RDOS looking to build composting and bio-solids facility

Composting...and biosolids.

Two of those dirty words most people don’t want to think about too much — although those topics are front and centre these days with South Okanagan residents.

The RDOS moved a step closer to a regional compost and biosolids facility in January when it unveiled plans to construct an in-vessel composting plant at 1313 Greyback Mountain Road, just east of the Campbell Mountain Landfill. 

But not everyone likes the idea.

“The land mass that British Columbia has right now for ALR land is five percent. When everybody in this era of this global economy is trying to grow locally, and eat locally, I just feel there are better uses for this land,” said nearby resident Jacquie Jackson.

“The other reason that I don’t want it on 1313 Greyback Mountain is that it has a watershed running through it, it is higher up than the existing landfill, so if there is any leachate, I feel it will go through.”

Jackson has more than 160 names on a petition she intends to pass over to the RDOS.

According to RDOS operations manager Andrew Reeder, there would be many benefits to local and South Okanagan residents.

“We would be reducing some of our landfill costs and improving the life of our landfill by reducing those materials going into our landfill. We would be reducing our greenhouse gasses, and making our biosolids treatment much more cost efficient,” explained Reeder.

“The other real benefits are that we’re looking at putting in an odour control system and a building as part of this project that would reduce odours over the existing facility by as much as 70 percent. And we would also be reducing some of the noise that the current facility makes as well.” 

The solution, according to the RDOS, is to provide a facility that’s more cost effective, better for the environment and better for neighbours.

The current outdoor compost facility at Campbell Mountain is not-compliant with regulations and has drawn complaints from neighbours over odour. 

The RDOS will be reaching out to citizens to get feedback, and has posted an information release on its website, Residents are also encouraged to contact the public works department for more details.

“This will greatly reduce the odour they are experiencing by creating an in-vessel composting facility, so residents will experience less odour,” said RDOS chair Karla Kozakevich. “It is also going to be much better for the environment. We are going to reduce leaching that is taking place from the current landfill.”

The RDOS currently  has a request in to the Agricultural Land Commission to remove the lands required for the facility from the ALR.

“There’s going to be all these trucks coming up. There’s going to be the exhaust fans exhausting the gases out into the air. They’re capturing some of them, but I can’t find anywhere that says they’ll capture 100 percent of them. So we’re going to have more odour. And there’s the possibility of leachate,” added Jackson. “It’s just not a favourable area on this road.”

The RDOS says it can save $1.7 million by purchasing new land for the facility, rather than building on the Campbell Mountain Landfill site, due to geotechnical considerations. Moving composting off the site will also free up between $11 million and $16 million worth of landfill space.