New composter on Salt Spring Island turns tonnes of waste into soil booster

A large black composter on Salt Spring Island is tackling one of the community’s toughest challenges — what to do with organic waste.

The 10-metre-long machine, located at the Burgoyne Valley Community Farm, has been processing waste from the local abattoir for about a year. It currently takes in 20 tonnes annually, producing a soil amendment used across 90 farm plots, with plans to expand capacity to 60 tonnes.

Before the project, waste was often buried or shipped off the island, creating greenhouse gas emissions. “So make use of waste and not let it rot or create greenhouse gases … but make a valuable resource of it,” said Georg Janssen of the Salt Spring Abattoir Society.

The initiative is the result of collaboration among the Capital Regional District (CRD), Salt Spring Island Farmland Trust, the Abattoir Society and Community Services. A $170,000 provincial grant and $120,000 in federal and other funding helped bring it to life. Solar panels supply its power.

“It’s pretty remarkable,” said CRD director Gary Holman. “It’s how we get things done on Salt Spring, through that collaboration.”

Next steps include bylaw and zoning changes to allow local restaurants and grocery stores to send waste to the facility and for compost sales to generate revenue. Holman believes the project could be replicated elsewhere.

“I believe Salt Spring is the only local government in the regional district composting at this scale,” he said. “We could provide a model.”