"They will remove the compost from the site next summer and it will be used for the remediation of the Giant Mine," says Emery Paquin, the director of the Environmental Protection Service with the GNWT.

Royal Oak was the previous operator of the mine, which is now run by another company. DIAND is responsible for dealing with environmental concerns which existed prior to the change of owners in 1999.

DIAND has agreed to transport the composted manure to Yellowknife at its own expense.

"We're saving further costs through this arrangement," says Paquin, noting there was no actual sale of the manure. Once the manure is removed from the Hay River site, a small amount of grading will be required and the environmental liability of the manure lagoon will be completed, Paquin says.

The land, about 20 kilometres from Hay River, will then be available for other uses.

Northern Pork began the pig operation in 1988 and closed it in 1997, after the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs launched legal action over concerns the manure management was contrary to the lease agreement for the land.

The GNWT began composting the manure in 2000 with the awarding of a contract to the University of Lethbridge.

A call for proposals on what to do with the manure was issued in October.