B.C. gov't fails to curb wood-burning polluters

Valley folks want rules to stop greenhouses from using cheap, hazardous fuel. You can't blame the Fraser Valley Regional District for becoming increasingly frustrated with the B.C. government's inaction over growing concerns about pollution from wood-burning greenhouses.

After all, these folks live downwind of Metro Vancouver in a funnel-shaped valley with mountains on either side.

For well over six months now, FVRD politicians and taxpayers have been waiting for the province's Ministry of Environment to release tougher emission standards, especially for commercial wood-burning greenhouses.

Apparently, all the ministry's legwork on this issue has been done and the period for public comment ended last October.

But instead of tough new rules forcing commercial wood-burning greenhouses to clean up, the only emissions flowing out of the political smoke stacks in Victoria are words. And even those are hardly reassuring.

Recently in local papers, for example, Environment Minister Barry Penner defended the use of wood waste as fuel for Fraser Valley greenhouses.

Aside from the fact that there's no shortage of waste wood in B.C., the minister stressed that burning wood produces less carbon-dioxide emissions than natural gas, which is also used as a greenhouse fuel.

However, the greenhouse gases that impact climate change are not the only emissions given off when wood is burned. Far more serious to human health is the tiny particulate matter and other chemicals in wood smoke.

Some greenhouses are burning wood waste from construction and renovations so heaven knows what else is being emitted into the atmosphere.

"The whole issue of wood-burning greenhouses is still in limbo-land and it's very, very frustrating," says Abbotsford Coun. Patricia Ross who also heads the FVRD's Air Quality and Environment Committee.

Ross acknowledges that some wood-burning greenhouses are using up-to-date technologies that improve emissions, but others "are burning wood completely unregulated and unchecked" by Victoria.

She also fears that as fossil fuel prices rise, more and more greenhouses will turn to wood waste as an alternative fuel because cost-pressures are building in the greenhouse industry just as they're building in all industries.

That's reflected by greenhouse operators within neighbouring Metro Vancouver who are fighting new emission rules being proposed by Abbotsford.

The greenhouse industry is saying these much tougher emission standards could put some operators out of business.

While the industry must be given an adequate amount of time to upgrade emission technologies where required, critics feel that the threat of putting a greenhouse out of business does not justify allowing it to continue polluting.

That's like saying we shouldn't restrict the sale or promotion of smokes because it will hurt the tobacco industry.

Surely public health must be the priority here and if a greenhouse operator wants to place a plant in either Metro Vancouver or in the FVRD, then it must operate in an environmentally-responsible manner.

And since the B.C. government has jurisdiction over the FVRD's air quality regulation, it's time for Victoria to stop acting like Mr. Dithers.

As Ross says: "I'd rather pay a little more for a greenhouse cucumber and breathe easier."

Brian Lewis, The Province

Published: Tuesday, May 27, 2008

© The Vancouver Province 2008