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EnvironmentComposting9TuesdayMarch262013EcologyNorthlookstoexpandcompostinginNWTByRENEFRANCOEURSmallerNortherncommu-nitiesarelookingtorecycleorganicwasteafterthesuc-cessofYellowknifesfouryear-oldcentralizedcom-postingpilotproject.KimRapatithecoordinatorforEcologyNorthsnewHayRiverofceisinthemiddleoftalkswithbothHayRiverandFortSmithregardingstartinguptheirownmunicipalcom-postingpilotprojects.InHayRiverwerelook-ingtorunapilotprojectthissummerwiththepoultryfarmwherewehaveadesignatedsitefortheirchickenmanurewherewecanaddincarbonamend-mentsandturnitregularlyRapatiwhotrainedastheas-sistantcentralizedcompostingcoordinatorattheYellowknifefacilitysaid.Thisisreallyafantasticwaytodolocalrecy-clingtobeself-sustainable.RapatiwasalsoinFortSmithlastweektobouncetheideaofcentralizedcompostingoffoftowncouncil.MayorBradBrakesaidhewouldntmindseeingacom-postingfacilityifasourceoffundingcouldbeidentied.TowncouncillorChrisWest-wellencouragedcouncilatarecentmeetingtolookintothepossibilitiesforresidentsandcommunitygardenswhenitcomestocompostingcitingthereisenoughinterestintowntosupportapilotedfacility.Over765tonnesoffoodandyardwastehavebeendivertedfromYellowknifeslandfillsinceitscompostingplantoper-atedbyEcologyNorthopenedinSeptember2009savinganestimated144000inlandllspace.Thefacilitysrstsaleofcompostlastfallsoldoutwithintwodaysgenerating7000inrevenueforthecity.Organicwastebecomescom-postafterbeingmixedwithshreddedpaperandyardwasteatthefacilityandformedintolongwindrowsorpiles.Thesearethenrotatedandwateredweeklyduringthesummer.AccordingtoEcologyNorthintoresidentialcurbsidecollection.Whilethecapitalandopera-tionalcostsofthecompostinginthewastecategoryfortheFederationofCanadianMu-nicipalitiesFCMSustain-ableCommunityAwards.WeledehMLABobBrom-leyhasbeencompostinginhisbackyardforyearsandisanavidsupporterofdoingwhat-everittakestodivertorganicwastefromlandlls.Itsasmallstepbutaveryimportantsteptowardthemoveforselfrelianceandrelo-calizationasopposedtoglobal-izationhetoldTheJournal.LastyearforthersttimeweusedchickenmanurefromtheHayRiverPolarEggfarmandwehadthemostlushgar-densweveeverhad.TheGNWThasbeenpush-ingcompostingtosomeextentheaddedwithresourcessuchastheNorthof60compostingguidebutmorecanbedone.TheministerDavidRam-sayexpressedaninterestinworkingwithMACAifthestandingcommitteeoneconomicdevelopmentandin-frastructurewhichdiabolicallyincludestheenvironmentweretorecommendittotheminis-tersoitseemstobeuptothatcommittee.SothatismynextmovebringingcentralizedcompostingupasaprioritytothecommitteeBromleysaid.RamsayministerofIndustryTourismandInvestmenttoldtheHouselastmonthcompost-ingwassomethingthatshouldbeontheGNWTsagenda.IthinkthereisaroleforcompostingincommunitiesthatwecantakealookatitanditissomethingthatIknowwehaveanagreementwiththefederalgovernmentfortheGrowingForward2monies.Itsabout6millionoverthenextveyears.ItissomethingIthinkweshouldspendsometimeonanden-surethereisaprogramtoallowcompostingincommu-nitiesthatarelookingforthatopportunityhesaid.PhotosMeaganWohlbergKimRapatiThisisreallyafantasticwaytodolocalrecyclingtobeself-sustainable.KimRapatiEcologyNorthtemperaturesinthepilesreach55-70Casorganismsbreakdowntheorganics.Thecom-postisthenscreenedandtestedbeforebeingusedforlandscap-ingandgardens.EcologyNorthandtheCityofYellowknifeareworkingtogethertoexpandthefacil-itythissummersotheplantwhichcurrentlycollectsfromcommercialinstitutionalandmulti-familyhousingsectorscaneventuallylookpilotprojectoutweighedthelandllcostssavedecono-miesofscaleareexpectedafteranexpansionRapatinoted.Yellowknifesplantisrunningattotalcapacity...ThereisahighdemandforgoodsoilinYellowknifeshesaid.Whenitbecomesafullscaleoperationcostswillbesaved.TheYellowknifeprojectwasalsoa2013co-winnerEcologyNorthsHayRivercoordinatorKimRapatiscoopsupcompostfromhervermiculutrebinasmall-scalecompostingoptionidealforofcesandclassrooms.WorkershosedownorganicwasteandshiftthepileswithabulldozertopreparecompostforlandscapingandgardenuseinYellowknife.AfamilyloadsuponfreshcompostduringtherstsoilsalelastfallattheYellowknifecentralizedcom-postingfacility.