Claystone Waste to build $4 Million Composting Facility near Ryley

Claystone Waste to build $4 Million Composting Facility near Ryley

Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser

One of western Canada’s largest waste management corporation’s is diversifying operations to include composting of organic waste.

Claystone Waste Ltd. officially announced plans to construct a $4 million state-of-the-art aerated composting facility adjacent to its sanitary landfill which is located near the Village of Ryley this fall. The facility is expected to begin operating next summer and will process up to 20,000 tonnes of source separated organics, including biodegradable supports such as wood fibre per year.

Construction is expected to create up to 40 jobs that will contribute to ongoing employment growth in the region with three to four permanent positions required for operations at the composting facility, stated Claystone’s Chief Operating Officer Corey Popick.

“The compost project itself has been in discussion since 2015 with Beaver Municipal Solutions, our previous name, and it’s carried forward through to Claystone.

It’s been talked about it for the past seven years, and it’s in Claystone’s business case, and we just felt the time based off market conditions due to municipal waste diversion targets and goals and source separated organic collection programs that it was the time to build the organics facility.”

Claystone will be building the composting facility adjacent to its landfill. Popick said provincial registrations are in place, as well as a development permit from Beaver County, but authorization to proceed is still required by Alberta Environment.

Leaf, yard and household food waste products are all considered organic waste. Popick pointed out that, “This facility is being designed on spec to cater to the green cart collection program, either from a municipal or commercial customer.”

Claystone Waste Ltd. COO Corey Popick.

(Claystone Waste Ltd./Submitted Photo)

Those customers would come from Edmonton and surrounding areas. “We’re confident the City of Edmonton and the outlying communities can fulfill the need to get us up to 20,000 tonnes of organic waste. We do know based on market demand that area does not quite have that capacity. That’s why we’re building it on spec and it’s our job to go out and get contracts.”

Currently, there are no communities within the region that have a green cart program, but Popick said that is something that could be pursued in the future.

Living a greener lifestyle is the wave of the future and is definitely part of future development plans of Claystone. “We are very aware of the circular economy, green initiatives and the generation of greenhouse gas emissions from the landfill perspective. Organics facilities like this one allows you to contribute to the economy by taking food waste converting it into a usable compost that can be reintroduced into the food production system to then grow more products and be reused in the food cycle,” noted Popick.

He went on to say, “Its natural fertilizer that has all the elements that all life needs to grow and thrive.”

Claystone Waste Ltd. officially became a municipally-owned company in 2020. It is owned by Beaver County, Village of Ryley, Town of Tofield, Village of Holden and Town of Viking.

As such, it offers community benefit programs. For example, over the past year Claystone Waste provided $4.9 million worth of direct and indirect financial benefits throughout Beaver County. This investment includes:

• $3 million in dividend payments to Claystone’s municipal shareholders. This dividend represents approximately $300 per person benefit to every resident in the region to keep property taxes low and fund local priorities.

• $1 million in subsidized waste collection services for residents in the region to keep utility bills low

• $500,000 in community grants, including a Good Neighbour Grant to the Village of Ryley and Beaver County. The Claystone Community Grant provides financial support to groups such as: Family and Community Support Services, the Royal Canadian Legion, Holden Seniors Club, Viking Agricultural Society, Tofield and Area Health Service Foundation.

• $400,000 in annual property taxes to support municipal operations and public services.