A new report provides the conclusions of studies that support proposed updated emission limits and additional monitoring opportunities for the Waste-to-Energy Facility.
Sign up to be notified about upcoming engagement on the proposed emission limits for the Waste-to-Energy Facility Operational Certificate.
About the Waste-to-Energy Facility and its Operational Certificate
Metro Vancouver's
Waste-to-Energy Facility has operated in Burnaby since 1988 and currently handles about 240,000 tonnes of garbage per year, roughly a quarter of the region's garbage. It is a mass-burn facility that turns waste into electricity — approximately 180,000 megawatt hours per year, enough to power 16,000 homes — and recovers about 5,000 tonnes of metal annually.
The facility is approved by the BC Ministry of Environment and Parks through an
Operational Certificate that sets operating requirements including emissions limits, monitoring, and reporting.
In September 2025, the Ministry of Environment and Parks issued an
amended Operational Certificate outlining technical studies and engagement required to facilitate the Ministry’s consideration of updated emission limits that will be proposed by Metro Vancouver.
Proposed updated emission limits
Metro Vancouver completed a series of technical studies and submitted a report to the Ministry of Environment and Parks on September 23, 2026. The report is available on Metro Vancouver’s website.
Work included:
- Review of current emission levels
- Review of other jurisdiction emission monitoring requirements and access to data, focusing on the European Union, the United States, and the Durham York Waste-to-Energy Facility in Ontario
- Testing of potential operational modifications to support a reduction of emissions
- Ambient air quality dispersion modelling as part of the development of a public health risk assessment in consultation with Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health
- A public health risk assessment that concluded emissions from the facility do not pose a risk to public health
The following table shows proposed emission limits compared to current emission limits for all parameters where a reduction in the emission limit is proposed or an emission limit is proposed where there currently is no limit.
Emission Parameters
| Current Emission Limit
| Proposed Emission Limit |
|---|
Lead µg/dscm
| N/A | 48 |
| Arsenic µg/dscm | N/A | 9.2 |
| Chromium µg/dscm | N/A | 40 |
| Lead, Arsenic, Chromium µg/dscm | 64 | 60 |
| Total Mercury µg/dscm | 20 | 15 |
| Dioxins and Furans (PCDD/PCDF) TEQ ng/dscm | 0.08 | 0.06 |
| Hydrogen Chloride (HCl) mg/dscm 1-hr | 55 (interim) | 45 |
| Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) mg/dscm | 1 | 0.52 |
| Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) mg/dscm 24-hr | 200 (interim) | 120 |
| Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) mg/dscm 24-hr | 190 | 150 |
| Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) µg/dscm | 5 | 1.3 |
| Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) µg/dscm | 1 | 0.4 |
| Chlorophenols µg/dscm | 1 | 0.29
|
Metro Vancouver will engage with interested parties on the proposed emission limits and additional monitoring opportunities before submitting a final proposal to the Ministry for consideration.
Sign up to be notified of upcoming engagement opportunities