Developing a Cleantech Business at GSU

The intent of this study is to first produce a report on the volume of organic waste material that exists in Northeastern Ontario. In addition, the report will include a characterization of the volume of organic waste material collected which will be categorized and reported in the following streams: food waste, non-recyclable, compostable paper; and leaf and yard trimmings. The second part of the study will investigate the feasibility of implementing anaerobic digestion technologies. The organic waste will be collected from various sources in the City of Greater Sudbury and audited to determine the volume. The report will also include a literature review on organic waste volumes in other northeastern communities included in a 350 kilometer radius around the Sudbury area. These communities will include Elliot Lake, Blind River, Manitoulin Island, Espanola, Sault Ste. Marie, Temagami, Timiskaming Shores, Englehart, Gogama, Cochrane, Iroquois Falls, Matheson, Chapleau, Timmins, Killarney, Parry Sound, Huntsville, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, West Nipissing and North Bay. The project will reduce GHG emissions through the displacement of fossil fuel sources for electrical and thermal energy, and, avoidance of landfill methane emissions through processing in an anaerobic digestion facility. The initiative will achieve other significant environmental benefits such as the creation and use of biomass as soil conditioner, compost and applications in mine remediation, and, through the utilization of landfill methane the generation of clean electricity or biogas. The anaerobic digester that is proposed to be used in the City of Greater Sudbury will capture over 60 percent of all emissions from the site. Participation in organic waste diversion to the anaerobic digester will help increase municipal waste diversion rate and help lower solid waste collection fees.The project will be led by the project management team at ConverGen to monitor, review and evaluate all process and stages of the project, in collaboration with waste management experts from the City of Greater Sudbury.