The Solid Waste Area Management Plan (SWAMP) landfill outside Winkler, is taking steps towards more sustainable waste management. The facility has recently acquired a tractor and compost turner to begin processing compost and other recyclable materials, like wood and drywall.
Introducing the equipment
In a conversation with Winkler City Council member Peter Froese, the details of the transition were discussed, as well as the new equipment’s role in the process.
"The compost turner, what it does is, when you’ve laid out your compost in a roll, you go through there with it, and it mixes it up very nicely, it breaks it down, takes all the clumps out and it leaves it in a very nice, shaped pile."
Froese explained that one of the main reasons a turner like this is needed is to prevent it from overheating. If that happens and the compost gets too hot, he said, “It actually will burn internally. The compost will overheat and turn to ash on the inside," which ruins the compost.
The compost turner was purchased 'used' for $45,000.
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Doing things right
The new initiative is part of SWAMP's broader plan to handle the compost of Morden, Winkler and the RM of Stanley, a decision that was made in November of last year in response to the need that all three communities found themselves in.
Looking to the future, Froese shared that SWAMP is applying for a new license to handle composting materials separately from regular waste.
"It’s not landfillable, it’s not something we’ll bury, so it’s a different licence." Froese confirmed that once approved, SWAMP will build a designated area for composting to meet provincial requirements.