Biosolids headed for the dump

By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: December 11, 2008

A situation that’s been causing a stink for some residents could now be dumped on the regional district. On Wednesday, the North Okanagan Regional District board agreed to a City of Vernon request to truck three to four loads of sewer biosolids a week to the landfill. The material is generally taken to the Ogogrow fertilizer plant in the Commonage but the city is trying to reduce production there to get a handle on an odour problem. “There is more product going into the facility than it can handle,” said Wayne Lippert, a NORD director and Vernon’s mayor. “We need to get it (material) down to a level it was designed for so we can prove it can handle that amount.”

If no odour occurs under reduced production for six months, the cities of Vernon and Kelowna – which own the plant – would then move ahead with expansion to handle increased loads of biosolids. The odour from the facility has drawn fire from many nearby residents. “If you get a whiff of it, it’s kind of ugly,” said director Jack Gilroy, who also sits on Vernon council.

Under the deal with NORD, disposal of the biosolids at the Greater Vernon landfill will continue for six months, with a further extension of six months possible. About $1,000 a load would be paid in tipping fees. However, Ministry of Environment approval is still required and NORD is insisting that other alternatives to dumping the material be researched. Will Hansma, Spallumcheen director, suggested that the biosolids could be spread out on farmer’s fields as a source of fertilizer. “What a waste, what a waste,” he said of taking the material to the landfill. The only opposition to Vernon’s request for access to the landfill came from Doug Dirk, Coldstream director. “Once we head in this direction, the need to find alternate solutions drops away. I don’t want this to be the solution,” he said of the landfill

The biosolids facility became operational in 2006, and 30 per cent of the volume comes from Vernon and the rest from Kelowna.