BC Advances in Organics Recycling and Composting

John Paul, PhD P.AgTransform Compost Systems

Canadian Compost Council MembersIn BC

Canadian Compost Council Members

Municipalities or Regional Districts

Canadian Compost Council Members

Private Processors

TransformCompostSystems

Compost Operator Course Participants

70 persons in BC

TransformCompostSystems

OMRROperations plans(Ministry of Environment Requirements)

TransformCompostSystems

> $ 50,000 equipment and/or design

General Public Excited About Organic Waste Diversion

• Most British Columbians see that it makes sense to recycle yard waste and other garden waste

• We spent years learning how to recycle glass, plastic, newspapers etc., now we can also recycle foodscraps

• Recycling food scraps is an intuitive next step in our need to reduce our footprint on the environment

February 1989, Vancouver City Council developed goal of reducing the amount of garbage by 50%.

Active Yard and Garden Waste Composting Started in the early 1990s

Some great processesSome great products

Biosolids Composting Started in the early 1990s

Some great processesSome great products

Shared community

Adequately prosperous

economy

Quality built environment

Health

EfficientEquitable

Livable

Culture

Natural environment

Dr. Trevor Hancock

BC Healthy Communities Conference June 2008

Healthy Communities ModelWe have to consider organic waste management in the context of a healthy and sustainable community

Shared community

Adequately prosperous

economy

Quality built environment

Health

EfficientEquitable

Livable

Culture

Natural environment

Dr. Trevor Hancock

BC Healthy Communities Conference June 2008

Public Excited About Organic Waste DiversionHow does it fit with our Healthy Communities Model?

• There is an inherent trust that “we” will be promoting beneficial programs that have a net gain for our communities.

– Why would we encourage an organic waste diversion program if it encourages the rodent population – environment and social concerns?

– Why would we encourage local composting or organics waste processing if it will result in odor issues- environment and social concerns?

– Why would we encourage organics waste processing that is cost prohibitive and requires high levels of ongoing taxpayer involvement – economic concerns?

– How does our program fit with the local sustainable food production initiatives – environmental, social and economic?

General Public Involvement in Food Scraps Recycling

A. Backyard Composting Programs since about 1989

B. City Farmer/City of Vancouver Worm Composting Program since 1991

C. Food scraps separation pilot programs

1. Fraser Valley Regional District April 2006

2. Capital Regional District Oct 2006-Dec 2008

3. Metro Vancouver Oct 2009-March 2010

D. Schools – eg UNBC student led voluntary composting

since 1994

Backyard Composting Programs

Vancouver's first backyard compost bin distribution program began in 1990• most communities in BC offer

subsidized backyard composters• recent increase in backyard

composter promotion to increase diversion rates

• prime concern is increased rodent activity

• backyard composters don’t achieve temperatures required for pathogen kill

Great program for homeowners who want to recycle their organic waste and produce compost for their garden – but it takes effort to do it well

City Farmer/City of Vancouver Worm Composting

Worm bin program started in 1991 for apartment residents to recycle their organic waste.

Approximately 4000 worm bin kits (including 1 hour educational sessions) have been distributed.

Fraser Valley Regional District Pilot Food Scraps Separation and Composting April 2006

Fraser Valley Regional District Pilot Food Scraps Separation and Composting April 2006

Ease of implementationOdor during collection, storage or compostingSimplicity of composting processQuality of end product

General Public Excited About Organic Waste Diversion

A composting plant’s odoriferous problem…sees big money in compost. But first, there’s the matter of that stench.

McLeans Magazine, July 29, 2010

If we can’t process organic waste without causing odor problems, the organic waste should go to landfill

Shared community

Adequately prosperous

economy

Quality built environment

Health

EfficientEquitable

Livable

Culture

Natural environment

Dr. Trevor Hancock

BC Healthy Communities Conference June 2008

Healthy Communities

Shared community

Adequately prosperous

economy

Quality built environment

Health

EfficientEquitable

Livable

Culture

Natural environment

Dr. Trevor Hancock

BC Healthy Communities Conference June 2008

How Shall We Then Compost?

