Manitoulin's Shame

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INAC Is Gambling With Manitoulin's Life

March 29, 2006

Meeting Held With All Stakeholders Present

http://www.manitoulin.ca/Expositor/old%20files/mar29_2006.htm

Zhiibaahaasing seeks solution to tire stockpile

Sustainability of recycling operation being examined

by Lindsay Kelly

with files from Jim Moodie

ZHIIBAAHAASING-Representatives from local First Nations, municipalities and provincial government agencies gathered in Zhiibaahaasing last week to discuss the potential dangers of the tire stockpile currently sitting on the First Nation. The result is a plan for action, designed to prevent any environmental mishaps from occurring, and to calculate the future sustainability of the tire recycling operation.

The meeting was held to address concerns recently raised by other Island municipalities and First Nations, which cited the possibility of a large-scale fire and the breeding of mosquitoes (which spread West Nile virus) as its primary sources of interest in the matter.

Representatives for the First Nation declined to comment on the meeting's proceedings. On Monday, Deputy Chief Kevin Mossip indicated that a prepared statement would be issued to the press on behalf of Zhiibaahaasing chief and council; however, despite repeated requests, it was not provided.

Algoma-Manitoulin MP Brent St. Denis chaired the meeting at the request of the First Nation's Chief Irene Kells. Mr. St. Denis said his sense was that the meeting went very well, with everyone going away feeling satisfied that the issues had been addressed and the concerns of the other Island communities had been heard.

"The community was very sincere in their efforts to promote economic development in their community," he said of Zhiibaahaasing. "But they were also very sensitive to the concerns of the other communities over what the tire pile means."

The MP noted that, over the course of the meeting, the community representatives had broached the major concerns of Island municipalities and First Nations, and had come to an agreement of what needs to be done to address those concerns over the short term.

The group first looked at ways to keep the fire hazard to a minimum, and Mr. St. Denis noted that a committee had been set up to devise a plan that would ensure that the facility remains under provincial regulations for tire recycling facilities.

In addition, the meeting's attendees agreed to "put pressure on" the major funding agencies to launch a feasibility study that would determine the future sustainability of the tire facility.

Mr. St. Denis commended the community for trying to do something positive to generate economic development on the First Nation.

"I am very impressed with the First Nation's efforts in being open to seeking help and advice from the other communities who are concerned about what's going on in Zhiibaahaasing," he noted.

Peter Hutley, salesperson and public relations officer with Ontario Tire Recovery (OTR), has viewed the current situation at Zhiibaahaasing with great interest.

The company is based in Hagersville, in southern Ontario-same community, unfortunately enough, where a devastating tire fire occurred in February, 1990-and is one of the big players in the tire recovery field, picking up approximately one-third of Ontario's tires, including from depots in Northern Ontario. "We pick up tires all the way from Thunder Bay to Windsor," Mr. Hutley said, estimating the number at 3 to 3.5 million tires per year.

The company doesn't process them; they just deliver them to processing plants, many of which are in Quebec. Some of the tires are used in the cement industry, where they're used as a supplement to coal as a fuel source in kilns, while others are granulated and made into fatigue mats. "One of the companies makes animal mats that line horse barns or cow barns, so you have cows with happy feet," he explained.

The demand for tires, particularly from the cement industry, is such that "we can't get enough tires right now," Mr. Hutley said. "Kilns in Quebec burn 2.5 million tires per year in the cement industry, and we ship 3,000 tires per day to just one kiln."

Zhiibaahaasing strikes him as an inconvenient location for a tire operation because "it's most likely the worst place in Ontario to get to." He said the cost for a company such as his to pick up the tires from the far-flung locale would likely be $2 per tire, "so you're looking at about a $2 million cleanup." He said OTR charges customers in the Toronto area about $1.60 per tire for a pickup. The company doesn't get paid by the processors; in fact, it has to pay a disposal fee of 30 to 80 cents per tire to deposit the tires at the processing plants.

Because tire collection is "a cash business, you see a lot of people come and go," Mr. Hutley noted. "People pay you right up front, so you have cash in your jeans," but this often leads to companies folding quickly or outright scams, he indicated. "We've cleaned up warehouses where people have pocketed money and then left the landlord with the problem."

In general, "Ontario doesn't have a tire problem now, because of Hagersville," he said, noting that in the aftermath of that disaster, the province "clamped down on the maximum number of tires that are allowed at one site." That number, he said, is 4,999 tires per site, unless approval has been granted for more. At Zhiibaahaasing, the number is estimated to be one million. "That's 200 times the allowable," Mr. Hutley said. "You've got yourself a disaster up there."

While he declined to comment further on the situation facing Zhiibaahaasing, Mr. Hutley did say that Ontario Tire Recovery would be interested in becoming involved in a cleanup of the tire stockpile if that becomes an option in the future.

