London’s landfill is expected to reach its capacity by 2024. With that being only 3 years away, city staff have been investigating solutions.
“The landfill site has been filled up as planned. We basically anticipated anywhere between 2024 and 2025. So we’re more or less on schedule with the anticipated capacity,” says Jay Stanford, head of London’s environment and solid waste.
The waste management team has decided that expanding the site upwards is the way to go. Stanford says multiple options of expanding upwards were considered before deciding. Including expanding horizontally towards the north and east.
“We felt that working with the existing landfill site, and in the vicinity of the landfill site was the best alternative. And going up, basically makes sure that we do not consume any land nearby,” Stanford says.
The proposed expansion will increase the site’s maximum height by 26 metres, which is expected to add 25 more years of capacity. This expansion will cost Londoners an expected $80 million in taxes for the new lifespan of the site, resulting in a 2% inflation for future costs.
“The biggest challenge we see of going up is that we’re going to have a greater visual impact in the area because the landfill site will be that much taller than it is now,” says Stanford.
The plan is not finalized just yet. It will go to the Civic Works Committee on March 30th and then council to be approved. Stanford says the final steps will take place in the summer before sending the final proposal to the provincial government to be approved.
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