Biomethanization in Quebec: revenues of $1.6 million thanks to the sale of natural gas

Since January, the City of Quebec has injected 3 million cubic meters of natural gas into the Énergir network, which brought in $1.6 million.

The Municipality took stock yesterday and was delighted with these figures, at the end of the first year of gas injection from the biomethamization plant. In energy terms, this corresponds to heating 2775 houses.

This year, $700,000 was also saved, with food waste not sent to the incinerator and for which the City does not have to pay the fees required by the government.

2,3 millions $

For the person responsible for the management of residual materials on the executive committee, Marie-Josée Asselin, it is largely thanks to the participation of citizens. “We earn $2.3 million because they put their drains in the right place,” she illustrated. In fact, 75% of citizens participate in the collection of food materials in purple bags.

On the other hand, bags continue to be burned in the incinerator, but the City is currently studying avenues to recycle bags, in particular by transforming plastic to make street furniture. “A professional mandate is underway to assess the technical and financial feasibility of installing a complete packaging line on a larger scale,” argued the City.

M^me Asselin took the opportunity to remind people that taking the right action and sorting residual materials correctly is a way for each citizen to reduce costs for the community. She encourages citizens to use their purple bags provided free of charge by the City only for kitchen waste.

This is also provided for in a municipal by-law, which states that food waste must go in a purple bag, just like recyclable materials, in the blue bin.

No “trash police”

“We will not have a trash police,” and no fines will be imposed, assured M.^me Asselin, who nevertheless emphasizes that citizens have the power to help “balance the City’s revenues and expenses.”

Mathieu Fournier, director of the residual materials management section, also indicated that residents in condos or apartments whose owner or building manager is hesitant to allow the implementation of the collection of purple bags can refer to 311 to get support.

Odors

The deputy director general for sustainable infrastructure, Carl Desharnais, indicated that corrections were made after the episodes of odors which had inconvenienced citizens a few months ago. Even if we are “not safe” from a malfunction, “it should no longer stink,” he said.