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April 5, 2006

Manitoulin Expositor Releases Column That Startles Manitoulin Residents

http://www.manitoulin.ca/Expositor/old%20files/apr05_2006.htm

Hagersville example lends urgency to local tire cleanup

by Jim Moodie

MANITOULIN-When a massive tire pile near Hagersville was ignited by vandals in February, 1990, the fire smouldered for 15 days, necessitated the evacuation of everyone within a four-mile radius, and drew the attention of media the world over.

While the plume of smoke has long since dissipated, the experience lingers as a figurative black cloud over the Hagersville community, and acts as a continuing reminder of the danger posed by such massive tire heaps.

At the time, 14 million tires had accumulated at the Hagersville site, and when they went up, the smoky blaze represented the largest tire fire in the world. Since then, the province has imposed stricter standards on the storage of scrap tires, limiting the number allowed at a given site as well as mandating better security and fire prevention measures.

But problematic tire piles still exist, with the largest in the province now existing at Zhiibaahaasing First Nation on western Manitoulin, where equipment malfunctions at the community's tire recycling plant are blamed for the accumulation.

It's unclear exactly how many tires have built up at Zhiibaahaasing, but even a conservative estimate is alarming. Tom Brown, district supervisor for the Ministry of the Environment in Sudbury, says, "the estimate I have is 1.4 million, but I've heard everything from 750,000 to 1.5 million."

Let's call it a million. That, by anyone's standard, is a lot.

Zhiibaahaasing is the Island's smallest First Nation community, with an on-reserve population of less than 50 people. Tires, then, outnumber individuals here by 20,000 times.

Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP Brent St. Denis, who chaired a recent meeting at the reserve concerning the tire buildup, stresses that the First Nation has not acted with deliberate disregard for the environment. "I think their intentions all along were good. They wanted to create jobs for their community and neighbouring ones, and to be involved in recycling, which is good for the environment. These are all laudable goals," he says. "The problem is the machine broke, and now they find themselves in this quandary."

The First Nation is presently seeking funding to conduct a study on the feasibility of fixing its equipment and continuing the recycling operation. Mr. St. Denis says that an earlier study was completed but "it wasn't done in a comprehensive enough way to satisfy funding agencies."

The First Nation, he notes, has been going it alone so far in its tire endeavour. "There has been no outside funding for this, which was confirmed by Chief Irene Kells at our last meeting." Chief Kells was contacted by the Expositor last week, but the chief wasn't available for comment.

Mr. St. Denis says he doesn't want to speak on the First Nation's behalf, as he is merely trying to facilitate a course of action, but says he personally wants "to see this come to a resolution," and he is confident that the First Nation is equally committed to finding a responsible answer to the problem.

The band is seeking $80,000 to conduct the feasibility study, and is presently requesting the support of municipalities and First Nations across the Island for its application. Presuming the funding comes through, and the study is completed, "I guess there will be one of two outcomes," the MP says. "If the project is deemed feasible, presumably they will go forward and deal with the pile with equipment that they have there to shred them. If it's not feasible, presumably the tires have to be removed-but how, I don't know."

A representative of Ontario's largest tire recovery company has estimated the cost of picking up tires from the Zhiibaahaasing site at $2 million, based on the figure of one million tires and a pickup fee that takes into account current trucking costs. But the First Nation would obviously prefer to revive its recycling plant and reap some revenue by dealing with the scrap rubber on its own, rather than try to come up with the money to pay for the removal of the heap.

Meanwhile, "mitigation efforts are being undertaken and looked at to reduce the potential for a fire hazard," Mr. St. Denis indicates. "A committee has been struck-which will be led by the United Chiefs and Councils of Manitoulin but open to others, including the fire marshal-to put in place a mitigation plan."

Some fire-prevention and containment strategies have already been carried out, such as the construction of a berm and clearing of brush, but "a complete plan will be put in place by the committee," says Mr. St. Denis.

Still, while any effort made to minimize risks is obviously welcomed, many Islanders remain alarmed by the potential for disaster that still exists as long as the pile is there. And according to one First Nations individual whose community has been dealing for years with the fallout of the Hagersville tire fire, it's not an unreasonable concern.

Islanders, says Chief Brian Laforme of the New Credit First Nation, "should be alarmed."

Mr. Laforme's community, a reserve of 700 Mississaugas, is positioned directly next-door to the site where burnt rubber from the Hagersville fire has been stored in a landfill. "The Towhow Landfill Site is adjacent to our First Nation, and this is where they put the remains of the tire fire," he says. "They dug a cell and put a liner in it, and it's monitored, but when you get a lot of rain, you get overspill."

Chief Laforme says that when his community learned of the plan to store the waste near their reserve, "we fought it as long as we could, but unfortunately we weren't successful." The original location of the tires struck the First Nation as a more appropriate place to bury the waste, as "it was out in a field and not adjacent to any population," but "we were told that there was an issue with lack of clay there."

