April/May 2015
www.solidwastemag.com
KEEPING WATCH Illegal dumping surveillance — page 8
CPMP No. 40069240
An EcoLog Group Publication
INSIDE: Waste Data Software – page 13 Producer Choice Confession – page 18 Ask Mr. Maintenance – page 27
01 swr apr-may 2015 nl cvr pg 01.indd 1
15-04-16 7:38 AM
02 swr apr-may 2015 ad p 02.indd 2
15-04-14 11:49 AM
April/May 2015
Solid Waste & Recycling
Volume 20, Number 2
CONTENTS Canada’s magazine on collection, hauling, processing and disposal
COVER STORY
8
THE WATCHFUL EYE A report on the state of illegal dumping surveillance in Canada by David Nesseth
s Jaffe by Charle
FEATURES
FILLING THE DATA GAP
Winnipeg company’s winning waste benchmarking software by SWR Staff
Cover art
FILLING THE WASTE DATA GAP 13
CONFESSIONS OF A TIRED MAN OTS frontman comes clean on producer choice debate by Andrew Horsman
18
REMEMBERING THE HAGERSVILLE TIRE FIRE
DEPARTMENTS Editorial Project Get Reel . . . . . . . . . 4
25 years later by Chris Thomas
24
Waste Watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 K-Cup Controversy . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
ASK MR. MAINTENANCE
Regulation Roundup . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Keeping compost equipment in check by Rob Haines
27
COOLING OFFICE RENO CULTURE
Organic Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Waste Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 IC&I Waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Old office furniture can be an asset by SWR Staff
31
Halifax Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Product Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
CELEB LEAVES NO ROOM FOR THE WISE
Ad Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
A review of the documentary Trashed, now on Netflix by Vanessa Farquharson
Toronto Biogas Update . . . . . . . . . . 46
24
41
41
27
NEXT EDITION: June/July 2015 Editorial: Bags, Bins, Carts, Recycling Compactors • Landfill liners • Compactor Technology Space closing: May 22, 2015. Artwork required: May 27, 2015. April/May 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 3
03 swr apr-may 2015 Contents p 03.indd 3
15-04-16 7:14 AM
EDITORIAL
by David Nesseth “Toronto organization Project Get Reel estimates there are 2.26 billion VHS cassettes overwhelming Ontario’s nooks and crannies alone.”
Any VHS tapes still on that shelf? New Toronto group wants to recycle them
W
hile the VHS vs. Beta war may be long over, the war against immigrants, single parents and people struggling with mental health keeping all those movie cassettes out of the world’s landfills has issues. Get Reel is connected with the Learning Enrichment Foundaonly just begun. tion (LEF), a social enrichment centre where people can access a variety Until just a few weeks ago, when my wife and I went on our bi-anof resources, such as English language training, employment services nual Value Village run, in atonement for consumerist whims, there were and childcare. only a few old VHS movie cassettes still left in the apartment, all colGet Reel estimates that about 80 per cent of VHS tape components lecting dust on the bookshelf as if they were keepsakes for a future time can be recycled. But there is no easy way to automate the breakdown capsule. I don’t even remember which films they were, but I’m sure that process and separate the recyclable and non-recyclable material, mostly even if I did have a VHS player, these films, whatever they were, would because all brands of VHS tapes are made differently. To get the job be chalked full of blips and drags, static and pops. done, Get Reel is hiring individuals to dismantle the cassette tapes. Analog dies a slow deteriorating death. It gets brittle. It’s fragile. Project Get Reel even shows you how to dismantle VHS tapes for safer Many films have been lost to the world of tape; old reel prints of movie disposal, or recycling, if at all possible. Watch the video here: classics unable to be preserved for posterity. According to the U.S Lihttp://projectgetreel.com/why-vhs-tapes/ brary of Congress, just 14 Get Reel works with a local per cent of the 11,000 silent plastics recycler to identify various films made between 1912 and types of plastics to separate for re1930 still exist in their origincycling. The project will generate al format. at least six distinct plastics (HiPS, The tapes themselves, unPS, PVC, ABS, polycarbonate, surprisingly, are not too kind and PP). The recycler provides Get to the environment either. Reel with a pricing structure for the Within the plastic shell, the plastics in both raw form and inner tape is made of a phthalgranulated form. ate-laden form of plastic, While typically, municipalities which like Kleenex, is often have no program for recycling VHS referred to by the brand name tapes, the tapes still have Mylar, which is coated with some use to people who toxic metals like chromium to can’t afford a new Blu-Ray help convey the tape’s magsystem, and would be ear-tonetic signal. ear happy to watch your ratty Of course movie cassettes old copy of Caddyshack (as are an outdated, essentially long as you didn’t record it obsolete technology in the in EP mode straight from eyes of North American conthe TV!) sumer culture, but we still There aren’t just VHS and Project Get Reel hires people with barriers to employment to dismantle VHS tapes into six have so much of it kicking Beta tapes out there either. All around. Those gazillions of separate plastics. About 80 per cent of a VHS tape can be recycled. Photo: Project Get Reel those Super 8 tapes they shot in the movies from North America’s sixties, the 8mm tapes from the Blockbuster shops alone. All those DVD shops down the street, now eighties. Plus a tonne of less successful formats. And these are just the shuttered. Imagine, where did all those old tapes go? More dusty bookmovie cassettes. Abandoned audio cassettes more than likely have left shelves? Or worse: Landfilled. an even larger ecological footprint. A new Toronto organization called Project Get Reel estimates that VHS tapes can be cool for arts and crafts too. Prominent eco-outfit there are 2.26 billion VHS cassettes overwhelming Ontario’s nooks and TerraCycle uses old VHS tapes as visual and physical separators to crannies alone. That’s a lot of crannies. On March 9, Get Reel launched divide cubicles in its Toronto office. They’re piled high as a kind of a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo with the hope of raising $25,000 hipster privacy fence. in start up funds to get the project off the ground. So that’s it for VHS tapes today. Maybe in a decade, we can get on to Co-founded by Amy Cheung, David Neilson, Graham Lewis and recovery plans for “compact discs”, or CDs. Whatever those are. Philip Yan, as social entrepreneurs called GenesisXD, the gang has also decided to involve a social benefit component to its projects. For Get David Nesseth is the editor of Solid Waste & Recycling magazine. Reel, that means hiring people with barriers to employment, such as new He can be reached at dnesseth@solidwastemag.com 4 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
WE15_S
04-05 swr apr-may 2015 editl p 04-05.indd 4
15-04-14 11:51 AM
FREE Exhibit Hall admission and discounted conference pricing await you. Use PROMO CODE VP26 today!
LOOKING FOR BETTER EDUCATION?
LOOK TO WASTE EXPO LAS VEGAS. A BETTER WAY TO DO BUSINESS.
Get smarter! When it comes to the latest technology and trends in the industry, there isn’t a better place to learn than WasteExpo. From organics to dealing with public entities and municipalities, WasteExpo’ s curriculum is unrivaled. Combine that with more than 550 exhibitors, the ability to see the latest products, services and trends shaping the industry in-person—and this year’s venue—you couldn’t ask for a better value for growing your business or improving your department’s efficiency. For more information go to www.wasteexpo.com.
Conferences & Special Events: June 1-4, 2015 Exhibits: June 2-4, 2015 Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV USA wasteexpo.com Additional Waste360 Events:
healthcarewasteconf.com
Associated with:
Sponsored by:
Produced by:
waste360.com wastesymposium.com
WE15_SolidWasteRecycling_Education_8.125x10.875.indd 1
04-05 swr apr-may 2015 editl p 04-05.indd 5
1/21/15 3:11 PM
15-04-14 11:51 AM
Solid Waste & Recycling
WA S T E WAT C H
Canada’s magazine on collection, hauling, processing & disposal
David Nesseth Editor dnesseth@solidwastemag.com Brad O’Brien Publisher bobrien@solidwastemag.com Dave Douglas
Account Manager ddouglas@bizinfogroup.ca
Sheila Wilson Kimberly Collins Anita Madden
Art Director Market Production Circulation Manager
Alex Papanou President Annex Newcom LP Award-winning magazine
Solid Waste & Recycling magazine is published six times a year by EcoLog Information Resources Group, a division of Annex Newcom LP, a leading Canadian business-to-business information services company that also publishes HazMat Management and other information products. The magazine is printed in Canada. Solid Waste & Recycling provides strategic information and perspectives on all aspects of Canadian solid waste collection, hauling, processing and disposal to waste managers, haulers, recycling coordinators, landfill and compost facility operators and other waste industry professionals. Subscription Rates: Canada: $53.95 (add applicable taxes) per year, $87.95 (add applicable taxes) for 2 years, single copy $10.00. USA: 1 Year $56.95, single copy $10.00. Foreign: 1 Year $87.95, single copy $10.00. Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40069240 Information contained in this publication has been compiled from sources believed to be reliable, thus Solid Waste & Recycling cannot be responsible for the absolute correctness or sufficiency of articles or editorial contained herein. Articles in this magazine are intended to convey information rather than give legal or other professional advice. Reprint and list rental services are arranged through the Publisher at (416) 510-6798. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Department, Solid Waste & Recycling 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto ON M3B 2S9 From time to time we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via one of the following methods: Phone: 1-800-268-7742 Fax: 416-510-5148 E-Mail: amadden@annexnewcom.ca Mail to: Privacy Officer Annex Newcom LP 80 Valleybrook Drive Toronto, ON M3B 2S9
Plastics plant for north Toronto Canada Fibers Ltd. is opening a new 160,000 sq.-foot plastics recycling plant this spring in north Toronto. Called Urban Polymers, the new facility will focus on making pure, homogeneous plastic materials from post-consumer and
post-industrial waste. The facility will be capable of processing 25 million pounds per year of PET and 11 million pounds per year of PP/PE. Urban Polymers staff says the facility will distinguish itself through advanced custom compounding of PP and PE materials.
