KLS Earthworks & Environmental (KLS) and its affiliate company, Calgary Aggregate Recycling (CAR) have announced significant environmental milestones, aligning with The City of Calgary’s sustainability goals and setting new standards in sustainable construction and remediation practices.
In 2023, CAR opened Canada’s first-ever soil recycling facility with the support of Emissions Reduction Alberta, expanding its recycling practices to include the remediation of Class II contaminated (non-hazardous) soil. In its first year, this innovative facility processed 125,075 tons of Class II contaminated soil and hydrovac slurry, diverting nearly 100 per cent of the material from landfills.
Acquired by Indigenous-owned KLS in 2017, CAR has created sustainable construction alternatives from disposal to purchase of materials. Last year, over 90 per cent of the processed material was repurposed into new products that were returned to market, with the remaining material used as a substitute in cement powder through a partnership with Lafarge Canada. This means almost all contaminated soil disposed at CAR has been diverted from landfills, further reducing environmental impact.
CAR’s soil reuse facility is expected to recycle 600,000 tonnes of excavated construction materials annually, redirect 510,000 tonnes of soil from landfills, and reduce GHG emissions in Alberta by an estimated 22,567 tonnes annually – a 65 per cent reduction compared to conventional disposal methods.
“Through the reduction of GHG emissions last year, KLS is well on its way to becoming a carbon neutral contractor,” says Travis Powell, president of KLS and CAR. “Our commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility drives us to find new solutions that benefit both our clients and the planet. With our state-of-the-art equipment and experienced team, we are proud to lead the way in sustainable construction practices.”
Additional sustainability achievements include:
- CAR’s recycling practices use over 95 per cent recycled water. The company recycles hydrovac slurry and reclaims the water to be used as dust suppression on the crusher, eliminating the burden on Calgary’s water system. In 2023, CAR accepted hydrovac slurry from nine industry partners, resulting in diverting 15,533 tons from landfills.
- In 2023, CAR’s soil reuse facility reduced GHG emissions by 6,696.43 metric tons, equivalent to removing 2,052 cars from the road. This is primarily through the reduction in trucking and the production of low-carbon construction materials.
- In its over 30-year history, CAR has diverted over 11 million tons of materials from landfill, repurposing it into usable materials.
KLS and CAR measure success through government-regulated scales, monthly surveys and weigh scale and ERP software. They plan to scale by increasing processing capacity to 840,000 tonnes annually by 2026, expanding into new markets, and developing new service lines focused on sustainable construction and building products.
For further information, visit klsearthworks.com and calgaryaggregate.com.
Featured image credit: KLS Earthworks/LinkedIn.
