By Chad Klassen

Kamloops hoping for long-term solutions to biosolid waste

Mar 6, 2018 | 4:55 PM

KAMLOOPS — The City of Kamloops, in partnership with the province, local First Nations and the local agriculture sector, will put together a stakeholder group to deal with the city’s increasing amounts of biosolids moving forward. 

Kamloops city council agreed to move forward with the group, which will provide direction to staff on the long-term uses and management of biosolids.

“The City of Kamloops is the victim of its own success in terms of the efficiency of our sewage treatment works here in Kamloops,” said mayor Ken Christian. “We have managed to take a lot more effulent out of the river system, and as a result we have a lot more biosolids that we have to deal with. I think we need to be prudent and responsible about how we deal with that, what level of treatment we need to have, and what kinds of places we can use for biosolid soil enhancement.” 

The city produces on average 12,500 tonnes of biosolids a year. They are processed through the wastewater treatment plant. Right now, Sylvis is contracted by the city to spread the biosolids on the land. The hope is the stakeholder group can find more long-term solutions to deal with the growing amount.

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“In the case of Kamloops biosolids, it’s Class B biosolids at this point in time and that will have some limitations in terms of its use,” said Christian. “So I think we need to look at where we can apply that, whether it’s going to be soil enhancement in forestry, those kinds of things. Obviously you want to keep that away from food-based crops. So I think having a broad-based committee that has a lot of expertise will help us find a solution to a problem that we have and is growing.”

Class B biosolids are allowed to be used as fertilizer, and unlike Class A, they are allowed to contain pathogens.