Composting Council of Canada

The Composting Council of Canada is a national non-profit, member-driven organization with a charter to advocate and advance composting and compost usage. It serves as the central resource and network for the composting industry in Canada and, through its members, contributes to the environmental sustainability of the communities in which they operate.

Compost Facilities Interactive National Map: You can now view the interactive map where folks can locate and learn about our members and their many wonderful initiatives.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW AND PARTICIPATE AT:

Calendar anouncements, packages, forms and information about the upcoming national conference.

Calendar Announcement

Call for Papers

Exhibit Package

Sponsorship Package

Registration Form

Agenda

INTERNATIONAL COMPOST AWARENESS WEEK!
May 4th - May 10th, 2008

**Media Alert!**

NATIONAL EVENTS LISTING
CLICK HERE to download printable version

Atlantic Canada	City of Fredericton
Ontario	Western Canada

Atlantic Canada
MUN Botanical Gardens
This year’s launch event will be held at the MUN Botanical Gardens, a longtime ICAW supporter! Come on out for a “Compost Tea” Party, Sunday May 4th! Here’s some other events that MUN will be holding to celebrate Compost Awareness Week!

THREE CHEERS FOR COMPOSTING FAMILY PROGRAM: Bring the family along for special Family Day Programs on May 6 celebrating composting. In addition to exhibits and information, the following will take place throughout the day:: Nature Hikes; Compost Crafts & Games; Story Time; Discovery Trail; Garden Tours; Face Painting; Nature Hikes to Oxen Pond / Duck Feeding

FREE LUNCHTIME LECTURES AND DEMONSTRATIONS: Drop by the Garden between noon and 1 p.m. to attend one of the following free lunch time compost information demonstrations. Registration is not required for these demonstrations.: Monday, May 5 - The ABC's of Composting, by Joy Carter-Barfoot, Education Assistant, and Costa Kasimos, Research Assistant; Tuesday, May 6 - Vermicomposting (Worm Composting) by Anne Madden, Education Coordinator; Wednesday, May 7 - Getting The Most From Your Soil by Roy Stares, Assistant Gardener; Thursday, May 18 - Waking Up Your Spring Garden Bed by Carl White, Head Gardener; Friday, May 9 - Hanging Baskets, by Tim Walsh, Nursery Manager

For more information please contact:
Anne Madden, Education Coordinator
MUN Botanical Garden
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7
Telephone: (709) 737-8590
Fax: (709) 737-8596

Greater Moncton Sewerage Commission: 30th Anniversary Open House (late June)

City of Fredericton
“The Sacred Balance” May2-3, 2008
Wilmot United Church, Fredericton
The Fredericton Backyard Composters will present workshops at the 5th Annual Wilmot United Church seminar. Introductory as well as advanced composting workshops will be given by Master Composters. Click here for further details, such as the agenda, costs and registration information.

After-Work Compost Sale Monday May 5th
Envirem Killarney Landscape Depot yard, 5:30PM
In cooperation with The Composting Council of Canada and Envirem Technologies!

Annual Composter Sale Saturday May 10th ONLY
100 Two Nations Crossing (Parks & Trees Depot) 7:30AM
Cost: $30 cash or debit
Wait no longer, The Fredericton Backyard Composters Annual Composter sale date is approaching. Earth Machines will be for sale May 10 ONLY at the City of Fredericton's Parks and Trees Depot - 100 Two Nations Crossing (across from the new Wal-Mart Fredericton North) starting at 7:30 a.m. The Earth Machines tend to sell-out, so be sure to get there early. Price is $30.00 each cash or debit only (sorry no credit cards or cheques.

“How to Compost” Seminar Wednesday May 7
Killarney Lake Rotary Centennial Lodge 7:30PM
NO CHARGE
National Compost Awareness Week is May 04-10. The Fredericton Backyard Composters are pleased to offer a Composting Seminar free of charge on "How to Compost" Wednesday May 7th at Killarney Lake Rotary Centennial Lodge start time 7:30 p.m. No registration is necessary.

Halifax Regional Municipality
May 10, Opening of Halifax Public Gardens
Promotion of composting activities, including a vermi-bin onsite

Miller Compost, Halifax
May 3rd-June 28th inclusive
Sale of compost in bulk at the composting facility.

Ontario
Muskoka Wharf “Going Green” Garden Show
May 3, 2008, Gravenhurst Ontario
Gravenhurst will be holding their garden show from 10AM to 5PM, May 3, 2008, and have invited Composting Council of Canada Executive Director Susan Antler to speak at their event as a kick-off to Compost Awareness Week.

