It\u2019s going to be an exciting year at MetaFLO Technologies. We have more backlogged projects and are receiving more inquiries from interested organizations than ever before. One common theme from this activity – new regulations, guidelines and enforcement from jurisdictions all over North America.<\/p>\n
In Alberta, Environment and Parks considers the slurry from hydro-vac operation to be a waste under the Waste Control Regulation 192\/1996 Part 3 23(1) of the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act<\/em>. The regulation was always in place but enforcement is now being applied. This waste material must only be deposited at a waste management facility authorized in accordance with the Act<\/em> and this Regulation.<\/p>\n Similarly, in Ontario, the MOECC has implemented a framework for managing excess soils, including slurry waste streams like hydro-vac mud, HDD drilling fluids and cuttings. Managing these slurries under the framework will address illegal dumping and mitigate potential risk to human health. Municipalities outside larger urban centres have been struggling with this problem for years.\u00a0 The framework in Ontario is expected to become Regulation in late 2017 with Quebec following closely behind.<\/p>\n Many US states are implementing similar measures.\u00a0 California has recently adopted regulations to prevent the mismanagement of liquid waste streams carried by hydro excavation trucks.<\/p>\n New carbon pricing regulations have come into effect in many jurisdictions as of January 1, 2017, that will directly impact the costs of slurry management. \u00a0Hauling small volumes of liquid waste to approved receiving sites will become less desirable as project owners recognize the cost of carbon emissions in infrastructure planning.<\/p>\n