Williams Lake residents will have a new way to dispose of their food waste by the middle of next year.
The Cariboo Regional District Board gave approval to purchase an Earth Flow food waste composting system for the Frizzi Road transfer station.
CRD Solid Waste Manager Tara Grady said this is a way to start organics diversion from our landfill and this piece of equipment meets all of the Federal and Provincial regulations around regional composting.
Grady added that this food waste composting system is an automated system with an auger that can be run overnight or during the day with the oversight of an operator.
“It contains all of the leachate generated from composting, it has a bio-filter for odours, it allows the temperature to be and maintains moisture within the material.”
When operational Grady said residents will have access to organics drop offs at the Regional District transfer stations around the Williams Lake area.
“So people who are using those can bring in their food waste in a separate container and drop that off and it will be transported to the Frizzi Road site. People can do the same at the Frizzi Road, they can bring their food waste down and drop in a tote that will empty into the unit.” Grady said, “Alternately people could subscribe to a private curbside composting collection program so somebody could come to their door and pickup their organics on a weekly basis and then they don’t have to make that trip themselves.”
Grady noted that when the finished project is ready from the food waste composter it can be available for residents to collect from the Frizzi Road site if they’re interested .
“Ultimately when we close the historic landfill at that property we’ll need a significant amount organic amendment in the cover of the site so whatever material isn’t utilized by the public we’ll be able to hold onto for that application.”
Grady added it’s 6 months lead time before the unit can be delivered so it will be the middle of next year if everything goes according to plan.
“This unit will not be able to process all of the organics generated in the area. This is a way for us to get started. Long term location for composting is yet to be determined but we first have to see if we can actually divert the material from the waste stream if people are willing to participate.”
Grady added at this time it’s the only one we have planned, eventually we would have to upscale what we’re using in this area and at that time this unit could be moved to one of our other locations.
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