Campbell Mountain Landfill’s compost failed to qualify as compost in 2022, and instead was deemed waste under the Environment Management Act (EMA)

According to the B.C. government’s records, the landfill received an advisory following an inspection in October 2022.

That inspection found several issues with the landfill’s organic matter recycling program, which amounted to the landfill introducing waste into the environment instead of compost.

One of the main requirements the landfill is required to meet when it comes to producing and distributing Class A Compost is ensuring that it keeps the levels of fecal coliform bacteria under a limit of 1,000 MPN per gram. MPN stands for most probable number, and is used to calculate and estimate the number of microorganisms in samples.

Out of the samples that were taken in 2021 and 2022, six were well in excess of the limit set out in the EMA’s organic recycling matter section, with two samples registering at higher than 100,000 MPN in 2021, and three samples taken in 2022 ranged from 17,000 to 21,000 MPN.

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The report notes that the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio requirement had not been maintained during the October 2020 to October 2021 inspection period.

Finally, a separate issue, although not listed as a compliance matter, was the fact that a computer error meant there were no temperature records for 2021. Under the organic matter recycling program regulations, temperatures are required to be recorded each day.

Because of the issues with the compost, under the EMA the landfill was not producing compost, and instead was producing waste, which was then distributed to the public.

No fine or penalty was attached to the advisory the landfill received.

The landfill had previously received an advisory under the organic matter recycling program regulations in 2017.

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