AN INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY APPROACH TO ON.SITE WASTE MANAGEMENT PLANNING AT THE FORKS MARKET By Andrew D. Wallace A Practicum Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of City Planning Department of City Planning Faculty of Architecture University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada @April, 1998 National Library Bibliothèque nationale l*l of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington OüawaON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Canada Canada Your lil€ volrc rétéranæ Our l¡le Nolrc rélérence The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electonic formats. la forme de microfiche/fiIm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur forrnat électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts from it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or othenvise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. 0-612-32278-5 Canad'ä TTIE UNTVERSITY OF ÙÍANITOBA FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES ***** COPYRIGHT PER}IISSION PAGE ÄN INDUSTRIAT ECOLOGY APPROACE TO ON-SITE ITASTE T'ÍANAGEUENT PI.ANNING AT TEE FORKS MARKET BY ANDREI{ D. I{ALII\CE A Thesis/?racticum submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies of The University of Manitoba in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of }IASTER OF CITY PI,ANNING Andrew D. I{allace 01998 Permission has been granted to the Library of The University of Manitoba to lend or sell copies of this thesis/practicum, to the National Library of Canada to microfilm this thesis and to lend or sell copies of the film, and to Dissertations Abstracts Internationat to publish an abstract of this thesis/practicum. The author reserves other publication rights, and neither this thesis/practicum nor extensive extracts from it may be printed or otherwÍse reproduced without the author's , written permission. ABSTRACT What can be done with 500 tonnes of organic waste generated annually at The Forks Market? Waste management is an integral part of any development. Organic waste is a product at The Forks that is currently discarded. This material can and should be reused on-site. New technologies and methods must be incorporated into future planning and development at The Forks and the principles of industrial ecology fully incorporated. This study has two objectives. The first is to identify alternative composting technologies that could be used for organic waste management at The Forks as an integral part of a Market garden project, as put forward in The Forks North Portage Partnership's Business Plan (October 1996). The second is to present an organic waste management plan and implementation strategy suitable for incorporation into current waste management systems at The Forks. Results of this study identify that seventy percent of the waste stream is compostable. In 1995/96, disposal of this materials in city owned land fill sites cost the Paftnership in excess of $50,000 in collection and disposal fees. Study results also indicate that an in-vessel composting system best fit needs at The Forks. Finally, the results suggest that comprehensive souÍce separation programs are key to the success of on-site composting. It is recommended that the Partnership take the following actions: i. adopt a source separation program and appoint a coordinator to monitor and maintain it; ii introduce an in-vessel composting system and purchase the fully enclosed flow-through equipment required; iii incorporate the concepts of industrial ecology and ecological design into tlre Planning and Deve lopntcnt Guidelincs; iv set aside sufficient funds for capital costs and fuither research to build upon the available base of knowledge and track operational costs; v capitalize on current economic, environmental and educational incentives. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank the Committee: Dr. Mary-Ellen Tyler, Elizabeth Sweatman and David Stones, for the guidance they have provided throughout this practicum. I also extend thanks to all those individuals and groups who shared their knowledge and expertise with me. It would not have been possible to complete this practicum without access to that body of information. I must acknowledge the staff of The Forks North Portage Partnership. I am indebted to them for their patience and understanding as I joumeyed through this learning experience. I especially thank Marilyn Williams for her suppotl, patience , breakfasts and editing skills; and Dorothy Ridd for her unflagging encouragement and medical advice; and my parents and extended family for a lifetime of guidance and support. To everyone, I apologize for taking so long. III LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Present Development at The Forks Page 1 I Figure 2 The Forks North Portage Partnership - Mandate Areas Page 13 Figure 3 Recommended Development at The Forks Page 22 Figure 4 Proposed Location of Recommended Composting System at The Forks Market Page 84 TABLE OF CON'|ENTS ABSTRACT ACKNOWLEDGMENTS LIST OF FIGURES Chapter One INTRODUCTION 1 1.0 Background and Context 1 1.1 Purpose and Objectives . 