Sludge Watch ==> Surray BC - Residents take dim view of compost company expansion

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

When you have a small compost plant stinking up a neighbourhood, it is hard 
to ask the community to agree a bigger compost plant run by the same people. 
  Here you have a bad neighbour who wants permission to be a bigger bad 
neighbour.

Shouldn't they clean up their act with the small operation first?  And 
sewage sludge and other highly contaminated inputs should not be put into 
compost, since the heavy metals concentrate and the sludge contaminates the 
final product with chemicals and high metals.

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Wednesday, 4/30/2008

Neighbours to block compost plant
By Jeff Nagel - Surrey North Delta Leader

Delta is standing firm against a proposed new composting plant in east 
Ladner that residents fear will stink up their already odour-plagued 
neighbourhood.

Dozens of residents appeared before Delta council Monday to oppose the plan 
by Westcoast Instant Lawns to add a second composting site at its existing 
operation at 4295 72 St.

Subsidiary Enviro-Smart Organics Ltd. would compost 100,000 tonnes of 
organic material per year –

Neighbours have complained since 2003 about the stench coming from the 
existing plant and Delta has pressed for restrictions to limit its 
operation.

The company upgraded the site by building a covered structure to house the 
composting operation after fresh complaints last year.

“Last summer people were gagging, they weren’t able to eat and had to stay 
indoors,” Coun. Jeannie Kanakos said.

Council voted to oppose the plan, but that doesn’t amount to a full veto –

The proposal would need a compost facility licence from Metro Vancouver.

If granted, it would give the operators the ability to compost a wide range 
of material, including food waste, manure, sewage sludge, brewery waste, 
fish waste, poultry carcasses and milk processing waste.

“What’s that going to smell like?” asked Kanakos. “That’s really bad stuff.”

Staff also warned higher volume and different source material may “increase 
the potential for obnoxious odours.”

Westcoast Instant Lawns president Daryl Goodwin said in a letter to council 
he has no intention to compost special wastes like animal carcasses and 
septic tank sludge.

Delta is also calling on the environment ministry, Agricultural Land 
Commission and Metro Vancouver air quality division to audit the existing 
composting plant to ensure it complies with regulations.

The 100,000 tonne capacity sought by Enviro-Smart far surpasses the 6,000 
tonnes of yard waste collected from all Delta residents each year and is 
equivalent to five times the garbage picked up in all of Delta.

A compost facility of more than 20,000 tonnes needs a provincial 
environmental impact study, Delta staff noted, but the proponents have not 
yet indicated whether one will be conducted.

jnagel at surreyleader.com