Neighbours vent decades of frustration about living near London’s landfill

On Monday, a public participation meeting about proposed changes to the W12A Landfill’s Community Enhancement and Mitigative Measures Program became an opportunity for Londoners living in the rural area south of Highway 401 to express their ongoing frustration about odour, truck traffic, and garbage along roadways.

“If the landfill can grow, the safety zone must grow too!” said Alice Brown whose family lives near the W12A Landfill in south London. “These aren’t harmless fumes we’re talking about. These are serious. Methane, VOCs, sulfur gases, and a mix of volatile compounds that our children are breathing in.”

“Not only the odor, but all the trucks that come down our road, the garbage that flies off,” added Debora Connor.

Connor said garbage trucks speed through the 50km/h section of Dingman Drive where she lives — endangering her son.

In 2024, the City of London was granted provincial approval to add disposal capacity of approximately 13.8 million cubic metres to the landfill on Manning Drive.

It will extend operations by 25 years and increase the maximum height of the existing waste footprint by 25 metres.

In addition, the service area will be increased to a regional area, which includes City of London, County of Huron, County of Perth, County of Elgin, County of Lambton, and County of Middlesex.

City staff recommended several updates to the existing agreements intended to mitigate the impacts on neighbouring homeowners, but neighbours used the opportunity to also press the Community and Protective Services (CAPS) Committee for long-standing concerns to be addressed.

“There should be more interest in this. This is a big thing for the city. Could you imagine if you didn’t have a landfill?” said area resident Allan Tipping.

Ultimately, the committee backed a suggestion from Coun. Elizabeth Peloza that aligned with some of the primary concerns of neighbours regarding the Community Enhancement and Mitigative Measures Program.

The motion recommends maintaining the current schedule of six meetings per year by the Landfill Public Liaison Committee, and not capping the amount raised from tipping fees for the Mitigative Measures Fund at $1 million.

The CAPS Committee also recommended that city staff prepare a report about garbage truck speeds, weights, and load containment.

“It’s a reality that pretty much every major municipality has to face in terms of landfills, but what we’ve tried to do today are the mitigating things we can do,” said Coun. Hadleigh McAlister. “I just want to say, we do hear you.”

City staff will use the feedback provided at the meeting to prepare a final recommendation for council consideration this winter.