Composting study sniffing out consultant

PENTICTON – The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen continues to move forward in its quest to divert more organic waste from the region’s landfills.

The district has issued a Request for Proposals for an Organics Consultant as it develops a strategy to better handle and treat organic waste.

Part of strategy development includes such things as finding preferred locations for organic management infrastructure, collection methods, marketing and use of finished products such as compost, and defining costs for all options.

The district’s Request for Proposals notes the regional district’s efforts to divert organic waste from Campbell Mountain and other local landfills dates back to 2009. There is presently no mechanism to deal with treatment of food waste in the district.

Solid Waste Management Coordinator Cameron Baughen says the district has identified kitchen and organic waste to be the largest remaining part of recyclable garbage going into landfills, at between 30 to 50 per cent, by weight. Organics can be converted into a valuable commodity, but when dumped into landfills can convert to methane, a greenhouse gas that can also poison the environment.  A composting facility will reduce the rate at which landfills are filling up at the same time creating a valuable commodity, he says, adding the current study will also look at markets for compost.

The Organics Consultant selected through the request would be joining the regional district as it begins Phase Three of the feasibility study for the treatment facility. The study, currently in Phase Two, is in the process of identifying possible composting sites. Phase Three involves an apples to apples comparison of different siting options identified.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.