Update on Mixed Waste Pre-sort and Anaerobic Digestion Facility

Whitby, Ontario – The Regional Municipality of Durham has become aware of misconceptions in the community about the planned Mixed Waste Pre-sort and Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Facility. Durham’s population continues to grow and is expected to reach more than one million people in the next decade. Even with our successful diversion programs, more residents in Durham means more organic waste, recyclables, and garbage to manage. 

To plan for this growth, the Region will build a Mixed Waste Pre-sort and Anaerobic Digestion Facility that will further sort the garbage and then convert the organic waste into a renewable natural gas (used to heat homes or power natural gas appliances) and digestate (an agricultural fertilizer). Locally produced renewable energy can reduce the Region’s reliance on imported high carbon energy sources and contribute to meeting Durham’s climate change targets.

Only Durham’s garbage—collected at the curb and from multi-residential buildings—will be delivered to the new Mixed Waste Pre-sort and AD facility, where organic and recyclable items will be removed from garbage bags and the organic waste converted to energy. What’s left will go to the Durham York Energy Centre (DYEC). The DYEC is an energy-from-waste facility that produces electrical energy from the combustion of garbage. The new Mixed Waste Pre-sort and AD Facility will be part of a fully integrated waste management system. The mixed waste pre-sort and AD will utilize proven technology highlighting the environmental leadership underway in Durham Region.

Both energy from waste and anaerobic digestion are proven technologies used across North America and here in the Greater Toronto Area.

The new facility will not replace or eliminate the current Green Bin or Blue Box programs. The new facility will help the Region to maximize diversion efforts. By sending Durham’s garbage to the new facility first, to remove items that should not be in the garbage, we will send less garbage to the DYEC and potentially delay the need to expand the DYEC beyond 2035.

The new Mixed Waste Pre-sort and Anaerobic Digestion Facility is not an incinerator. The facility will be a series of sorting technologies that will operate indoors to separate garbage, organics, non-combustibles and certain recyclable materials from Durham’s garbage. After sorting, the system will process the organics in the AD to make fertilizer and renewable natural gas. There is no incineration involved with sorting or anaerobic digestion.

The Environmental Assessment Act in Ontario does not require an environmental assessment for waste sorting or AD facilities. These types of operations are recognized as being low risk for environmental impacts and do not generate air emissions. The facility will obtain an Environmental Compliance Approval or permit issued by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks that will establish the operating requirements such as the quantity of waste the facility can receive each day, operating hours, waste storage requirements and monitoring obligations.

The DYEC utilizes modern technology to ensure garbage is burned in a highly controlled and efficient combustion system while recovering energy and metals. The DYEC is equipped with proven air emission control technologies capable of meeting the strict regulatory emission requirements. The DYEC safely processes residential garbage from Durham Region and York Region. However, the new Mixed Waste Pre-sort and Anaerobic Digestion Facility will only accept waste from Durham Region. York Region’s garbage, which represents about 20 per cent of garbage going to the DYEC, will continue to go directly to the DYEC—York’s waste will not go to the Mixed Waste Pre-sort and Anaerobic Digestion Facility. To learn more about the DYEC, visit durhamyorkwaste.ca.

The new Mixed Waste Pre-sort and AD Facility will be located next to the DYEC to help reduce environmental impacts and provide opportunities for synergies. This location will incorporate sustainable development principles and complement the architectural design and landscaping of the Energy Park. Currently in the procurement process, which is expected to take several months, the new facility is planned to begin operating in 2024.

The Region welcomes and encourages ongoing public engagement on the AD Facility. A Public Information Centre on the siting options for the facility was held in early 2020 to obtain public input. There is also a dedicated webpage at durham.ca/ADProject that includes links to all Council reports and information reports, a Frequently Asked Questions section, and a dedicated email for the public to submit questions or comments to the AD technical team at ADProject@durham.ca.

The Mixed Waste Pre-sort and Anaerobic Digestion Facility has been approved by Regional Council as the best option for getting organics and additional recyclables out of Durham’s garbage stream and converting organic waste to renewable energy.

Get the facts about Mixed Waste Pre-sort and Anaerobic Digestion at durham.ca/ADProject.

Quotes

“We are very concerned about the misinformation that is spreading through the community regarding our planned Mixed Waste Pre-sort and Anaerobic Digestion Facility. We would like to encourage all residents to learn more about this important project that will have significant benefits contributing to the Region’s climate change mitigation initiatives at durham.ca/ADproject. Residents are always welcome to submit question or comments to our technical team at ADProject@durham.ca.”

- Susan Siopis, Commissioner of Works, Region of Durham

Quick Facts

• The Mixed Waste Pre-sort and AD Facility will only accept Durham’s garbage, collected at the curb and from multi-residential buildings.
• AD is a source of locally produced renewable energy.
• The Mixed Waste Pre-sort and AD Facility will help Durham meet our climate change targets.
• The Mixed Waste Pre-sort and AD Facility will not replace or eliminate the current Green Bin or Blue Box programs.
• Using the Mixed Waste Pre-sort and AD Facility will result in less garbage going to the DYEC.
• The new Mixed Waste Pre-sort and AD Facility is not an incinerator.

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