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SkyRocket is a nutrient-rich soil amendment made of wood waste mixed with biosolids and cured over time to create a Class A Compost. It can be purchased at the Comox Valley Waste Management Centre at 3699 Bevan Road, Cumberland, BC.

Availability & Rates

Usage Guidelines

SkyRocket has no restrictions on its final use which makes it ideal on all outdoor plants, including large-scale landscaping and planting projects, residential landscaping, orchards, flower gardens and lawns. Due to the high nitrogen and other nutrient levels of this product, SkyRocket should be used as a soil conditioner or supplement, rather than as a topsoil or fertilizer. It can be applied annually or as recommended by soil analysis. As with any compost product, hands should be washed immediately after applying or handling the product.

Tips for Using SkyRocket

SkyRocket is a Class A compost

SkyRocket is regularly tested to ensure it meets or exceeds the Provincial regulations for a Class A Compost, under the strict requirements of the organic matter recycling regulation. It also meets the requirement under the Fertilizers Act administered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

SkyRocket Frequently Asked Questions
Is SkyRocket safe to use?

Yes, as a Class A Compost product, SkyRocket is safe to use for large-scale landscaping and planting, as well as for residential use.

Prior to going out to market, and again throughout the season, SkyRocket is tested to ensure it meets or exceeds the regulations for a Class A Compost, which is the highest of the three levels that regulate organic matter recycling. SkyRocket is tested for pathogens, nutrient value, moisture, pH and metals content. Micro-bacteriological testing is also performed for coliform and salmonella bacterias, as well as testing for metals (lead, mercury, chromium, copper, etc.).

SkyRocket is regulated by the Provincial Government's Organic Matter Recycling Regulation (OMRR) and it meets the requirement under the Fertilizers Act administered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

Compost made from biosolids is one of the most heavily researched of all soil amendments available, and the safety and benefits of its use are well demonstrated. The in-depth review of this significant body of peer-reviewed research has informed the way biosolids are treated, produced, used, and regulated by the Provincial Government and CFIA.

SkyRocket Analysis

Maximum Moisture: <60%
Total Organic Matter: >30%
pH level: 7.4

Class A Compost Substance Concentrations

How is SkyRocket produced?

The CVRD composts biosolids from the City of Courtenay, the Town of Comox, K’ómoks First Nations and CFB Comox using aerated bunker technology. Biosolids are removed as part of the wastewater treatment process at the Comox Valley Water Pollution Control Centre.

To create SkyRocket, the wet biosolids are mixed with chipped and ground green waste from the landfill. This mixture is then loaded into a large composting bay where the temperature of the material must be above 55 degrees Celsius for at least 3 consecutive days to destroy pathogens. In fact, the temperatures rise to as high as 65 to 70 degrees Celsius for the entire 28 days ( 4 weeks) in the active composing bunker. The elevated temperature destroys pathogens and oxidizes other chemical constitutes. This is the heart of the composting process. When the mixture is removed from the composting bunker it is screened and then cured in an open channel composting system for another 4 weeks. The finished product is ready for sale after composting, screening and curing has occured. Any oversized amendment green waste that is screened out during the process is recycled back into the next batch.

All the biosolids produced at the Comox Valley Water Pollution Control Centre are used in this composting process and none are disposed of in any other way.

The SkyRocket compost facility is located adjacent to the Comox Valley Waste Management Centre located at 3699 Bevan Road in the Village of Cumberland.

What are biosolids and how are they made?

Biosolids are a product of the wastewater treatment process. Wastewater treatment includes screening and degritting to remove solids, and aeration to ensure the water meets safety standards before it is discharged. The solids are further processed into stable organic material called biosolids.

Biosolids contain macronutrients and organic matter that can replenish soil and help it to retain moisture. The biosolids produced at the Comox Valley Water Pollution Control Centre are then used to make SkyRocket.

Are biosolids the same as sewage sludge or raw sewage?

No, raw sewage and sewage sludge are the raw waste materials, before treatment. Only treated biosolids from the wastewater treatment process are used in the creation of SkyRocket.

These treated biosolids are combined with wood waste and undergo composting, screening and curing to create a Class A Compost.