The band was also assured by the Ministry of the Environment that the material "wasn't considered waste, and wasn't hazardous," the chief relates, but the New Credit band was skeptical of this assessment. "We did our own testing, and found all kinds of crazy stuff in there that you can't even pronounce," notes the chief.

The band's concerns were evidently well-founded, as 10 wells in the vicinity of the waste storage site were deemed to have been contaminated and had to be shut down. "Some of the wells we didn't decommission, though, become we want to keep track of it," Chief Laforme notes.

Eventually, the First Nation was awarded funding of $491,000 "to help residents adjacent to the site do renovations to protect their homes from contamination and odour," and resources were also made available to run water lines to many of the community's homes. "Most of our houses were on wells, so we're piping water in now, although that is only 40 percent complete," the chief says.

While the concern about contaminated well water has now been largely addressed, Chief Laforme says his community is still worried about the nearby hazard. "Our concern now is, what happens to the waste when it comes time to close the landfill?" he says.

As for Zhiibaahaasing's tire pile, the chief says he can appreciate that small First Nations like his own need to explore economic development options, but encourages the chief and council to "sit down and talk with other communities about how to deal with this, and what kind of plans are in place in case of an emergency, because you have a potential tire fire there."

Chief Laforme notes that some people are reluctant to ask "what if?," because it's so speculative. "A lot of people will say, 'If a frog had wings, it would fly,'" he notes. But he believes it's important to imagine the worst-case scenario, and prepare for it, because he's lived through a disaster of this type and is still dealing with the regrettable environmental consequences.

"You have to be the devil's advocate, and find out what plans are on paper for an emergency and evacuation," he says, noting that his own community has an emergency evacuation plan that it reviews each year. "You have a potential hazard there, and if something happens, it won't only affect that one community, but surrounding communities too," he warns.

It's a prospect that Jeff Edwards, Northeastern Ontario representative for Emergency Management Ontario, also views with great gravity. His organization has been acting in an advisory capacity as Zhiibaahaasing and other communities across the Island assess local capacity to handle a potential disaster. "You have to gauge the ability of communities on the Island to respond effectively to the tire pile if it ever catches on fire," he counsels.

Mr. Edwards had planned to attend the meeting in Zhiibaahaasing last month, but was unable to be there due to vehicle problems. Still, he's following the situation closely, and, as a resident of Blind River, is also geographically close to the issue, as the town is directly across the North Channel from the small First Nation.

He stresses, however, that Emergency Management Ontario is not an emergency service, per se. "We won't respond ourselves" to a crisis, he says, because it's up to "the community to be the lead. But if a community writes an emergency plan, we help them."

Mr. Edwards says that he doesn't "want to sound alarmist," and hopes the situation "will be resolved before it gets to the point of a fire." But, in the meantime, the Island should "imagine the worst, and prepare for the worst," he recommends.

If the tire pile did catch on fire, "local firefighters would be the first line of attack, but if it spread beyond their control, you can access provincial resources," he notes. "And you need a plan so that you know how to get those provincial resources."

Water bombers could conceivably be accessed, but Mr. Edwards points out that "water bombing hasn't been shown as effective (in combating a tire blaze), so a deployment of water bombers wouldn't be the first choice."

In the case of the Hagersville fire, the pile had to be broken up by equipment on the ground before the blaze was brought under control. "It's pretty much one tire at a time," says Mr. Edwards. "Tires turn to oil when they burn, and we all know that oil and water don't mix. Water just tends to spread the oil around, and you don't want it running into the North Channel."

Should the situation reach such a serious state that Islanders had to be evacuated, Mr. Edwards notes that "the swing bridge in Little Current poses some problems, and would have to be permanently fixed so traffic could get off the Island. You'd also probably increase the ferry schedule and look at the two airports, if it got to that point."

Unlike a forest fire, however, a tire fire "wouldn't be all of a sudden," he notes, so there would presumably be some time to put an evacuation plan into motion, rather than having to act in a rush.

The local police would play a role in any such crisis. Dan Esposto, emergency preparedness officer with the Little Current detachment of the OPP, says his force "would assist in an evacuation." He notes that each community on the Island was mandated by Emergency Measures Ontario to have an emergency plan in place by the end of last year, "and by the end of this year, they are supposed to have them tested."

If a tire fire forced people out of communities close to the site, "there are mutual aid agreements between municipalities, so communities at the east end of the Island would be mobilized to accept west-end people," Constable Esposto points out.

He admits that the police haven't previously put much emphasis on tire fires in their response planning, as the scenario was never seen as a likelihood on the Island. "When developing an OPP response (to potential emergencies), one thing we looked at was what had happened in the past, and we assessed threats based on that," he indicates. "We didn't have any hurricanes or tornados, so the biggest threat was an ice storm or power outage, because we've had those before."

But while there's no precedent for such a catastrophe on Manitoulin, the Hagersville example should act as a wake-up call to anyone who thinks of a tire pile as simply a benign, inert mass.

