Composting plant may be a missed opportunity

The composting facility at the Summerland landfill will need some upgrades after it failed a recent inspection carried out by the B.C. government, council heard this week.

According to Candace Pilings, the district’s solid waste and recycling operations project manager, the compost area of the landfill should either be on a concrete pad or be lined to eliminate the possibility of organic waste leaching into the ground.

“Should we wish to continue to bring compost, there are certain things we have to build to bring into compliance,” she added.

Piling was looking for support from council to apply for a unique municipal grant that, if won, would provide two-thirds of the cost of a project paid for by the provincial and federal government from a $20-million pot.

Council agreed to apply for the grant, which should help keep inspectors off the district’s back for awhile.

“We met with inspectors last week and walked the landfill,” said Piling. “As long as they know we are taking steps they don’t require immediate action. We are in a fairly dry area so there isn’t a lot of risk of leaching but they would like to know steps are being taken to address this.”

Last year, Summerland council rejected a proposed composting plant that would have served the entire Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen. The vote was 6-1. The lone supporter of the composting plant was Mayor Peter Waterman.

At Monday’s meeting, Waterman again supported the RDOS composting plant, saying it was a missed opportunity for Summerland.

“We had the option to deal with waste and kitchen waste in one facility. We lost $12 to $15 million in road improvements and facility upgrades by turning that compost plant down,” said Waterman.

The proposed regional composting facility, estimated to cost in the neighbourhood of $20 million, is meant to reduce the amount of organic matter going into regional landfills, where the material takes up space and generates methane gas as it decomposes.

While the RDOS had proposed a self-contained facility at the Summerland landfill, some residents were concerned about odour, leachate and increased truck traffic to the site.

The RDOS has indicated it may revisit the issue after the next election.