Canada's largest city could have a lot of sludge on its hands this August.

A Michigan landfill site will no longer accpt 30 trucks a day of treated sewage sludge from the city of Toronto as of August 1 because locals who live in the area are complaining about the smell.

Carleton Farms landfill says it has been reviewing the intake of sludge since April after a group of residents protested at a public hearing, and it has decided to stop accepting the sludge as of August. It will continue to take regular trash.

Toronto works committee chair Shelley Carroll said Wednesday that she had only just learned of the decision, but officials knew there might be a stoppage.

"We do have to July 31, and we're kind of lucky here because we're working on a contingency with the ministry of the environment, and council is meeting June 14 so we can quickly put out a request for interest on an Ontario solution that council can ratify in more than enough time."

Carroll, a municipal councillor, said city officials don't think finding another site for the sludge will be difficult because "landfill operators find sludge really useful," as it helps break down regular trash.

Sludge (or bio-solids) is the solid waste that remains after raw sewage is treated and the purified water returned to the lake.

Facts the focus of Agent Orange reports, investigator says

Two reports to be released Thursday on the spraying of Agent Orange and other chemical defoliants at a Canadian Forces base in New Brunswick should make clearer what actually happened, the man in charge of the fact-finding mission says.

(CBC)

Ottawa offer could clear major stumbling block to Mackenzie pipeline

The federal government has offered an aboriginal group in the Northwest Territories a land claims and self-government deal, which if accepted would remove a major stumbling block to the proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline project. 

nwt_mack_pipeline Pipeline route

Ottawa to appeal Harkat's release

The federal government will appeal the decision to release Mohamed Harkat on bail. Harkat had been held in jail on a security certificate since his arrest in December 2002. 

Mohamad Harkat (Canadian Press file)

Guité jury begins deliberations

The jury has started deliberations in the fraud trial of Chuck Guité, the former civil servant who was in charge of the federal sponsorship program.

B.C. zoo facing charges over hippo's home

A British Columbia zoo that has been criticized for its treatment of a young hippopotamus is expected on Wednesday to become the first in Canada to face animal cruelty charges.