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percent of the original airspace is recaptured.
The site can then be excavated using mature
open pit mining techniques where compos-
ted materials are removed and products such
as plastic, rubber and glass can be recovered.
Hazardous materials such as batteries, pro-
pane cylinders and chemical drums are dis-
posed of safely.
“Costs and liability issues are mitigated af-
ter the first phase,” Baxter said. “We then add
companion technologies.” These technolo-
gies, developed by SALT with assistance from
the National Research Council of Canada, can
transform the site’s non-organic materials into
durable products. Co-mingled plastics, glass,
rubber and carpet can be manufactured into
items such as utility poles, railway ties, marine
wharves and landscaping products that are
cost-effective, non-toxic and resistant to ero-
sion. At the end of the process, municipalities
have not only reduced expenses associated
with landfill operation but can also recover
costs.
“Space in a landfill is extremely valuable,”
Baxter explained. “We can recover that space
and turn it back into a performing municipal
asset that produces revenue for the commu-
nity.”
