Canadian compost facility undergoes expansion

The Calgary Composting Facility in the Shepard Waste Management Facility in southeast Calgary, Alberta, has broken ground on a new facility with green technology.

While the Calgary Composting Facility is already one of the largest in Canada, the expansion will allow for increased processing and new technology.

As reported by Global News, the original space has been processing at its 100,000-tons-a-year capacity since opening in 2017. It will deal with 160,000 tons a year of table scraps and yard waste when operational by the end of 2025.

The city says it will cost $38 million more than the $50 million budget because of post-pandemic inflation and labor costs.

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“This will not only extend the life of the city’s landfill but will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 64,000 tons per year,” Taneen Rudyk, past president of the Canadian Federation of Municipalities, tells Global News.

Craig More, with the city’s waste and recycling department, says the expansion aims to prevent bad smells from the facility because of new anaerobic consumption technology.

“The expansion certainly will not make any further odors or make any odors worse from this facility,” he says. “The new process is going to be totally enclosed so all that air is going to be captured and treated and it will be turned into renewable natural gas.”

Ward 12 Coun. Evan Spencer tells Global News that the investment will pay off for Calgarians.

“It’s obviously a big hit but when you make these kinds of investments, you have to think long-term about the benefit to Calgarians and what they will get back in the other direction. This facility is adding an awful lot to the quality of life for Calgarians.”