Metro Vancouver board members elected to keep incineration as an option to manage its solid waste, after they held a confusing and protracted debate on the matter on Friday morning.

“It’s very disappointing,” said Patricia Ross, chairwoman of the Fraser Valley Regional District, whose members unanimously objected to the construction of a waste-to-energy garbage incinerator in the Lower Mainland.

“They’ve decided to keep incineration in the plan. It means the fight will go on.”

The Metro board debated three options that were recommended by its waste management committee last month.

They included incineration in the region, incineration out of the region, likely on Vancouver Island’s west coast, or no incineration at all.

Ross said the FVRD’s position is clearly against any incineration in the region because of the unknown effects it could have on air quality. The FVRD board will take its fight to the next level of government, to the Ministry of Environment, she said.

“We already have a letter prepared for Environment Minister [Barry] Penner. We were just waiting to see the outcome,” Ross said Friday afternoon from the Metro offices.

Metro chambers were full to overflowing as observers waited to see if the board would approve the controversial trash incinerator, a proposal vehemently opposed by the FVRD, business and environmental groups.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson moved to take out any reference to burning garbage, but his motion was defeated.

After lengthy debate, Metro first defeated then supported the motion to keep the option of incineration both in and out of the region. The matter was finally settled by about 2:30 p.m., when Surrey councillors shifted their vote to support burning the region’s waste.

But the long debate shows some board members heard the critics’ concerns about air quality, said Ross. She encouraged valley residents to write to Penner, local MLAs, and even the premier about their concerns.

“Write, phone or e-mail. It will take just five minutes of your time to avoid breathing in pollutants for the rest of your life.”

John Vissers of Zero Waste BC was disappointed that Metro Vancouver could not come up with a clear decision on how to manage municipal waste.

“They have left the decision to be made by the province. We look forward to Ministry of Environment’s recommendations and are confident they will act on behalf of all the environmental concerns of all Fraser Valley communities,” said Vissers.

CToth@abbotsfordtimes.com