For years, especially last summer, Lively and some West End residents have complained about odours from a site where Greater Sudbury has been dumping sewage sludge for 30 years.
Though Ward 2 Coun. Jacques Barbeau and city staff have indicated complaints are fewer so far this summer, and city staff are more closely monitoring and using remediation techniques.
Northern Life has still received complaints in our comments at www.northernlife.ca.
Now the city is ready to discuss more comprehensive sludge management and a long term bio-solids management program for the sustainable treatment and disposal/end use of its sewage sludge.
Representatives from the City of Greater Sudbury, and Dennis Consultants, a division of R.V. Anderson Associates Limited, will answer questions from citizens who want a long term solution to the odour problem.
Proposed solutions will be presented for public input, said a release by Greater Sudbury.
“Each proposal eliminates the current practice of depositing sewage sludge into tailings ponds in the Lively area. Each proposal will also result in modernization of the Sudbury Wastewater Treatment Plant to manage odours during the treatment process,” said the release.
One proposal is to make a use for the end product. Sewage sludge with a reduced pathogen content is know as a “biosolid.”
“Biosolids are odour-free, safe for the environment and can be used as a soil amendment,” said the release.
However, biosolids can be controversial because of the possibility of contamination to lands by heavy metals if they are applied directly.
“Biosolids may be contaminated with heavy metals such as chromium, cadmium, lead, or other contaminants that come from industries discharging to the sewage treatment plants. These metals may enter the food chain or water supply if they are applied to agricultural land,” said the website of the Canadian Environmental Law Association.
