Cariboo Regional District CASE STUDY

Tera Grady, Manager of Solid Waste for the Cariboo Regional District with the support of Oliver Berger of Cariboo Compost invested much time and energy into researching a suitable on site composting solution to expand their landfill diversion efforts, inspired by the Solid Waste Management Plan

Their Solid Waste Mgmt Plan is mandated by the provincial government to have 10 year plans to outline how to manage waste and increase recyclables. Diversion of landfill waste was identified as a top priority.

A leachate proof composting system was imperative for their OMRR. (Organic Matter Recycling Regulation), which is a set of regulations in British Columbia, Canada, that govern the management of organic materials like biosolids and compost. It aims to ensure the safe and environmentally sound recycling of these materials while protecting human health and drinking water sources.

Odor control was important but not a primary concern since they were already operating next to the central district’s landfill. A key operational priority for their on site composting solution was to maintain compost feedstock temperatures in thermophilic range for at least 3-5 days, including throughout Alaska’s severe winters. Curing of the finished compost also needed to be done on an impermeable surface, and the curing material must be covered per OMRR guidelines.

Cariboo chose an Earth Flow IM20 in vessel composting system as the hub of their new composting program. With the automation and predictable process control of the Earth Flow, collecting of food waste is the primary challenge initially, since most residents need to self-haul their food waste to the composting location, next to the existing landfill. Cariboo Compost, a private food waste collection and hauling company, is also bringing feedstocks to the Earth Flow. 

The Cariboo Regional District aims to expand food waste collection and diversion over time, in collaboration with the landfill management teams and to serve the wider community of approximately 700 households that are on the outskirts of the municipal district. The operators of the new composting system have a long term goal of reducing their annual landfill tonnage of 11,000 tons per year by up to 30% by diverting food waste from the landfill. A biofilter odor control system was also included with multiple exhaust systems feeding into separate biofilter chambers.