Fire levels N.B. facility Stericycle’s medical waste disposal facility in Moncton, N.B., burned to the ground on February 28. Firefighters worked through the night in
frigid conditions to extinguish the blaze. No injuries were reported in the fire and officials have begun an investigation into its origin.
WDO diversion data
Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO) has released residential waste diversion data from 2013 that reveals a provincial diversion average of 47.3 per cent, almost exactly the same as 2012. RCO also released its first data spread for 1,012 office and retail properties in Ontario owned by 17 organizations. The data, based on bills, diversion reports and audits, shows
that the buildings generated a combined 402,000 metric tonnes of waste in 2013, of which 220,000 MT of materials were recycled and reused. The report states that 282 office buildings achieved a diversion rate of 66.3 per cent; 150 retail centres achieved a diversion rate of 48.6 per cent; and 570 retail stores achieved a diversion rate of 53.7 per cent.
EPR legacy in B.C. David Ranson, executive director of B.C.’s Environmental Standards Branch and Environmental Protection Division, is leaving behind a legacy that focused heavily on recycling and extended producer responsibility. Ranson has announced that he will be moving into a position with BC Parks in the Ministry of Environment, where on Feb. 23, he will start as executive director of business development at B.C. Parks. Ranson has been with the enviro standards branch since 2009, and helped steer through significant changes in the area of EPR.
David Ranson
We acknowledge the financial support of the Govern ment of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. © 2015 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior consent. Print edition: ISSN-1483-7714
Online edition: ISSN-1923-3388
The Forest Stewardship Council® logo signifies that this magazine is printed on paper from responsibly managed forests. “To earn FSC® certification and the right to use the FSC label, an organization must first adapt its management and operations to conform to all applicable FSC requirements.” For more information, visit www.fsc.org
6 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
06-07 swr apr-may 2015 wastewatch p 06-07.indd 6
15-04-14 11:52 AM
WA S T E WAT C H
Durham-York EFW plant up and running
Covanta is the operator of the Durham York Energy Centre, a municipallyowned 140,000 tonne-per-year Energy-from-Waste facility in the Clarington Business Park, in the Durham Region of Ontario. Photo: Durham-York
For a month now, the Durham York Energy Centre has been busily processing the region’s solid waste into energy. This state-of-the-art $286-million facility, built by Covanta Energy, is set to process up to 140,000 tonnes of waste each year, generating some 17.5 MW of renewable energy — enough to power between 10,000 and 12,000 homes.
P.E.I. oil recycling On April 1, P.E.I. started its Used Oil & Glycol Recycling Program, under the Materials Stewardship and Recycling Regulations of the P.E.I. Environmental Protection Act. Funded and operated by the oil and glycol products industry, the program is designed to ensure the proper end-of-life management for waste oils and glycol products. P.E.I. generates more than 1.5 million litres of used oil each year, along with more than 150,000 litres of glycol. “Our industry partners have been recycling oil and glycol products across Canada for many years and are now pleased to offer these services to the people of Prince Edward Island,” said general manager Gilles Goddard of SOGHUOMA, an oil and antifreeze collection group.
Halifax wa$te contracts
Halifax has awarded $60 million in new waste collection contracts, while at the same time avoiding the creation of a monopoly over the city’s eight collection zones. Six of Halifax’s waste collection zones will be split between the RE Group and GFL Environmental, the lowest bidders in the contract competition. The two remaining collection zones were awarded to Eastern Shore Cartage and Leo J. Beazley Ltd. The contracts cover four years.
Green Bins: From L.A. to Toronto
The City of Toronto may be moving forward with a 10-year contract worth about $31 million to move the city into the next generation of raccoon-proof green bins. City staff is recommending that Toronto sign on with L.A.-based Rehrig Pacific Company, as its bins scored highest during testing. Toronto’s compost bins were last updated in 2002, when it rolled out 46.5-litre green bins intended to have a 10year lifespan. The new green bins will have about double the capacity of the current model, but the key feature of the new bins is the top twist lock designed to keep out rodents, and more specifically, crafty raccoons.
Quebec gets Progressive
Dan Pio, exec VP of strategy and business dev, Progressive Waste; David Heurtel, Minister of Sustainable Development; Jean-Marc Robitaille, Mayor of Terrebonne; Pierre Arcand, Minister of Energy; and Natural Resources Minister Yves Normandin. Photo: Enviro Vision Progressive.
Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. is celebrating the opening of its $44-million renewable natural gas (RNG) facility, near Montreal, as the largest of its kind in Canada and one of the largest on the continent. The new facility, located in Terrebonne, Que., converts landfill gas into natural gas that’s delivered via pipeline to an injection point adjacent to the landfill site. The facility has created some 100 development and construction jobs and five operational jobs. The RNG facility is designed to process approximately 10,000 cubic feet per minute of incoming landfill gas. The gas generated at the site is the equivalent of fueling 1,500 trucks for 20 years. The new plant will also result in avoiding greenhouse gas emissions of approximately 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over a 10-year period.
April/May 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 7
06-07 swr apr-may 2015 wastewatch p 06-07.indd 7
15-04-14 11:52 AM
COVER STORY
The state of illegal dumping surveillance in Canada
The Watchful Eye S
ometimes, someone is watching. It may be a witness, it may be a security guard, but often, it’s a video camera. More and more, these cameras are becoming technological sentries for Canada’s backroads, creeks, ditches and storage facilities. While video cameras don’t solve the core issues behind Canada’s longstanding illegal dumping problem, digital technology has become a necessary reality to protect businesses and our scenic landscapes. The cameras are a response to the culture of illegal dumping – a culture that’s appeared to spread right across Canada, and right across the century. It seems unstoppable. One purveyor of this modern digital technology is Dave Douglas, of VisionQuest Environmental Strategies Corp., an environmental consultant who describes catching dumpers red-handed as akin to nabbing speeders on the same back roads where the dumpers operate. Photo radar for speeders? Douglas says it’s the same mindset as using cameras to protect vulnerable construction yards, landfills, or other types of industrial storage facilities. “It’s not to scare them off, it’s to catch them. Cameras give you courtadmissible evidence,” says Douglas, whose company is the Canadian distributor for Eye Trax Inc., a North Carolina-based surveillance camera manufacturer. “Municipalities are also getting a lot stricter about what they accept for landfill, as they work towards zero-waste strategies,” adds Douglas, who’s based in Aurora. Ont. “Paint, pesticides, mattresses, bulky items and construction waste—people treat these things like dirty little secrets that belong in the back roads.” The international market for video surveillance equipment was worth an estimated $15 billion by the end of 2014, up from $13.5 bills in 2013, reports global information company IHS Technology. As technology continues to innovate at an extraordinary pace, experts predict the success of the industry will spread like wildfire, particularly as cameras become more routinely capture instances of terrorism, or even police abuse.
by David Nesseth “Interestingly, as more municipalities make the move to video surveillance, discussions around surrendering privacy and civil liberties are bound to return.”
Some municipalities are starting to catch up with illegal dumping. In beautiful Santa Cruz, Calif., for instance, County officials began a video surveillance pilot in January. The program is targeted specifically towards the County’s own illegal dumping struggle. These days, on Vancouver Island, community group Stop Illegal Garbage Dumping files cringeworthy daily accounts of its local cleanup efforts. Just last week, on April 5, the group logged a 4.1 tonne waste cleanup at just a single property. Following the outing, the group described the find in detail. It was, this find, essentially the opposite of a secret treasure trove of gold and diamonds. “There was all kinds of crap that was dumped there, including a derelict campsite that had all kinds of odd items, like Vagisil, condoms, an enema kit, empty drug baggies, and a super delightful yogurt container with feces — I just about barfed when I realised what I had in my hand! We found some mail, too, which we’ll send photos of to the City of Nanaimo Local Government.” The tremendous selflessness of the group aside, personalized mail found at an illegal dumpsite won’t guarantee a conviction. It’s just a clue, a bread crumb, one that sometimes points in the wrong direction. Where direct image evidence can be most effective with live digital technology is when an illegal dumper triggers a camera’s feed and begins to transmit the intruder’s actions live on the spot through the nearest
8 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
08-12 swr apr-may 2015 cvr sty pg 08-12.indd 8
15-04-14 11:52 AM
COVER STORY
cellular towers. The record function is tripped by both motion and body heat. In one North Carolina municipality, according to Eye Trax, police work with local public works officials to respond to surveillance breech notifications received via text message smartphone technology. “The images received by the officer will only be seconds old. At times he’s actually caught people in the act,” says Eye Trax founder Jerry McSorley, who hails from New York. “These days, construction areas get hit all the time when crews head home for the day. They’re like sitting ducks.” In Chicago, Mayor Richard Daley has announced that he wants the city to have a camera on almost every corner by 2016. Because Eye Trax cameras are equipped with solar panels, they’re popular for protecting secluded storage yards or landfills that don’t have ready access to electricity. While they are solar, of course, they also have nightvision technology. A single solar charge can last days, but the camera is also equipped with an internal backup battery. Each camera is configured with a SIM card that will function almost anywhere. The camera feeds are live, so the recording would still exist even if they were somehow stolen. These days, that’s rare, as the cameras are no longer placed to be a scare tactic, seen within plain view. Now, they’re placed more to act as Douglas suggested, like photo radar, only the licence plates become those of dirtbag dumpers. But it’s not uncommon that the cameras could also capture thieves or vandals. After all, the camera isn’t necessarily concerned with intentions. Such dirtbag dumpers are already making headlines early in 2015. In Hamilton, Ont. Mere days ago, the director of a Burlington, Ont., company received five days in the slammer, and a $5,000 ticket — his company also dinged $20,000 — for not reimbursing Hamilton’s cleanup costs from two waste oil and grease dumping incidents in 2009. Pictured right are three screenshots from Eye Trax camera software. These are actual instances of illegal dumping caught on camera.
