city-services

City Services

Summerland Landfill Compost

One Day Sale of soil amendment on Saturday May 11th, 2024 from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. 

Click here for information on Food Scraps Collection starting April 2nd, 2024. 

Summerland Compost Facility and Landfill Master Plan

The District of Summerland has completed a number of updates to the Summerland Landfill including: 

 - The construction of a new compost site capable of separately composting Summerland’s residential food waste and wastewater treatment sludge

 - An updated Design, Operations and Closure Plan for the Summerland Landfill.

Summerland Landfill Compost Site

A new updated compost site has been constructed at the Summerland Landfill. The facility has two sides allowing for the composting of residential food waste and yard waste separately from wastewater treatment sludge and wood waste. The Summerland Landfill has been operating a turned windrow compost site that mixed materials and could not accept residential food waste without creating strong odours. The new compost site will bring us into compliance with Provincial regulations.

 - The new compost site will allow for food waste to be collected from residential homes. This has the potential to divert hundreds of tonnes of compostable materials from the garbage each year while creating valuable compost.

 - Two types of compost will be created. One will be made of food waste and yard waste. The other will be made of wastewater treatment sludge and wood waste. Both will be Class A compost meeting all Provincial requirements.

 - The new facility uses fans and a biocover to significantly reduce odours and speed up the compost process. This will allow for residential food waste to be composted.

 - New infrastructure will allow for water storage and pumping that will make watering the compost much easier.

 - All receiving areas and compost surfaces are lined with asphalt and connect to a new leachate containment pond that dries any liquids created.

 - Compost curing will take place in lined areas of the landfill where all liquids can be collected.

Any person who may be adversely affected by the proposed facility and wishes to provide relevant information may send written comments to the District of Summerland and the Regional Environmental Protection Director at 102 Industrial Place, Penticton B.C., V2A 7C8. Please note Pre-Authorization 111806 and Tracking Number 427075 in the submission. The identity of any respondents and the submission will become part of the public record.  Please see Environmental Protection Notice linked here.

Common Questions and Answer on the Compost Site

Are there any other communities that can bring materials to this compost site?

No. Only materials from the District of Summerland that are already coming to the Landfill will be received. No other communities are bringing materials to the Summerland Landfill Compost Site.

compost-site

What if there is a smell at my property?

The District of Summerland already tracks all odour concerns raised by the public. The District will be required to mitigate any issues, such as odour, caused by the compost site. Odour complaints can be sent to the District Public Works and Infrastructure Office at works&infrastructure@summerland.ca or call 250-494-0431.

When will curbside collection of residential food waste start?

Curbside collection of residential food waste will start in the spring of 2024. More information on this service will be sent out in early 2024.

Summerland Landfill

The Summerland Landfill has fully updated its Design, Operations and Closure Plan (DOCP).  The DOCP provides the necessary direction for the District to properly manage all environmental, safety and financial concerns. Key components include:

  • Expanded environmental monitoring including two new monitoring wells and one background well designed to bring water to site. The water will be used for composting, dust control and fire fighting.
  • Progressive closure of the landfill to reduce liquids building up in unlined areas.
  • New stormwater management infrastructure to protect the landfill from storms.
  • All new garbage areas will be fully lined to collect all liquids for evaporation in a new leachate collection pond.
  • Updated landfill gas assessments.
  • The active life of the landfill has been extended to the year 2129.

For More Information

Please contact Summerland Works and Infrastructure for further information.

 

Summerland Compost Facility

The District of Summerland is nearing completion of a new compost facility at the Summerland Landfill. The facility will be able to compost Summerland’s wastewater sludge, residential food waste, yard waste and agricultural organics. The new site will meet all Provincial regulations, manage odour and make Class ‘A’ compost.

A grant for the construction of the Summerland Compost Facility, covering up to 2/3 of the cost, was provided by the Organics Infrastructure Program (OIP). The OIP was funded jointly by the Province of BC and the government of Canada.

