Montreal to present composting site plans for St-Laurent

Citizens will have the chance to speak up about the possible installation of a composting facility in Montreal's Saint-Laurent borough.

The City of Montreal said it wants to build a total of four treatment plants around the island. Though three of them have been approved, determining the location of the fourth site has proven to be a difficult task.

City officials are eyeing an abandoned industrial building east of Highway 13 and north of Highway 40 in Saint-Laurent.

Two biomethanation sites were proposed for the Lasalle and Montreal East boroughs and one composting facility was approved for Saint-Michel. The consultation tonight will pertain to a second composting plant for the Saint-Laurent borough.

The biomethanation site in Montreal East will also host an organic waste pretreatment centre.

Executive Director of the Compost Council of Canada Susan Antler, said 40 per cent of household garbage could be composted with a curb-side program.

Luc Doray, spokesman for Quebec's Public Consultation Office, said citizens will be given more information this evening.

Doray said the proposed site is far from residential areas and isn't aware of any opposition to the project.

"We don't know. We didn't have any input telling us that it will be a contested site or not. We'll see tonight," said Doray.

The city first looked at building a treatment plant near the Dorval airport, but officials at the airport were concerned with the presence of birds near the organic waste plant and said the animals could cause problems if they collided with planes.

The consultation will take place at 7 p.m. at the Centre des loisirs Saint-Laurent near Côte-Vertu metro.

There will be another town hall meeting at the end of the month to give more people a chance to have their say in the matter.