Claystone Organic Waste invested in the construction of our new facility to help municipalities and large-scale commercial enterprises in Alberta meet their waste diversion targets. Now that the facility is operational, Claystone Organic Waste aims to become a leading organics provider in the Edmonton metropolitan region as communities and businesses look for more full-service organic waste processing opportunities. The current landfill operating permit allows for a compost facility for up to 20,000 tonnes annually.

Odour is perhaps the most common problem associated with composting, and the failure to adequately address it can lead to complaints and the closure of facilities. Fortunately, odours can be controlled through facility design, proper management, and operational controls.

Claystone Organic Waste’s advanced compost facility was designed to utilize aerated static pile technology that exceeds the Standards for Composting Facilities in Alberta to control and manage odours.

Preventing excessive odours requires consistent management of the composting process, starting with prompt attention to incoming ingredients. Materials are mixed with a bulking agent which allows oxygen to flow through the material being composted.

Ensuring that there is enough oxygen in the compost pile is the most important component to minimizing the risk of microbes producing odours. In addition to providing enough oxygen, Claystone Organic Waste covers the piles with 15cm of a biocover layer. This material is either coarse wood chips or finished compost. The microbes in this layer absorb and decompose the odour compounds that may come up from the composting material underneath.

These design considerations and techniques have proven successful in mitigating odour issues before they occur.

Claystone is committed to being a responsive partner and good neighbour and we take our responsibility to reduce negative impacts from all our operations on neighbouring residents seriously. Below are answers detailing how Claystone mitigates nuisance issues common to landfills and compost operations.

Odour Control: Claystone employs various tactics to deal with odours depending on the type of organics. Active cells containing municipal solid waste are covered as standard operating procedure all year round. Our best practices ensure that we can mitigate odours and respect our neighbours. Through careful design and diligence in operation, odours from compost can be controlled and not be disruptive to the neighbouring airshed.

Birds: Claystone Organic Waste’s parent company Claystone Waste already has experience managing birds at its existing landfill site. Claystone works with a falconry contractor permitted by the Canadian Wildlife Service to control migratory birds like seagulls to reduce populations.

Litter Control: Litter management is carried out in the following ways on our site:

• There are several layers of litter control fencing. The perimeter fence is a permanent fence. Semi-permanent fences are located at strategic points on closed portions of the landfill where high winds often blow litter. Moveable wind fences are available for placement as wind blockers.
• Our landfill staff engage in ongoing litter collection efforts to minimize litter accumulation.
• When fugitive litter moves outside the landfill boundaries, Claystone makes all attempts to recover the debris in cooperation with property owners and tenants, securing necessary permissions.
• Off-site litter blown onto public roads and drainage ditches by a strong wind event is removed by Claystone staff as soon as possible. Litter that is blown onto neighbouring properties due to windy conditions is promptly cleared by landfill staff or contractors at Claystone’s expense as soon as feasible following such events. Claystone respects private property and will not enter without authorization from property owners.

Dust Control: Dust management is a key operational function on the Claystone site. In dry weather conditions, internal landfill access roads are watered to suppress dust as needed. During construction projects, contractors are responsible for dust control in their working areas of the site, with compliance monitoring done by Claystone.

Our aim is to have four to six trucks per day with walking floor trailers transporting all suitable organic waste material from our customers directly to our composting facility. Material is accepted Monday to Friday. Claystone Organic Waste may also be contracted to collect and deliver the source-separated organics from the customer and transport them to our site.

Claystone Organic Waste owns the product, with our goal to market 3000 to 4000 tonnes to an end user annually. Our facility produces high-quality compost which is suitable for all uses, including agriculture, residential gardens, horticulture, plant nurseries, public parks and green spaces, and many other applications.

Claystone Organic Waste employs a dual-deck screen to remove contaminants throughout the composting process. Some biodegradable materials such as compostable cutlery do not break down in the 45-day composting period, so they are also screened out.

Claystone Organic Waste is a part of our parent company Claystone Waste, a municipally-owned company. As such, we are inextricably linked with the communities that surround us. Both Claystone Waste and Claystone Organic Waste are committed to improving the quality of life of these communities through various community benefit programs that are unmatched in the waste management industry.

In addition, the community can expect the following ongoing benefits moving forward:

• Ongoing employment as an employer frequently voted among Alberta’s best.
• Opportunity from Spring 2024 to easily purchase high-quality fully-organic compost in bulk – leading to improved soil quality, reduction in artificial fertilizer usage, and improved water retention that can potentially mitigate flooding.
• Reduced methane emissions associated with other forms of organic waste disposal.
• Less leachate creation, reducing possibility of accidental environmental contamination.
• Reduced need for landfill space, significantly extending the lifespan of our current landfill.