COMOX VALLEY REGIONAL DISTRICT WASTE PILOT OPERATION
This food waste pilot project commenced in May of 2013 with the participation of the Village of Cumberland and the Town of Comox and was the culmination of efforts made by staff to get a program off the ground in the short term. It is expected that the program will be expanded upon in the years ahead as other communities in the area are eager to commence organic recycling given the successful implementation and lack of contamination seen in the role out of this new program. Costing the regional district less than $65/tonne to process a relatively small amount of tonnage is allowing them to save money on solid waste disposal, while consensus is reached in neighboring communities on where best to site a facility. It will be difficult for other processors to compete on a price per tonne basis given the low population of the region and the relatively small amounts of available organics for full scale recycling. Select schools are expected to begin participation in the program in the fall which will aid in community education and expansion of the program.
CITY OF ABBOTSFORD FOOD WASTE PROCESSING FACILITY
Net Zero Waste Inc. was recently successful in its bid to design build, own and operate a food, green and agricultural waste commercial composting facility for the City of Abbotsford. This facility will be responsible for the treatment of organic waste for Abbotsford’s approximately 150,000 residents and provide a vital processing option for other commercial and agricultural wastes produced in the Fraser Valley. Our facility design will utilize an in-vessel design by placing the standard Gore Cover Processing Model inside of a building with secondary biofilter control. Furthermore, through the use of waste heat energy recovery, this site will utilize the high temperatures experienced below our compost piles to provide heat to greenhouses or other indoor agricultural initiatives, further improving the sustainability of the entire operation. Agricultural initiatives already underway by the landowner have always been the primary component of the site operation with hog barns redeveloped to indoor farming and vermicomposting operations. Our compost operation provides a significant opportunity for waste heat recovery, further improving the sustainability of all initiatives while encouraging the construction of greenhouses.
SEA TO SKY SOILS GORE® COVER COMPOSTING FACILITY
Sea to Sky Soils was founded by Net Zero Waste in 2011 at a site just North of Whistler BC. SSS processes the regions food waste sustainably and without a single odour complaint since 2012. The site is located on land owned by the Mount Currie Development Corporation and the operation utilizes band members for many of the staff positions on site. With a capacity of 50,000 wet tonnes annually and a staff of 8 – 10, our facility makes a positive influence on the local community. This facility also grows micro / baby greens to many of the high-end restaurants in the community as well as at all local grocery stores.