April/May 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 9
08-12 swr apr-may 2015 cvr sty pg 08-12.indd 9
15-04-14 2:40 PM
COVER STORY HOW THE CAMERA WORKS
Then, nearby in Hamilton this month, one man was ticketed for cleaning up illegally dumped waste, but the fine was dropped after public outcry. Further, in Windsor, Ont., a recent spate of illegal dumping involving couches has led to an uptick in arson, as people perhaps look to make their waste disappear, to what in their minds corresponds to an act that’s free of cost. The aforementioned community group Stop Illegal Garbage Dumping, in B.C., often addresses the cost factor on its rather active
10 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
08-12 swr apr-may 2015 cvr sty pg 08-12.indd 10
15-04-14 11:52 AM
COVER STORY
Facebook group. They talk about just how little they pay in landfill tipping fees to legally dump the waste they picked up around their many remote, always scenic, local dump hotspots. “For example, one of our receipts was 270 kilograms and was $33.50. That’s not bad. No, it’s not free, but it’s also not free to run a landfill,” the group boasts on its Facebook group. Eventually, landfills close. Yes, they have lifespans decades’ long, but they’re only open for part of the day, most days. Some days, these landfills will even be closed for business, never to open at all. For some folks, this is the logically-perfect time to unload truckloads of unwanted waste. Apparently, they want to avoid tipping fees. “The landfill may only be open certain hours. I’m sure the owners don’t want to show up in the morning to find a pile of waste at the gate,” says Douglas. ‘No dumping’ signs can typically be obtained by most municipalities. But do they work? For protecting the front gates of municipal landfills after hours, cameras are the remedy of choice for Douglas, who will be demonstrating EyeTrax camera technology at the MWA Spring Workshop in Huntsville, Ont., on May 12–14, with a real-life falcon on his arm, as a nod to his corporate logo. Back in Nanaimo, where our waste pickup community group resides, illegal dumping has been a long-standing concern. In 2012, the municipality collected 42 tonnes of illegally dumped material. Interestingly, as more municipalities make
the move to video surveillance, discussions around surrendering privacy and civil liberties are bound to return. Just last week, the American Civil Liberties Union issued a statement on the subject, questioning the efficacy of cameras from the get-go. The cameras, the Union argues, have failed to prove effectiveness in reducing crime in areas where they’ve been introduced. A 2007 ACLU report called Under the Watchful Eye argues against the merit of cameras, but it’s important to note that there is a distinction
The Adopt a Highway program fights against illegal dumping
April/May 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 11
08-12 swr apr-may 2015 cvr sty pg 08-12.indd 11
15-04-14 11:52 AM
COVER STORY
Mere days ago, the director of a Burlington, Ont., company received five days in the slammer and a $5,000 ticket - his company also dinged $20K for not reimbursing Hamilton’s cleanup costs following two dumping incidents in 2009, not pictured above. Shortly after, in a separate incident, another Hamilton man was ticketed for cleaning up illegal waste. The fine was dropped following public outcry.
between giving surveillance power to government versus that of a private company, which aims to protect its own property. But one point, at least, is fair, in that many municipalities have failed to statistically assess the effectiveness of public cameras. Another point to note is that most surveillance equipment is DVRbased, recording hours and hours of uneventful content and the mundanity of life. Eye Trax cameras, however, are typically placed in areas where people shouldn’t be, and are activated by motion and body heat,
so the argument against privacy issues aren’t very direct in the context of illegal dumping. Still, there are the Orwellian fears that the ACLU says soon, may not be so implausible: “It is not far-fetched to think that face recognition technology will soon be used to connect camera footage with other images and information about people,” the ACLU report states, noting that the practice is being field-tested by some U.S. policing organizations. In terms of truly solving the illegal dumping issue, some argue for free dump days at the local landfill, others for more charitable curbside pickup policies for larger items and electronics. Others still, call for stiffer fines, greater enforcement, or even more programs like Adopt A highway, which can create public accountability and protection for some stretches of road. Durham, Ont., during a 24-hour period over Nov. 14-15, 2012, some 5,120 kilograms of spent batteries were collected at Durham Region’s Waste Management Centre. A world record. It proved effective, but is it enough to stop dampers? Very soon, many of Toronto’s police officers will be patrolling streets of Canada’s largest city, equipped with body-mounted cameras designed to increase transparency. In the future, everything may be recorded. And someone, or some thing, may always be watching. Dave Douglas is the founder of VisionQuest Environmental Strategies Corp, the Canadian distributor for Eye Trax. He can be reached at (416)-570-4379 or dave@vqenviro.com
12 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
08-12 swr apr-may 2015 cvr sty pg 08-12.indd 12
15-04-14 12:21 PM
Re-TRAC
Filling The Waste Data Gap How one Winnipeg company is taking waste benchmarking to the next level
F
ew would disagree that it’s hard to know where you’re going without first knowing where you’re at. Yet that very scenario is all too common across Canada’s waste sector, one that often leaves it to government to fill in the blanks, statistically speaking. Lately, Rick Penner and his team at Winnipeg-based Re-TRAC Connect have been looking to fill Canada’s waste data gap, ending dependence on decades’ old models and baseline data. Slowly, provinces like B.C., Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario are getting on board the modern data train, using Re-TRAC’s online portal system for everything from year-end reports to diversion reporting and grant applications. “It’s pretty hard to measure the impact of certain regulations or policies if you don’t have accurate baseline data to measure successes
or failures,” says Rob Cook, CEO of the Ontario Waste Management Association (OWMA), which is currently getting setup with Re-TRAC. The bottomline for Re-TRAC — an annual subscription product designed solely for the waste sector — is that it allows users to easily collect, analyze and publish data from their organization. Data could be tonnage tracking information, hauler reporting numbers, program assessments, or whatever data serves your needs. For Cook, Re-TRAC’s appeal is that it allows the private sector to answer the question, “How do I stack up against the rest of the sector?” It’s all about benchmarking and market share. Despite its made-in-Canada status, Re-TRAC has been making more waves in the U.S. than the North since it debuted in 2004 from Penner’s company, Emerge Knowledge. In fact, the reporting system has been
Re-TRAC’s biggest Canadian success story may be at the Recycling Council of Ontario, where 3RCertified program manager Meirav Even-Har uses the software to manage waste reduction in the IC&I sector. Photo: David Nesseth
April/May 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 13
13-16 swr apr-may 2015 Re-TRAC p 13-16.indd 13
15-04-14 11:53 AM
RE-TRAC
so successful in the U.S. that as of 2013 Re-TRAC was adopted nafor reporting, and people can access several programs and multiple sertionally for state-level sharing of waste and recycling data. Perhaps its vices through the one account.” most high-profile use, however, is by the U.S. Environmental Protection Re-TRAC data can help paint helpful pictures immediately or over Agency, which uses Re-TRAC for four popular tracking programs. time. It can be as simple as using the data to recognize growing demand “When we built it, there was instant demand,” says Penner, who for a new material and reacting to that change. A new business could notes that the company began with strong U.S. connections. “Once we even be born. were able to demonstrate the quality of the software and the service we On a different level, the Re-TRAC’s online tools can provide hard provide, many doors started to open.” data for organizations looking to influence regulatory policy. Re-TRAC is also used as a fun yet educational way to encourage “It’s a big reason why clients are using the software in the first sustainability. Several recycling competitions use Re-TRAC as the replace — to see if they can influence policy with good information,” says porting platform for their programs including the RecycleMania tournaPenner. “You can’t manage what you can’t measure.” ment, which each year pits U.S. colleges One of Re-TRAC’s biggest Canadian and universities against each other to see success stories to date has been its colwho can generate the best waste and relaboration with the Recycling Council cycling diversion numbers. of Ontario. Its 3RCertified program is Penner, whose other claim to fame a points-based certification venture for is starting the very first Habitat for buildings in the IC&I sector looking to Humanity Re-Store in North America, manage waste reduction. Meirav Evenhad been working as a consultant in the Har, 3RCertified’s program manager, says recycling sector at the time that he crethat Re-TRAC was a good fit for several ated Re-TRAC. Data was all around him, reasons. and he saw an opportunity for more auto“3RCertified participants are provided mation as a framework for that data. with reporting functions that enable single “The program architecture can accomand multiple year calculations of their RecycleMania is a friendly competition and benchmarking tool for modate any type of reporting,” explains college and university recycling programs to promote waste reduction waste performance for one or more buildactivities to their campus communities. Penner. “It’s essentially a single window ings,” says Even-Har. “Second, the user14 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
13-16 swr apr-may 2015 Re-TRAC p 13-16.indd 14
15-04-14 11:53 AM
BLAH
state of the art
industry leading BLAH
best most
reCommunity 35-tph single stream system New Castle, Delaware
highest BLAH
cutting edge
TALK IS CHEAP
TrusT resulTs. What you need is a system that does what is promised and delivers results year after year. A system you don’t have to retrofit a year later. Get it right the first time. Choose results. Choose BHS. See what the global leader can do for you.
What’s next. Oslund
Bulk HaNDliNg sysTems | Eugene, Oregon USA | 866.688.2066 | bulkhandlingsystems.com Nihot darker
Nihot
Nihot lighter
13-16 swr apr-may 2015 Re-TRAC p 13-16.indd 15
15-04-14 11:53 AM
RE-TRAC
Emerge Knowledge co-founders Rick Penner and Jen Peters.
friendly interface, 24/7 availability, along with technical support helped cement our decision to host the program on Re-TRAC Connect.” Even-Har adds that Re-TRAC acts as an online community for Canadian and U.S. waste diversion programs, as well as a resource library for legislation and regulations.
A Social Connection
In October of 1990, Re-Trac founder Rick Penner worked with a group of dedicated volunteers to bring an exciting new idea to life: set up a store to sell donated used building materials and use the profits to support Habitat for Humanity building projects. Rick coined the name, wrote the business plan, and launched the very first "Habitat ReStore" in May of 1991. The new concept successfully made used building materials available to the general public at greatly reduced prices and prevented valuable materials from being sent to the local landfill. The Habitat ReStore in Winnipeg was the first of its kind, but there are now over 800 ReStores across North America generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue each year to support Habitat for Humanity's home building program for low-income families. Millions of pounds of reusable materials are diverted from landfills each year.
