91原创 Township council has unanimously backed a call by Councillor Charlie Fox to have the people behind a proposed composting plant explain themselves.

The Glenval Organics Ltd. to locate the plant on a 12.32 hectare property at 25330 88 Ave. has drawn complaints from area residents who say the plant will stink, increase traffic and drive down property values.

Fox said there hasn鈥檛 been enough public consultation, adding he wrote Metro Vancouver about the proposal on Dec. 20 and has yet to hear back from them.

鈥淚t demonstrates a certain disregard for the Township of 91原创,鈥� Fox said.

His motion, backed by all council members present Monday,calls for a 鈥渟enior member鈥� of Glenval Organics to come to council to make a presentation about the details of the proposed plant and for the Metro Vancouver manager of solid waste and recycling to also come to council to make a presentation about 鈥渢he process to monitor and enforce compliance with Metro Vancouver regulations.鈥�

Fox said that a one-on-one meeting staged by Glenval is the best way for council to get the information it needs about the impact of the project on traffic and air quality.

鈥淲e need to have some clear, actual interaction,鈥� Fox said.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not going to get that in a highly charged public meeting.鈥�

Glenval promises the facility will not smell bad because it will only use yard waste, but Councillor Kim Richter wondered how Glenval can guarantee only green waste will be used when current garbage collection practice is to mix it in with other waste like meat scraps, which does smell.

鈥淚t鈥檚 sad that Metro Vancouver doesn鈥檛 think we鈥檙e good enough for a university district, but we鈥檙e good enough to take their garbage,鈥� Richter said.

鈥淭his whole composting facility has come from left field.鈥�

She said there are other sites that would be better choices for a composting plant, like near an existing waste transfer facility.

Glenval Organics has described the 88 Avenue site as a 鈥渇ormer fill and gravel pit鈥� that is properly zoned for composting.

The company issued a press release last month saying it intends to become the first yard waste compost facility in the Metro Vancouver region to receive an air quality permit and promised the plant will 鈥渕eet or exceed all environmental regulations that apply to the composting industry.鈥