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In December 2022, the Rideau Roundtable successfully lobbied the Town of Smiths Falls to approve a groundbreaking plan to produce biochar from tree waste at its municipal compost site. This initiative, described as an "enormous win for the environment," aims to transform organic waste into biochar—a carbon-rich material that sequesters greenhouse gases and removes toxins from soil and water. By repurposing the compost site, the town takes a significant step toward its long-term goal of achieving Net Zero GHG emissions.
Northwest of Smiths Falls lies a 30-acre site where the Town has illegally dumped construction and demolition (C&D) waste for decades.
This site sits on wetlands, only 1500m from the Town’s water supply and public beach.
Timeline
2008
2008
2008
This image shows the full length of the road as it exists today. Notably, the image appears to capture the road development in progress, with what looks like construction work around the not-yet-installed culvert that facilitates the road crossing over the stream.
2014
2008
2008
This image shows the road and culvert fully completed. Notably, much of the above ground evidence of dumping that can be found on the site today is absent from this 10-year-old image.
2024
2008
2024
This latest image reveals berms with varying levels of tree growth, indicating that the construction and demolition (C&D) waste was likely deposited incrementally over the past 10 years.
Yellow
Yellow
Yellow
The yellow area marks the originally approved 120m x 120m composting site from the 1992 application.
red
Yellow
Yellow
However, the Town expanded operations to include ice melting and illegal C&D waste dumping in the nearby red-marked area.
Yellow
Illegal C&D Waste Above ground
Satellite image highlighting large berms of illegal construction and demolition (C&D) waste, over 10 feet tall, marked in orange.
Image showing a section of an illegal C&D waste berm, appearing to be several years old, with semi-mature trees growing from the berm.
Image showing a section of an illegal C&D waste berm, appearing to have been dumped relatively recently.
SCALE OF ABOVE GROUND C&D WASTE
Over 1,500m of C&D waste berms.
Size Perspective:
- End-to-end, they would stretch from the contaminated site to the public beach and town water supply
Scale of below ground C&D waste
The 30 acres of roads, open areas, and berms also hide extensive buried C&D waste.
Size Perspective:
- Preliminary investigations indicate the buried waste could fill the hockey arena well beyond its ceiling.
Soil samples revealed 3 types of heavy metal contaminants
Soil samples revealed 3 types of heavy metal contaminants
Soil samples revealed 3 types of heavy metal contaminants
The lab test results revealing heavy metal contamination in the soil near the stream were legally required to be reported immediately. However, they remained unreported for months.
Soil samples revealed 3 types of heavy metal contaminants
Soil samples revealed 3 types of heavy metal contaminants
We ask that Town Council establish an independent oversight board to:
Please, if you know something, say something
Smiths Falls is a close-knit community, and some may know where particularly toxic forms of C&D waste, such as asbestos, were buried. Sharing this information could safeguard the health and safety of those involved in the cleanup.
While leaving the site untouched is unsafe, the removal process also carries risks and must be conducted slowly and carefully due to uncertainty about the buried materials.
After over 30 years of dumping, much remains unknown. Even unconfirmed reports could help identify toxic waste hotspots.
Updates on Smiths Falls’ C&D Waste Discovery
The Rideau Roundtable was the first to alert authorities about the the contamination at this wetland-adjacent site, located just 1,500m from the Town's beach and water supply. As this pressing environmental issue unfolds, we are committed to keeping our community informed with accurate and timely updates on the investigation and cleanup efforts.