Summerland has a new organics processing facility

A new organics processing facility site has opened at the Summerland Landfill, and the District of Summerland celebrated the occasion on Friday.

The federal-provincial Organics Infrastructure Program (OIP) Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund contributed two-thirds of the cost of the project, to a maximum of $1,581,000, while the District of Summerland was responsible for the remaining third, equating to approximately $800,000.

“By working with communities across Canada such as the District of Summerland, we are reducing greenhouse gas emissions, building more resilient communities, and creating jobs,” explains Steven Guilbeault, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

“Investments like the new compost facility allow for better waste management by diverting organic waste from landfills and turning it into clean and useful compost.”

The site is designed to process all of Summerland’s yard and wood waste, agricultural organics, wastewater treatment sludge and residential food waste.

OIP has provided $30 million for projects across BC that supported increased organic waste processing capacity and the reduction of organic waste going to landfills.

“People want and deserve solutions that help address our changing climate,” says George Heyman, BC’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.

Additionally, the district will start collecting food waste from residential homes in the spring of 2024, which has the potential to divert over 500 tonnes of materials from being landfilled per year.

More information on when residential food waste collection will start will be available in the coming months.