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WHITBY, Ont. Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario President Sid Ryan will join with local opponents of a proposed Energy from Waste (EFW) incinerator at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow evening outside Durham Region Headquarters located at 605 Rossland Road East in Whitby.
Over the objections of many local residents, the Regional Municipality of Durham has proposed entering into a public-private partnership (P3) with Covanta Energy, a New Jersey-based corporation, to construct and operate the incinerator. If completed, the proposed incinerator would burn a minimum of 140,000 tonnes of solid waste annually.
Documents released by the region reveal the proposed incinerator would be built in the Municipality of Clarington less than one kilometre from Lake Ontario and within a ten-kilometre radius of 20 schools.
From both an environmental and a public policy standpoint, EFW is not a solution for eliminating solid waste or for creating energy. Studies show that a wide range of adverse health effects associated with living near incinerators such as cancers (among both children and adults), respiratory ailments, heart disease, allergies, adverse effects to the immune system and birth defects.
Tomorrow’s rally will take place in advance of a 7:00 p.m. site liaison committee meeting hosted by the municipality and Covanta.
Ryan will be joined by representatives from Prevent Cancer Now, the CAW Durham Region Environment Committee, the Durham Region Labour Council, and concerned members of the community.
WHO: CUPE Ontario President Sid Ryan
Prevent Cancer Now incineration campaign coordinator Linda Gasser
CAW Durham Region Environment Committee president Dave Renaud
Durham District Labour Council President Jim Freeman
WHAT: A demonstration against Durham Region’s proposed P3 incinerator
WHEN: Wednesday, May 20, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
WHERE: Regional Municipality of Durham Headquarters, 605 Rossland Road East, Whitby
WHY: To peacefully demonstrate against the P3 incinerator proposed for the
Municipality of Clarington
-30-
For more information, contact:
Sid Ryan CUPE Ontario President 416-209-0066
Kevin Wilson CUPE Communications 416-821-6641
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