Item - 2015.HL7.6

The Board of Health recommends that:

1.  City Council direct that when the new biosolids facility is built at the Highland Creek Treatment Plant that:

a.  All risk management measures that were assumed during the Health Impact Assessment and listed in Attachment 7 to the report (October 7, 2015) from the Medical Officer of Health are implemented; and

b.  Route 4, as described in Attachment 1 (October 7, 2015) from the Medical Officer of Health, is implemented as the preferred truck transport route.

The Highland Creek Treatment Plant (HCTP) is located in southern Scarborough in an industrial area, close to the waterfront trail, parkland, and residential areas. As part of the wastewater treatment process, biosolids are currently being managed by two 38-year old multiple hearth incinerators; however, the incinerators are coming to the end of their service life. To support the decision to replace the incinerators, Toronto Water initiated a Schedule "B" Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) to identify the best approach for biosolids management that will replace the multiple hearth incinerators. This process is required by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change. Toronto Water requested that Toronto Public Health (TPH) lead a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) as part of the EA process.

The HIA examined the potential for the proposed biosolids management alternatives to affect a number of health determinants in the study area. Overall, the health impacts associated with the alternatives are very small and the differences among the alternatives do not result in appreciable differences in health impacts. All alternatives evaluated achieve significant reductions in air emissions compared to the current multiple hearth incinerators. However, among the three alternatives, modern fluidized bed incineration (Alternative 1) is anticipated to result in the highest releases of air pollutants, and the beneficial use alternative and haulage of biosolids off-site (Alternative 2) and on-site pelletizer and haulage off-site (Alternative 3) are expected to increase risks related to traffic (namely, safety, odour and noise).

The HIA also examined the potential health impacts along two short-listed proposed traffic routes as all three alternatives involve some trucking of materials off-site.  Compared to Route 1 (along Morningside Ave), Route 4 (along Port Union Rd) had lower predicted impacts on the community in relation to pedestrian safety, noise and vulnerable populations. These potential equity impacts should be taken into account when selecting the preferred transportation route.

The report outlines measures that reduce the health impacts of the new biosolids management strategy for HCTP on the community.