Beach Tire Dump in Uxbridge, Ontario. (photos below)
Letter to the Editor:
As per the articles concerning the Beach tire Dump in the September 2, 2008, Toronto Star, and the September 4, 2008, Uxbridge Times Journal, I add the following. Both articles refer to and provide links to a segment of an edited video of the tire dump. I am responsible for the original unedited video that was created in August of 1998.
I make it clear that in no way am I affiliated with Anne Holmes or the group of local citizens to which Ms. Holmes is a member. Furthermore, I do not approve of the manner to which my video was presented in order to push concerns that I do not agree with.
After months of lip service by the Town of Uxbridge and the York-Durham District Office of the Ministry of the Environment, I created the video to ensure that the 75,000 tires, the MOE’s conservative estimate at that time, were ordered to comply with Ontario Fire Code regulations. I then provided 3 copies of the video to the Town, one of those directly to former mayor, Gerry Lynn O’Connor. I also provided 2 copies to the MOE, and finally a copy to former area MPP, Julia Munro. A decade later, I still check the mail with anticipation, waiting for Gerry Lynn and Julia to respond.
In 1998, I strongly opposed the burial of these tires and argued repeatedly that removal from the Oakridge Moraine was the only proper recourse. A decade later, I am still not of the position that permitting on site tire burial was the correct or responsible decision. However, as citizens, we have no control over MOE guidelines and/or the manner with which MOE staff conduct themselves.
Considering what occurred at Hagersville in 1990, the Beach property was a time-bomb waiting to happen. Hidden in a ravine 800 metres from the road, where no local fire equipment could access, Uxbridge was merely one matchstick or lightning strike away from forever being known as another example of how layers of useless government officials know and understand the risk, yet drop the ball at every conceivable opportunity. How typically Canadian this scenario has become.
My opinion today as far as tire burial is concerned, is that these tires will deteriorate at a fraction of the rate beneath the ground when compared to being exposed to rain, snow, and the suns energy. The fact that these tires now rest above the static water table and are covered with, from what I saw 9 years ago, moderately heavy fill, I am of the opinion that the ground cover will provide uniform protection from any measurable quantities of surface moisture penetration. I have reached the conclusion that there is little opportunity for chemical leaching into the environment. If anything, if chemical contamination from these tires is present in the soil, it is because these tires were exposed on grade for some 35 to 40 years.
In doing my research a decade ago, I came across a map depicting known areas where garbage was dumped in the west end of the GTA. I don't recall how many locations were marked on the map, but what I do remember is simply being overwhelmed by both the quantity and locations of these mini-dumps. In the past, we civilized fools tossed our waste, toxic or inert, into ravines where water constantly accumulates and percolates, feeding pollution into our eco-systems. I have no doubt that the Beach tires are small potatoes compared to what we have condoned in the past.
I was raised on land that borders the Beach property. While our family farm has the same topography, the same Hurricane Hazel history, the same valley and ravines, our land is as stable today as it was in 1971 when my parents purchased it. Our farm virtually has no land or soil erosion. The secret is not that of NASA science, but rather, is simple land management. We did not allow cattle to over run sensitive ravine slopes. We never permitted our cattle to consume ravine vegetation. We simply used common sense and protected these environmentally sensitive areas. In the 1990's I used heavy equipment to remove old cars that had been foolishly dumped in our ravines in the 50's and 60's. Another example of a thoughtless past.
Frankly, I cannot understand how Ed Beach, by his own admission, continues to be permitted to put thousands of truckloads of fill onto his property long after his tires were buried. A comparison of aerial photos that I took in 1999 and current Google Map photos, proves that thousands of truck loads of material have been imported to cover an area of land that only contained a small pile of tires in 1998. Yet, the notice provided to adjacent property owners in 1998 focused on the fact that the tires sole purpose was for controlling soil erosion. It simply does not take thousands of truck loads of fill to cover over a few hundred tires. Ironically, a review of my original video proves that the ravines with the steepest slopes and worst erosion problems, only ever had a handful of tires in them and the ravine least likely to wash out had tires piled above and beyond the perimeter of the ravine.
It simply was never necessary to use 75,000 tires to prevent soil erosion on this property. All that was required was for basic farm fencing to be placed around the perimeter of effected areas in order to ensure that the Beach’s livestock could not destroy fragile groundcover. A bag of native grass seed and a few free trees from other parts of the farm would have quickly flourished and re-stabilized bad areas. Tires on grade kills groundcover that prevents soil erosion. Runoff simply flows under the tires, and carries unstable soil away. The entire premise that the tires prevented soil erosion is a wash on reality.
I do not agree that a decade later, tire removal and shredding is required. I do agree that major soil testing needs to be completed to ensure that imported fill does not contain contaminants. In fact, after advising the MOE with regard to what sort of material was being imported, I was advised by the MOE in 2000, that soil testing would be completed on an ongoing basis at the property owner’s expense. If I understand correctly now, that never occurred, and once again, it would appear that the MOE has dropped the ball. The construction garbage that I photographed in 2000, leads me to believe that fill contamination is the real issue, not tires.
As with the majority of these situations, nobody ever wins. However, there is always one thing that remains a constant - our governments never react when it counts, but rather always after the fact, and the community, the public, and in this case the environment, repeatedly pay the toll. Less than 100 metres from where this mess unfolds, is the location where Pefferlaw Brook begins its journey through the Township of Uxbridge to Lake Simcoe. What is that worth?
I have photos posted at www.housechek.com that I encourage you to look at for yourself. The York-Durham MOE can be reached at 905-427-5600. The person I dealt with in 1998, concerning the Beach property was York-Durham Office District Manager, Dave Beach. Not to be confused with Uxbridge, Ward 2 Councilor, Bev Beach.
As for comments that the video was illegal, I have a less than neighbourly letter from Ed and Bev Beach’s solicitor advising me of my trespass. I was never charged. I would have been more than pleased to pay any fine. I could easily have spent a couple of hours telling the judge exactly what I was doing on the Beach's property and why.
James Christie, Newmarket, Ontario.
Thank you for taking a look. - (feedback welcome at, james@housechek.com )
1. Aerial photo of largest area where tires were dumped above and outside of ravine. Water above tires in photo is the origin of Pefferlaw Brook.
2. Aerial photo of area where thousands of loads of fill have been dumped to cover only a few hundred tires.
3. Aerial photo of Beach property where they run there scrap business. You can see close proximity of Pefferlaw Brook to scrap business.
4. This is an up close look at tires in ravine from photo 1. Tires are higher than ravine.
5. Also tires from photo 1. The tires on the left are piled above and away from the edge of the ravine. Clearly nothing to do with soil erosion.
6. Note the tire around the trunk of the tree in this photo.
7. Thousands and thousands of tires in the bottom of ravine from photo 1.
8. This photo was taken while standing on the Town of Uxbridge's unopened road allowance. It can be seen how livestock have damaged the groundcover as well as how tires have been scattered all over ground.
9. These tires are scattered on both the Beach property and the Town of Uxbridge unopened road allowance.
10. This is the origin of Pefferlaw Brook. Note the tires scattered all over the Beach property as well as what is alsomunicipal property.
11. These tires are dumped right in Pefferlaw Brook.
12. A close up of tires in the Brook.
13. Example of how full truck loads of asphalt where used to bury these tires.
14. Example of construction garbage that was used to bury tires.
15. Example of how old steel fencing and fence posts, material that should be recycled, has been used to bury the tires.
16. Example of how asphalt shingles and old roof flashings were used to bury tires.
