Playing with Fire?

Ben WestThe Wilderness Committee

When Considering Waste Management Options

What Must be on the Table?

Two Things You Need to Know about

•Nanoparticles •Biogenic Carbon

There are toxins in Garbage - Where does it go when incinerated?

Scrubbers are used to reduce air pollution

But they still create a “Landfill in the Sky”

New Concern of Nanoparticles

Particles the size of a virus

Climate Change

International Day for Climate Action 2009 – Vancouver

Context: “carbon free” by 2050The UN IPCC says we must cut CO2 emissions almost entirely by 2050 in Canada

Metro Vancouver has already committed to do this

We have a responsibility to lead

Not just about Polar Bears

Impact already being felt

Disproportionate Impacts

Where are the CO2 emissions in our garbage coming from?

Lets talk about “Biogenic” CO2

If You Don’t Count Biogenic Carbon WTE looks like the best option

Should we count Biogenic CO2?

Increasing Calls for Awareness

Isn’t it Carbon Neutral?

1 Hectare of Rainforest a Second

At least 90 years to absorb CO2

What does the IPCC Say About Biogenic CO2 from Incineration?

So instead of Magical disappearing CO2

We should agree that this is the fair way to represent CO2 from WTE

Over all waste incineration is worse for the climate than a coal fired power plant

2008 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) Report

Would you build a coal fired power plant in your city?

More CO2 than Natural Gas even without counting biogenic CO2

Therefore this isn’t a reduction in emissions for district heating

even if you don’t count the biogenic CO2

Its not actually a choice. Even if you stop using the landfill tomorrow landfill CO2 dissipation takes 20 - 25 years

If we put all the organics back in the soil then the WTE emissions look like this no

matter how you count it

Isn’t this better?

Composting is the answer

If Nova Scotia can ban organics from landfill so can we…

Plastics – not an energy solution a design problem

The World Changes Fast! We should focus on design for re-use

and recycling

“Feeding the Beast”

“Act to outlaw the international

export of British Columbia’s

garbage and landfill waste.”

BC Throne Speech 2010

Why Are we even talking about this?

Isn’t pollution and CO2 another form of exporting our waste?

Give the The Next Generation a Chance to Lead the Way

Start with this…

and this…

Green Jobs = A Better World for Everyone

Ben WestHealthy Communities Campaigner

Thank You