As far as user-friendliness is concerned, Even-Har says she has a ReTRAC account manager that helps translate what she would like to create based on system capabilities, always keeping in mind the program participant’s experience. She says she’s had many property managers, consultants and municipal staff use the system, and none seem to have an issue once they are given a tutorial on how to use Re-TRAC. “Simply put, Re-TRAC Connect is where the program is ‘housed’, while our public website 3RCertified.ca is where RCO communicates about the program, features research reports and feature certified properties,” says Even-Har. One of Re-TRAC’s most comprehensive projects to date has been the Texas Recycling Data Initiative (TRDI), led by the State of Texas Alliance for Recycling (STAR) and the Lone Star Chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America (TxSWANA). The project aimed to quantify recycling levels in Texas to examine environmental, economic and policy issues of interest to businesses, citizens and governmental agencies. Re-TRAC helped compile confidential statewide survey data from processors and end users of recyclables that was published in February 2015. Two key stats from the Texas project revealed that the total material recycled from MSW and non-MSW reached nearly 14 million tonnes in 2013, and the average annual recyclable material generated per household was 503 lbs. Re-TRAC allows users to instantly create graphs and charts from this data for use in reports and presentations. “With this system, the sky’s the limit,” Cook told members at a recent Toronto presentation on Re-TRAC. For more information about Re-TRAC Connect, contact Rick Penner at rick@emergeknowledge.com or 1-888-600-3907.
16 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
13-16 swr apr-may 2015 Re-TRAC p 13-16.indd 16
15-04-14 11:53 AM
I N N O VAT I O N
by Jan Rose "By weight, coffee oil has more BTUs than wood."
Coffee pods fueling Calgary supplier Using coffee oil, paper and other “fuels” for various machines in plant
C
offee pods, known as K-Cups after Keurig coffee, the company responsible for inventing the small plastic single-serve containers, are convenient but an environmental nightmare. Enough have been used since their invention in the 1990s to encircle the earth 10 times. Landfills are choked with them. Enter a saviour of sorts, at least in Calgary. Executive Mat, better known for renting mats, supplying industrial and janitorial supplies, and cleaning soiled articles, for the past two years has used coffee oil, paper and other “fuels” to fuel various machines in their plant and cut heating bill by 50 per cent annually. As well, the thermal energy produced has the potential for other uses such as heating swimming pools, explains owner and manager Kim Caron. A pilot project was completed for the Regina YMCA. By weight, coffee oil has more BTUs than wood, Caron says, who pioneered many innovations to minimize negative environmental effects
while maintaining a profitable bottom line. Using coffee grounds happened serendipitously, he explained. During an initial sales call at Planet Coffee the manager wondered if the extraction method used for oil and grease would work with coffee grounds. To test that feasibility Caron spoke with Alberta Environment and other provincial bodies, in addition to consultants with the International Standards Organization. To ensure environmental standards ISO 14000 was obtained. And the rest, as they say, is history. “Before you know it I was here on the weekends with my wife and
kids and a homemade sifter grinding these things up (plastic K-Cups),” he says humorously. He admits two remaining problems: How to recycle the plastic and remove the aluminum foil seal. It’s stumped him for the moment but he thinks there may be a solution for the latter. On the plant floor, every machine seems to have an official job besides the unofficial: keep refuse from the landfill that releases methane, long known as more pernicious than carbon dioxide. The biomass boiler, yielding 500,000 BTU, is fed with paper, wood and other combustibles. The hot water is used not only for laundry, but can also serve other needs. The company completed a pilot project using the boiler and associated technology to heat the swimming pool at the Regina YMCA. Similarly, a pilot project for Cochrane, a bedroom community near Calgary, saved $4,500 when 998 kilograms of paper towels became fuel instead of waste. Jan Rose is a freelance writer based in Calgary. She can be reached at janr56282@gmail.com April/May 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 17
17 swr apr-may 2015 K-Cups p 17.indd 17
15-04-14 11:54 AM
S T E WA R D S H I P
by Andrew Horsman “We are guilty of providing research and development grants that lead to success across the province.”
Confessions of a tire-d man OTS frontman comes clean on producer choice debate
I
magine there was just one store where you could go by your scotch. through this challenging business and legislative environment in a way That would be hell. that benefits both of us. My name is Andrew and I have something to confess. ‘Cause I’ve I’m not saying it’s been easy, especially to find those cost reductions. got some sins. It’s going to get a little uncomfortable and a little ugly, so We consulted with our stakeholders for a year and a half before we acstrap yourselves in and have the children leave the room so that we can tually implemented those reductions. Now we have a three-year strategy talk about what’s going on here in Ontario with tires. to give our service providers a vision for where we’re going. Shame on What we’re going to talk about are our sins here with tires in us for not making quick changes and pulling out the rug from Ontario. I’m guilty of treating our stewards like cusunder them. We want to have a vibrant sector that’s tomers; I’m guilty of trying to reduce their costs; profitable, self-sustainable and not reliant on us. we’re guilty of achieving 100 per cent diverI’m guilty of trying to work myself out sion of tires in this province since the proof a job — and my wife would say that gram launched; we are guilty of havisn’t a bad thing, actually. We see a ing cleaned up 1.6 million tires from future where scrap tires have a posipiles across the province; we are tive value, and the manufacturing guilty of creating an operational industry is growing to a point system that’s tripled the haulwhere the economics stand on ing capacity in the province of their own. There are no disOntario, doubled the recycposal fees, there are no tip ling capacity and tripled the fees, and there are no market amount of recycled rubber incentives — because those going to Ontario manufacturmanufacturers work with ers making finished goods. their suppliers to source reWe are guilty of supcycled rubber to go into their porting those businesses and products that they then sell out having created over 200 direct into the marketplace. There are new jobs — and made someproducts on the shelves today in where in the neighbourhood of this province for major retailers $70 million in new investments for that are the results of partnerships Ontario. We are guilty of providing we’ve had with manufacturers and research and development grants that recyclers that you don’t know about lead to success across the province; and because those manufacturers are incorporwe’re guilty of reducing our costs year after ating the recycled materials like any other mayear to the point that in 2013 and 2014 we reduced terial. It’s displacing virgin material that costs two the fees that we charged for passenger tires. And we or three times as much. Ontario Tire Stewardship Executive Director, Andrew Horsman will be guilty again this year when we again reduce While creating economic opportunities and jobs those fees because of the efficiencies that we have here in Ontario, we have a lot to beg your forgiveness realized in the marketplace. That’s us. And that’s what we’ve achieved for. I hope you’ll forgive us if once in a while we pat ourselves on the because we’re BAD! You may call me Cane the Destroyer of Worlds back for achieving that success. ‘cause we’re the only guys in the game. At OTS we believe that absolutely producers should have choice. We came into a marketplace that functioned, that saw 50 per cent My personal view is that it’s fine provided the program is being run of tires leaving the province every year — many of those tires going well, and is being run like a business, and being run with a focus on the into cement kilns or daily alternative cover for landfill, so we work with bottomline and the objectives that we’ve been tasked to achieve by the those industry players and recyclers and haulers to create made in On- minister. So, the savings that result from having competing programs tario solutions for recycling those tires made in Ontario; and to create are next to zero. made in Ontario markets to consume those products. We’re guilty of In 2014, the administrative costs for OTS were six per cent, and my working with municipalities and providing grants to use those products goal is to continue to drive that number down. So we’re always asking in a way that creates sustainable demand; and we’re guilty of talking to ourselves, “do we need to spend this, or can we just steal pens from that our service providers to try to figure out how we can find a path forward conference?” They’re great little pens by the way, thank you.
18 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
18-21 swr apr-may 2015 Stewardship p 18-21.indd 18
15-04-14 11:55 AM
SMELLS LIKE PROFIT.
WORK HAS A NEW WAY TO WORK. The Freightliner Trucks 108SD is built to be tough and efficient. For starters, it offers up to 325 horsepower and 750 lb-ft of torque. It also has a steel reinforced aluminum day cab, which provides plenty of durability without excess weight. Combine that with outstanding visibility, and your fleet can easily handle the tightest routes. Freightliner trucks aren’t just tough, they’re smart. Find out more at FreightlinerTrucks.com/WorkSmart. Competitive financing available through Daimler Truck Financial. For the Freightliner Trucks dealer nearest you, call 1-800-FTL-HELP. www.freightlinertrucks.com. FTL/MC-A-1090. Specifications are subject to change without notice. Copyright © 2015. Daimler Trucks North America LLC. All rights reserved. Freightliner Trucks is a division of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, a Daimler company.
18-21 swr apr-may 2015 Stewardship p 18-21.indd 19
15-04-14 11:55 AM
S T E WA R D S H I P
“
What I do fear is when our competitors have an edge because they don't play by the same rules.
