Hamilton says: Dear other cities, keep your sludge to yourself

Hamilton city council doesnt want anyone elses sludge, and its gone to extra lengths to make sure everyone knows it.

Councillors have passed a motion just to solidify it in a vote saying that just because the city is building its own $111-million sewage sludge treatment plant doesnt mean it will take anyone elses waste.

Sludge has been a hot topic in Hamilton recently as councillors have OKd moving ahead with a pricey biosolids treatment plant on Woodward Avenue. The plant could dispose of sludge a byproduct of sewage through any manner of technologies, including incineration.

Its almost insulting to say putting up a smokestack to burn human waste is a good thing.- Coun. Sam Merulla

It may be tempting to take waste from other cities to make money, Coun. Chad Collins of Ward 5 said. But hes not having it.

Hamilton needs a new image, and it shouldnt involve smoke stacks belching pollutionfrom other cities sludge.

My vision as part of that new plan (for Hamilton) does not include incinerators or the experiment, and this is really an experiment, he said.

The federal government has committed a maximum of $22.9 million to build thefacility. The city will pay 75 per cent of the cost. The plant will cost around $111 million over 30 years.

• RELATED:Despite objections, city moves ahead on $111M sludge plant

On Wednesday, council rubber-stamped spending $3 million on initial work for the plant, including issuing a request for pre-qualification for companies that could operate it. The winning proposal will determine which technology is used.

Hamiltons sludge is currently spread on local farm fields or sent to landfill, although increasingly, farmers dont want it, Coun. Robert Pasuta said on Wednesday. Pasuta is a farmer and represents Ward 14 in Flamborough.

But Collins and Coun. Sam Merulla, vocal opponents of the project, said there is new research to improve land application of the sludge.

The sky is not falling, Merulla said.

Its almost insulting to say putting up a smokestack to burn human waste is a good thing.

Even voting Wednesday to move ahead with the facility, councillors voted to ban importing or processing sewage sludge generated outside the city of Hamilton.

Collins is still nervous.

This takes us backwards as it relates to our image, he said.