Robert Hall, the owner/editor of the Hagersville-Cayuga Haldimand Press, has vivid memories of the incident in his community. "There was one hell of a cloud of black smoke for days," he says. "We're six or seven miles from where it happened here in the village of Hagersville, but you could see the smoke, and I remember one night while I was delivering newspapers, I was six miles to the west of it, and I could see the flames."

While the community has largely recovered from the crisis, and the regrettable spotlight that was cast on it at the time, Mr. Hall does concede that the fire had a detrimental impact on the local economy. "It affected us to some extent. I know one couple who had a small business they wanted to sell, and the prospective buyer said, 'isn't this where the fire was?' and backed right out."

He says corn is now flourishing right across the road from where the fire occurred, which suggests to him that the lingering environmental impact has been negligible. But at the time, "there was a lot of contamination in in one creek, because of all the water they used to fight the fire, and with the water taking its natural course, it found its way into Lake Erie," he notes.

With the Zhiibaahaassing site obviously overloaded with tires and located not far from the North Channel, many observers are perplexed as to why the Ministry of the Environment hasn't mandated the removal of most if not all of the scrap heap.

The short answer is: they can't. As Mr. Brown, the MOE's district supervisor, points out, "our ministry has no legal authority on First Nation land; it's the responsibility of the federal agencies." He notes that the province does have a rule prohibiting the storage of over 5,000 tires (or 300 cubic metres) without a certificate of approval-which "gives special criteria concerning site security and the distance between the piles"-and enforces such policies on a regular basis elsewhere in the province.

"If this was not on a First Nation reserve, we would definitely be involved," he says.

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An Editorial Printed On The Same Day

http://www.manitoulin.ca/Expositor/old%20files/apr05_2006.htm

Tires need to go, one way or another

The ongoing challenge of dealing with a million tires piled up on the Zhiibaahaasing First Nation is an ecological disaster waiting to happen, and it would be a better use of taxpayers' dollars to clear the potential disaster out now, than to wait until catastrophe strikes and remedial action is required.

A business case for the project could have been better prepared before embarking on such a project, and, laudable as providing economic development and employment may be, such development must be sustainable and a market exist for the products that will allow the project to move tires through the system in such a way as to remain within safety and environmental guidelines.

If such a business case cannot be made, then the clearing operation should be instituted quickly, without delay-even if it must be funded through a further application of taxpayer dollars. Fretting or agonizing over the matter will not decrease the danger or provide any increase in environmental security any more than increasing acrimony or placing blame.

It is heartening to note that the representatives of Island First Nations and municipalities, along with Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapusaksing MP Brent St. Denis and Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Mike Brown, are working in a co-operative manner to try and find an equitable solution to the dilemma posed by the failure of the tire recycling initiative-but action must quickly follow these noble intentions.

Although work is apparently under way to move the tires into less volatile piles, limiting the danger should any fire break out, efforts must also be made to bring the number of tires being stored into line with provincial legislation. At last report the number of tires currently stored exceeds those standards by a factor of 20,000 times. Clearly this is unsustainable. The provincial legislation was formulated for reasons of public safety, based on very real events, not as an affront to legitimate treaty rights or the division of powers of the various levels of government. The regulations are there to protect all people and they are there for good reason-witness the huge fire which assailed the communities surrounding the Hagersville debacle.

We strongly urge the leadership of Zhiibaahaasing and the federal and provincial governments to quickly bring this issue to a safe and amenable resolution for all our sakes.

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April 12, 2006

This Thing Is Hazardous To Your Health

http://www.manitoulin.ca/Expositor/old%20files/apr12_2006.htm

Tire dump poses health risk

by Jim Moodie

MANITOULIN-Concern over the tire buildup on the Zhiibaahaasing First Nation is mounting as the summer season approaches, and with it the increased risk of fire and mosquitoes, but it appears that no government official is going to step in soon to order that the pile be removed.

"The problem is that it's beyond the scope of the Ministry (of the Environment) to regulate, because it's on a First Nation," said Mike Brown, Algoma-Manitoulin MPP. "In the province's view, it's the responsibility of the owners of the tires."

The province could get involved "if asked to," Mr. Brown said, but added that "you can't just ask for one thing."

He said that the situation would be much different if the accumulation wasn't on a reserve. "If it was private land, they'd be ordered to clean it up and pay for it, and if not, the ministry would do it for them, and then they'd be faced with the bill."

The issue of tire dumps has been "high on the provincial agenda," he said, ever since the Hagersville fire of 1990, which "provided the impetus for making clear who is responsible for a cleanup, and enforcing environmental regulations, so you can't just escape and leave the mess with the landowner."

But because the federal government has jurisdiction over First Nations, "the provincial government does not have a direct interest," Mr. Brown said.

This is not to say that he isn't concerned. "We're following this with interest, because it's clearly not a good situation," he indicated. "I was invited to the meeting (held on March 23 in Zhiibaahaasing), but that was the day of the provincial budget, which is the worst day for any member to be away (from the legislature), but particularly for the speaker." Mr. Brown was named speaker of the legislature last year.

