MEMO

Date: March 1, 2000

To:Barry Gutterdige, Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services

Sheela Basrur, Medical Officer of Health

Works Committee

Board of Health

cc.Mayor Lastman

RE:Removal of garbage at 75 Commissioners Street

 Recommendations:

(1)That the City take immediate action to remove the garbage from the site.

(2)That the Medical Officer of Health report on any health impacts from the fire.

(3)That the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services and the Medical Officer of Health provide a full report on who is responsible for the fire, who will pay for the damages and how this can be prevented in the future.

 Background

On Saturday February 19, a fire erupted in a large mountain of construction waste (mostly wood and drywall) in the Harkow Recycling Facility at 75 Commissioners Street. The Deputy Fire Chief said that small microbes in the large pile "spontaneously combusted." Until Monday evening the wind blew most of the smoke over the lake. Then, the wind shifted and smoke started blowing over South Riverdale. By Tuesday, a thick blanket of smoke covered much of South Riverdale.

The fire was put out on Wednesday February 23, the garbage still remains at the scene. While the garbage inside the facility remains a fire and health hazard, the garbage outside is beginning to decompose in open air and causing odour and health problems. Immediate action is required to remove the garbage from the site.

 The community in South Riverdale has suffered endless odour problems - the garbage incinerator, the sewage incinerator, the smelly rendering plant, the lead smelter and the sludge processing plant. The garbage pile from 75 Commissioners Street must be removed immediately.

 Yours Sincerely,

Jack Layton

Councillor, Don River Ward