SLRD Amends Solid waste Management Plan:
Sea to Sky Soils composting facility officially recognized
Pemberton, BC – The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) has amended its 2007 Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) to include the Sea to Sky Soils and Composting facility. This amendment aligns with the SWMP goal of minimizing landfilled waste in the region through diversion initiatives. Located 9 km south of Pemberton, Sea to Sky Soils operates a composting facility that uses source-separated organics as a feedstock to create an organic soil amendment.
Prior to amending the SWMP, the SLRD confirmed that the facility met all applicable Ministry of Environment (MOE) conditions as well as additional conditions required by the SLRD regarding annual reporting and facility upgrade notifications. Composting facilities are regulated under the Organic Matter Recycling Regulation to ensure adequate odour control and site management plans.
“We are excited to add another waste diversion facility to our regional plan,” notes Janis Netzel, SLRD Director of Utilities and Environmental Services. “Not only will this facility offer area residents another way to dispose of food scraps and other organic materials, but it will help to close the loop on local food production by producing a soil amendment suitable for organic gardening and farming operations.”
In British Columbia, the MOE requires all regional districts to have a regional solid waste management plan to guide overall waste management and waste reduction activities. The SWMP authorizes existing and planned waste management facilities in the region and directs regional waste reduction programs. The SLRD is currently in the process of updating its SWMP; the update is targeted for completion in 2015.
To learn more about Sea to Sky Soils, please go to www.seatoskysoils.com. For more information about the SLRD’s Solid Waste Management Plan, visit www.slrd.bc.ca.
For more information, please contact:
Janis Netzel
Director, Utilities & Environmental Services
Squamish-Lillooet Regional District
Telephone: (604) 894-6371 ext. 240
Email: jnetzel@slrd.bc.ca