One ministry which does hold some sway over the situation is the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch of Health Canada, but this is mostly in an advisory capacity, said Paul Strohack, regional manager of environmental health with the branch. "We did investigate late last summer, and provided a report to chief and council regarding our concerns, as well as sent them to other agencies like Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)."

Mr. Strohack said that the type of mosquito that can carry West Nile Virus was found at the site, "but they weren't infected with the virus." That can change, however, he said. "It may come this year, or next year."

The regional manager said "we'll probably do a follow-up investigation this spring and summer, because it is a health issue."

He said that hydrogeologists with Environment Canada are "also working on this file, because they have a concern about water pollution. It's a multi-agency approach."

However, the lead agency is INAC, he said, and it will be essentially up to that department to demand action. On the other hand, if it ever did come to the point where there was "a bonafide West Nile outbreak, the provincial government would have the powers under the provincial health act to do something, if the federal government didn't react," noted Mr. Strohack. "Everybody's learned from SARS that if the issue is serious, you don't have the time for meetings and consensus, and just have to issue orders."

He said his agency's advice is that the First Nation "should remove the dump, even though we can't order the removal. But there's a clear-cut responsibility to either fund the removal or get the recycling plant working. We'll still comment, but the ball lies in the court of the community and INAC."

There is also some federal legislation dealing with fisheries, Mr. Strohack noted, that could be brought to bear on the situation, but unfortunately, these laws "aren't dealing with potential problems, just actual ones."

He said it's a bit frustrating, because "everyone knows what should be done," but are reluctant to impose a course of action because of the sensitive jurisdictional situation. "Everyone seems to go around passing the buck," he said, hastening to add that this is his own personal observation, and not a comment made on behalf of the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch.

The Environment minister could be called on to intervene, he said, if enough people talk to their member of parliament and write letters. "A letter goes a long way, especially with a minority government," said Mr. Strohack.

The Sierra Legal Defence Fund, Canada's foremost non-profit environmental watchdog, is familiar with the Zhiibaahaasing situation, but similarly hesitant to wade into the situation without the co-operation of the chief and council of the reserve. Elaine MacDonald, a scientist with the organization, said that Sierra Legal has grave concerns about both the storage and application of used tires, but is respectful of the autonomy of First Nations, and won't take on this particular battle without consultation with the leadership of the reserve.

The organization is quite active elsewhere on the tire front, however. For instance, Sierra Legal is presently outraged by a proposal that would allow Lafarge Canada-a subsidiary of the world's largest cement producer, as well as one of the Island's largest employers, though its limestone quarry on Western Manitoulin and its Birch Island port-to burn tires, along with other materials (including animal meal and plastics) in a cement kiln it operates in Bath, Ontario.

According to Sierra Legal, Lafarge plans to truck waste (including tires, for which it would receive a fee) from as many as eight Great Lakes states, as well as Ontario and Quebec, for use as fuel in its kiln operation.

"Our concern is related to air pollution," Ms. MacDonald said, pointing out that alarming increases in toxic air emissions have been noted in St. Constant, a community near Montreal, where tires are burned in a cement kiln. "After Lafarge started burning tires in its cement kiln in Quebec, there were dramatic increases in emissions of heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium and lead, (as well as) carcinogens," she communicated.

She believes there are more appropriate and environmentally-benign applications for scrap tires. "I was speaking with a fellow from Owen Sound, a reporter there, whose city also had a tire buildup, and they started to use tires in rubberized asphalt," Ms. MacDonald noted. "There are other ways to reuse tires other than burning them."

Burning tires as a source of fuel can be as bad as having them catch on fire in a field, the Sierra Legal scientist argued. "Research is coming out that suggests that burning tires in an inefficient combustor is pretty well parallel to an open-air tire dump catching on fire."

The environmental organization advocates removing tires from unmanageable dump sites, both because of the fire risk and the threat of West Nile Virus (as mosquitoes tend to breed in the stagnant water trapped by tires), but disapproves of incineration as a disposal option. "Technologies have been developed where you utilize them in a more positive way," Ms. MacDonald pointed out.

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April 19, 2006

Another Week Goes BY With No Solution In Sight

http://www.manitoulin.ca/Expositor/old%20files/apr19_2006.htm

Pressure mounts against Zhiibaahaasing tire dump

Neighbouring municipalities, First Nation, demand quick resolution

by Jim Moodie and Tom Sasvari

MANITOULIN-As Islanders undertake spring cleanups in their homes and along various roadsides, many are also hoping that a massive tire pile on the Zhiibaahaasing First Nation can be tidied up before the full heat of summer hits.

Last week, a half-dozen Island municipalities issued a statement calling for the immediate removal of the hazardous heap, while the chief of the neighbouring Sheshegwaning First Nation also expressed his community's urge to see a speedy resolution to the problem.

