A proposed biosolids waste plant in Cambridge is upsetting residents who say they weren’t properly informed about the plans. The facility would deal with human waste.

The Region of Waterloo is considering two locations, the Cambridge Waste Management Centre on Savage Drive or the landfill in Waterloo.

The mayor of Cambridge is also speaking out about the lack of public consultation surrounding this whole project.

The site in Cambridge has been identified by the Region as the preferred site after Waterloo residents opposed the location on Erb Street West but many Cambridge residents and now the mayor say the whole thing has been handled poorly.

“Right now it's unacceptable in the city of Cambridge no question about it” says Cambridge Mayor Doug Craig.

He along with several residents who live nearby say, they're concerned about their safety and also how the plant might affect their property values.

Scott and Linda Keyes are less than 1.5 kilometres downwind. “So the odour would be our number one concern “says Scott.

His wife Linda Keyes, says “Definitely we're concerned with having more traffic and spillage coming from possibly the vehicles out on the roads”

Regional councillor Geoff Lorentz  who also sits on the board of the Grand River Conservation Authority, says he's well aware of the concerns and that odour won't be an issue.

“It will be brought into the facility in a sealed unit, and the doors will be closed and it will be treated in there and there will not be an odour” says Lorentz.

The project is expected to cost the region 80 million dollars. 60 million for construction and 20 million for financing. Officials with the Region anticipate another 150 million for operating and maintenance over the next 25 years.

Craig says a project of this magnitude deserved more input from the city.

“The region has completely botched the whole thing in terms of the public meetings.”

He’s asking regional staff to start over and reconsider other sites, something the Keyes family hopes to see happen.

“They weren’t open with us, they didn’t' include us in anythin... They didn’t' give us information as it was starting and as it was going on” says Linda Keyes.

There was a packed public house last week regarding the proposed site and residents we spoke to today said they never received a notice and found out about it from neighbours.

Regional council says nothing will go ahead until there's been more public consultation.