Waste

Active Composting

Curing

Compost

Preprocessing

Post Processing

Potential for Negative Water Quality Impacts

Potential for Negative Odor

Impacts

Need for Quality Compost

Shared community

Adequately prosperous

economy

Quality built environment

Health

EfficientEquitable

Livable

Culture

Natural environment

Dr. Trevor Hancock

BC Healthy Communities Conference June 2008

How Shall We Then Compost – Food Scraps?Waste

Active Composting

Curing

Compost

Preprocessing

Post Processing

Compost meets minimum maturity standard – eg Solvita Maturity Index of 7

Food scraps are processed within 4 hours or stored with biofilter control. Blending to 55-60% moisture and 600-700 kg m3

Active composting on impervious floor, and enclosed with odor control – minimum 21 days –meeting pathogen reduction requirements

Compost is cured on an impervious pad, under cover in high rainfall areas – minimum 44 days

Food scraps are received in a building with impervious floors

Plastics and other contaminants removed during screening

Composting Regulations BC Ministry of the Environment

Before 2002 – BC Environment Operational Certificates Required

After 2002 – Implementation of the Organic Matter Recycling Regulation

• Put responsibility of the compost operation on the owners/processors

• Sets minimum requirements for pathogen kill and vector attraction reduction

• Requires composting and curing on an impervious pad

• Requires odor control plan and leachate management plan

• Contains sampling requirements for quality testing• Requires qualified professional involvement

Composting Regulations BC Ministry of the Environment

Many communities and residents are not confident in ability of the Organic Matter Recycling Regulation to ensure a healthy community – many communities are implementing their own composting regulations, or ignoring the regulations altogether.

Organic Matter Recycling Regulation (2002)

• Has not been actively implemented or enforced• Specific odor control or leachate control

requirements are not specific • Qualified professional are paid by the owners –

hence not always in the best interest of the community

Click to edit Master subtitle style

Abbotsford Yardwaste Composting 2006

Organic Matter Recycling Regulations Ignored or …..?

Click to edit Master subtitle style

Feb 5, 2002 B.C. Reg. 334/93 - Production and Use of Compost Regulation repealed, replaced with Organic Matter Recycling Regulation 18/2002

Organic Matter Recycling Regulations Ignored

The UBC composting facility is a clean, well-managed and efficient facility that complies with the Waste Management Act B.C. Reg 334/93 and the Agricultural Waste Control Regulation, Waste Management Act, Health Act B.C. Reg 131/92

UBC Website Feb 8, 2011

Summary – Report CardResidents of BC B +

+ desire to divert organics, - understanding of the importance of recycling nutrients

Ministry of the Environment C+ concept of accountability and water and air quality- specific requirements and ability to enforce

Municipalities/regional districts D+ some are doing a fantastic job with composting and understanding the organic cycle for healthy communities- some are ignoring OMRR, ALC regulations, and have created an unequal playing field

Composters C+ some are doing a great job- some need to be aware of legal obligations and the benefit of recycling organics for a healthy community

January 2011

Summary – Report Card

Residents of BC B + Aunderstand the importance of recyclingnutrients and organic matter for healthy communities

Ministry of the Environment C Aput OMRR operations plans onlinehave other qualified professionals provide reviews

Local communities/regional districts D Afollow legal obligations

Composters C Afollow regulationslisten to community concerns and understandneed to recycle organic matter for healthy soils

Emerging Organic Waste Ideas

Waste to Energy (Anaerobic Digestion)

Dry or Wet – methane productioncleaned up for vehicle use, orelectrical power

Smaller scale community composters

contained systems that ensure heat for pathogenkill

European perspective is, “Why compost when you can recover energy?” Metro Vancouver

“Organic recycling

should not be a prime

choice due to the fact

that it releases half of

its carbon as pollution;

currently composting

makes little sense

because of extensive

C02 release. Waste-to-

energy creates less

C02 than composting.”Metro Vancouver

“We don’t want

composting in Surrey

because we are going to

have waste to energy

(anaerobic digestion)

City of Surrey Councillor 2010

Where was that 80,000 tonnes of waste going after the 2 week digestion?

What are the economics of anaerobic digestion?Wet anaerobic digestion Dry anaerobic digestion

Net Cost per tonne of organic waste (after value of CH4 considered)

$ 200 ??? Likely around $ 150

Smaller scale Community Composters

Enclosed composting reactors

Provide heat and agitation to speed the composting process

Currently imported from Asia

Still need to ask some mass balance and economic questions regarding some of these units

Shared community

Adequately prosperous

economy

Quality built environment

Health

EfficientEquitable

Livable

Culture

Natural environment

Dr. Trevor Hancock

BC Healthy Communities Conference June 2008

Healthy Communities

Lets ensure that our decisions on organic waste management in BC are truly good for the economic, environmental and social well being of our communities