Cardston is one of two towns in Alberta receiving funding from the provincial government to test new ways to treat wastewater and convert waste into energy.
The Alberta government is investing $10 million from the industry-funded Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction program.
That money will be used to pilot two new technologies that will help both Cardston and Peace River treat wastewater more efficiently and turn waste into clean energy. Officials add this should save taxpayers money, reduce waste and create jobs.
“Alberta’s municipalities are looking for ways to reduce waste and upgrade infrastructure, and funding these two projects does exactly that. If successful, it could help Alberta communities reduce waste and keep water clean, while reducing emissions and saving taxpayers money,” says Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schulz.
The Town of Cardston is getting $5 million, which will help install a new wastewater system that uses helpful bacteria to eat sewage. Officials say the technology uses 50 per cent less electricity than the current system and produces cleaner, more reliable water at a lower cost. If successful, the province says the project could offer a more affordable and environmentally friendly way for many communities to treat wastewater.
“We are incredibly grateful for the Government of Alberta’s support through Emissions Reduction Alberta that has enabled the launch of the province’s first-ever standalone Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor pilot, an innovative leap forward in wastewater treatment,” states Cardston mayor Maggie Kronen.
“This groundbreaking installation in the Town of Cardston signals a bold shift in how not only municipalities, but other commercial operators, approach sustainable wastewater infrastructure.”
Further details about the Cardston project are available on the Emissions Reduction Alberta website.
PEACE RIVER
Meanwhile, Peace River Waste Management Company will use $5 million to address overflowing municipal landfills in the Peace Region by expanding its technology that turns landfill garbage into carbon-negative power.
Officials note this will cut waste by 85 per cent, bring disposal costs down by 25 per cent and lower landfill methane emissions by over 22 million tonnes. The province adds that turning this pilot project into a full capital project will result in more jobs, support 24-hour operations and eventually enable the technology to be shared with other communities that are facing challenges in disposing waste.
“With this financial support from the Government of Alberta through ERA, we are accelerating our mission to be leaders in environmentally responsible waste management services and systems,” says Art Sawatzky, general manager of the Peace Region Waste Management Company.
“Every year, millions of tonnes of waste are buried in Alberta’s landfills, resulting in long-term generation of environmentally damaging carbon and methane emissions. There is an incredible amount of latent energy in the waste material we discard.”
“This project enables us to meet our sustainability goals by diverting 80 per cent of the waste materials from the landfill through a facility which recovers and converts the energy into heat and electricity. At the same time, this process will eliminate the waste’s overall capacity to generate emissions.”
The province notes the combined value of both projects is almost $41 million.