City of Barrie
Backyard Composter Truckload Sale, May 10, 2008
The City of Barrie is holding a truckload sale of Norseman Plastics Earth Machines in 2 locations, May 10th, 2008, in honour of Compost Awareness Week! The “south end” sale will be in the Home Depot parking lot, and the “north end” sale at the Canadian Tire.

Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre
Spring Compost Sale Dates, May 5-19th, 2008 (while quantities last)
Bring your truck, trailer or containers to the OVWRC to purchase some of this valuable soil amendment!
Prices:: 1 Cubic Yard $15.00; ½ Cubic Yard $7.50; ¼ Cubic Yard (min.) $3.75

Region of Waterloo
Backyard Composting Workshops 2008 Workshop Dates:
Saturday, April 5 - FULL
Saturday, May 3 - FULL
Saturday, June 28 - FULL

London Composts: Compost Value Days are Here Again!
When: Saturday, May 3: 8 am to 2pm
What: Compost Sale – 30 litres for $2
Where: three locations: - Quixtar Canada, 375 Exeter Rd, at White Oak Rd; - Try Recycling, Enter off Medway, East of Clarke Rd; - Masonville Place, Fanshawe & Richmond (by Nash Jewelers)
Proceeds will go to London & Area Food Bank, Memorial Boys & Girls Club, St Leonard’s Society, TREA, Community Garden Project

When: Saturday, May 3: 9 am - 2pm
Who: Old East Village Community Association
What: Plant & Compost & Mulch & Composter Sale: Compost $2 for 50 lbs loose, $2.50 in bag; Composters ($30) may be preordered
Where: Lorne Ave School, at English Street Proceeds will go to OEVCA, Lorne Ave School Contact: Donna Currie 519 439-7120 trees4oev@yahoo.ca

Earthworx Landscape Products
Earthworx Landscape Products will be offering 20% of all compost products in honour of Compost Awareness Week!

City of Hamilton: Compost Helps the Food Bank!
The City of Hamilton will be giving compost in exchange for a small monetary donation to the local food bank on Saturday May 10th in honour of Compost Awareness Week. Each dollar received will be leveraged by the Food Bank for $10 worth of food!

Waterdown Garden Supplies, Troy Ontario
Waterdown Garden Supplies Ltd. licensed composting facility in Troy, Ontario is celebrating International Compost Awareness week by giving away free compost (5 bag limit). This is our second year of promoting the week long event. Last year we promoted the event in the local paper last year and shared over 150 yards of compost with the local community. This year we will be promoting the event in the local community paper and Hamilton Spectator.

Ottawa, Ontario
Vermicomposting Workshop, June 2, 2008 7PM-8:30PM, Glebe Community Centre
This workshop is ideal for beginners and for and for vermicomposter owners that need a refresher lesson on how to care for their bin.
For more information and registration, check www.gnag.ca

Western Canada
CCC Compost Facility Operator Training
April 29th & 30th, Edmonton Alberta, Edmonton Waste Management Centre
This two-day version of our popular three-day course has been designed to provide participants with a practical understanding of the composting process and the means to address operational issues involved in the running of a compost facility.
For more information, please contact info@compost.org or call 1-877-571-3769.

SWANA 4 “R” Conference
May 5-8, 2008, Ramada Hotel and Convention Centre, Regina, SK
There will be a section focusing on organic materials management at this conference, and our executive director, Susan Antler, will be one of their speakers.

Release of Pee Wee Goes to the Fair, May 10, 2008
Nelson, British Columbia, 7th Annual Nelson Garden Festival
Larraine Roulston, garden writer and children’s author, is set to release the 4th book in her “Pee Wee” series. “Pee Wee Goes to the Fair” is scheduled for release May 10th, 2008, especially for Compost Awareness Week, and will be printed on 100% post-consumer paper.
The Pee Wee series combines composting facts with literature and information on how to make a worm bin. But you will also require those industrious little red wigglers suitable for vermicomposting.

Other books in Larraine’s series:

Winnipeg, Manitoba
Launch of household organics collection program, April 28, 2008 by Samborski Garden Supplies!

Resource Conservation Manitoba is offering free composting workshops in May and June! Turn Waste into Treasure!

Free Basic Composting Workshops. Please pre-register on line at www.resourceconservation.mb.ca or by calling 925-3778 as space is limited.