Representatives of six municipalities gathered on April 10 to discuss the tire conundrum and figure out ways that action could be precipitated. Apart from representatives of Burpee-Mills Township, which hosted the meeting, municipal leaders were also present from Central Manitoulin, Gordon, Billings, Dawson-Robinson, and Cockburn Island.

"The whole reason for this meeting is that there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of progress or movement being made on this issue," said Burpee-Mills Reeve Ken Noland. "I don't know what we can do, or try to do, but we need to do something."

Mr. Noland added that he wasn't "real pleased" with the outcome of a meeting held at Zhiibaahaasing last month, which was chaired by Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP Brent St. Denis and featured representation from various Island municipalities and First Nations, as well as government agencies.

"I felt maybe the whole truth wasn't being told," he said. "We were told the tire recycling plant has been down for nine months, but I understand it has been about four years." Lee Hayden, a Gordon Township councillor, agreed the equipment malfunction had occurred three or four years ago.

Others present wondered why the First Nation continued to accept tires up until last summer, given their inability to recycle them, and to what purpose the revenue would have been put. "If there are one million tires, and money was coming in for them, where has this money gone?" asked Dale Van Every of Dawson. "This is a fair bit of money that could have been used to fix the plant."

Mr. Noland noted that Zhiibaahaasing is presently applying for $80,000 in funding to complete a feasibility study for its stalled recycling operation. On top of that, it is anticipated that "it will be between $600,000 and $800,000 for the equipment needed to process the tires," he said.

Jack McQuarrie, a Cockburn Island councillor, pointed out that his community-also the site of the original Zhiibaahaasing reserve, an island located just west of Manitoulin-is about the same distance from the tire pile as Burpee-Mills Township, and predicted "there would be devastating results if a fire took place; we would all be affected."

The Cockburn Island representative then voiced a sense of impatience that was widely-held within the room. "We need to ask the feds to step in and haul the tires out," he said. "The tires need to be removed."

Leonard Genereux, chief of the Sheshegwaning First Nation, was not present at this latest meeting, but he did attend last month's session hosted by Zhiibaahaasing and shares many of the municipal representatives' concerns.

"I'd like to see something resolved ASAP, myself," he told the Expositor last week, while adding that "there's not much we can do about the whole thing, because it's up to the feds and the province and the community itself."

Chief Genereux expressed confidence in the leadership of Zhiibaahaasing to seek an appropriate course of action. "I believe the people involved are all competent, and I would like to show support," he said.

At the same time, though, he is anxious to see a prompt resolution to the issue, particularly since his community is directly adjacent to Zhiibaahaasing. "They either have to get the business up and going, or pick up all those tires and get them out," he said.

While a few members of the Sheshegwaning reserve have been employed by the recycling company in the past, Chief Genereux said the operation isn't viewed as one that is particularly important to his community's economy. "The tire operation isn't a priority for Sheshegwaning," he said.

The main concern of Sheshegwaning "is safety," said the chief. "We've had assurances from expert staff that there's no way the pile can catch on fire unless lightning strikes nearby or if somebody lit them. But my concern is that, if things aren't being resolved, we'll be at the peak of summer when the heat is coming on. I'd like to see it resolved quickly."

Should Zhiibaahaasing opt to revive its recycling plant, "the feds will have to get involved to get that unit up and going, because everybody's budgets are pretty slim," said Chief Genereux.

He noted that a committee was struck at the March meeting held at Zhiibaahaasing, including representatives of other First Nations, and it will be that group's task to figure out a solution. "I know the entire Island has its attention on this, and are waiting patiently to see what comes from the committee," he said.

But patience is running out for many municipal leaders, who fear a catastrophe at the site would not only have dire consequences for the environment and human safety, but a potentially crippling effect on the Island's tourist economy.

"It would destroy our business and tourism," opined Sharon Alkenbrack at the April 10 meeting.

Reeve Noland said it's imperative that municipalities do as much as they can to lobby for a swift solution to the mess. "If we don't do anything and don't make all the government agencies aware of the problems and concerns, we would be just as responsible as they are if a fire did occur, because nothing was done with the tires," he said.

The municipal leaders present agreed to draft a strongly-worded resolution which will be shared with other townships which weren't able to attend the meeting, as well as be presented to the Manitoulin Municipal Association.

It was agreed that their concerns also be circulated to the various departments and ministries which have jurisdiction over the issue, as well as to Chippewa County in Michigan, because, as Jim McLean of Billings pointed out, "all it would take is the right wind and they would be affected as well."

Mr. McQuarrie suggested that the group's concerns also be communicated directly to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

The resolution states that, in light of the health, safety and environmental concerns posed by the tire accumulation, "we demand the immediate removal of all tires from Zhiibaahaasing First Nation, and that legislation be put in place to prevent the stockpiling of tires."

