9420.pdf

Ocean disposal in Canada is regulated by Environment Canada and refers to disposal of
offal generated at a land-based facility in the ocean. To date, only one permit for ocean
dumping of offal has been granted by Environment Canada (for emergency disposal), as
officials of the department are of the opinion that sufficient alternatives for the beneficial
use of offal exist in B.C. (pers. comm. with Ms. Dixie Sullivan of Environment Canada).
The discharge of offal with effluent is not considered ocean dumping and is regulated
under permit by MOELP. Three processors in B.C. are permitted to use this form of offal
disposal (see Section 5.1. 1).
Disposal of offal at sea after gutting at sea, as is the practice for troll-caught fish is not
considered ocean dumping.
5.5.2 Landfilling
Sanitary Iandfilling is usually a poor choice for the disposal of fisheries waste from both J
an environmental and economic points of view (Green and Mattick, 1977). Large volumes
of waste are required before costs, particularly hauling expenses, can be reduced.
5.5.3 Incineration and Pyrolysis
Although energy can be recovered from burning the waste, the sophisticated equipment
capital costs and high operating costs of incineration and pyrolysis are beyond the means
of most seafood processors. To the knowledge of the authors this process is not applied
at B.C. fish processing facilities, nor is fish offal sent to municipal garbage incinerators.
5.5.4 Comporting
Direct use of fish wastes as manure by spreading on fields is uncommon due to the
typical obnoxious odours of putrefying fish or shellfish. Comporting fish waste is an
intermediary step to utilizing fish as a soil conditioner. The comporting process converts
organic solid waste into a stable, humus like product whose chief use is as a soil
conditioner and fertilizer (Canadian Fishery Consultants Ltd., 1991 ). Comporting is
environmentally acceptable and an economically viable solution in specific instances.
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