Durham Region is planning a new Mixed Waste Pre-sort and Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Facility that will convert organic waste into a renewable natural gas.
While Durham’s population continues to grow—with an expectancy to reach more than 1 million people in the next decade—more residents will mean more organic waste, recyclables and garbage to manage. The new Mixed Waste Pre-sort and Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Facility will remove non-combustible material and recyclables from garbage bags to further increase diversion from landfills, and free-up capacity at the Durham York Energy Centre (DYEC) for garbage that can be incinerated to create electricity. The facility will be a first-of-its-kind, fully-integrated waste management initiative in North America.
Using waste as a resource
AD will be used to convert organic waste like food scraps into renewable natural gas—used to heat homes and power natural gas barbeques and vehicles. Residuals from this process will also be used to generate electrical energy that can be used in a variety of applications.
AD is a natural composting process that uses microbes found in the environment to produce methane, which can be collected and used as a renewable natural gas. AD is a safe, proven technology used across North America and Europe.
Public Consultation
Mixed Waste Pre-sort and Anaerobic Digestion Facility | Siting Report |
Comment period has closed. Questions? Contact us by email.
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Public Information Centre | February 27, 2020 |
Comment period has closed. Questions? Contact us.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of this facility? |
In addition to diverting organics that are sorted from the waste stream, other benefits include:
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What is anaerobic digestion? |
Dinner with the family Enjoying a meal, but don't have enough room for that last spoonful? Food scraps Dispose of food scraps or other compostable items in the green bin. Waste processing Green bin materials are processed in closed, air-tight containers where bacteria breaks down organics and creates methane gas. Renewable energy Methane gas is refined and used as a renewable natural gas, which can be used anywhere natural gas is used. |
How will waste be processed? |
The facility will remove materials—such as food scraps and recyclables—from garbage collected at the curb and from multi-residential buildings. In conjunction with our blue box and green bin programs, this will help us increase diversion rates. Anaerobic Digestion Anaerobic digestion is a process where organics are broken down (degraded) by microbial bacteria in the absence of oxygen under controlled conditions. This process produces biogas, compost liquid wastes and solid residue. The digestion of organics takes place in a special reactor (or enclosed chamber) where critical environmental conditions such as moisture content, temperature and pH levels are controlled to maximize biogas generation and organic decomposition rates. |
Where will the facility be located? |
The new facility will be located in Clarington, next to the DYEC in the Energy Park. This location will incorporate sustainable development principles and complement the architectural design and landscaping of the Energy Park. Traffic into the DYEC will only increase by two waste delivery trucks once the new facility is operational. The siting report details the methodology used and the factors considered to assess each site, including environmental and developmental impacts, as well as total cost. Six potential candidate sites were evaluated to identify the most suitable location for this facility:
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Where will the waste come from? |
The facility will sort organics and recyclables from garbage bags (i.e. items that were not properly separated into the green bin or the blue box). This process will not replace or eliminate the current green bin or blue box program, but will help the Region to maximize diversion efforts. |
Are there any environmental impacts? |
Through this process, the Region of Durham will reduce the amount of waste processed at the DYEC, while creating a valuable renewable natural gas that can offset the use of fossil fuels. By converting local waste into a valuable resource, AD can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and generate local economic benefits. |
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