Ecology Ottawa says the city should not sign a contract on a garbage-processing deal with Plasco Energy Group until it first discusses its waste diversion strategy.

The environmental group said it felt compelled to make a statement about the proposed deal with Plasco because of the "sheer scale and significance of this project to the future of waste management in the City of Ottawa."

"We were not aware the city was planning to move so quickly to sign a 20-year contract committing to send roughly half of Ottawa's residential garbage to a commercial-scale Plasco facility that is three times larger than the existing demonstration project," wrote policy coordinator Trevor Haché.

City staff and Plasco worked out a 20-year-deal that calls for Plasco to take on 300 tonnes a day of residential waste at a cost of $83.25 per tonne.

The deal is contingent on Plasco completing construction of the waste-processing plant by 2016 and securing financing by 2013. Ecology Ottawa wants the deal delayed until July 2012, when Phase 2 of the waste plan will wrap up.

Ecology Ottawa said the timing of the proposal is "particularly confusing" because the city was planning on looking at diversion options as part of the second phase of its waste plans.

Councillor disputes Plasco deal naysayers

Coun. Maria McRae is upset a number of people are arguing against the deal. She said council has spent a lot of time reviewing Plasco's business model and signed a letter of intent with them as early as 2008.

"The notion that there hasn't been enough time for people to contemplate what Plasco is, I disagree with," McRae told the CBC's Julie Ireton.

"I think it's been years and years. The Ministry of the Environment has given us approval...I'm not really sure what a six-month delay would do for the city at this point."

Councillors on the environment committee will hear from Plasco and city staff again Monday before council debates the details Wednesday.

Rod Muir from the Sierra Club and the Ministry of the Environment are also expected to attend the meeting.