Unified Sustainable Development Framework for Legacy Disposal Sites

Abstract

Rapid lateral urban expansion, in conjunction with a mandate for increased residential density, has forced urban planners, regulators, developers and communities to re-consider the valuable land in and around legacy land disposal sites within the broader context of sustainable development (SD). These sites are places where undifferentiated municipal, commercial, and industrial wastes were historically disposed of onto the ground surface without regulatory approval or specific engineered or administrative controls. Here it is argued that existing tools and frameworks for managing legacy disposal sites fit into one of three proposed “Technical-, Regulatory- and Financial- Silos” that have been dealt with as insular, or disconnected, entities. It is further contended that the three Silos ultimately give rise to a Critical Decision Point that incents individuals, corporations and governments to adopt a “Defer, Divest or Default” (DDD) management strategy which may be ill-suited to achieving the ultimate objectives set by governments for Sustainable Development (SD). To address these issues, this thesis proposes a novel Unified Sustainable Development framework (USD) that includes a qualitative SD Risk Analysis within an iterative Quality and Environmental Management System (QMS/EMS). The proposed USD seeks to improve integration of the three Silos, discourage the selection of DDD management strategies and bridge the gaps that can emerge between the discrete “time horizons” in the lifecycle of a legacy disposal site. Two case studies of legacy disposal sites are presented to illustrate how the current tools and frameworks in the absence of a USD, or equivalent strategy, can produce divergent outcomes, some of which may not lead to a successful integration into urban communities. To this end, several existing models for set-aside funding mechanisms to remediate and settle the environmental liability associated with legacy disposal sites are examined. These models could provide practical, and immediate, guidance to legislators and regulators for funding mechanisms that may enhance the potential for adequate remediation of such sites. I posit that application of the USD framework in provincial/state governments and municipalities across North America may provide more consistent and effective outcomes for legacy disposal sites while facilitating alignment with SD policy goals; namely, achieving an enhanced balance of intergenerational costs and benefits.