Burnaby’s world-renowned rivers advocate is breathing a sigh of relief now that plans for an upstream hazardous waste facility are off the table.
Burnaby’s Mark Angelo was one of the leading voices in a coalition of 53 groups opposed to Aevitas’ plan to build a hazardous waste recycling facility in Chilliwack, roughly 200 metres from the Fraser River. On Wednesday, the company announced it was dropping the proposal, stating it shares people’s concerns for the Fraser.
“I thought it was great news for the Fraser River,” Angelo said. “This has been an issue that resonated with so many people and it sparked a creation of one of the biggest environmental coalitions we’ve seen in many, many years.”
During the campaign, Angelo raised concerns about a flood, earthquake or fire and the possibility of toxins flowing downstream, which could have devastating effects on municipalities like New Westminster and Burnaby. Angelo said the coalition was not opposed to the plant but raised serious concerns about locating it so close to the river.
“Nowhere in North America are they building hazardous waste plants like this next to a river, let alone the world’s greatest salmon river,” he said.
