Residents concerned over proposed change to Shuniah landfill

A proposed change in how Shuniah's Highway 527 landfill is used is causing concern among some of the municipality's residents.

Shuniah is proposing the landfill — which currently only accepts wood waste from area sawmills — be used as a depository for household garbage.

An environmental screening process is currently being run on the proposal. However, some residents say that's not stringent enough.

Requesting full environmental assessment

"We're requesting a bump-up to a full environmental assessment to see what the impacts on the system could be," said Derek Parks, whose family owns property in Shuniah.

Parks said the site is near to the Current River, as well as Penassen Creek, which he said is brook trout habitat.

A petition has begun circulating in Shuniah, and has already collected about 250 signatures, Parks said.

"If we get sufficient signatures, it may convince the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change to tell Shuniah they're going to have to up it into a full-blown (environmental assessment)," he said. "There may be other places to put this landfill than what they're currently proposing."

Parks said the reason a full environmental assessment isn't already happening is the ministry's rules allow for an exemption "if you're changing the use from one form to another."

Representatives of Shuniah were not available for comment Monday.