Agricultural Waste Management Solution
Feasibility Study shows promise
IWMS Process Diagram for Rügen Island, Germany.
The results of an in-depth feasibility
study into the adaptability
of a European-based agricultural
waste management
technology to North American standards
has delivered very promising results.
The study, conducted by the Cement
Association of Canada and jointly
funded by the Federation of Canadian
Municipalities’ (FCM) Green Municipal
Enabling Fund (GMEF), demonstrates
conclusively that the Integrated
Waste Management Solution (IWMS) is
an economically viable as well as environmentally
efficient solution for the
Canadian agricultural community.
The Integrated Waste Management
Solution helps to prevent surface and
groundwater contamination, reduces
odour generated by the storage and
spreading of manure and reduces emissions
of methane and nitrous oxide in
the form of greenhouse gases. This Solution incorporates wastewater treatment,
and aerobic and anaerobic digester
systems that use only natural processes
independent of any chemical usage.
Treatment produces safe, clean and profitable
resources, including “green” energy
and fertilizer.
The feasibility study analyzed the
waste mix in the County of Lethbridge,
Alberta, and determined an optimal and
efficient treatment process with identified
recoverable resources capable of
sustaining an economically viable waste
treatment operation. This study was
awarded to ECB Enviro Berlin AG, a
German organization specializing in
biomass treatments and energy recovery.
ECB Enviro is a global firm that
operates its own treatment facilities in
Europe. It is also an appointed consultant
on biogas technology to the European
Commission and United Nations
Infrastructure Development Agency
(UNIDA).
The study concluded that commercial
viability and sustainability of the
project was based on a recommended
IWMS treatment facility utilizing
100,000 metric tonnes of agricultural
manure and organic wastes per year. This
facility will reduce GHG emissions by
approximately 15,000 metric tonnes of
CO2 equivalent per year, while generating
almost 15 GWh of electrical energy
and of thermal energy – enough to supply
all of the energy consumption for
over 900 Canadian households.
The project was conducted in partnership
with Outlook Pork Ltd. and the
County of Lethbridge, in Alberta.
The advent of such a promising technology
comes at a time when governments,
both federal and provincial, are
struggling with the increasing pressures
put on the environment by large scale
farming operations. Several provincial
governments have already adopted nutrient
management legislation and the
issue of water and air quality continues
to fuel public debate.
Agriculture is a significant and strategic
industrial market for the cement
and concrete industry in Canada. Agriculture
accounts for 4% of annual cement
output. Concrete accounts for more
than 18% of the total construction
spending incurred on agri-building
products in the industrial market. As
well, more than half of the ready-mix
concrete producers are small and medium
sized companies that primarily
serve rural or agricultural markets.