How do we minimize costs? How do we treat our stakeholders with respect? How do we treat our oversight folks with respect? How do we work together to achieve the environmental, economic and program objectives that people expect from us, in a way that makes if not everybody happy, nobody mad. What we want to do is be able to leave behind an industry that can operate without our support. We’re not there yet. Scrap tires do have a value in Ontario because the market has built up to a point where we have more recycling capacity than tires. You won’t find a lot of tires being dumped illegally here because that tire costs the recycler money: A $1.50 or $2 on the ground? He’s going to pick that up and put it into his facility — and that market dynamic changes things a bit. This competitive market landscape has evolved over time and we’ve evolved our program with it. Not enough money can be just as damaging as too much money. We’re trying to find balance so that what’s going on the marketplace is sustainable and fairly competitive because we believe that a competitive recycling marketplace is where the real action is at. It’s where the real efficiencies, environmental and economic gains will be realized. We are here to support the industry in achieving those objectives because their success is our success — and their success is contingent upon us
OTS RECORD Cleaned up more than 1.5 million tires from piles and properties Stimulated over $40M of new investment and hundreds of new jobs Ensured that no Ontario tires are burned or sent to landfills Injected over $2M into R&D to develop sustainable next-gen products for recycled tire rubber.
providing customers with clarity about where we’re going, involving them in that discussion. There needs to be visibility on their behalf to show how things are changing, and that’s not easy. The rules change. And sometimes very quickly. Sometimes with no advance warning. But notwithstanding, the business rules should be the same. And they should be clear and well understood. How do you manage data in a competitive market? How do you manage compliance? We’ve heard of ideas for a few models. Perhaps a body with regulatory authority that can police the industry? These are all things that are extremely doable. But to what end? And why? We are not packaging! And I’ll say it again, tires are not packaging. What are we trying to do when we move away from a model that has reduced costs, increased capacity, driven value into recycling and improved the marketplace? Which of those mistakes are you trying to undo, and why? Because we start to get a little paranoid: We think, “Is it us? Are we not showering enough?” People look at us and say we’ve got to do away with this program, but we think we’re doing a pretty good job. We’re guilty of pursuing free-riders to the extent of our ability, and we’re guilty of pursuing folks in the recycling industry not playing by the rules, and who are not compliant with the laws of the land, and not compliant with our vendor requirements, which are compliance driven. We work closely with the regulator to try to get support that we need to ensure there’s a level playing field out there, but how do we change that approach? How do we change that in a way that ensures an even more even playing field? To date, the regulator has proved unwilling or unable to step into that role. So, do we really think that having four or five programs is going to change that, when all they’ve got right now is one to work with? I’m not convinced. I don’t see it. And the reason why is very valid: The regulator has other jobs; somebody is dumping something in that river over here, and over there someone has 100 more tires on their property than they should. Where are they going to put their time and attention? It’s a risk-based matrix. Absolutely understandable. But when you’ve got one entity working with you, you have the ability to say we need to do something about that because that’s not fair to all the other guys living by the law of the land. And we continue to work on that. Take data management, say my customer list. In this competitive
20 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
18-21 swr apr-may 2015 Stewardship p 18-21.indd 20
15-04-14 11:55 AM
S T E WA R D S H I P
The ISP mechanism is a solid one for producer choice. It took a long time to get to that point, but that’s where we’re at now. Photo: OTS
environment, is this going to be publicly available? A lot of these things have to be asked and answered, and I don’t think there’s a lot of agreement on how this works. And there is the experience of other jurisdictions as we work on this. I can speak to you about multiple tire programs in Europe — France, Spain and Italy being the three biggest programs. Seven programs in Italy, two in Spain and three in France. Each place has one big program, Italy with one that has 65 to 70 per cent of the marketplace. They collected 15 per cent more material last year than they needed to. And the reason that they did that is the other programs are free-riding off their success. So, while there are methods to deal with it, there’s been a lack of enforcement, so how do you deal with that going forward. The theory is sound, but it’s the execution where we’ve seen problems. As long as another program comes along with the same framework, you’re going to get pretty much the same outcome we’ve had. Maybe not as good as we’re doing because they’re starting up, but you’re going to get similar outcomes. So, why create that opening? The ISP mechanism is a mechanism for producer choice. It took a long time to get to that point, but that’s where we’re at right now. ISPs have come along and said they’re not happy
with where they are. I used to be a producer. I worked for Wal-Mart Canada for eight years, and there were some programs that I was very unhappy with, and there were some programs that were well taken care of and I trusted those programs — they took care of me and handled things. So it is more about the entity running the program and the design of the program than it is about whether fundamentally I want to have choice. It’s like serving your customers. If you serve your customers well, they’re going to stay with you. I don’t fear competition…at all. I think we have an option that people will continue to choose. They will stay with us and will continue to make their services and experiences with us and better and better — that’s our stewards, that’s our haulers, that’s our recyclers, that’s our manufacturers. What I do fear is when our competitors have an edge because they don’t play by the same rules. As long as the rules are enforced going forward, OK, but I just don’t understand how. Andrew Horsman is executive director of Ontario Tire Stewardship. He can be reached at 1-888-687-2202. The preceding commentary is a partial transcript of his Feb. 6 presentation at the Recycling Council of Ontario’s event at the Old Mill – Toronto hotel.
VERMEER HELPS SHRINK YOUR WOOD WASTE & COMPOSTING CHALLENGES.
BRAMPTON (800) 668-9065
OTTAWA (613) 298-9121
EDMONTON (800) 809-5066
SASKATOON (306) 382-3249
CALGARY (866) 809-6653
LONDON (855) 351-9866
ATLANTIC (902) 222-9679
GRANDE PRAIRIE (800) 809-5066
WINNIPEG (866) 548-1866
LAVAL (800) 990-7919
April/May 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 21
18-21 swr apr-may 2015 Stewardship p 18-21.indd 21
15-04-14 11:55 AM
R E G U L AT I O N R O U N D U P
by Rosalind Cooper, L.L.B.
Regulatory Developments Across Canada Ontario Considers Landfill Ban on Fluorescent Lights
a $500 annual flat fee. The two-year transition exemption will also apply to newspapers not outside the small business exemption. The Province of Ontario is considering an outright ban on the landfilling During the two-year transition period, a working group with repof compact fluorescent light bulbs due to mercury content and impact on resentatives from businesses, newspapers, municipalities and the waste the environment. The Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate reduction community will identify further program adjustments to bring Change is consulting with municipalities and industry groups to determid-size businesses and larger newspapers into the program. The Minmine alternative means for diverting such waste from landfills, includistry of Environment has allocated $500,000 to help municipalities coving requiring producers to create a united depot system for returns. The er costs of recycling over the transition period. bulbs contain approximately four milligrams of mercury and, because mercury is pervasive and accumulates when it gets into the environment, it is important to properly dispose of products containing mercury. NWT Launching Electronics Recycling Program Currently, compact bulbs and fluorescent light tubes can be dropped off In fall 2015, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources at depots in certain municipalities and large chain stores. But the Recycling in Northwest Territories is launching a territory-wide electronics recycCouncil of Ontario claims that the vast majority of users are not recycling program by way of a new Electronics Recycling Regulation under ling compact bulbs and fluorescent light the Waste Reduction and Recovery tubes and, instead, disposing of them Act. The objective of the program is as garbage. They recommend that conto expand electronics recycling opsumers dispose of compact fluorescent tions available to Northwest Territorlights by dropping them off at a muniies residents and divert electronics cipal waste depot or hazardous waste from landfills. drop-off event, or by returning them to In larger communities of popularetailers that accept them. tions more than 750 people, electronAn updated Ontario Waste Reducics will be collected at electronics tion and Diversion Act is expected to recycling depots. This will be done, be introduced this summer, and bans in part, by expanding depots curon disposal will be addressed as part of rently handling bottle deposits, which that update. Several jurisdictions have will be strategically located to make already implemented disposal bans. For them more accessible than landfills. example, California banned compact In smaller communities, residents fluorescent lights, batteries and elec- In the second phase of the NWT electronics program, fees will come into play will have the opportunity to bring tronic waste from landfills. Vancouver a year or two after the program is launched, tackling items like stereos, game electronics to a central location. The and Seattle banned food waste from consoles and MP3 players. events will be held at least once every landfill disposal, and Halifax banned used tires, lead acid batteries and leaf two years. and yard waste from landfill disposal. The program will be funded through an environmental handling fee set out in the Electronics Recycling Regulation. The fee will be phased in over two stages. First, the fee will be levied on items such Saskatchewan’s Multi-Material Recycling Program as desktop and portable computers, monitors, printers, computer mice Saskatchewan launched its multi-material recycling program on Jan. and keyboards. The fees levied on such items will range from $3 for 1, 2015. The program requires that businesses and organizations that portable computers such as laptops, tablets and notebooks, to $100 for distribute packaged goods and paper to households in Saskatchewan floor-standing printers. No fee will be levied on peripherals. be responsible for 75 per cent of the cost for recycling these materials. In the second phase, fees will come into play a year or two after the The program is being operated by a new organization, Multi-Material program is launched and will apply to items such as stereo equipment, Stewardship Western (MMSW), which is part of a series of recycling DVD and CD players, game consoles, speakers, MP3 players, and headorganizations under the Canadian Stewardship Services Alliance Inc. phones. The program will exempt small businesses and newspapers that have The importance of avoiding landfilling of electronics relates to the a gross revenue of less than $2 million, or generate less than one tonne leaching of contaminants into the environment after exposure to rain, of packaging and paper, or operate as a single point of sale (not fransnow and wind. chises or chains). Businesses with annual revenue between $2 million and $5 million will have a two-year transition exemption and not be Rosalind Cooper, LL.B., is a partner with Fasken Martineau DuMoulin required to report tonnage of household packaging and paper during this LLP in Toronto, Ontario. She can be reached at rcooper@fasken.com period. They will, however, be required to register with MMSW and pay 22 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
22-23 swr apr-may 2015 RegRndup p 22-23.indd 22
15-04-14 11:55 AM
G T
HARD•WORKING
GOODYEAR’S G751 DELIVERS UP TO 45% MORE MILES TO REMOVAL THAN BRIDGESTONE* With improved tread life and fuel efficiency, Goodyear’s G751 and G731™ MSA tires can help fleets lower their operating costs. Each of these new innovative mixed service tires offers rugged durability for on-road and off-road performance while still providing excellent retreadability. Both the Goodyear® G751 and G731 are available with Goodyear’s exclusive DuraSeal Technology® to help reduce downtime by sealing up to ¼" punctures in the tread without stopping.** To learn more about Goodyear’s new construction tires, call your Goodyear dealer or visit www.goodyeartrucktires.ca.
*Based on focus fleet testing of a 11R22.5 Goodyear G751 compared to Bridgestone M843 of the same size. Actual results may vary depending on tire size, driving and road conditions, maintenance and operating conditions. **Seals up to ¼" punctures in the repairable area of the tread. Does not seal sidewall punctures. ©2015 Goodyear Canada Inc. All rights reserved.
