RDN continues to be awarded for its corporate carbon neutrality

The Regional District of Nanaimo is pleased to receive Level 4 recognition for “Achievement of Carbon Neutrality” for corporate operations in the 2018 reporting year. This recognition is provided annually by the joint Provincial and Union of British Columbia Municipalities Green Communities Committee to local governments that demonstrate progress on their Climate Action Charter commitments.

As a signatory to the BC Climate Action Charter in October 2008, the RDN has demonstrated its commitment to work with the Province and Union of BC Municipalities to take action on climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions corporately and community-wide. The RDN committed to take actions and developed strategies to achieve carbon neutrality in their corporate operations and has remained Carbon Neutral since 2012.

Projects that assisted the RDN in achieving carbon neutrality in 2018 included:

  • The Landfill Gas Collection Project, which captured 2,764,906 m3 of landfill gas.
  • The Greater Nanaimo Pollution Control Centre (GNPCC) co-generation system, which converted waste methane gas into 136,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity that was sold back to the electrical grid. This amount of energy production is equivalent to the power usage of 22 homes for one year. The GNPCC also captured 427,181 m3 of biogas and utilized it to fuel the boilers and co-generation system.
  • The Landfill Gas Collection Project, which enabled 2,576 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2 e) to be applied to carbon offsets.
  • The green bin collection program, launched in 2010, which works towards reaching a 90% waste diversion goal. The RDN currently provides this service to over 29,000 homes and diverted the equivalent of 3000 metric tonnes of food waste from the Landfill in 2018.

“Carbon neutrality is key to economic development, environmental protection and healthy communities,” said Chair Ian Thorpe. “Recognition for the ‘Achievement of Carbon Neutrality’ supports the Board’s priorities of leading climate change adaptation and mitigation initiatives as well as acting as environmental stewards of the region’s land, water, and air for future generations.”

For more information, visit Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program.

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