Timmins joins northern cities in reducing landfill gas emissions
Decomposing trash in landfills causes greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide to vent into the atmosphere— and the City of Timmins is now installing a system that can reduce those emissions at one of its largest landfills.
The Deloro landfill is over 350,000 square meters in size and the province requires facilities that large to install a gas collection system that can properly dispose of methane gas, one of the more potent greenhouse gases.
The city's manager of environmental services and public utilities, Scott Tam, said details are now being finalized for a Kitchener-based company to install such a system at a price tag of around $2.4 million.
"Basically what we're going to do is instead of venting off into the natural environment, we're going to collect it into one point system and basically flare it off," said Tam.
Flaring is a method of controlled burning that destroys methane. It also results in some CO2 emissions but experts say between the two, raw methane is more dangerous.
Though it's not required of municipalities, Tam said the city wants to eventually install a system that can use the methane collected to heat buildings, power equipment, or sell off to companies.
"At some point in the future (we could) potentially convert it into some type of renewable, self-sustaining energy facility at the landfill itself," Tam said.
Timmins is now more caught up with other northern cities like Sudbury, Sault Ste Marie, and North Bay, which have had gas collection systems at some of their landfills for years.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Lack of detention space could force CBSA to release detainees, internal memo warns
The Canada Border Services Agency is scrambling to find space to hold high-risk detainees that are set to be transferred from provincial jails in June.
BREAKING American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
BREAKING Allman Brothers Band co-founder and legendary guitarist Dickey Betts dies at 80
Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, 'Ramblin' Man,' has died. He was 80.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
Police make arrests in grandparent scam that defrauded victims out of $739K
Ontario Provincial Police say they have 'disrupted' an organized crime group that allegedly used an emergency grandparent scam to defraud seniors across Canada out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Motion to allow keffiyehs at Ontario legislature fails
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
What does it mean to be 'house poor' and how can you avoid it?
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Calgary man charged with manslaughter in death of toddler
Calgary police say Winston Campbell, 45, has been charged in the death of a two-year-old girl in 2022.
B.C. child killer's lawyer walks out of review hearing
The lawyer representing child-killer Allan Schoenborn walked out of his client's annual review hearing Wednesday – abruptly ending proceedings marked by tense exchanges and several outbursts.