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May 3, 2006

MP Brent St. Denis Demonstrates His Lack Of Conviction

http://www.manitoulin.ca/Expositor/old%20files/may03_2006.htm

St. Denis supports interim solution to West End tire dump

by Jim Moodie

MANITOULIN-Municipalities on Manitoulin continue to urge a quick course of action to remedy the tire pileup on the Zhiibaahaasing First Nation, with Gore Bay council calling last week on MP Brent St. Denis to take the lead on this front.

But while Mr. St. Denis agreed to chair a meeting held at the First Nation in March, and is working hard behind the scenes to broker a solution, he remains reluctant to speak for the First Nation, prefacing any remarks on the subject with the disclaimer, "I don't want to put myself out as spokesperson on this."

If a strategy is to be found to reduce the size of the hazardous pile, it will require the blessings of the First Nation itself, as well as the broader First Nations leadership on the Island, the MP maintains.

"I'm sensitive to the feelings of both Zhiibaahaasing and the rest of Manitoulin," Mr. St. Denis indicated. "But it's a file that's definitely on my desk, and I do want to see it resolved. It's getting to the time when some very firm things have to happen."

Sarah Hutchinson, the Green Party candidate who ran against Mr. St. Denis in the recent federal election, is also respectful of the First Nation's right to pursue projects on its own territory, but hopes the community will see the value of voluntarily removing some of the tires.

"One idea I've had is that if they voluntarily agreed to abide by the provincial guidelines, and bring the pile down to the 4,999 tires that are allowed, then this might signal to the federal government that they're willing to be more responsible around the care of the pile," she said.

Presuming the First Nation, along with the United Chiefs and Councils of Manitoulin (UCCM), is in agreement to such a scenario, the speculation is that the federal government might be able to provide the funding necessary to truck the excess tires off the Island. At present, some 1 million tires are estimated to exist at the site, which would make the accumulation 200 times the limit normally imposed by the province.

Mr. St. Denis can't promise that federal dollars would be freed up for such a plan. But he said he would "gladly assist in trying to find the resources to find an interim or temporary solution."

Meanwhile, the First Nation is still hoping its application for $80,000 to conduct a feasibility study of its stalled recycling operation will be approved, although Kevin Mossip, deputy-chief of Zhiibaahaasing, said on Monday that one of the two agencies the community had applied to had turned the application down. "FedNor said 'no,'" he said. "We haven't heard yet from the Aboriginal Business Canada Fund."

Mr. Mossip was reluctant to discuss the tire issue in much detail, except to say that "we're working on it," and that "everything I could say has already been said. As for responding to what some (municipal) council is saying, I'm not going to get into that game."

The idea of parting with the majority, if not all, of the tires at this point would not be in the community's interest unless the First Nation received something in return for the scrap rubber, he suggested. "We'd get rid of them if we can make some money; it has to be a win-win situation," Mr. Mossip said. "We want revenue generated, and the tires gone."

Pat Madahbee, tribal chair of the UCCM, said that the coalition of chiefs "doesn't control the affairs of Zhiibaahaasing, and at the end of the day, we're supporting what Zhiibaahaasing wants, it's as simple as that."

Steps are being taken to reduce the fire hazard at the site, Chief Madahbee stressed, through a fire-prevention committee coordinated by the UCCM. "We've charted a course, and the safety people have met."

The chief said he "shares the concern about an environmental catastrophe happening, but the fire marshal assured us that there are only two ways that the pile could ignite: either someone would have to pour a flammable liquid on it and light them, or a grass fire could start it." But he is confident that measures such as the clearing of shrubbery from around the site, and arranging the heap in smaller piles with a berm around them, will reduce the chances of fire considerably.

Mr. St. Denis elaborated on the fire prevention strategy, noting that "a plan is in place and a submission is about to be made (for funding) for the pumps, hoses, etcetera, needed to do fire mitigation. And regardless what one feels about what needs to be done, that has to be taken care of."

In mid-April, the township of Burpee-Mills, which abuts the Zhiibaahaasing First Nation, hosted a meeting at which a half-dozen representatives of other municipalities were present. Those present drafted a resolution calling for an immediate removal of the tire stockpile, which is now being sent to other municipalities for endorsement, prior to submission to the appropriate agencies.

Last week, the resolution was discussed by members of Gore Bay council, with many calling upon Mr. St. Denis to be at forefront in finding a solution.

The language of the draft resolution, which "demands" the removal of the tire pile, was also debated by Gore Bay council, with Mayor Ruby Croft musing, "I don't know if the word 'demand' is the way to do it."

Mr. St. Denis said he is aware of the resolution that is circulating amongst Island municipalities, and appreciates the level of frustration that neighbours of Zhiibaahaasing might feel, but encourages a co-operative approach rather than a confrontational one.

The MP believes there will be a solution, one way or the other. "They'll either be removed or processed. They're not going to sit there forever," he said.

Chief Madahbee believes "people need to have a bit of patience. Anyone who expects an overnight solution to this is in dreamland."

