Landfill and Composting Facility Field Trip

Here we were doing an activity that reminded us of the 4 R's

Today, we went on a field trip. First, we visited the Composting Facility. Here, we learned about the 4 R's (Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and Compost. We could see compost from all over the city. First it arrives on the Tipping Floor:

The Tipping Floor

The Composting Cycle

Workers sift through the pile and pull out anything they can easily see that can not be composted, like a spoon, a plastic bag or a metal grate. Then, they shred it to make it easier to decompose. The compost is then moved to a vessel where the city adds water and oxygen to help it decompose. It stays for three weeks. 

Then, the compost goes through the screening process. It is blown through a machine that is like a tornado so all the plastic bits blow up and out of the compost. They use a giant magnet to pull out all the metal pieces. Then, it goes into the curing shed where it sits for another three weeks. It is turned to help the decomposers do their work. There is a layer of wood chips that helps to get rid of the smell. This is called the biofilter. Then it is tested and sold in garden stores. In May, citizens of Calgary can go pick up a compost bag for free from the Composting Facility. This entire process takes 60 days. If you were composting in your backyard, it would take about a year. 

How the Tornado Works to Remove Plastic from the Compost

Here's the magnet that helps get out the metal from the compost

We could feel the heat coming off the vessels!

Next, we went to the Shepard Landfill. At the landfill, we could see old garbage piles that have been covered over with dirt and grass. Every day, garbage trucks dump garbage onto the pile and soil is added to keep animals from taking the garbage (like a gull could fly off with it and drop it somewhere else). The soil also stops the garbage from blowing away and makes it less stinky. A landfill is different from a dump because a dump is just a big hole filled with garbage. A landfill has layers to help protect the ground water. The layers are: 

• grass (if it's finished)
• leachate collecting pipes (throughout)
• soil
• garbage
• rocks
• plastic lining
• clay

We did an activity to show the different layers in a landfill.

At the landfill there is also the Eco-Centre. This is a place where you can drop hazardous waste that might cause fires or make bad chemicals get into the earth. These are items like batteries, bear spray, car oil, aerosol bug spray, propane, and paint.

We had a great day and learned a lot!

"I learned that we need to sort garbage and recycle and compost instead of just throwing everything into one bin." ~ Viljo

"I learned that Calgary reduced its garbage by half. I also learned that there are 18 vessels in the composting facility." ~ Felicia

"I learned that there are wood chips to help it not smell so bad for people who leave near the Composting Facility." ~ Finnley

"I learned that if outside it's cold but in the Vessels it's almost 55 degrees C." ~ MM

"I learned that the air blowers in the vessels are so strong that they shook the glass on the windows." ~ Milu

"I learned that a dump is a big hole where you put garbage and a landfill has layers." ~ Nollan

"Even though I wasn't there, I learned that if you throw stuff you can't put in the compost, or recycling, or the landfill and it ends up in the river, there's a chance it can cause acid rain." ~ HS