Benefits include:

  • Reductions of greenhouse gases from the landfill by diverting residential food waste and reducing methane emissions from the landfill.
  • Separate compost areas for wastewater sludge and residential food waste allowing for the sale of different types of Class ‘A’ compost.
  • Aeration to allow for piles to compost quickly with minimal odour.
  • New receiving, curing, screening and stockpiling areas.
  • Impermeable surfaces to allow all leachate to be collected.
  • A new lagoon that will allow for the safe management of all liquids from composting, landfilling and septage treatment.                          

Upon completion of the Summerland Compost Facility, the District will proceed with removal of residential and agricultural food scraps from its waste stream (please see below for more information), through changes to the curbside collection program. Community education and information will be provided prior to the start of the program. 

Please submit questions to organics@summerland.ca.

What Areas will be serviced by the Summerland Organics Processing Facility 

The Summerland Organics Processing Facility is for local use only, available to the current Summerland Sanitary Landfill service area: Summerland and Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Electoral Area ‘F’ (Faulder/West Bench/Meadow Valley). The new facility will provide these service area users with a way to divert organic material they generate out of their garbage and out of the landfill.


                                 

Organics Infrastructure Program Fund 

The District of Summerland has received grant funding for improvements to the Summerland Sanitary Landfill composting operations, from the governments of Canada and British Columbia through the Organics Infrastructure Program.  

Press Release-Ministry of Environment and Climate Change

Organics Infrastructure Fund Media Release-Summerland

More information on the Organics Infrastructure Program is available at: 

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/waste-management/food-and-organic-waste/organic-waste-diversion/organics-infrastructure-program

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/waste-management/food-and-organic-waste/organic-waste-diversion

Will the Summerland Organics Processing Facility Increase Traffic?

The Summerland Compost Facility will not be accepting materials from outside of the existing landfill service area. The amount of materials collected and accepted from within the service area will not increase as a result of the project. The only change will how the curbside collection program collects food waste (see below). As such, there is no anticipated increase in vehicle traffic expected.

Summerland Residential Food Scraps Removal from Garbage

*The changes to the curbside program are still to be determined*

It is estimated that as much as 40% of household waste is organic food waste that can be composted. By removing food waste from the garbage, residents will help the District significantly reduce the volume of garbage buried at the Summerland Sanitary Landfill.

At this time staff are investigating the different options for collection of residential food scraps to determine which programs would be most suitable for our community.

One method, which is typical in communities similar to Summerland, is combining residential food scraps with yard & garden waste on a weekly basis and alternating the collection of garbage and recycling every 2 weeks. It has been shown that the amount of garbage residents produce on a bi-weekly basis will be greatly reduced when both residential food scraps and recycling are removed. Hundreds of communities across North America have adjusted to the changes and are satisfied with bi-weekly garbage collection.

Frequently Asked Questions
The District is currently creating the 'Responses to frequently asked questions' document and will be posting it shortly.

To submit questions please email organics@summerland.ca.

Landfill Master Plan

The District of Summerland will be completing an updated Master Plan for the Summerland Landfill in 2023. The Master Plan will include:

  • Updated Design, Operations and Closure Plan for the landfill and recycling areas
  • Hydrogeological reporting to ensure the landfill does not negatively impact groundwater
  • Planning for the septage receiving facility
  • Integration of the new Compost Facility and leachate management lagoon
  • Synergies with onsite aggregate production for future landfilling

This information will allow the District to meet all regulatory requirements and implement best practices.

The District will also be participating in the 2023 Regional Solid Waste Management Plan update conducted by the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen. This will look at opportunities for the District of Summerland to consider to improve solid waste services for Summerland residents and businesses.

Council Reports and Presentations 

Organics Infrastructure Program, July 23, 2018

Organics Infrastructure Fund Application Information, February 25, 2019

- Delegation - GHD Ltd., March 18, 2019

- PowerPoint Presentation from GHD Ltd., March 18, 2019

- Organics Definitions

RFD - Grant Application to B.C. Organics Infrastructure Program for a Organics Processing Facility, March 25, 2019

RFD - Organic Infrastructure Program - Commitment of DoS Funds, May 27, 2019

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    Box 159 Summerland,
    British Columbia, Canada V0H 1Z0