Turning organic waste into nutrient-rich compost

Welcome to Alternative Root

Alternative Root, or AltRoot, provides a better way to manage organic waste. We divert municipal organic waste from landfills and quickly turn it into nutrient-rich, environmentally friendly compost. We then provide that compost to local farmers, who apply it to their fields as a natural fertilizer.

Annual Review of Operations

Build soil, grow healthy food, support biodiversity in our environment, positively contributing to our bio-circular economy, sequester carbon, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, research and develop – Improve, adapt, innovate and educate.

Clean Organic Waste Wanted!

Alternative Root needs reliable sources of clean organic waste, including wood waste.

Accepted Waste streams:

Curbside Food (Organic) wastes
Commercial Food (Organic) wastes
Leaf and yard waste
Non-construction wood waste
Animal Bedding materials

Anyone who has a source of clean organics and/or wood and is interested in this recycling opportunity is asked to contact Brian Wonnacott:

We'll Take Your Swamp Mats

AltRoot provides responsible end-of-life services for swamp and access mats by recycling them into compost.

AltRoot's CASP Technology

Covered Aerated Static Pile (CASP) is a proven biological process with air-flow to control an oxygen-rich environment for natural decomposition of organic materials. The system enables control of temperatures for pathogen and seed removal with addition of moisture to facilitate curing of the compost. These conditions provide the optimal living conditions for microorganisms to thrive and efficiently break down organic matter in the feedstock. Aeration enables the rapid production of cured compost, minimizing land use and pollutant risks.

Affiliations and Memberships

AltRoot is a proud member of the Recycling Council of Alberta and the Compost Council of Canada, which provide Codes of Conduct for their members. Through these organizations, we advocate for professional, science-based best practices in recycling and composting.

AltRoot has benefited from research and trials done through Gateway Research Organization. Based out of Westlock, AB, Gateway Research is a non-profit, applied-research association run by and for farmers. It provides cost-effective agricultural research, demonstrations and extension for producers to facilitate greater returns to farms by providing economically and scientifically sound information, enabling farmers to make informed decisions. As the GRO says, it makes mistakes so that farmers don’t have to.

AltRoot is a member of The Association of Alberta Coordinated Action for Recycling Enterprises (Alberta CARE), a non-profit enterprise established in 2010 to support recycling and waste management activities at the community level in Alberta, of Canadian Wood Waste Recycling and of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef.