FAQs

Biosolids are the nutrient-rich by-product of wastewater treatment and can benefit the community. They contain nutrients, energy, and organic matter that can be recycled and used in various ways. The most common use is as fertilizer to promote tree and plant growth and as a soil additive to restore degraded industrial lands. Other emerging options may include harnessing energy contained in biosolids through thermal (heating) processes to use as an alternative fuel.

Biosolids contain important nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, sulphur, and iron. The benefits of biosolids include: 

1. Adds organic matter and plant nutrients to enrich soil
2. A natural alternative to synthetic [chemical] fertilizers
3. Stores carbon in soil and decrease greenhouse gas emissions
4. Increases soil water retention
5. Can be mixed with wood chips or yard waste to create compost
6. Can be used to create alternate fuel 

For generations, biosolids have been safely used around the world by farmers, landscapers, and foresters. More recently in other countries, biosolids have been used in thermal [heating] processes to generate renewable energy sources. The CRD is advancing a pilot project utilizing thermal technologies to process biosolids; however, if it proves successful, it will be several years before it can be utilized fully as a permanent facility in the capital region.

The BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy and federal Environment and Climate Change Canada set the standards for protection of human health and the environment for wastewater treatment including biosolids production and use. Biosolids do not pose a risk to human health or the environment when they are produced, distributed, stored, sold or used in accordance with all of the requirements in the Organic Matter Recycling Regulation.

Mismanagement of any product or material can lead to adverse affects on the environment and risk to human health. OMRR guidelines are designed to ensure the proper management of biosolids as well as reduce risk. 

Class A biosolids that the CRD produces exceed provincial Organic Matter Recycling Regulation requirements.

Greater Victoria has limited industry and a rigorous source control program to remove contaminants before they enter the wastewater system. As a result, the Class A biosolids that are produced exceed Organic Matter Recycling Regulation requirements ensuring the safe and responsible use of biosolids. 

In fact, the trace contaminants in the biosolids the CRD produce is much lower than what is present in everyday products such as takeout containers, medications and shampoos. 

CRD source control officers enforce bylaws and regulations that control what can be sent to wastewater treatment plants, reducing contaminants from entering the wastewater system. 

At the treatment plant, biosolids undergo rigorous testing.

The Province of BC is currently pursuing regulatory modernization for the Organic Matter Recycling Regulation (OMRR) to improve the protection of human health and the environment. Organic matter recycling regulation and guidance - Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)

Water that goes down the drain from a house or business is considered wastewater. It enters the wastewater system carrying organics, and items such as toilet paper, and food. Wastewater generated in the Core Area: Victoria, Langford, Colwood, Oak Bay, Saanich, Esquimalt, and View Royal is treated at the McLoughlin Point Wastewater Treatment Plant. 

During the wastewater treatment process at the McLoughlin Point Wastewater Treatment Plant, the solids (sludge) are separated and conveyed to the Residuals Treatment Facility at Hartland Landfill for further processing. In the near future, the RTF will also process solids from the Sooke and Saanich Pennisula wastewater treatment plants. Each step of the wastewater treatment process contributes to creating a higher quality of effluent and ultimately more biosolids. 

At the Residuals Treatment Facility, the solids (sludge) undergo anaerobic digestion in which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen and produce biogas. The water is removed, and the solid materials are heated to a very high temperature creating the highest standard of biosolids for use as fertilizer or energy generation. 

Biogas produced during the treatment process is collected and used to fuel the facility. 

The Saanich Peninsula wastewater treatment plant provides wastewater treatment on the Saanich Peninsula for the Districts of North and Central Saanich and the Town of Sidney. Wastewater Treatment Plants in Sooke and the Electoral Areas are also in operation.

Timed with wastewater treatment being introduced in the core area in 2020, the CRD implemented a short-term plan to use biosolids as an alternative to fossil fuel combustion at a Lower Mainland cement factory. There have been operational challenges and the majority of biosolids produced have been landfilled. Given the recent challenges, the CRD arranged to have some biosolids sent to a gravel quarry in Cassidy, to be used for industrial land reclamation, one form of land application, under a provincial Mines Act permit.

Landfilling biosolids has been used as an emergency measure. It wastes valuable space in the landfill and does not meet provincial requirements for beneficial use of biosolids. It is not being considered as a long-term option.   

Biosolids are commonly used within communities across Canada, and the globe; mostly land-applied to add nutrients and organic material back to the land, but also thermally processed and some landfilling.

All other large communities in BC (e.g. Kelowna, Kamloops, Comox and Metro Vancouver primarily utilize their biosolids as fertilizer or in compost. 

There are currently no full scale advanced thermal facilities processing biosolids in Canada. The CRD is advancing a pilot project utilizing thermal technologies to process biosolids; however, if it proves successful, it will be several years before it can be utilized fully as a permanent facility in the capital region. 

In 2011, prior to introducing wastewater treatment in the core area, the CRD Board of Directors passed a biosolids land application ban based on the concerns of several advocacy groups and members of the public.

The BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy and federal Environment and Climate Change Canada set the standards for wastewater treatment.  

Class A biosolids must meet regulatory requirements set by the Province of BC under the Environmental Management Act and Organic Matter Recycling Regulation. These stringent requirements outline maximum allowable levels of pathogens and heavy metals to ensure protection of human health and the environment. These regulations also provide strict controls on how and where biosolids may be used.

The provincial government requires the CRD to file a long-term plan outlining the beneficial uses for biosolids by June 2024.

Class A biosolids must meet regulatory requirements set by the Province of BC under the Environmental Management Act and Organic Matter Recycling Regulation. These stringent requirements outline maximum allowable levels of pathogens and heavy metals to ensure protection of human health and the environment. These regulations also provide strict controls on how and where biosolids may be used.

Landfilling biosolids wastes the benefits of biosolids as a resource, consumes valuable landfill space, and emits greenhouse gas emissions. The provincial government requires the CRD to file a long-term plan outlining the beneficial uses for biosolids by June 2024.

The Provincial direction to the CRD is outlined in a letter from the Minister of Environment.

The current annual cost to provide Core Area wastewater treatment is approximately $35 million per year. A budget of $2 million per year has been allocated for biosolids management. Based on this, any of the long-term options that cost less than $2 million per year (options that are less than $550/tonne) would not result in an increase to the budget. 

Refer to the Long-Term Options for the estimated costs associated with each option. 

Advanced thermal technologies are an emerging option for managing biosolids. Currently there aren’t any thermal options in permanent operation in Canada. In an effort to explore the possibility of using gasification or pyrolysis for processing biosolids into biochar or biofuel, the CRD issued a Request for Expression of Interest in April 2023, to identify companies with the ability to design, manufacture, install and operate a biosolids advanced thermal processing demonstration plant for a period of up to 12 months. Ten submissions were received and evaluated, and six will be invited to proceed to a Request for Proposals. The list of proponents is available here.

Currently, there are no advanced thermal facilities processing biosolids in Canada. If the pilot proves successful, it will take 7-10 years for permitting and construction before advanced thermal options can be implemented as a long-term option. Hence, this is why a suite of management options must be considered. 

Your feedback will be used to inform the development of a long-term biosolids management plan that will outline the CRD’s approach to managing biosolids going forward. Upon completion of this public engagement process a What We Heard consultation summary report will be produced. It will be shared with the CRD Board, Technical and Community Advisory Committee, and available on this website as part of the draft plan review process before submission to the Province under the CRD’s Core Area Liquid Waste Management Plan (CALWMP) commitments. Public input, current technical information and First Nations engagement each inform the development of a long-term biosolids management plan.

Here are some additional resources from across North America: 

Province of BC: Biosolids in BC 

Government of Canada: Canada-Wide Approach for the Management of Wastewater Biosolids

United State Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Basics of Biosolids  

A technical evaluation of the various beneficial use options completed by GHD in 2023 also outlines many considerations associated with the various options including knowledge gaps and limitations. Refer the Long-Term Biosolids Beneficial Use Technical Consultant Report.

The consultant did not complete a comprehensive triple bottom line evaluation, however, a qualitative assessment that considered the key economic, environmental and social criteria associated with the various options was completed. Refer to pages 33-38 of the Long-Term Biosolids Beneficial Use Technical Consultant Report.