ARCHIVE
Issue 12
August 27, 2001

Green Camping and RVs

Ah, the dog days of summer - the time to enjoy Canada's great outdoors. And a time many Canadians take to the roads with their recreational vehicles to relax by a lakeside or be with friends at a campground. Some aspects of recreational vehicle or RV-camping can have a negative impact on the environment. Camp Green, Canada! is a national program created to help make RVing environmentally-friendly.

Water quality can be affected by the choice of products used to treat waste effluents in RV holding tanks. Treating liquid wastes or controlling foul odours has additionally meant using chemicals prior to disposal into the campgrounds' septic systems, with most owners not realizing the potential environmental impact.

Formaldehyde and ammonia, along with their by-products are the two primary chemicals of concern. In fact, formaldehyde is considered "toxic" as defined in Section 64 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.

These chemicals destroy the bacteria which causes odour as well as the bacteria required to break down the waste in the campgrounds' septic system. In addition, some campgrounds may be connected directly to municipal sewage systems which may not treat these chemicals before being discharged into water bodies.

Naturally occurring bacteria in holding tanks not treated with chemicals decompose waste into simple and harmless products. Safe waste disposal depends on minimizing or eliminating the use of toxic products to ensure sufficient supply of beneficial bacteria. The breakdown of waste can also be enhanced by adding a biological additive, which will increase the rate of decomposition, with no unpleasant odours.

A survey of campers and campground operators was conducted in the summer of 2000 as part of a pilot project in Nova Scotia. It revealed a significant lack of awareness of the issue on the part of owners and users but a strong interest in being part of the solution. Camp Green, Canada! was established to increase awareness of these concerns and encourage the use of biological treatment products. This partnership between Environment Canada, provincial camping associations, tourism organizations, Parks Canada and other government agencies, was launched nationally at the onset of the 2001 camping season. Efforts are now in place to implement the campaign across all provinces and territories, targeting private campground owners, provincial and national parks, recreational vehicle owners and distributors across the country.

The awareness package provides the public with detailed information about the problems associated with chemical holding tank treatments. They are being encouraged to choose biological products, and are directed to several products which are Ecologo^TM certified or are non-toxic and biodegradable.

There is already tangible evidence of the efforts being made by campers to switch from chemical to biological treatment. And more biological products are becoming available with companies applying to be certified under the Environmental Choice^TM program. Greening recreational vehicle waste treatment practices and campground operations by preventing pollution in the first place, will provide contaminant-free spaces to be enjoyed for generations.

For more information on the program, visit the Camp Green, Canada! Web site or contact a representative in your region.