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Sewage sludge a non-starter for Metro

Metro Vancouver says it has no plan to permit the Green For Life composting facility in East Ladner to start taking raw sewage sludge.
sewage
Metro Vancouver says it has no plan to permit the Green For Life composting facility in East Ladner to start taking raw sewage sludge.

Metro Vancouver says it has no plan to permit the Green For Life composting facility in East Ladner to start taking raw sewage sludge.

Delta council recently raised alarm that the provincial government could be adding undigested sewage sludge as organic materials suitable for composting.

The source of bitter ire of local residents who have had to put up with odour from its 72nd Street facility, Green For Life is currently permitted to receive up to 150,000 tonnes of feedstock material annually, but under an agreement with Delta, sewage material is currently not allowed.

Regional district spokesperson Don Bradley in a statement to the Optimist said Metro Vancouver has no plan to expand the list of materials to allow the facility to process sewage.

“Irrespective of any potential amendments to the provincial regulations with respect to undigested or raw sewage sludge, Metro Vancouver has no plans and does not support shipping raw sewage sludge to Enviro-Smart or any other organics composting facility. Metro Vancouver’s operating licence issued to Enviro-Smart does not allow for the operation to receive raw sewage sludge,” stated Bradley.

Delta Mayor George Harvie has written a letter to Environment Minister George Heyman outlining Delta's concern about the prospect of raw undigested sewage sludge being viewed as acceptable organic matter for composting.

“I emphatically request that this amendment not be included in the proposed changes to the legislation. Delta has raised concerns in the past regarding the potential for these types of materials being composted at a facility located within our agricultural lands and fortunately through other mechanisms, the compositing of bio solids and sewage sludge was prohibited by a Metro Vancouver licence… We are also conscious of the fact that the paramountcy of provincial laws could affect regional and local government regulation of this matter, if challenged,” stated Harvie.

Delta council recently voted in favour of expediting a building permit for the enclosure of the Green For Life facility.

According to Delta staff, the city is “obligated” to issue a permit for a building that meets building code and Delta’s bylaws.

Metro Vancouver issued the company an air quality permit in August that stipulates the composting operation must be fully enclosed by March 1, 2020. A report to council notes the Ministry of Environment appears to be acknowledging that open composting facilities which process food waste pose an environmental problem and that full enclosure is the best solution.

 

 

Pic cutline: The eventual enclosure of the contentious Green For Life composting facility will not mean raw sewage sludge will be sent there for processing, according to the regional district.