22-23 swr apr-may 2015 RegRndup p 22-23.indd 23
15-04-14 11:55 AM
Photos Courtesy of The Hamilton Spectator
REMEMBERING HAGERSVILLE
Hagersville ... T
25 years later
wenty-five years ago, a huge, sustained black pall of toxic smoke hung over the bucolic landscape of Norfolk County in southern Ontario. For almost three weeks, what became known as the Hagersville Tire Fire threatened to be one of the biggest environmental disasters of the time. The fire at the Tyre King recycling compound was feared to be a pollution and health threat as far away as Pennsylvania and Ohio. What fuelled the concern was the sheer volume and toxicity of the burning scrapped tires stored on the 11-acre site in the rural area. An estimated 14 million tires had been accumulated over the years, piled as high as 30-feet in relatively haphazard fashion over an area of 737,000 square feet. In the early morning hours of Feb. 12, 1990, the nearby Hagersville fire station received a call about a fire at the site. Arriving on the scene a short time later, it became quickly apparent that the fire was out of control and the call went out for reinforcements. As a reporter for a local newspaper at the time, the sight of a giant plume of black smoke on the horizon en route to work that morning was an obvious indication that something big was happening. Just how big was impossible to conceive of until arriving at the scene. Response to the enormity of the fire was immediate. The municipal government of the day, the Regional Municipality of Haldimand-
by Chris Thomas “As a reporter for a local newspaper at the time, the sight of a giant plume of black smoke on the horizon en route to work that morning was an obvious indication that something big was happening.”
Norfolk, instituted its Disaster Plan and mobilized its network of volunteer fire departments. Soon, 12 stations, nine pumpers, six tankers and more than 100 firefighters responded. Provincial authorities, including the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Natural Resources and Ontario Provincial Police, were notified. In total, 23 fire stations from Haldimand-Norfolk, Six Nations, Brant and nearby industrial plants were involved. Dozens of media outlets also descended on the scene and the fire quickly became international news, even attracting a team from ABC’s Nightline out of New York City, who arrived in a limousine from the Toronto airport. The headquarters of the local government at the nearby
24 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
24-26 swr apr-may 2015 Steward Sidebar Hagersville p 24-26.indd 24
15-04-14 2:00 PM
Out of the darkness comes one big, bright idea in residential waste collection. Odyssey™ is the integrated front loader that combines versatility, simple operation, reduced need for maintenance, increased efficiency, and a lower cost to operate. No other automated front loader has the innovative features Odyssey has, so no other front loader can do what Odyssey does. • Integrated front loading: Curotto-Can® compatible • Smarter controls and electronics: easier to train on, operate, and diagnose • Lighter and leaner: reduced wear and increased economy • Predictive wear testing: weakness eliminated before production • StreetWise™ Hydraulic System: simplified, relocated, and multiple failure points eliminated • CNrG: innovative, fully integrated tailgate fuel delivery system
© 2015 Heil. All rights reserved. Heil, The Wheels Are Always Turning are trademarks or registered trademarks of Environmental Solutions Group.
24-26 swr apr-may 2015 Steward Sidebar Hagersville p 24-26.indd 25
15-04-14 2:00 PM
village of Townsend became of the off-site command centre for the response and officials held daily press briefings. Principal concerns were the possible health effects from the toxic smoke. Burning tires give off carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, dioxin, heavy metals, butadiene and styrene, among others. The surrounding area was immediately cordoned off and residents of the area were urged to evacuate. Because each burning tire gives off about nine litres of oil, ground water contamination from the run-off of oily sludge was also feared. In the end, it took 17 days to finally extinguish the fire. Initially, fire officials predicted it could take as long as a year, but exhausted local firefighters were reinforced by several dozen professional firefighters from the Ministry of Natural Resources, and ultimately by MNR fire bombers brought in from northern Ontario. The air drop of water and fire retardant to the previously inaccessible heart of the fire proved to be the difference. The fire site’s proximity to nearby Lake Erie allowed for a constant bombardment of the burning tire piles. Once the major fires were dampened, bulldozers moved in to separate the piles and allow firefighters to put them out individually. In the aftermath of the fire it was estimated that 400,000 litres of oil were collected over the next three years. The MOE built a water treatment facility on site to treat the millions of gallons of water used to fight the fire and also drilled extensive test wells to monitor water quality.
Overall, MOE estimated it cost the province $10.4 million to rehabilitate the site. Investigation revealed that the fire was sparked by young vandals. Five were charged, but only two convicted of mischief. They were not identified because they were Young Offenders. Today, many local residents and farmers say pollution concerns did not materialize to any significant degree. However, 10 local firefighters who were at the Hagersville fire have subsequently been diagnosed with cancers. Two have died. The potential for a possible disaster at the recycling site was recognized well before the fateful fire. Three years prior, the MOE had ordered the property owner, Ed Straza, to take remedial measures at the site, including breaking up the piles of tires. In an interview at the time of the MOE order, Straza told me he was balking at the cost. He maintained his facility was a benefit because it mitigated the common practice of people illegally disposing of tires in off-road dumps and ditches. He subsequently moved out of the area and reportedly lives in the Winnipeg area. The Hagersville Tire Fire resulted in significant regulatory changes, particularly the requirement that major dump sites be secured, fireproofed and limited in size. Chris Thomas is a freelance writer based in Simcoe, Ontario.
for a possible disaster at the recycling site “ The potential was recognized well before the fateful fire.
26 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
24-26 swr apr-may 2015 Steward Sidebar Hagersville p 24-26.indd 26
15-04-14 2:00 PM
COMPOST EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE
Ask Mr. Maintenance
Daily checksheets can promote accountability by Rob Haines
photo by David Nesseth
A
s a mechanic by trade, I’m happier busting my knuckles and losing skin running equipment than I am speaking in public. But here we go. It’s simple. You keep the equipment up and running, you control costs. It’s changing the mindset of running the machine till it breaks, then fix it, to more of a predict-and-prevent approach. Maintenance could be considered the health care plan for our equipment these days. Properly maintained equipment is just safer. In this world, if we can make work environments safer for everyone, than that’s where we need to go. Breakdowns are expensive. Downtime is expensive. If you’re not operating, you’re eating into your profit. The true cost of a breakdown? It can range anywhere from four to fifteen times more than what the original labour and maintenance costs would have been. Of course, employees are happiest when sitting in their machines working. People view maintenance as dirty and boring and it often tends to get overlooked. The real question is how much wear and tear has occurred since the last maintenance inspection? If there’s no continuous maintenance program at the company, than the answer is typically “I don’t know.” We have to work to counteract this answer. Don’t just train one person, train everybody. It creates a bulletproof sensation. Without this, you often get finger-pointing. Someone might say, “He runs the machine so much harder than I do?” or “It was his turn to grease it!” Things don’t work when nobody understands the current state of the equipment. This model promotes a lack of responsibility and accountability, when workers should be essentially taking ownership of their machines. Knowing what’s up also gives the operator a higher sense of purpose for the job. It makes for happier employees.
April/May 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 27
27-30 swr apr-may 2015 compost maintenance p 27-30.indd 27
15-04-14 1:55 PM
The real question is how much wear and tear has occurred since the last maintenance inspection? If there’s no continuous maintenance program at the company, than the answer is typically “I don’t know.” We have to work to counteract this answer. Photos: Vermeer Canada
Support equipment can have a great effect on the longevity of equipment. Think excavators and wheel loaders. It helps ease the burden on machinery. The easier maintenance can be made, the better the chance it will happen regularly. Provide tools, checksheets and time for employees to conduct routine maintenance. Simply ensure workers have everything they need. Daily checksheets can be the way to go. Simple things like fluid levels and greasing points can be listed. Items can be checked off first thing in the morning or at the end of the day. Ensure that employees actually have to sign their names to the checksheet. In three weeks’ time, if you have to check the logs, there can be some ownership that takes place by knowing who was working with the machine at a particular time. Go crazy with labels and decals. You can mark greasing points with bright colours, note how often it needs to be greased and how much grease is needed. Maybe it requires a special type of grease. Note it. One last thing. Use the maintenance tools of tomorrow today. Use autogreasers or whatever 28 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
27-30 swr apr-may 2015 compost maintenance p 27-30.indd 28
15-04-14 1:55 PM
RECYCLING & RENDERING TRUCKS
WALINGA
RENDERING / COMPOST UNITS • 100% Welded Construction • Water Tight Sealed Tailgate • Hydraulic Controls • Full Open Top
RECYCLER • Walinga Custom Cab Conversion • Single or Dual Loading • 46 yard Capacity • FRP Smooth Side Construction • 4/7yd Hydraulic Bustle Gate Guelph, Ontario (888) 925-4642 • Wayland, Michigan (800) 466-1197 • www.walinga.com April/May 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 29
27-30 swr apr-may 2015 compost maintenance p 27-30.indd 29
15-04-14 2:10 PM
COMPOST EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE
Maintenance Tips can to make maintenance easier, but always double check. There’s everything from telematics to asset management strategies and satellite tracking that can assist you. Tracking allows many people within the organization to check in on the machinery. Remote fleet managers can see how many hours are on the machine or view the machine’s parameters through a computer. The options are endless. We’re to a point these days where you could suddenly get a call from a company call centre that your machine on the property is in trouble, perhaps overheating. It’s always best to be aware of warranty options as well. At Vermeer we have the Vermeer Canada Promise and Confidence Plus Asset Protection because after sale service can be just as important as trying to sell quality industry equipment in the first place. Rob Haines is a Vermeer Canada Recycling & Forestry Equipment Specialist. He can be reached at robert.haines@vermeercanada.com The preceding commentary is a transcript of a presentation given at a Compost Matters event hosted by the Compost Council of Canada on March 19 at the Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place, in Toronto. 30 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
