MICHIGAN DOESN’T WANT TORONTO’S TRASH

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TORONTO, Ont. — The State of Michigan is appealing to Ottawa to try to halt the plan to truck Toronto’s garbage to Carlton Farms Landfill, in upstate Michigan.

In a letter uncovered Monday Michigan’s environment department asks the Canadian federal government to start a review of the proposal under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

“It is our position that the export of these wastes may cause a significant adverse environmental effect,” Russell Harding, director of Michigan’s Environmental Quality Department, writes. “We urge your expeditious review of this situation.”

Trucking company Wilson Logistics holds the five-year contract to run the three million tonnes per year down Hwy. 401.

This is just the latest in a long, drawn out mess brewing since last fall, when negotiations between the City of Toronto and Rail Cycle North collapsed. That plan would have seen the trash taken by train to the abandoned Adams Mine in Kirkland Lake, Ont.

Critics object to trucking the trash for what they say are environmental and safety reasons.

According to a Michigan State spokesman, the idea to appeal to Canadian authorities was suggested by Todd Morgan, president of Kirkland Lake’s Chamber of Commerce. He supports the shipping of the trash to his community.

Michigan in January sent a letter to Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman, asking him to reconsider sending the trash to an Ontario location.

Toronto’s current garbage facilities will reach capacity sometime in 2002.

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