The first phase of a  $75 million economic development proposal that would convert garbage to energy in the production of ginseng could begin this spring, says West Grey Mayor Kevin Eccles.? At a recent council meeting he said the consortium has applied to the Ministry of the Environment for a license to operate an incinerator, a process that could up to two years.? In the meantime plans are to start a small scale pilot project as early as June 1 of this year to grow ginseng - a high demand cash crop - in greenhouses using some form of conventional heating until the incinerator project is approved.? Once the incinerator is in place the greenhouse project would expand to about five acres in size and the energy generated from burning garbage would heat the greenhouses. ? “This could provide 350 to 400 jobs for people in the area,” said Mayor Eccles. He sees the Durham proposal as a North American showcase for a waste to energy technology that’s been accepted in South Korea for decades as an alternative to burying garbage.? “I still feel the best and most effective way to dispose of garbage is to turn it into energy. Burying the garbage does not solve the problem,” he said.? The incinerator project proposed for Durham would require 50 tonnes of garbage a day to operate, that’s more than the 30 tonnes a day of household garbage produced by all of the municipalities of Grey County. The city of Toronto produces 1,000 tonnes of household waste a day.? Mayor Eccles said other sources of fuel for the incinerator would have to be found -- that could include commercial and industrial waste within the county or garbage from neighboring communities.? He admits the key to the success of the project will be to make burning garbage competitive with burying it in a landfill -- currently the cheapest means of disposal.? “They have to make a good business case for it,” he said.? Mayor Eccles said the Koreans are currently looking to buy enough property for the greenhouses and an incinerator project and they have promised that it would be away from urban centers.? Koreans have acknowledged that the North American public is not yet ready for incineration in built up areas like they are in Korea. There people have grown accustomed to incinerators that are used to heat and power apartment buildings and other structures in urban areas.? “The Koreans know the public’s view here about incinerators and are looking at rural land,” said the mayor, who noted that the municipality is not directly involved in the proposal. ? He stressed that the project is no different than any other industry or economic development proposal by private entrepreneurs looking for a business development opportunity.? Mayor Eccles said while garbage isn’t considered a source of renewable energy, incineration would be a greener way of waste disposal that could be included in Ontario’s newest green energy plans to switch to more environmentally friendly energy sources.? He promised that once the proposal gets to the local planning approval stage a public meeting would he held if rezoning is involved.? ?