Morrow News

Hazardous Waste Disposal

Swan Hills: Boon or Bane

For those of us in the contaminant management field, the Alberta Special Waste Treatment Facility in Swan Hills offers a final choice. When all else fails, we can send hazardous (or toxic or special) waste to Swan Hills. It is expensive, but at least the option now exists. Swan Hills was not always an option. Started in 1987 and funded by the Government of Alberta, a controlled high temperature incinerator and landfill were built next to the community of Swan Hills in Central Alberta. A site of last resort for Alberta’s special waste, the facility was an economic and industry success*, with disposal rates at that time of $500/tonne, including shipping. This was a key selling feature due to safety, responsibility and due diligence issues. This success led to an expansion completed in 1992.

As the goals of profitability pushed the political economy into a confusing miasma, the Swan Hills facility was farmed out to a private company for operations, and by 1997 BOVAR Inc. owned 40% of the plant. As the over-surplus of contaminants thad had built up from the early 1900s ran out, the goal of keeping Swan Hills profitable pushed the operators to work with the government and accept hazardous waste from out of province. This helped profitability but not for long, and importing hazardous waste from out of the country was proposed. To some this seemed like a good idea, to others a nightmare.

BOVAR, who had run the plant for 13 years, finally issued notice that it would cease operating by December 31, 2000. Today there is a new operator, Sensor Environmental Services. The arrangement is temporary and the Alberta Government is working on four proposals from companies responding to an RFP (Request for Proposal) for the continued operation of the plant. The present day operator quotes the following rates: sludges $0.80/kg; waste to be stabilized/treated $0.85/kg; other waste $1.00/kg. These are approximate rates, FOB the plant, and do not include shipping.

At What Price Success*

The plant was built in a unique wilderness area, Swan Hills is a watershed in the center of Alberta. The Swan Hills area was the last known home of the Plains Grizzly, now extinct, whose habitat stretched from coast to coast when the white man first settled in North America. There are various records of man’s meetings with these monster bears. The ‘Grizzly of the Plains’ was known for its size: 20+ feet in length and 2000+ pounds in weight.

After an explosion at the plant in 1997, a health study was conducted and although the area was deemed safe, a health advisory was issued issued a food ban for wild game and fish consumption. Reviewed in 2000 and updated recently, the ban still exists for quantities over a bare minimum.

People living in the region have produced a film entitled: poisoning paradise.

Other Options:

What other special waste disposal options are available?
Stay tuned …..