on farm anaerobic digestion waste discharge ??farm anaerobic digestion waste discharge authorization

OnfarmAnaerobicDigestionWasteDischargeAuthorizationGuideline

BCMinistryofEnvironment

May14,2010

CHFourBiogasInc.

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Disclaimer

TheprimarypurposeofthisdocumentistoprovideguidanceintheapplicationoftheEnvironmentalManagementActandWasteDischargeRegulationwithregardtoonfarmanaerobicdigestion.Thisisnotanexhaustiveguideand,whereapplicable,referencestomoredetailedinformationareprovided.Inallcases,reviewtheactuallegislationandregulationsforexactwording.Thisinformationisprovidedtotheuserentirelyathisorherownrisk.TheMinistrywillnotbeliableforanyclaims,damagesorlossesofanykindarisingoutoftheuseof,orrelianceupon,thisinformation.

Acknowledgements

TheMinistryofEnvironmentacknowledgesElectrigazTechnologiesInc.forallowingtheuseofthetechnicaldatacontainedinthefollowingtworeports:FeasibilityStudyAnaerobicDigesterandGasProcessingFacilityintheFraserValley,BritishColumbiaandFeasibilityStudyBiogasUpgradingandGridInjectionintheFraserValley,BritishColumbia.

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GlossaryofTerms

AWCR AgriculturalWasteControlRegulationALC AgriculturalLandCommissionBC BritishColumbiaBCUOMA BCUsedOilManagementAssociationBMP BestManagementPracticesC CelsiusCSA CanadianStandardsAssociationCAZ ControlledAccessZoneCH4 MethaneCHP CombinedHeatandPower(cogeneration)CNG CompressedNaturalGasCO2 CarbonDioxideCO CarbonMonoxideDAF DissolvedAirFlotationEFP EnvironmentalFarmPlanEMA EnvironmentalManagementActEPA EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(UnitedStates)Fe2(SO4)3 IronSulphateGHG GreenhouseGasGJ Gigajouleha HectareH2S HydrogenSulphideH2SO4 SulphuricAcidK PotassiumKI PotassiumiodinekW KilowattLWMP LiquidWasteManagementPlanMAL MinistryofAgricultureandLandsg Microgramsmg/nm3 MilligramsperNormalCubicMetreMOE MinistryofEnvironmentMPN MostProbableNumberMSW MunicipalSolidWasteMW MegawattN2 NitrogenNaOH SodiumHydroxideNH3 AmmoniaNH4 AmmoniumNO3 NitrateNOx NitrogenOxidesNMVOC NonmethanevolatileorganiccompoundOC OperationalCertificate

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OMRR OrganicMatterRecyclingRegulationPM ParticulateMatterppm PartsPerMillionPSA PressureSwingAdsorptionQP QualifiedProfessionalSOx SulphurOxidesSRM SpecifiedRiskMaterialSWMP SolidWasteManagementPlanTHV TotalHeatingValueTKN TotalKjeldahlNitrogenVOC VolatileOrganicCompoundWDR WasteDischargeRegulationUASB UpflowAnaerobicSludgeBlanket

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ExecutiveSummary

PurposeoftheGuidelineTheMinistryofEnvironment,inconjunctionwiththeMinistryofAgricultureandLands,hasdevelopedthisguidelinetoassistonfarmanaerobicdigestionproponentsinapplyingforawastedischargeauthorizationundertheEnvironmentalManagementActandWasteDischargeRegulation.Theguidelineincludesanintroductiontotheanaerobicdigestiontechnology,thewastedischargeauthorization(permitting)process,andguidanceonthewastestreamstobeidentifiedintheapplicationpackage.Theguidelinealsoprovidesalistofacceptablefeedstocksforonfarmanaerobicdigestionandrecommendationsfornutrientmanagementplanning,sampling,analysisandbestmanagementpractices.InadditiontoaMinistryofEnvironmentwastedischargeauthorization,onfarmanaerobicdigestionfacilitiesmayalsorequireauthorizationfromlocalgovernmentsandtheAgriculturalLandCommission,iflocatedwithintheAgriculturalLandReserve.Theseadditionalprocessesarebrieflyoutlinedintheguideline.WhatisAnaerobicDigestion?Anaerobicdigestionisthebiologicalprocessbywhichorganicmatter(e.g.,manure),isbrokendownintheabsenceofoxygen,producingrawbiogasandotherbyproducts.Therawbiogasismostcommonlyusedtogenerateelectricitythroughcogenerationorupgradedtonaturalgas.Otherbenefitsofanaerobicdigestionincludereductionsinmanurerelatedodours,pathogens,andgreenhousegas(GHG)emissions. Theprocessalsoproducesbyproducts(liquidandsoliddigestate),whichcanbeutilizedonthefarmorfurtherprocessed(e.g.,composted),andsoldasanadditionalrevenuesourceforthefarm.WasteDischargeAuthorizationTypesAsbiogasproductionfromanaerobicdigestionfacilitiesmayinvolvenumerouswastestreamsanddifferentprocesstechnologies,asitespecificwastedischargeauthorizationfromtheMinistryofEnvironmentisrequiredformostprojects.Thefollowingisanoverviewofthethreemostcommonwastedischargeauthorizationtypespertainingtoanaerobicdigestion:

SolidorLiquidWasteManagementPlanandsubsequentOperationalCertificatefor

facilitiesusingmixedfeedstock(agriculturalandnonagriculturalwaste)ornonagriculturalwasteexclusively,andinanareathatrequiresamendmenttothelocalgovernmentssolidorliquidwastemanagementplan.

