Criteria

Trucking “Beneficial Use Option”

Fluidized Bed Incineration

Use in other municipalities

·         Most large municipalities do not use trucking but rather incineration

·         Trucking is used in Waterloo but the method is found to be problematic

·         Proven technology used in many large municipalities (Durham, York, Peel, London)

·         Used widely in Europe (which has tougher environmental regulations)

Environmental Impact

·         Increased landfill disposal

·         Greenhouse gas emissions:

      5,500 tonnes of CO2/yr (1,080 cars)

·         Greenhouse gas emissions from:

-          increased truck traffic

-          tractor emissions

-          field biosolids decomposition

-          natural gas from anaerobic digestion

-          landfill emissions

·         Increased presence of toxic chemicals

·         Increased negative impacts on surface, soil and water ground quality

·         Lowest release of air pollutants

·         Unclear whether this method will meet future more stringent environmental regulations

·         Energy efficient process

·         Greenhouse gas emissions:

      4,100 tonnes of CO2/yr (804 cars)

·         Higher removal of heavy metals (90%+ removal of mercury, dioxins)

·         Ash is less toxic than sludge

·         No visible emission plume

·         Enhanced emissions control system would result in significantly cleaner emissions and air quality

·         Emissions reductions exceed Ontario Ministry of Environment (MOE) regulations and U.S. Environmental Protection Act (EPA) requirements

Risk

·         Greater potential for biosolid spills during transport due to daily trucking (4-5 times per day) and potential for more truck accidents

·         Solid waste is processed onsite, reducing risk to community

·         Reduced risk of spills due to less trucking (1-2 weeks per year)

Community Impact

·         Increased odour

·         Increased noise concerns

·         Increased diesel emissions

·         Increased traffic (+13-30%)

·         Logistical issues with trucking (traffic lanes, schools, potholes)

·         Low odour impacts

·         Low noise impacts

·         Lower diesel emissions

·         Little impact on traffic

Cost

·         Total Capital Cost: $97 M

·         Annual Operating Cost: $8.4 M

·         Total Cost (20Y): $188-222 M

·         Need to build new trucking facility

·         Need for odour treatment control and additional digestion capacity

·         Maintenance costs associated with truck fleet and trucking facility

·         Total Capital Cost: $120 M

·         Annual Operating Cost: $3.7 M

·         Total Cost (20Y): $164 M

·         No need to build a new facility.

·         No odour treatment control costs

·         No trucking facility costs

·         Lower truck fleet maintenance costs

·         Cost savings lost from not pursuing this method earlier

End Product

·         End Product: Sludge

·         40,000 additional wet tonnes of biosolids per year going to landfill

·         City staff admit that supply outweighs demand for sludge

·         Regulations limit where and how long sludge can be used

·         Need for new facility to accommodate increased trucking

·         Unclear whether this method will meet future more stringent environmental regulations

·         End Product: Ash

·         Limited but growing market for ash (such as to make cement)

·         Considerably less of the end product (ash) ends up in the landfill

·         Additional incinerator is proposed to meet potential increases in biosolid management capacity (population growth and increases in solid waste)

·         Fluidized beds will ensure facility (which is at end-of-life) meets and exceeds future more stringent environmental regulations

Timeline

·         Trucking facility built by 2015

·         No requirement for additional environmental assessments from Ministry of Environment

·         Major repairs have occurred since 2009 to existing hearth incinerators to meet current regulations and extend service life by 5-10 yrs

·         First fluidized bed installed in 2015

·         Second fluidized bed installed in 2020

·         No need for further environmental assessments due to existing practice