Waste-to-product company Renewi PLC has announced that it recently started accepting the first waste at its new Organics Biofuels Processing Facility, a closed-loop and fully integrated organics waste management system in the city of Surrey, Canada, that is expected to help supply fuel for the city’s waste collection trucks.
The company claims its facility is among the largest of its kind in North America, with the capacity to process 100% of the city’s organic waste over the 25-year contract term, along with commercial organic waste. It will significantly contribute to Metro Vancouver achieving its regional 70% waste diversion target, Renewi adds.
Located in Surrey’s Port Kells industrial area, the closed-loop facility can receive and process up to 115,000 tons of organic waste every year. It will convert the city’s kitchen and yard waste, along with commercial waste from across the region, into renewable biomethane gas. Renewi says the biomethane gas will be used to power the city’s waste collection trucks. The facility will also produce a compost product that will be suitable for landscaping and agricultural applications.
Renewi says the facility leverages the company’s international experience and is underpinned by a public-private partnership (P3) contract with the Government of Canada.
“Accepting first waste and starting commissioning the facility is an important milestone in this project to operate Canada’s first closed-loop and fully-integrated organics waste management system,” says James Priestley, managing director of Renewi’s municipal division. “For Renewi, getting our Surrey facility to full operation is also one of the key initiatives to drive growth in the municipal division, so I am delighted that we are continuing to deliver against that plan. This innovative closed-loop process shows exactly how we bring our ‘waste no more’ vision to life and play a connecting role in the circular economy. We now look forward to continuing to commission the plant and to commencing full service in 2018.”
Photo: James Priestley and Mike Leopold from Renewi with Rob Costanzo from the City of Surrey at the facility