Leaked Report Promotes Burning Tires as Industrial Fuel in Ontario
Burning tires emits smog-causing chemicals to the air
(Toronto) – Today, the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) released a confidential plan which would allow Ontario industries to burn tires. Recently approved by the government’s Waste Diversion Organization during a closed meeting, the plan now awaits approval by Minster of Environment Leona Dombrowsky. TEA received the plan in a “brown envelop” late yesterday.
“The promotion of tire burning contradicts Ontario law,” says Gord Perks of TEA. “Ontario’s Waste Diversion Act is clear, any waste diversion program developed for a designated waste, such as used or scrap tires, shall not promote the burning of that waste.”
In 2002, the Ontario government established the Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS) to develop a program to reuse and recycle tires. Instead, the report, titled the Scrap Tire Diversion Program Plan, establishes an eco-fee paid by consumers at the point of purchase but ironically distributes the money to both recyclers and burners. The consumer is not given a choice as to which program they want to support.
The burning of tires emits smog-causing chemicals to the air and heavy metals and toxic substances to the environment. Environmentalists and concerned citizens recommend that Minister Dombrowsky eliminate options to incinerate and export tires in the plan, before she grants approval.
A similar plan to burn used motor oil in industrial cement kilns and blast furnaces was recently rejected by the same Waste Diversion Organization. However, persistent industries have now applied to the MOE for Certificates of Approval to burn used oil, tires and Blue Box materials such as plastics and paper, in their processing plants.
“Ontario residents will be angry when they learn they will be paying to pollute the air they breathe, while the cement, pulp and paper and other industries will be financially rewarded for polluting the environment,” says Perks.
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For more information:
Gord Perks/Katrina Miller, Toronto Environmental Alliance
(416) 596-0660 (office) or 647-272-5024 (cell)
To see all TEA media releases, go to Media Releases.