Basic Backyard Composting Workshops

Monday, May 5th         12:15-1pm Millennium Library (Buchwald Room), 251 Donald Street
Tuesday, May 6th         7-7:45pm   St. James-Assiniboia Library, 1910 Portage Avenue
Wednesday, May 7th    7-7:45pm   Saint-Boniface Library (in French), 100-131 Provencher Blvd
Thursday, May 8th        7-7:45pm   Transcona Library, 111 Victoria Avenue W.
Saturday, May 10th       1-1:45pm   West Kildonan Library, 365 Jefferson Avenue
Monday, May 12th        7-7:45pm   Monroe Library, 489 London Street
Thursday, May 22nd      7-7:45pm    Louis Riel Library, 1168 Dakota Street
Monday, May 26th        7-7:45pm    Westwood Library, 66 Allard Avenue
Monday, June 2nd         7-7:45pm    Pembina Trails Library, 2724 Pembina Highway
Thursday, June 12th      7-7:45pm    Henderson Library, 1-1050 Henderson Highway
Monday, June 16th        7-7:45pm    St. Vital Library, 6 Formor Avenue
Tuesday, June 17th       7-7:45pm    Sir William Stephenson Library, 765 Keewatin Street
Tuesday, June 24th       7-7:45pm    Millennium Library (Buchwald Room), 251 Donald Street

Make your Own Vermi-Composter Workshop
For the indoor composter, come and learn the basics of vermi-composting while constructing your own bin. (There will be a fee of $50 for materials).

Thursday, May 29th 7-8:30pm Eco-Centre, 303 Portage Ave, 3rd floor

Announcing …
COMPOST'S GIANTS - The 7th Annual Great Pumpkin Growing Contest 2008!

COMPOST GIANTS': 7th Annual Great Pumpkin Growing Contest

The Rules

The 2007 Winner

The 2006 Winner

The 2005 Winner

Pumpkin website links

Photo undates - previous years

Pumpkin stories

Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Summary of Decision
Compost containing grocery store meat waste exempt from requirements for supplement products containing prohibited material. Click Here to read the summary

Latest National Composting Survey Results released by Council

The topline results of the latest survey of centralized composting facilities in Canada has just been released by The Council. The following provides the information as provided to the members of The Composting Council of Canada.

More details to follow.

The results are based on phone surveys with 227 composting facilities across Canada, with the input being focused on 2005 results. Here are some of the topline findings:
1. 227 composting facilities responded to our survey (85 private; 123 public; 19 public-private partnerships)
Regionally, these facilities are located as follows:
Western Canada (BC-AB-SK-MB)	98 facilities (43% of total)
Ontario	60 facilities (26% of total)
Quebec	29 facilities (13% of total)
Atlantic Canada (NB-PE-NS-NF)	40 facilities (18% of total)
*2. Of the facilities who provided input, 3,947,184 tonnes of organic materials were processed in 2005.** Private composting facilities processed 2,907,907 tonnes (74% of total) while public composting facilities processed 1,039,277 tonnes of organic residuals (26% of total).
Regionally, these facilities processed the following tonnages:
Western Canada	867,761 tonnes (22% of total)
Ontario	681,089 tonnes (17% of total)
Quebec	1,004,970 tonnes (26% of total)
Atlantic Canada	1,393,363 tonnes (35% of total)
Provincially, the facilities where the most volume (3,773,871 tonnes; 95.6% of total) is being processed are as follows:
New Brunswick	1,227,245 tonnes
Quebec	1,004,970 tonnes
Ontario	681,089 tonnes
Alberta	602,810 tonnes
British Columbia	257,757 tonnes
* some facilities chose not to provide tonnage information
On a national basis, the facilities reported that they were operating at 74% capacity.
3. The most common composting method being used is windrows (166 facilities). Other composting methods include:
Static aerated piles	22 facilities
In-vessel	30 facilities
4. The most common organic residual feedstocks accepted at composting facilities are Yard waste, Wood waste and Animal Manures. Residential and commercial food residuals were being processed by 67 facilities and 34 facilities, respectively. Municipal biosolids were being processed at 32 composting facilities.
5. The facilities reported 2005 production of 2,434,378 tonnes of compost. Compost was sold in bulk and bag format by 159 and 53 facilities respectively. Sixty-eight composting facilities also were involved in “compost give-away” activities. Fifty-nine facilities used the compost that they produced for their own use. To give you a perspective of how far we’ve progressed …. In our first national survey (1992/93), there were about 100 composting facilities processing 275,000 tonnes of organics. In 1998, our survey reported the processing of 1,650,000 tonnes of organic residuals. (The full results of our last survey (1998) can be found by visiting: http://www.compost.org/compostinggrowsstronger.html).

Composting Processing Technologies
Click Here!

Biosolids and Composting
Download a terrific FAQ sheet on Biosolids and Composting!
Courtesy of Mark Teshima of SYLVIS

The Composting Council of Canada would like to recognize some of its reciprocal members':

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The Composting Council of Canada.
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This website and the contents are copyright of
The Composting Council of Canada.

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