Daryl McCartney, PhD, PEng

Area of Study / Keywords

Environmental Engineering and Science

About

Credentials:

Degrees:

• Ph.D. Environmental Engineering (1991), University of Manitoba.
• M.Sc. Environmental Engineering (1988), University of Manitoba.
• B.Sc. Geological Engineering (1984), University of Manitoba.

Certificates:

• Governance Program for Small & Medium Sized Enterprises (2014), Alberta School of Business.
• Financial Management Program (2011), Alberta School of Business.
• Executive Program (2011), Alberta School of Business.
• Organizational Leadership (2003), Resolution Skills Centre. Winnipeg MB.

Current Positions Held:

• Professor Emeritus in Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta.

 Special Academic or Professional Honours and Appointments:

• 2010 to 2021 Executive Director, Edmonton Waste Management Centre of Excellence, Alberta.
• 2012 Key Note Speaker, 12th International Environmental Specialty Conference of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering, Edmonton.
• 2009 to 2010 Chair, Climate Change Adaptation Sub-committee, Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists of Alberta.
• 2005 to 2010 Associate Chair (Undergraduate Studies), University of Alberta.
• 2010 Conference Co-organizer, ISO 14001 Environmental Management Colloquium IV, Kananaskis, Alberta.
• 2009 Invited Visiting Professor, Bauhaus University, Weimar Germany.
• 2009 Invited Visiting Professor, Universitat Autonoma Barcelona, Barcelon, Spain.
• 2008 Invited Visiting Professor, Cranfield University, Cranfield, UK.
• 2008 Technical Program Chair, Waste: The Social Context Conference, Edmonton.
• 2008 Conference Co-organizer, ISO 14001 Environmental Management Colloquium III, Kananaskis, Alberta.
• 2004 to 2008 Education Committee Chair, Edmonton Waste Management Centre of Excellence.
• 2005 to 2011 Leaf & Yardwaste Committee Member, Province of Alberta.
• 2005 Technical Program Chair, Waste: The Social Context Conference, Edmonton.
• 2001 Certificate of Teaching Excellence, University Teaching Services, University of Manitoba.
• 2000 Invited Visiting Professor, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
• 1999 Invited Visiting Scientist, University of Guelph, Ontario.
• 1998 Early Achievement Award from the Association of Professional Engineers of Manitoba.
• 1998 to 2002 Member, Environment & Sustainable Development Committee, Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists of Manitoba.
• 1996 Distinguished Service Award from the Manitoba Lung Association
• 1994 Sustainable Development Award of Excellence (“Leaf It With Us” Composting Program) from the Province of Manitoba.
• 1993 to 2002 Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Manitoba.
• 1988 to 1993 Environmental Engineering Process Specialist, SNC Lavalin, Winnipeg.
• 1986 to 1988 President & Sole Proprietor, McCartney Engineered Water & Wastewater Systems, Winnipeg.

Research

Research Interests

Dr. McCartney is now retired. His primary research focus was organic waste utilization, including: composting process engineering and operations; integration of anaerobic digestion technologies within organic waste management infrastructure; carbon accounting; pathogen inactivation; and biosolids management. With the goal of improving sustainable waste treatment technology design and operations, he advanced theoretical and practical understanding in the following areas:

• composting rate improvements using digestate inoculum;
• conditioning of wet substrates (critical bulking agent requirements);
• human and plant pathogen inactivation and survival in composting environments;
• development of sustainable development indicator process for electrical utilities;
• development of carbon accounting test methodology for biosolids; and
• sulfide inhibition of anaerobic degradation processes.

Recent Research

Dr. McCartney’s most recent research interests were focused on practical aspects of organic waste treatment technology and management, including aerobic and anaerobic biotransformation processes and environmental assessments. Recent research was focused on:

• size separation of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste for biotransformation and refuse derived fuel feedstocks using trommel technology;
• reduction of physical contaminants (foreign matter) in products produced from municipal organic waste;
• quantification of microplastics in compost products produced in Canada; and 
• applying case study research methods to identify engineering economic and business case drivers for implementation of sustainable waste management technologies in Canada.

Ten Most Significant Career Publications

Google Scholar Citations: 1512; h-index: 19; i10 index: 31 (retrieved 18 May 2018).

1. Arab G. & McCartney D. 2017. Benefits to decomposition rates when using digestate as compost co-feedstock: Part I – Focus on physiochemical parameters. Waste Management. 68: 74-84.
2. Isobaev P, Bouferguene A, Wichuk K, & McCartney D. 2014. An enhanced compost temperature sampling framework: Case study of a covered aerated static pile. Waste Management. 34(7):1117-1124.
3. Wichuk K, & McCartney D. 2010. Compost stability and maturity evaluation – A literature review. J. Environ. Engin. Sci. 37:1505-1532.
4. Wichuk K, & McCartney D. 2007. A review of the effectiveness of current time-temperature regulations on pathogen inactivation during composting. Journal of Environmental Engineering & Science. 6:573-586. 
5. Searcy C, McCartney D, & Karapetrovic S. 2007. Sustainable development indicators for the transmission system of an electric utility. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management. 14:135-151. 
6. Eftoda G, & McCartney D. 2004. Determining the critical bulking agent requirement for municipal biosolids composting. Compost Science & Utilization. 12:3:208-218.  
7. McCartney D. & Chen H. 2001. Bench-scale simulation of the composting process: Effect of compression on free air space and microbial activity. Compost Science & Utilization. 9:283-302.
8. Larsen K, & McCartney D. 2000. Effect of C:N ratio on microbial activity and N retention: Bench-scale study using pulp & paper biosolids. Compost Science & Utilization. 8:2:147-159.
9. McCartney D, & Oleszkiewicz J. 1993. Competition Between Methanogens and Sulfate Reducers: Effect of COD: Sulfate Ratio and Acclimation. Water Environ. Research J. 65:655-664.
10. McCartney D, & Oleszkiewicz J. 1991. Sulfide inhibition of anaerobic degradation of lactate and acetate. Water Research. 25:203-209.

Teaching

Teaching Interests

Dr. McCartney has taught courses at the undergraduate and graduate level in the areas of: general environmental engineering and chemistry, solid waste management, environmental assessment, geo-environmental engineering, environmental site assessment, and environmental systems modeling. He consistently scores in the top 10% on teaching evaluations in his department (average evaluation score of 4.9/5 in past five years). When he was at the University of Manitoba, he led the development and introduction of environmental engineering programs in the Civil and Biosystems Departments.