Beneficial Re-Use of Operational Waste at UPM-Kymmene Miramichi, 2003 Environmental Conference Proceedings

From 2000 to 2002, UPM-Kymmene Miramichi reduced its solid waste to landfill by 44%, thus almost doubling the life of its new landfill facility and using wastes for beneficial purposes. This was accomplished by diverting operational waste to composting and by removing clarifier solids (i.e. fiber clay) as a source of fuel for the main biomass boiler. The wastes currently being used to manufacture compost include ash from the biomass boiler, woodyard waste, fiber clay, biosolids from secondary effluent treatment, and wood / fiber waste that is being reclaimed from an old landfill site. The removal of fiber clay as a source of fuel has also had benefits in terms of energy savings and environmental improvements, due to the relatively poor energy value of this material when compared to hog fuel. The decision to compost fiber clay has also resulted in over 50% less wood ash being produced by the boiler, due to the inorganic content of the fiber clay. All the above wastes are also being considered for use in a landfill capping project. Fiber clay has been evaluated as a material for the hydraulic barrier. Other wastes are being considered for the top soil layer of the landfill. Results of lab and field trials show that the materials could be used in the soil layers of the landfill cap. About 30% of the ash is still being landfilled and this is where most of the opportunities lie for waste reduction. A reduction of the moisture content of various wastes would also greatly facilitate handling and disposal.