Case Study: Our Sun Peaks Project

Earlier this spring, we were approached by Sun Peaks Resort in British Columbia to design and implement a fully containerized composting system to help them manage their biosolids. Sun Peaks is an all-season resort 31 miles from Kamloops, B.C. Formerly known as Tod Mountain, it has grown to nearly 4,000 skiable acres of terrain as well as a world class golf course, lift access hiking, and mountain biking. In 2005, Sun Peaks realized that simple outdoor composting of its biosolids didn’t work at 4,000 feet during BC’s very cold winters.

We were proud that Sun Peaks selected our Containerized Composting System (CCS)m as the best option for them. Flexible and expandable, the Earth Bin may be expanded to include other compostable materials in the future. We worked directly with Pat Miller, manager of Utility Services for Sun Peaks. We called Pat recently to check in and asked her to comment on the project for our blog. Here’s what Pat had to say: “We use the Earth Bin to take the exhausted biosolids from the wastewater treatment plant and combine them with locally available wood chips to create a Class A compost for use throughout the resort. In the future, we will be able to divert food waste from our restaurants and other waste compostable materials as well. We save more fuel costs, by utilizing the district’s roll-off trucks to empty our containers in between their trips from the local waste transfer site to the landfill. By keeping as many of these materials onsite and processing them in an environmentally responsible manner, we save fuel costs while enriching the landscape around us.” What a great system!

Here’s how we pulled it off:
The composting first takes place in controlled batches with three airtight vessels (CCS CompTainers) which are loaded by conveyor from inside the processing building. The secret to success at this altitude is that the Earth Bins are super-insulated to allow composting in the extreme cold environment. Each CompTainer is then closely controlled to optimize decomposition, meet regulatory requirements, and minimize odors. The unique aeration process integrates up to 50 CompTainers into a single system through centralized blowers and computer controllers.