Oshawa, Ontario residents have noticed a suspicious substance leaking into their community. Development next to the former landfill almost didn't happen because city planners worried about this very possibility.
"Sarah Ross likes to walk her dog near Harmony Valley Park, but lately the Oshawa resident has been more cautious, after noticing an unusual rust-coloured substance staining the ground.
The liquid is oozing from the side of a seemingly inconspicuous hill, which is actually a decommissioned landfill site.
"I'm really concerned about what it is and whether any monitoring is going on," said Ms. Ross, a master's student in environmental studies. "A lot of people probably don't even realize there's a landfill there because it just looks like a hill. They're walking their dogs in the area and they should know whether there are any risks."
Brent Frew, who recently moved into the nearby neighbourhood, is also concerned.
"It looks like orange goo; it's kind of disgusting," he said. "It's the kind of thing that makes you wonder if it's OK for you to walk around there with your kids."
The landfill sits near the corner of Harmony Road North and Rossland Road East, with Harmony Valley Park on one side and a large residential subdivision on the other.
The site was formerly owned by Industrial Disposal Oshawa Limited (IDOL), and operated as a landfill from 1957 to 1980, when it was sealed."
FULL STORY: ‘Orange goo’ trickling from old landfill
Waste Management Best Practices (And Their Impact on Urban Planning)
Urban planners can play a role in ensuring the best possible waste management practices are implemented whenever possible.
Colorado Landfills Emit as Much Pollution as 1M Cars
Landfills are the third-largest source of methane pollution in Colorado, after agriculture and fossil fuel extraction.
Looking for the Light in a Dark Age
Professor Glenn Lyons offers insights about the challenges facing planners in times of rapid technological, cultural, and social change, in Local Transport Today's first ‘Deep Thinking Initiative’ article.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie