St. Hubert

By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

Côte St. Luc council passed a resolution asking that its organic waste be sent to a treatment facility in St. Hubert, off the island, until issues at the much closer site in St. Laurent are resolved “to our satisfaction.”

Councillor Steven Erdelyi pointed out that CSL was the first municipality to implement curbside organic waste collection for all homes and duplexes in 2008, and that the city and other municipalities are responsible for the collection and transport of residual waste.

“The agglomeration of Montreal is responsible for the treatment and disposal of residual waste for the island,” the councillor explained. “The agglomeration of Montreal has asked CSL and approximately 12 other demerged cities and boroughs to send their organic waste to the treatment centre (CTMO) in St. Laurent.”

Erdelyi said that in a visit to the CTMO site by a CSL Public Works team, “they identified multiple deficiencies at the site related to efficiency, safety and logistics of collection, including but not limited to the [fact that] the facility’s private road has only two lanes — one to enter, one to exit; only one scale to weigh vehicles; and only two doors to enter the drop-off site, which will not be sufficient during peak hours and seasons.

“Drivers must exit their vehicles to wash their tires before leaving the site rather than installing an automatic system; the site has only one mechanism to handle the compost and if any of the machinery on the treatment line breaks, such as the grinder, the whole system comes to a halt; and the site will not accept non-soiled cardboard and certified compostable bags.” CSL is calling for cardboard and certified compostable bags to be accepted as part of the process.

The resolution says it would be expedient for the City of Montreal’s environment division to review the CSL Public Works department’s concerns “and meet with them.”

The Suburban has contacted the City of Montreal for comment, and is awaiting a reply. n