A new way to process food waste into compost that meets Provincial regulations for composting will be available in the very new future.
A 40-foot Earth Flow food composter has arrived at the Frizzi Road Transfer Station in Williams Lake.
Cariboo Regional District Solid Waste Manager Tara Grady said they are confident that everything will be in place for use in September.
“We might be able to start accepting sometime in August. We are waiting on approval from the Ministry of Environment and Parks to proceed. We also have to make sure the system is set up and operating and then we’ll provide drop off locations at the Frizzi Road site, Wildwood, Frost Creek and 150 Transfer Stations. As well, people would be able to subscribe to a private curbside collection pickup if they choose.”
Grady noted the Earth Flow is fairly unique for Regional District’s.
“We’re one of just a few that has this system in BC. There are a lot of smaller communities, First Nations communities, that are using the same technology but a 20-foot container instead of a 40. This will allow us to start food waste diversion from our landfill and to produce compost that meets all the Provincial requirements but doesn’t require a huge investment for a facility that would be oversized for what we need.”
Grady said organics are one of the main generators of leachate in landfills.
“Food waste is 60% moisture by weight and when that breaks down in the landfill that moisture leaches through all of the other waste and is one of things we try to reduce, we want as little as possible. Being able to divert the organics is one of the best ways to reduce that volume. Also when organics breakdown in a landfill it creates methane gas where as if you’re composting food waste it produces carbon dioxide which is a much lesser green house gas.”
Grady added the Earth Flow Food composter will produce a usable product at the end that retains the nutrients that locals can use for their gardens or farms can access.
As the Earth Flow Food composter gets closer to being operational, more information and instructions will be available on the Cariboo Regional District’s website as well as each of the sites that will be providing drop-offs.
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