Biosolids Master Plan

Hamilton is Canada's ninth largest city with a total population of just over 500,000. The City has three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) dedicated to protecting the health of the environment and its residents. The largest of these is the Woodward Avenue WWTP while the two smaller plants are located in Dundas and Waterdown. The sludge from Dundas and Waterdown is transported to the Woodward plant where the sludges from all three plants are mixed and anaerobically digested to become biosolids.

After digestion, the biosolids are dewatered before being applied to land under the Ministry of the Environment and Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food "Guidelines for the Utilization of Biosolids and Other Wastes on Agricultural Land". Prior to 1996 Hamilton incinerated their biosolids and disposed of the ash in landfill. This practice was terminated due to the large capital investment that would have been required to upgrade the incinerators.

THE BIOSOLIDS MASTER PLAN

In 2007, the City of Hamilton completed the second phase of the Class Environmental Assessment (EA) process to develop a Biosolids Master Plan. The Biosolids Master Plan will provide direction for the management of biosolids that are generated from the City’s wastewater treatment plants for the next 20 years and beyond. Currently, most of the biosolids (a nutrient and organic byproduct of the wastewater treatment process) are used as a soil amendment. In recent years, however, some biosolids have had to be landfilled due to limitations in soil availability.

The project has been undertaken as a Master Plan under the Municipal Engineers Association Municipal Class Environmental Assessment document (October 2000, as amended in 2007). Public and agency input was invited for incorporation into the planning process at two points of this project to date. The first set of Public Information Centres was held in March 2005 to present the problem/opportunity statement. A second series of Public Information Centres in September 2006 presented the recommended solutions identified to address the problem/opportunity statement.

The Biosolids Master Plan identified a preferred management alternative of thermal reduction (with digestion for energy recovery). The Master Plan Class EA recommended the establishment of a new technology for the thermal reduction process at the existing site while continuing the use of digestion for energy production through co-generation.

The Class EA Process and Comment Period

A Biosolids Master Plan Phases I and II Report documenting the planning process undertaken and conclusions reached was placed on the public record for a minimum of 30 calendar days in accordance with the Municipal Class EA. The Review Period ended on October 9th, 2007. The complete Biosolids Master Plan Phases I and II documentation is available HERE.

BIOSOLIDS MANAGEMENT FACILITIES AT THE WOODWARD WWTP

Commencement of Municipal Class EA – Schedule C

Following Council’s acceptance of the Biosolids Master Plan and the recommendation of thermal reduction for biosolids management, City staff consulted with the Ministry of the Environment and committed to the further undertaking of this project as a Municipal Class Environmental Schedule C with Phases III and IV of the Municipal Class EA process to be completed accordingly. The rationale for this decision is based on several factors, including the need to fulfill Council direction to study ‘…other thermal reduction options, present and possibly available within the City’, as well as to provide a structured process by which to proactively address the issues raised by stakeholders during the Phases I and II Municipal Class EA process. These factors are best attended in a coordinated manner through the Schedule C Class EA process with input from all stakeholders, and with findings presented to the community and Council in a structured and timely manner.

The Notice of Commencement for the Schedule C Municipal Class Environmental Assessment of Biosolids Management Facilities was placed in local print media on March 20 and 28, 2008 and is available HERE for review.

Public Information Centre

A Public Information Centre was held June 22, 2009 to provide details on the study, present a review of alternatives and to solicit input from the public. A Notice of Public Information Centre was placed on this webpage and in local print media on June 12 and June 19, 2009, with additional notification to those on the project mailing list. A copy of the Notice of Public Information Centre is available HERE

Information on the Schedule C Class EA for Biosolids Management as presented at the PIC is available by clicking on the following links:

    · Public Information Centre Presentation Boards June 22, 2009

    · Project Overview – Biosolids Management at the Woodward Avenue WWTP

Notice of Completion -  Notice of Review Period Extension to January 14, 2010 - City of Hamilton Biosolids Management Schedule C Class EA 

The complete Biosolids Management Schedule C Class EA Environmental Study Report, including Air Modeling, Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) Reports and Public Consultation records is available for review through the following link:

Biosolids Management Schedule C Class EA Environmental Study Report 

You are invited to submit any comments or questions regarding the Biosolids Master Plan or the current Biosolids Management Class EA Schedule C study. Comments, questions, requests for further information or for placement on the mailing list may be directed to:

Chris Shrive, M.Sc., P.Ag.
Senior Project Manager
Infrastructure & Source Protection Planning Section
Environment & Sustainable Infrastructure Division
Public Works Department
55 John Street North, 6^th Floor
Hamilton, ON L8R 3M8
Phone: 905 546 2424 x7209
Fax: 905 546 4491
email: Chris.Shrive@hamilton.ca