Susan Antler
Executive Director
The Composting Council of Canada

The Canadian composting industry continues to grow stronger. More communities and enterprises are realizing that organic materials should be treated as resources rather than waste, providing the raw materials for the composting process. Residential backyard composting programs continue to prove their value for effective and efficient management of organic residuals. Large-scale composting “factories” continue to strengthen their presence across the country, capturing organic feedstocks and transforming them into valuable products for a variety of markets and applications.
On a biannual basis, The Composting Council of Canada conducts a survey of centralized composting operations in Canada. The objective of the survey is to determine current operating practices of the composting facilities, identify trends and issues which The Council can champion on behalf of the industry.

Done through a combination of written questionnaires and phone interviews, the starting point of the 1998 survey was the identification of the number of centralized composting facilities as provided by each provincial and territorial ministry of environment. Total facilities identified increased to 344 facilities, up +92 facilities versus the 1996 survey. The increase traced primarily to Alberta (up +68 facilities), reflective of industry growth and improvements in tracking measures.

The Council received input from 244 of the 344 facilities identified, a response rate of 71%. Of the 244 facilities surveyed, 42 surveys were conducted with facilities in Atlantic Canada (17 per cent of total), 94 surveys in Québec/Ontario (39 per cent of total) and 108 surveys in Western Canada (44 per cent of total).

The facilities reported that they processed 1,650,000 tonnes of organic materials in 1998, an increase of over 197,000 tonnes versus 1996. Regionally, 235,500 tonnes were composted in Atlantic Canada, 565,000 tonnes in Quebec, 519,300 tonnes in Ontario and 328,900 tonnes in Western Canada. Within their operating jurisdictions, facilities reported that additional organic recovery programs were being supported including residential backyard composting and grasscycling programs as well as land application efforts.

Facilities reported that they were processing at 51 per cent of their total capacity. Significant increases in total tonnage processed should be realized in the next 12 to 24 months reflective of continued overall industry expansion to serve municipal and agricultural waste management needs. Additionally, the industry will realize the impact of a number of important milestone initiatives such as the extensive province-wide organic recovery programs of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island and the Year 2000 openings of the City of Edmonton composting facility (estimated to process 206,500 tonnes of municipal solid waste and biosolids annually).

Survey respondents included 93 private (38 per cent) and 151 public facilities (62 per cent). On a tonnage basis, 1,280,000 tonnes (78 per cent) were composted at private operations.

Similar to previous surveys, windrow composting continues to be the most common operating method (138 facilities), with 8 of the facilities indicating that they had indoor windrow operations. Aerated static piles are being used by 61 facilities. In-vessel composting is the method of choice for 23 operations surveyed, representing the combined total of 9 public and 14 private facilities.

One third of the facilities (82 facilities) are located at the municipal landfill. Other identified locations included exclusive or stand-alone sites (67 operations), on-farm operations (17 facilities) and at material recovery facilities (14 sites).

Leaf and yard trimmings followed by wood continue to be the most common materials composted (182 and 85 facilities respectively). Facility composting of food residues from both the IC&I and residential sector is being managed at 54 facilities (22% of total). Proportionally, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island have the greatest number of food processing operations (7 facilities representing 54% of total operations in both provinces), influenced by their provincial commitments to maximize recovery of all organic materials.

Other frequently composted organics include: animal manure (39 facilities), paper materials (including sludge, corrugate, boxboard and soiled papers at a total of 34 facilities) and biosolids (33 facilities with the majority being in Quebec (10) and New Brunswick (7)). For the first time, the composting of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil was identified by 2 facilities in Alberta, potentially indicative of the advent of the oil industry’s involvement in composting as a materials management process.

Collection methods range from drop-off by private haulers and residents (135 facilities) to curbside residential programs (77 facilities, with the vast majority being either source-separated or wet-dry programs).

Plastic bags remain the most common collection container, with 95 facilities reporting their usage. Wheeled carts are utilized in 35 programs, with 13 of them being in Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick - 5; Nova Scotia - 6; Prince Edward Island - 1). Paper bags are developing a foothold in Ontario, where 12 out of the total 20 facilities reporting their usage are located.

Based on facility reports, 1998 finished compost production is estimated to be 845,400 tonnes. Regionally, the production totals included 134,100 tonnes in Atlantic Canada, 257,000 tonnes in Quebec, 278,200 tonnes in Ontario and 176,100 in Western Canada.

Facilities reported that their finished compost was for their own usage (116 operations), sold (90 facilities) and/or given away (76 facilities). Product marketing is done primarily by in-house staff although nine facilities indicated that they were using an outside broker for their product sales.

Of the product sold, the vast majority of operations indicated that the compost was sold in bulk (88 facilities) at a variety of price points with the average reported price range being $20 to $30 per tonne. Twenty-eight facilities reported bagging operations, with 17 of them being in Quebec (9), New Brunswick (4) and Nova Scotia (4).

It appears that the facilities have started to “begin with the end in mind”, that is, they are producing compost products for specific applications. Twenty-nine facilities reported that they were involved in custom blends while 67 facilities indicated that they would consider producing blended products based on specific market demand.

Compost usage is wide and varied. Private and public landscaping programs are common markets for 90 and 104 facilities respectively. Residents have access to compost from 121 facilities. Other usages include nurseries and greenhouses (48 facilities), topsoil blenders (43 facilities), landfill cover (48 facilities), garden centres (45 facilities) and agricultural customers (45 facilities). Twenty-nine facilities reported providing compost for land reclamation projects with golf courses being customers for twenty-eight facilities.

Transportation costs and undeveloped markets are the two most frequently sited barriers to marketing compost products. Similar to selling any type of product, communication efforts, marketing strategy and implementation as well as delivering consistent product quality are viewed as essential elements to generate strong product sales.

Overall, in reviewing the results of the 1998 survey, it can be said that the Canadian composting industry continues to move forward, providing a viable alternative to landfills for organic materials as well as producing products of value and interest to a variety of markets.

The industry’s momentum and credibility continues to be enhanced through the performance of existing players and the realization of others that organic material diversion programs must be implemented to achieve any kind of substantial waste diversion targets.

Composting is no longer a small town phenomenon. Cities like Guelph, Ontario and Halifax, Nova Scotia are proving that composting can happen anywhere the political will and municipal effort is available. It is imperative that “Big Cities Canada” come to the party, making a concerted effort to maximize the recovery of organics through composting.

At the same time, it is critical that the composting industry embrace the potential that the agricultural community offers us -- both to provide a solution to the ever-pressing issue of manure management from livestock operations as well as a home for the utilization of finished compost.

The name of the game for our industry? Continue to build confidence and credibility through efficient, well-managed operations and the manufacturing of product of the quality and consistency required for specific market interests. The Composting Council of Canada will continue to work with our industry to ensure that our present and future continues to be bright.

The Composting Council of Canada serves as a champion for the advancement of composting in Canada. Membership in The Council represent a broad spectrum of composting interests from both public and private sector, academia and interested individuals. Networking, advocacy, training, education and awareness programs are some of the many services provided to members of the Canadian composting industry.

Centralized Composting Facilities in Canada in 1998*

Province/Territory	Number of Centralized Composting Facilities
Newfoundland & Labrador	3
Prince Edward Island	1
Nova Scotia	15
New Brunswick	33
Quebec	49
Ontario	71
Manitoba	22
Saskatchewan	19
Alberta	84
British Columbia	46
Yukon	1
TOTAL	344

* As provided by provincial/territorial ministries of environment