27-30 swr apr-may 2015 compost maintenance p 27-30.indd 30
15-04-14 1:55 PM
G R E E N S TA N D A R D S
Cooling office reno culture Furniture without cash value quickly goes from company asset to company liability
G
reen Standards is trying to change the very way corporations perceive office assets, and the Toronto-based firm is developing a unique business model in the process—one that’s socially and environmentally conscious, yet tailored to business objectives. As innocuous as office chairs, desks, and cubicles seem, they pose a significant challenge for companies across North America. The reality is that the commercial sector is constantly buzzing with office renovations and moves, and generating no-longer-needed furniture in the process. Each workplace transition ushers in new gear, pushing outdated or obsolete assets out the door. Both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Statistics Canada estimate that millions of tonnes of durable goods are sent to landfill by the commercial sector every year. The challenge? How do you make entire floors of chairs, desks, workstations, electronics, appliances, and supplies disappear? Few people, whether in operations or sustainability, pay enough attention to no-longerneeded assets on the tail end of a workplace project. And when they do, they rarely have the experience or knowledge needed to effectively manage them. Typically, companies pay to have furnishings removed, either by a liquidator that landfills everything except the most valuable items, or by a junk-removal service that may also landfill goods. Sending that many items to the landfill — many still in usable condition — contributes to three growing social and environmental issues: • It adds to the negative impact of landfills, including greenhouse gas emissions and soil contamination. Environment Canada estimates that Canadian landfills alone generate 27 million tonnes of CO2e each year. • It removes valuable resources from circulation that may otherwise
have been reintroduced into the manufacturing phase, including metal, wood, fabric, and plastic. These are resources that have to be gathered at a tremendous cost by industry. • It denies organizations in need the opportunity to benefit from second-hand items that haven’t reached end-of-life. Disposing of office furniture is neither a sustainable practice for companies nor for society at large. For many businesses, the moment they find out that their furniture has little or no monetary value, the items quickly go from company assets to company liabilities — a burden, rather than an opportunity. It’s this very attitude that forces companies and their project managers into the lose-lose situation created by conventional solutions. The crucial mistake is looking for only one type of return from an inventory, and treating it like waste when it’s not there. Although a financial return is desirable, and should remain an objective, it shouldn’t frame the entire project. “There’s value in every inventory, but businesses have to learn to see it,” says Richard Beaumont, CEO and co-founder of Green Standards. “For example, most people like the idea of donations until they realize how difficult it can be to coordinate the delivery of hundreds of items. But when it’s planned and executed properly, large-scale donation can actually be more affordable than landfill.” Businesses get the opportunity to reduce environmental impact, optimize for cost, and benefit from a community investment campaign. According to Beaumont, it’s a win-win-win. This is the beauty of Green Standards’ model. The success of a project is about designing a triple-bottom-line solution. April/May 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 31
31-32 swr apr-may 2015 Green Standards p 31-32.indd 31
15-04-14 11:57 AM
G R E E N S TA N D A R D S
By acting as project manager and using a combination of resale, recycling, and donation to divert waste, they’re able to provide a competitive solution with demonstrable value. “It wasn’t until 2010 that the model really came into focus,” says Beaumont. “We learned how to create a cost-effective service by combining donation, a channel we knew very well, with others that could generate revenue, like resale and metal recycling.” The green alternative service had become the most viable solution. The final pieces evolved over time, including key legal documents that protect the corporate donors and offer potential tax benefits, as well as an industry-leading reporting system that provides environmental data to corporate sustainability teams. In its five-year history, the Toronto-based firm has worked with multinational corporations, government agencies, public utility companies, and institutions to manage their office surplus. In the process, they’ve diverted more than 18,000 tons of office furniture and equipment from landfill, and stewarded $15 million worth of in-kind donation to community organizations across North America. Testimony to their service’s scalability and reliability, the Green Standards team is managing two of the largest corporate decommissions in North America which together have generated over $2 million in in-kind donations. Perhaps this success isn’t that surprising – after all, most companies want a responsible way to dispose of extra assets. The difference is that Green Standards has figured out how to make that mindful option make business sense. Great-West Life, for instance, has worked with Green Standards on 68 projects across Canada, totaling more than 553 tonnes of furniture and equipment. Each project, inventory and location comes with a unique set risks and opportunities, all managed by Green Standards. “Green Standards has made it simple to manage no-longer-needed assets across all of our offices,” says Joann McKillop, manager of GreatWest’s corporate properties. “Instead of having many different processes, we have a company-wide program that’s effective for our team and beneficial to the communities we work in.” As an early adopter of the program, Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life have been able to donate nearly $500,000 worth of furniture and equipment to a variety of organizations over the course of six years, strengthening their community investment and environmental initiatives simultaneously. Green Standards’ ability to align their solution with clients’ business objectives has proven invaluable to many large companies. While work-
ing with TELUS, Green Standards customized a plan to target the telco’s community partners with the furniture donations. “Green Standards gave us the opportunity to meet both our environmental and social goals,” said Mary Verissimo, director of Real Estate Services at TELUS. “By coordinating the donations we made to existing community partners, and reporting on the overall landfill diversion, we were able to provide deliverables to multiple areas of our business from a single project.” TELUS was able to strengthen its presence in the community, help numerous local non-profits, and enhance the overall sustainability of its office operations. The millions of dollars in office equipment donated through Green Standards’ work has also made them a recognizable brand in the nonprofit sector. The donations have improved the workspaces of hundreds of organizations, many of which have followed the program since the beginning. The direct benefit to these organizations is the ability to improve their offices and productivity without directing budget away from core activities. “With this donation we can focus more of our funds on realizing our mission to provide access to parasports for disabled individuals,” said Marc Antoine Ducharme, executive director of Parasports Quebec. “Administrative costs for Parasports are very high, and donations such as these go very far in helping us achieve our goals.” Today, Green Standards boasts a network of 10,000 non-profits in Canada and the U.S. Many of these organizations share the sentiment with Ducharme, and are seeking ways improve their workspaces without straining the budget for their core activities. Corporate responsibility used to imply a huge investment and an uncertain return. With decision-makers, stakeholders and employees more aware of the importance of sustainability than ever, businesses like Green Standards are getting the opportunity to prove that corporate responsibility has its share of benefits, especially for those planning for the long term. Where landfill or liquidation brings little-to-no value back into the company, managing no-longer-needed assets responsibly offers a dynamic return on investment. The goal, whether it’s a single storage room or a company-wide consolidation, should be to generate value for everyone where there would otherwise be only a cost. Nick Buccheri is a marketing manager for Green Standards and a freelance communications consultant based in Toronto. He can be reached at nbuccheri@greenstandardsltd.com
gave us the opportunity to meet both our “ Green Standards environmental and social goals.
32 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
31-32 swr apr-may 2015 Green Standards p 31-32.indd 32
15-04-14 11:57 AM
O R G A N I C M AT T E R S
by Paul van der Werf “I would argue there is enough food in the system. It is our distribution system that needs to be overhauled.”
Love to Hate Food Waste Welcoming a mini-renaissance involving the first ‘R’ and food waste
W
e waste a lot of food. While recently looking at the tipping floor of an anaerobic digestion facility, I was amazed at the recognizable foodstuffs disguised as food waste, waiting to enter the steel stomach of the digester. An interesting estimate is that at least 40 per cent of what is in a typical garbage bag is food waste. Some 50 per cent of that was edible at
one point. There could be a big bright price sticker applied to the average garbage bag to say that about $10 worth of edible food is crumpled up and thrown away each week. So, why do we throw out so much food? In short, we are not always in tune with what we buy. We purchase too much. We do not really understand “best before” dates. And unfortunately many of us do not seem to like leftovers. Obviously, this has significant economic, environmental and social impacts. For instance, an estimated 75 per cent of food’s carbon impact occurs during its production and distribution, which is lost when food becomes waste, and then compounded by the additional carbon impacts of dealing with this food as a waste. According to HungerCount 2014, prepared by Foodbanks Canada, more than 840,000 Canadians visit a food bank each month. While the food we waste cannot be linearly connected to overcoming these challenges, it is clear that there is an overabundance of food in one area and not enough to affordably put food in people’s stomachs. Fortunately there is some change in the air. There is currently the rustling of a mini-renaissance involving the first “R” and food waste. Waste reduction has always been there, talked about—a theoretical maxim that has been all but ignored. Through the confluence of some European ideas and some gathering carbon infused momentum to keep food waste out of Canadian landfills, the issue has been creeping out of the primordial soup of the industry presses to the dry land of the popular presses. There is the paradox of grocery stores throwing out copious amounts of perfectly edible food on the one hand, but then asking patrons to make a donation to the food bank at the till, or even worse, to buy a pre-bagged parcel of food destined for that local food bank. In the UK, most food waste is April/May 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 33
33-35 swr apr-may 2015 organic matters p 33-35.indd 33
15-04-14 11:57 AM
O R G A N I C M AT T E R S
Food Savings Begins at Home A Canadian food saving program should start at the household level and then work its way up the food supply chain with the twin aim of reducing food waste and creating a demand to make changes through the chain.