Permitforfacilitiesusingmixedfeedstock(agriculturalandnonagriculturalwaste)or

nonagriculturalwasteexclusivelyandinanareathatdoesnotrequireamendmenttothesolidorliquidwastemanagementplan.

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AgriculturalWasteControlRegulationforfacilitiesusing100%agriculturalwastefeedstock(definedasmanure,usedmushroommediumandagriculturalvegetationwaste).

HowtoObtainaWasteDischargeAuthorizationInadditiontoprovidinginformationonthedifferenttypesofwastedischargeauthorizations(regulation,wastemanagementplanorpermit),theguidelinealsoprovidesinformationontheprocessinvolvedinobtainingthewastedischargeauthorizationandthedocumentationrequiredforsubmission.ThisincludesguidanceonpreparingtheConsultationandTechnicalAssessmentReports.TheTechnicalAssessmentReportmustdescribeallaspectsofwastedischargedtotheenvironmentfromthefacility.Toaidinthepreparationofthisreport,typicalanaerobicdigestionfacilitywastedischargeshavebeenidentified,e.g.,emissionsfromthebiogascleaningandupgradingequipment,cogeneration,boilers,flares,etc.AsummarychecklistoftheprojectdetailstoincludeintheTechnicalAssessmentReportisincludedintheappendicestotheguidelineandaresummarizedattheendofeachchapter.AcceptableFeedstocksTheMinistryhasestablishedalistofacceptablefeedstocksforthepurposesofonfarmanaerobicdigestion.TheitemsinthelisthavebeenevaluatedfortheirappropriatenessinanonfarmanaerobicdigesterandtheirplacementwithinScheduleA,BorCprovidesincreasedsafeguardsfortheprotectionoftheenvironmentandhumanhealth,aswellasonfarmbiosecurity.ThefeedstocklistisprovidedinAppendix1andisdividedintothreeschedules:

ScheduleA:Acceptable(acceptableasisfordigestion), ScheduleB:Limited(requirespasteurization,e.g.,70oCfor1hour),and ScheduleC:Unacceptable(prohibitedmaterial,suchashazardouswaste).

DigestateLandApplicationRequirementsTheuseofdifferentfeedstockmaterialandthevolumeofnonagriculturalwastefeedstockimportedontothefarmaffectthefeedstocktestinganddigestatelandapplicationrequirementsforanonfarmanaerobicdigestionfacility.Threetiersofanaerobicdigestionfacilitieshavebeenestablishedbasedontheseparameters,asfollows:

Tier1:Onfarmanaerobicdigestionfacilityusing100%agriculturalwaste.Requirements:FollowtheprovisionsoftheAgriculturalWasteControlRegulation,practiceduediligenceandadheretobestmanagementpractices.

Tier2:Onfarmanaerobicdigestionfacilityimportingupto25%nonagriculturalwaste.Requirements:Sampletheimported,nonagriculturalfeedstockforheavymetals,

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developaNutrientManagementPlan(NMP),andfollowtheTier2provisionsfornutrientsampling,analysis,anddigestatelandapplication.

Tier3:Onfarmanaerobicdigestionfacilityimportingmorethan25%nonagricultural

waste.Requirements:Sampletheimported,nonagriculturalfeedstockforheavymetals,developaNutrientManagementPlan,andfollowtheTier3provisionsfornutrientandpathogensampling,analysis,anddigestatelandapplication.

Theflowchartonthefollowingpageprovidesasummaryofthefacilitycategorization,feedstockpretreatmentrequirements,anddigestatemanagementrequirements.BestManagementPracticesBestmanagementpractices(BMPs)andmonitoringandreportingrequirementsareoutlinedinthefinalchaptersoftheguideline.TheseincluderecommendedBMPsforfeedstockcollection,handling,andstorage,aswellasrecommendationsfordigestatestorage,andstrategiesforthereductionofodoursandfugitivedust.

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TableofContents

Chapter1:Introduction...............................................................................................................14

1.1 WhothisGuidelineisFor...............................................................................................14

1.2 WhatisAnaerobicDigestion..........................................................................................14

1.3 BenefitsofAnaerobicDigestion.....................................................................................14

1.4 TypesofAnaerobicDigesters.........................................................................................15

1.5 ProcessTemperatures....................................................................................................16

1.6 MicrobiologicalDecompositionofOrganicCompoundstoBiogas...............................16

Chapter2:OverviewofApprovalProcess...................................................................................18

2.1 MinistryofEnvironmentWasteDischargeAuthorization.............................................18

2.2 WasteStreamstoIdentifyintheAuthorizationApplication.........................................18

2.3 Feedstocks......................................................................................................................18

2.4 DigestateManagement..................................................................................................18

2.5 ListingofRegulatoryAgencies.......................................................................................20

Chapter3:MOERegulatoryFrameworkforWasteDischargeAuthorizations...........................22

3.1 EnvironmentalManagementAct...................................................................................22

3.2 WasteDischargeRegulation..........................................................................................22

3.3 WasteDischargeAuthorizations..........................................................................