These quarterly audits of Otter Lake Landfill’s compostable waste track HRM’s efforts to ensure that by March 31, 2026 the percentage of compostable waste going into the landfill will be 10 per cent of the total amount of solid waste by mass. The Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Climate Change mandated the 10 per cent performance target in 2022, as a condition for the deactivation of the front-end processor and waste stabilization facility, which occurred Dec.19, 2022. The approved shutdown was the result of a joint application to the department by HRM, the owner of the Otter Lake facility, and Mirror Nova Scotia, the operator.
When in operation, the front-end processor removed decaying organic matter, hazardous waste and recyclables such as plastics and paper from all residential garbage entering the Otter Lake facility before it was placed in the landfill. The waste stabilization facility rendered the recovered organic matter inert before it was buried. HRM maintained that the equipment and processes were inefficient, that their deactivation would not be harmful, and it could save money for the municipality.
Quarterly Waste Audits (Performance Audits) Results:
2023-2024
2022-2023