Packed crowd at meeting for proposed thermal plant

An overflow crowd turned out last night for a public meeting on a plan to build a thermal conversion plant at Pier 15 on Hamilton’s Sherman Avenue North.

Officials with Port Fuels and Material Services were quick to assure residents at the meeting that this wouldn’t be a traditional incinerator. Instead, project leader Robert Clark emphasized that the high heat conversion of solid trash into synthetic gas would be virtually emissions-free.

But it wasn’t the technology that had some residents upset. Many seemed more concerned about what they called a lack of public notification about the meeting, and the fact it was held the night before a long weekend. City councillor Chad Collins says it’s concerning that there seems to be no other public consultation beyond this open house.

Robert Clark says an environmental screening is now underway, but even if all goes according the company’s plan, they’re still a year away from putting it into action. Clark says it’s too early to say how much the project would cost.