2 1.2 Rationale and Project Scope 4 1.3 Methodology 6 1.3.1 Literature Review 6 I.3.2 Personal Interviews 7 1.3.3 Assessment of Composting Options 8 1.4 The Study Subject - The Forks . 9 1.5 The Proposed Market Garden Project . 20 Chapter Two INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY Composting and Waste Management Planning at The Forks 24 2.0 Introduction... 24 2.1 Habitat Restoration - Learning From Nature 25 2.1.1 A Model for Planning and Development at The Forks 27 2.2 Current Solid Waste Management Strategies 30 2.3 Administering a Composting Project 3Z 2.4 Source Separation Program JJ 2.5 On Site - 'Mid-Scale' - Composting 35 2.5.1 Economics 36 2.5.2 Environmental Concerns . 38 2.6 Conclusion 38 Chapter Three COMPOSTING PRACTICES AND TECHNIQUE,S 4l 3.0 Principles of Composting . 41 3.0.1 Microbial Action 42 3.0.2 The Carbon Cycle 44 3.0.3 What Makes Good Compost 45 3.1 Composting Technologies . 48 3.1.1 Windrows 49 3.1.2 Passively Aerated Static Piles . 51 3.1.3 Actively Aerated Static Piles . 51 3.1.4 In-Vessel Composting - Channels 52 3.1.5 In-Vessel Composting - Containers 53 3.1.6 In-Vessel Composting - Tunnels 54 3.l.l Anaerobic Conversion Systems . 54 3.1.8 Vermicomposting 55 ).L Comparison of Composting Techniques 56 J.J Summary 58 Chapter Four ROLE & ESTABLISHMENT OF COMPOSTING FACILITIES 60 4.0 Introduction... 60 4.1 Wasted Again 60 4.2 Municipal Solid Waste Management Strategies 62 4.3 Strategies For Handling Municipal Solid Waste 63 4.3.1 Sanitary Landfills 63 4.3.2 Mass Burning . 64 4.3.3 Materials Collection, Separation and Recycling 64 4.3.4 Composting... 65 4.4. Roles and Benehts of Composting 66 4.5 Government Jurisdiction . 70 4.51 Federal Jurisdiction 70 4.5.2 Provincial Jurisdiction 70 4.5.3 Municipal Jurisdiction 70 4.6 Compost Quality Standards 71 4.7 Summary 71 Chapter Five IMPLEME,NTING COMPOSTING AT THE FORKS 73 5.0 Introduction... t5 5.1 Planning Process IJ 5.2 Education 75 5.3 CompostingTechnology 77 5.4 Design and Location 81 5.5 Summary 85 Chapter Six CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 86 6.0 Introduction... 86 6.1 Summary 86 6.2 Conclusions.... 89 6.3 Recommendations 90 6.4 Opportunities for Further Study 9I BIBLIOGRAPHY 93 PERSONAL COMMLINICATIONS 101 Appendices A. The Forks Waste Audit data, Fall 1995 B. National Survey of Composting Operations in Canada C. Guidelines for Compost Quality D. Quick Service Restaurant Council Source Separation Program E. On-site mid-scale composting An Industrial Ecology Approach to On-site Waste Management Planning at The lìorks Market Andrew D. Wallace April, r198 Page I Chapter One INTRODUCTION 1.0 Background and Context The Forks is a 56 acre site in the heart of downtown Winnipeg, located at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. The site is bounded by the Assiniboine River and Red Rivers on the south, the Red River on the east, and the CN High Line (main line) and some City owned properties on the west and north. The Forks Renewal Corporation was established in 1987 by the Municipal, Provincial and Federal governments to own and redevelop the land at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers and the adjacent East Yards on their behalf. Through public consultation the Board of The Forks Renewal Corporation concluded that the site should be redeveloped as a special and distinct public gathering place that adds to the quality of life in the region. The terms of this renewal and the unique tripartite agreement were put forward in the Phase I Concept and Financial Plan, An Industrial Ecology Approach to On-site Waste Management Planning at The Forks Market Andrew D. Wallace April, r998 Page 2 The current waste management system at The Forks resembles what Hardin Tibbs refers to as the "industrial system", which he states is "...less a system than a collection of linear flows - drawing materials and fossil energy from nature, processing them for economic value, and dumping the residue back into nature." Material, such as fresh produce, brought to The Forks is processed and sold.