Town hopes for meeting with ministries, MPP on processing waste in fields

by Mike Thibodeau

Special to Leamington Post

Leamington council has said it will do all it can to get provincial officials to meet to discuss the problems of vegetable waste dumping on farm fields.

Last week council was told the situation on a Mersea Road 6 site is as bad as it has ever been with flies and smell.

And resident, Angie Gabriele, said efforts to get any provincial authorities to act have been fruitless.

If it were to happen in the urban area, the town would act, said Gabriele.

About 25 residents were in support of Gabriele's efforts at council.

He said he cannot understand in view of the huge piles of waste sitting in the field, that the ministries involved, ednvironment and agriculture, can issue permits approving it.

Mayor John Paterson told the residents the municipality too "runs into the same brick wall" in trying to get the agencies responsible to act.

He suggested that newly elected MPP Rick Nicholls may be able to "work through the bureaucracy."

"We are dealing with people who do not have a social conscience," said Deputy Mayor Charlie Wright.

"It's a constant frustration ...the ministry of agriculture sets all the rules...they have the trump card" said Councillor Hilda Macdonald.

She also indicated that another approach taken was to contact the processors who produce the waste about the problem of its disposal.

"They just say they'll move out of town," she added.

But two local processors were credited with taking action on where their vegetable waste goes.

"Heinz and SunBrite have complied," said Paterson.

Processing and other waste is not just limited to that one site. Councillor Rick Atkin said residents on the 10th concession "are also experiencing the same problem."

Council was told that another farm site on County Rd. 34 between Leamington and Wheatley has a pile of agricultural-related refuse and that a local waste hauler has recently been sent to jail on a related charge and the company heavily fined.