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May 17, 2006

Manitoulins See What The Tire Depot Looks Like

Concerned Islanders continue to lobby for tire removal

by Jim Moodie

MANITOULIN--The buildup of tires on the Zhiibaahaasing First Nation continues to alarm citizens and municipal representatives on the Island, with one individual launching a postcard campaign last week to hasten their removal, and Central Manitoulin Township endorsing a resolution that similarly calls for an immediate cleanup of the tires at the site.

Keith McKeen of Kagawong has designed a postcard depicting a representative heap of tires that was taken at the storage site, and overlaid it with the slogan, "An environmental and economic disaster waiting to happen!" The back of the postcard reads, "I am addressing this card to you because I need help with a problem that threatens my home and livelihood."

The postcards are addressed to federal and provincial officials, and are available at a variety of locations around the Island. "If a person agrees with the postcard, they can sign it and send it in," Mr. McKeen told the Recorder. He stressed that he is not trying to make a political point or bring attention to his graphic design business in distributing the cards, but merely making use of the skills he has to help the community.

Mr. McKeen's campaign echoes an earlier web-based lobbying effort started by local Green Party candidate Sarah Hutchinson. Ms. Hutchinson drafted a template letter calling on the Minister of the Environment to intervene in the situation, and urged concerned citizens to access it by emailing her at tireletter@hotmail.com.

Meanwhile, a resolution drafted by the township of Burpee-Mills has been making the rounds of the various municipalities on Manitoulin for endorsement prior to being submitted to government officials. It demands that "all necessary steps be taken for the immediate removal of all tires from the Zhiibaahaasing First Nation and legislation be put in place to regulate the stockpiling of tires on federally-designated land."

At its last meeting of council, Central Manitoulin township added its name to the resolution, while clarifying that doing so was driven by safety and environmental concerns, and was not an attack on the First Nation's economic development plans. "I agree with the need to get rid of the tires, but I would not like to see us, as the whole Island, make the First Nation think that we are against what they are doing," said Councillor Glen McDougall.

Councillor Steve Orford pointed out that, when municipal representatives were invited to a meeting on the First Nation earlier this spring, "everyone realized the risk that there is with the tires there, but no-one was against Zhiibaahaasing trying to get funding for the feasibility study, and hopefully get the recycling plant in operation again."

The accumulation of tires on the First Nation, estimated to number over one million, is the result of the community continuing to accept tires at its recycling plant after equipment broke down. The band has applied for funding to conduct a feasibility study on the stalled project, and while that application has been denied by FedNor, Zhiibaahaasing remains optimistic that Aboriginal Business Canada may still provide funds to examine the future viability of the operation.

Click for larger image.

If you were putting a bunch of tires together in the bush with a purpose of putting them through a recycling process would you not stack them neatly with proper aisles between them and far away from any grass or trees that might catch fire?

This item not found on the net to link to.

May 23, 2006

Well My Representative In The Ontario Gov't Should Help

The listing from the Manitoulin Expositor gave me the illusion that Mike Brown would be able to help.

When I told Mr. Brown of my displeasure of the tire situation he responded, "What do you think should be done?" and I knew right away that this Speaker of the House was going to be of no value speaking to.
I advised Mr. Brown that tires were still being brought to the tire depot by the operator in spite of the public outcry from Manitoulin residents, a fact that he was unaware of.
I then asked him to look into Ontario getting a court ruling that no further tires should be allowed on the site and I bid him farewell. Mr. Brown took my name and telephone number, but I haven't heard back from him nor do I expect to.

May 24, 2006

Enough Is Enough - I Write The Expositor

An Open Letter To Manitoulin Island Residents

I attended an All Fire Departments meeting the other night and the guest speaker was Clair Rouse, a representative from the Fire Marshall's office, who gave a presentation on the infamous Hagersville Tire Fire of 1990. He also showed a slide presentation of the Manitoulin Island First Nation tire recycling depot at Zhiibaasing.
The above was an eye opener in that it demonstrated to me what could happen here on Manitoulin Island as it happened in Hagersville.
A video of the Hagersville incident revealed that the cost of putting out the fire was $12.2 million dollars. The point was made that prevention measures, if applied, would have been far cheaper. 
To quote the Fire Marshall's web page at http://www.ofm.gov.on.ca/english/publications/guidelines/wasteman/recycle5.asp:
 "To be expected, total costs will fluctuate widely. The unavoidable conclusion, however,    is that the total costs of an environmental disaster will almost always exceed the costs of fire prevention measures. For example,

Manitoulin Island's Shame

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Manitoulins See What The Tire Depot Looks Like

Well My Representative In The Ontario Gov't Should Help

Enough Is Enough - I Write The Expositor

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Source:Zero Waste America
Health Information - Penn.

Interesting Uses
For Tires

See
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to the right.

But That Will
Not Happen

This
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Previous
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Any
Resemblance
Between
Nero
And
Jim Prentice
Is
Totally
Coincidental