Sludge Watch ==> Renfrew County Ontario - looking at N-Viro

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

Sludge that is sold as fertilizer in Canada has a very different regulatory 
requirement than 'Class A' sludge biosolids sold in the USA.  In Canada the 
material has to comply with Canadian regulations regarding quality, 
pathogens, labelling, guarenteed analysis, etc.

But if it is given away, it is not regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection 
Agency (CFIA).

...................................
http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1030580

County considers sewage processing
Posted By DANIELLE VANDENBRINK
May 17, 2008


The Renfrew County development and property committee met recently to 
discuss another option for the processing and use of sewage sludge in the 
county.

A delegation from N-Viro Systems Canada Inc. presented a business proposal 
to the committee. N-Viro is a corporation that takes sewage sludge processed 
by municipalities in treatment facilities and uses it to create a fertilizer 
that resembles top soil.

The company puts septage, digested and undigested sludge through a 
pasteurization process that kills harmful bacteria and adds an alkaline 
mixture for fertilization.

The product would then be sold to local distributors who would apply it to 
desired locations.

Once the product has been distributed, a percentage of the profit would be 
given back to municipalities.

The final product can be used to spread on parks, for reclamation of land, 
on agriculture and horticulture, for co-composting with other yard wastes 
and land cover.

Company spokesmen said conversion practices fully comply with regulations 
set forth by the governments. They also said that possible risks of 
heavy-metal use in the final product, which could be used on food through 
agriculture, are well below regulatory standards, making it safe to use.

N-Viro already has five other plants in operation, including a Sarnia 
location, Halifax, Leamington, Niagara Region and Summerside in P.E.I.

If the committee decides to go ahead with this proposal as an option, they 
would tour another plant before deciding to bring the company into the 
county.

The cost of the project depends on many variables, for example, how much 
processing of sludge and sewage the plant would need to do, and whether or 
not the company or county would oversee operations.

dvandenbrink at thedailyobserver.ca