b'EXCESS SOILFROM WASTE TO WIN: EXCESS SOIL By Ashlee ZelekHow reusing excess soil in pits and quarries benefits the environment, reduces landfill waste and supports a circular economyW hat goes up must comemeettheambitioushousingtargetof1.5toRe-using excess soil at aggregate sites leads down.Andwhenitmillion homes by 2031, the volume of excessbetterrehabilitation,benefitingusall. comestoexcesssoil,soil generated is likely to rise, making re-useFor example, in pits that have rocky native whatcomesoutshouldoptions even more crucial. material or quarries with limited overburden finditswaybackin.ortopsoilon-sitetocreategentlerslopes, ThereisaconsiderableamountofexcessHereswherethebeautyofimportingnotonlyistheimportationofexcesssoil soil generated in our province each year: anexcesssoilintopitsandquarriesforbeneficial for enhanced rehabilitation, but in estimated 25 cubic million metresenoughrehabilitation comes into play. Its a brilliantsome cases it is essential. soiltofillover15RogersCentresor2.1win-winsolution.Therearemanagement million dump trucks. But where is it all goingand monitoring programs in place at pits andNow, lets look at a few success stories. to go?quarries, and not only does this keep the soil out of landfills, but there are many benefitsAt the CBM Aggregates Dabrowski Pit in Asignificantportionofthisexcesssoillike reduced greenhouse gas emissions andNorth Dumfries, the challenge of restoring comesfromconstructionwork,andtheless road damage because trucks that oncehigh-qualityagriculturallandsprompted good news is most of it can be put to goodcarried aggregate for development projectsthe consideration of two options: extensive use, either on-site or at appropriate re-usecan now transport excess soil back. Utilizingstonepickingorimportinghigh-quality sites nearby. However, in the next few years,soilimportationisawiseapproachtotopsoil. Wisely opting for the latter, during restrictions on sending soil to landfills willresource use as it also enables the maximalthesummerof2022,theimportationof comeintoeffect,andthismightposeaextractionofaggregates.Itsallpartof14,000cubicmetresofTable1material challenge.And,astheprovincestrivestosupporting Ontarios circular economy. from a nearby development proved to be a Topsoil delivery at Dabrowski Pit; oat crop on rehabilitated agricultural field at Dabrowski Pit16 AVENUESFALL 2023'