Prince Edward County is looking to reduce operation costs in its waste management system’s organics program.
On Thursday, Prince Edward County’s Committee of the Whole heard from staff about proposing various changes to the next waste and organics tender to allow providers who offer some services, to bid independently on parts of the contract.
Currently, the county’s curbside green bin pick-up and disposal is under a single contract, with e360 Solutions Inc., and their compost facility in Moose Creek. The contract concludes in June of 2023.
Staff investigations found alternative disposal options, locally, to be around 50% of the current contract cost of approximately $319,000.
County staff recommended council retain a consultant to prepare a feasibility and cost analysis on the construction of an open-air windrow composting (WRC) facility in the county to manage future increases in organic waste production, as well as a possible revenue source to offset operational costs, which are estimated to be between $80,000 and $100,000 annually.
The feasibility and cost study is to be included in the 2023 capital budget for council consideration. The analysis is expected to cost between $50,000 and $100,000.
Prince Edward County Environmental Services and Sustainability Supervisor, Albert Paschkowiak, spoke on the importance of a composting facility in the county.
“With respect to composting versus landfilling organics, methane (GHG) is produced in an anaerobic condition, as opposed to an aerobic condition, which is what we would be composting are material at, in aerobic conditions.”
There are a number of facility types that would meet the demands of the County, ranging in approximate cost from $1.5 million for an open-air windrow compost (WRC) type system, to over $5 million, for anaerobic digesters or Gore systems that cover compost.
Prince Edward County operates three active Waste Disposal Sites (WDS), and four Waste Transfer Stations (WTS). Staff are in the process of consulting with the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks to determine the documentation required to initiate a pilot project allowing composting of leaves and yard waste at these existing waste sites.
Following a public “Have Your Say” consultation with 156 residents, staff recommended a giveaway of 200 composters as a supplementary measure to reduce organic waste leaving the county, and operational costs.
After receiving several requests during public consultation, county staff proposed a Medical Exemption policy to support a one-year pilot project which would allow 10 residents to place an additional bag of non-hazardous waste, produced due to medical reasons, at the curb each week.
An application would be required to access the program and residents would be selected on a lottery basis, if passed.
Prince Edward County’s Blue box program is scheduled to transition to producer responsibility in 2025 due to provincial regulations. Considerations to reallocate funds from that program, $660,928 annually, to costs associated with organics management were discussed.
The report and recommendations comes before council’s June 21 meeting for decision.
