The Capital Regional District is exploring more ways to use the end product of the region’s sewage treatment process as it waits for the province to review its long-term strategy for the biosolids.
One option presented in a staff report would see nutrient-rich biosolid pellets used as fertilizer by a Lower Mainland nursery.
The nursery would initially accept only about 10 per cent of the region’s monthly biosolids — about 30 tonnes — though there is potential to ramp up to about 100 tonnes a month. Currently, the region produces about 10 tonnes of biosolids a day, or 300 tonnes per month.
The report noted the CRD is still operating under its short-term management plan, which sees most of its biosolids used as fuel in a kiln at a cement plant in Richmond.
When biosolids cannot be used there, they are mixed with sand and shipped to a land reclamation project at a quarry near Cassidy on the Island.
The report noted contingency options like the nursery are needed, as the cement plant was shut down for maintenance for two weeks in early October and there are two more shutdown periods expected in November and December.
At the same time, the Cassidy site is not able to receive biosolids during periods of significant wet weather.
Previously, when neither the cement plant nor Cassidy were options, biosolids were buried in trenches at Hartland Landfill. The report noted no landfilling was done in October.
The CRD’s long-term plan is to establish an advanced thermal processing plant at Hartland Landfill that will convert biosolids into biochar or biofuel.
Staff are reviewing three detailed proposals from companies willing to establish such a plant, according to the report.
This year, the board moved forward a three-tiered approach to long-term biosolids management. The first tier, and preferred strategy, is the thermal processing plant, followed by a second tier, to be employed when the processing facility is not available.
That second tier includes out-of-region options for biosolids, such as mine and quarry reclamation projects, forest fertilization and alternative-fuel combustion.
The third tier is to consider options within the CRD’s borders when the first two tiers are unworkable, which could include industrial land reclamation, forest fertilization and use of the biosolids in cover systems at Hartland Landfill.
The province has yet to respond to the three-tiered proposal.
