The joint Walkerton/Hanover landfill expansion is moving forward.
Brockton Council approved an environmental assessment Monday that would see another 347 thousand cubic metres of space be made over the next 25 years.
Hanover Council has already given their approval on the E-A.
Brockton Councillor Charlie Reidl says the next step is to make a zoning amendment on the land because it is currently designated as agricultural.
He says they will have both their engineer and public works director at their next Council meeting to answer any question about the zoning amendment.
Reidl says once the zoning change is made there will be a 7-week period where the Ministry of the Environment acquires public input.
He says depending on the number of inquires it receives, the plan will go to the M-O-E for approval.
Councillor Chris Peabody was the lone member voting against the E-A because of a number of concerns from residents that haven’t been addressed.
He says he would like to see waste diversion rates for both Walkerton and Hanover increase to around the 50 percent range like it is in Owen Sound.
Peabody says seagulls are also becoming a problem and wants to see measures taken to control that.
He says ground water and the diversion of organic waste also needs to be addressed.
However, Reidl says those issues were answered by their engineers at their public meeting on the landfill.
He says the joint landfill committee took an M-O-E recommendation for an engineered site because it is better for the environment.
Reidl says that will result in the cost of the project going up by 2 million dollars to around the 6 million range.
Hanover Mayor Kathi Maskell says Hanover and Brockton will do everything it can to minimize the impact to neighbouring land owners.
This includes a very thick liner and a leachate collection system for the landfill.
The expansion project would add another 30 years of life to the Hanover Walkerton Landfill Site.