Region’s composting plant faces backlash over foul air
Richmond worried about Harvest Power’s ability to control odour emissions that affect residents living far from the facility
Richmond city officials want more stringent air-quality regulations to control the stink from the region’s composting plant, suggesting the methods of odour management being used are “out of date” with best practices.
Harvest Power, which has held a composting facility licence since 1997 and collects most of Metro’s kitchen scraps, has been the focus of more than 270 odour complaints in the past 2½ years, according to Metro Vancouver.
A Richmond staff report suggests that while Harvest Power is “of critical importance to meeting the city’s zero waste goals,” the city is worried about its ability to manage odours.
The company is now facing more backlash as it seeks an airquality permit from Metro Vancouver to increase its “authorized emissions” after significantly exceeding projected air-quality and odour emissions — in some cases 11 times higher for certain compounds.
Metro Vancouver, which is responsible for air quality in the region, has not taken any action against the company, saying Harvest Power was given a two-year temporary permit and needed time to determine its level of odour and air emissions.
Ray Robb, Metro’s director of regulation and enforcement, noted the company has spent money on emissions testing — as well as on an aerobic digester, which was expected to help reduce odours — since it was granted the permit in 2013.
Officials maintain the odours themselves aren’t necessarily considered a health risk, although B. C.’ s chief medical health officer Perry Kendall said depending on what’s in the compost, the smells could cause physical distress, as well as headaches or nausea, and detract from the quality of life for those suffering from it.
Norma Werk, who grew up in Richmond and now lives in Steveston, said the stink is so bad it wakes her up at night and she has to close every door and window. Others maintain it is like living next to a garbage dump.
Metro has sent the dispersion modelling reports from the plant to Vancouver Coastal Health to determine potential health effects for the public, while it canvasses the public on how they are being affected. Residents have until Dec. 27 to comment, in writing, to Metro, either by mail or email to harvestfraserrichmondcomments@metrovancouver.org.
Robb said Metro will investigate all the issues before approving a new air-quality permit to ensure emissions and odour are kept in check.
The Richmond staff report maintains the current requirements for emissions, however, are “insufficient,” and argues Harvest Power has not carefully considered all technology options, nor included new odour-management measures in the permit application. The company receives about 200,000 tonnes in regional kitchen scraps each year. Richmond also has its own agreement with Harvest Power, which runs through to June 30, 2019.
The report suggests Harvest Power should consider measures such as lower pile heights, managing scraps at other facilities during peak periods, and limiting the total plant volume. It also suggests more effective odour collection, such as considering a completely enclosed facility to minimize emissions.
Scott Kerr, Harvest Power’s regional regulatory compliance officer, said the company follows all the best practices to contain odours, such as ensuring the conditions are suitable for the right balance of oxygen and biofilter treatment before it’s released into the air. He dismisses Metro’s claim of increasing odours over the years, saying the numbers of complaints have dropped, and suggests one of the issues is how to prove the odours are coming from the composting plant, and not competing facilities or the Iona treatment plant.