Composting Business Campaign
The Kwakiutl First Nation and A'ek̓aḵilax̱a̱n's Gukwalut/Nourish North Network (previously known as the Mount Waddington Food Hub) are working together to develop a financial forecast and business plan for a Regional Composting Business.
Why?
The Province’s Clean BC Strategy calls for 90% of organic waste to be diverted from landfills and turned into renewable resources by 2030, supporting the shift to a circular economy.
1.
The Mount Waddington Regional District operates 7 Mile Landfill and Recycling Centre, where 35% of landfill waste is made up of compostable food and yard waste (Walker et al, 2020). Landfilled organic waste is the leading cause of methane produced at landfill sites, methane being a potent greenhouse gas (80 times more heat trapping abilities than carbon dioxide).
2.
A summary of the 7 Mile Landfill 2024 LFG generation assessment results indicates that the current methane generation rate from the landfill is approximately 424 tonnes/year (Sperlin Hansen Associates, 2024).
3.
The Vision
The project would see the creation of a Kwakiutl-owned composting facility (site as yet undetermined) capable of processing Residential and Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (ICI) organic waste. Along with fish waste from commercial processors, aquaculture and food fishers, and wood waste, the organic waste would be composted into Class A Compost for retail for agriculture, gardens, landscaping and ecological restoration.
Many successful models of composting businesses exist throughout the Province.
Check out Salish Soils and Sea to Sky as great examples:
This year round business will create local jobs, training opportunities, and room to grow other economic initiatives.
The diversion of organic waste from 7 Mile will extend the life of the landfill, reduce leachate and climate change gases, reduce wildlife interactions, and ultimately be transformed into a high quality resource to increase our regional food growing capacity.
References
Sperlin Hansen Associates. 2024. 7 Mile Landfill 2024 Annual Report Regional District of Mount Waddington.
Walker, M., McIver, C. 2020. Mount Waddington Regional District Interim Waste Management Plan : Draft for discussion.