accumulated from fruits and vegetables (25 per cent), drinks (16 per cent) and baked goods (13 per cent). The UK’s Love Food Hate Waste (LFHW) (www.lovefoodhatewaste.com) program, managed by the notfor-profit company and registered charity WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), has embraced this first R and provides educational resources and raises awareness for the need to reduce food waste and take action. Launched in 2007, LFHW works with community groups, chefs, businesses, food retailers and brands, trade bodies, local authorities, government and individuals that are either providing and looking for practical advice to achieve food waste reduction targets. On a household level this includes the provision of practical/useful tools and tips to help
householders generate less food waste, save money, and reduce their environmental impact. On a retail level this includes providing advice to the grocery industry on how to package foods to better meet household needs. From 2007 to 2012 the campaign resulted in the diversion of about 1.1 million tonnes of avoidable food and drink waste (i.e. that could have been consumed prior to disposal), saving consumers $6.2 billion. It saved waste management authorities about $160 million in landfill tax and gate fees in 2012, reduced GHG emissions by 4.4 million tonnes of e and avoided wasting a billion tonnes of water for agricultural use and other sources. The LFHW campaign partners with more than 100 supporters, in part to produce awareness. For instance, in August 2014 the campaign was launched in ‘10 cities’ around Greater Manchester. The event offered the public information on how households can save up to $110 a month by reducing food waste and included such simple activities such as free cooking classes for leftovers. LFHW costs about $4 million to operate, or about 60 cents per resident. The LFHW program, or something similar, should be developed in Canada. However, simply reducing food from becoming food waste is not enough. I would argue there is enough food in the system. It is our distribution system that needs to be overhauled. By that I don’t mean the literal distribution system that moves food from the farm to the plate but the one that gets food to everyone’s plate. Far from being an anti-
ECOVERSE.CA ONTARIO:
647-982-6781 ALBERTA ECOVERSE DEALER GROUNDWORX:
780-463-7077
34 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
33-35 swr apr-may 2015 organic matters p 33-35.indd 34
15-04-14 11:57 AM
O R G A N I C M AT T E R S
Decadent Leftovers
capitalist diatribe, this is more a question of efficiency. For instance, if you know that 10 per cent of the price of food is used to pay for the disposal of unsold food, would you mind if some of the savings from improved efficiencies were used to improve food security? In other words, those of us who can, need to buy less, and those who sell need to have less stock. As an example, you have the paradox of grocery stores throwing out copious amounts of perfectly edible food on the one hand, but then asking patrons to make a donation to the food bank at the till, or even worse, buying a pre-bagged parcel of food destined for the local food bank food from their shelves. A Canadian food saving program should start at the household level and then work its way up the food supply chain with the twin aim of reducing food waste and creating a demand to make changes through the chain. Save money. Reduce environmental impact. Feed people. While the third “R” is absolutely necessary to capture the energy and benefit from inedible food wastes, it’s just the wrong stomach for food. Paul van der Werf is president of London, Ontario-based 2cg Inc. and has been involved in the business of waste prevention and diversion for the last 20 years. He can be reached at 2cg@sympatico.ca PETEddyAd-SWR_Layout 1 1/27/15 4:08 PM Page 1
Further away from home, in NYC, Blue Hill – Blue Hill at Stone Barns ran a pop-up restaurant through March where top chefs cooked with food waste. The pop-up was called wastED, devoted to the theme of food waste and re-use, and even the tabletops were slabs of mycelium, an all-natural and biodegradable plastics substitute. Closer to home… Through the help of some of Ontario’s top chefs, the Green Living Show showcased gourmet dishes made from discarded produce to convince people that delicious meals can be made from roots, stems, bones and other items typically thrown away. To demonstrate the magnitude of Canada’s food waste problem, Green Living Enterprises rallied together chefs, farmers, researchers and local government advocates around the “Mindful Plate” food feature at the 2015 Green Living Show in Toronto, which ran last week. The Toronto Food Policy Council estimates that about $27 billion worth of food produced and sold in Canada is wasted every year, and of that, approximately $13 billion is discarded at the consumer level. A recent University of Guelph study on Food Waste estimates the average Canadian household wastes 4.5 kilograms of food per week. The show also featured expert refrigerator organizing tips to ensure that fruits and vegetables do not spoil before their time. Eat those leftovers!! SWR Staff
High Purity PET Flake Recovery ... up to 99% Yield
with Eriez’ Eddy Current Separators Superior Aluminum Removal
• Strongest magnetic circuits • Multiple rotor designs • Highest launch angle • Conveyor speeds up to 600 ft/min
PROOF IN TESTING!
Call 888-300-3743 or visit Recovery.Eriez.com April/May 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 35
33-35 swr apr-may 2015 organic matters p 33-35.indd 35
15-04-14 11:57 AM
WA S T E B U S I N E S S
by John Nicholson “Regardless of which option a municipality chooses, there has been demonstrated success across Canada that SSO programs work.”
More than one way to bag a bin Cities must choose to allow one or a combination of liners
T
here are pros and cons around the choices made by municipalities when developing source separated organic (SSO) programs, particularly when it comes to how to bag organics. Sometimes the pros and cons are hidden, especially when it comes to life cycle costs.
Plastic vs. Paper One challenge municipalities face when trying to convince residences to separate kitchen organics from other wastes for curbside recycling through a green bin? The “yuck” factor. Without a liner, kitchen organics bins gets yucky in a hurry. Jurisdictions must choose to either allow one or a combination of liners ranging from paper (Halifax and Ottawa), to certified compostable plastic (P.E.I.), biodegradable plastic, or nonbiodegradable plastic (Toronto). The cost to residents for a liner ranges from less than 5 cents per bag for non-biodegradable plastic to up to $1 per bag for paper. A 2009 study by the Region of Halton, located just east of Hamilton, including the Towns of Oakville and Burlington, found that three quarters of residents preferred compostable plastic bags to line their kitchen organics bins. The remaining one quarter of households used paper, plastic (illegal under Halton’s program), or used no liner. The over-
whelming reason for the high use of compostable bags appeared to be a combination of price (25 cents per compostable bag vs. $1 per bag for paper) and the “yuck” factor (a clean bin vs. a yucky, smelly unlined bin). There are companies based on Canada that have developed products specifically for the growing number of SSO Programs. Bag to Earth, headquartered in Napanee, Ont., has a patented all paper bag that does not leak as it has a liner that looks like a plastic film but is actually wood fibre. Another company based in Ontario, Green Lid, recently showcased on CBC’s Dragon’s Den, introduced a compostable kitchen organics bin made from recycled cardboard. Certified plastic bag manufacturers include BioBag, headquartered in Vancouver.
Hidden Costs The costs to households for organics bin bag liners is only a portion of the overall cost of an SSO program. The choice of using permitted bag liners in an SSO program affects the capital and operating costs of subsequent aerobic or anaerobic processing. The result could be residents saving money by purchasing bag liners at the expense of higher taxes or an increase to solid waste and recycling fees.
36 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
36-37 swr apr-may 2015 Waste Business p 36-37.indd 36
15-04-14 11:58 AM
WA S T E B U S I N E S S
Life-Cycle – Banning Plastic
Life-Cycle Cost – Allowing Plastic
Resident
Resident
• Potential for lower “yuck” factor • Greater and potentially cheaper options for bags selection • Potential for lower overall tax bill or solid waste & recycling levy
• Potential for higher “yuck” factor • Potential for higher expense buying specialty bags • Higher overall tax bill or solid waste & recycling levy
Municipality
Municipality
• Potential for lower participation rates • Potential lower capital and operation costs for processing facility (less pre-treatment equipment required and less residuals management cost) • Potential for high value final product (i.e., Grade AA compost)
• Higher participation rates • Higher costs for capital and operation of facility as pre-treatment operations required, plus higher residuals managed costs • Low value/unsaleable final product (Grade B compost)
If the choice of liners to be used in an SSO program were left in the hands of the organics processors at aerobic composting facilities or anaerobic digester plants, paper would win hands down. My informal survey of plant operators, backed up by a 2011 study conducted by Kelleher Environmental, confirms that facility operators hold the view that if all SSO was from paperlined bins, the result would be cheaper capital and operating costs and high quality products (either AAA compost or high-yield quantities of biogas). Municipalities that allow for the use of non-biodegradable plastic liners in the SSO program must accept the fact that processing of the material will be more costly. The costs come from the fact that additional pre-treatment of the incoming material is required in the form of bag breakers and separators along with the added costs associated with the management of the additional residues (less than five per cent for programs that allow only compostable plastic or paper vs. greater than 10 per cent for programs that allow non-biodegradable plastics). In the case of aerobic composting, allowing nonbiodegradable plastic into the green bin results in a final product with low saleability. Allowing only paper bags will likely result in a premium compost product that could sell in the range of $30 per cubic yard.
Success Regardless of Choice Regardless of which option a municipality chooses, there has been demonstrated success across Canada that SSO programs work. The City of Toronto, even with its size and diversity, has achieved a program participation rate of 90 per cent from single-family dwellings (the participation rate for multi-residential dwelling is not yet available). The City of Toronto and the Region of York (just North of Toronto) are two municipalities that allow residents to throw out their SSO in plastic bags. They also allow accept pet waste and disposable diapers in the green bin, which is not typical in other jurisdictions across Canada. The result is greater potential of diversion from landfill. The City of Toronto is also an exception to what may be found in other jurisdictions across Canada, as it processes its SSO by anaerobic digestion, employing technology from CCI Bioenergy that utilizes a patented hydromechanical pre-treatment system to remove the plastic bags and contaminants. The biogas generated from the anaerobic digestion in Toronto can be used for heating and electricity production, thus offsetting the costs of processing. John Nicholson, M.Sc., P.Eng., is a consultant based in Toronto, Ontario. Contact John at john.nicholson@ebccanada.com April/May 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 37
36-37 swr apr-may 2015 Waste Business p 36-37.indd 37
15-04-14 11:58 AM
I C & I WA S T E
by Diane Blackburn “One of the solid waste priority issues moving forward is setting a new goal for the total waste on a kg/vehicle basis.”
Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and landfill-free A brief history of GM’s sustainability
The 1953 Cadillac Eldorado. Photo courtesy of Mike Ventresca and GM
D
oes anyone remember famous taglines like “See the USA in your Chevrolet,” “Like a rock,” or “Heartbeat of America?” That’s right … all from the General Motors ad archives. GM’s newest internal mantra for resource conservation and a global drive to zero waste is “Waste — a resource out of place.” Not words that would send anyone dashing to a GM showroom, but certainly words to live by for an automaker intent on environmental improvement at all levels of their leviathan organization. In recent years, when automakers made headlines, new reports covered massive recalls, manufacturing shortcuts that resulted in driver fatality and similar negative press that could generally be described as the sad litany of corporate indifference, where bottomline gains trumped the value of human life.
GM had its reputation besmirched over ignition switch failures that resulted in at least 12 deaths and class action suits across multiple jurisdictions, with CEO Mary Barra in the hotseat at a congressional hearing into the matter. But all was not gloom and doom at GM, despite the searing headlines. Back on home base in Michigan, GM was recognized as a Green Corporate Citizen and a Michigan Green Leader for its Landfill-Free initiative that added 11 additional GM manufacturing and non-manufacturing facilities to its global zero waste program. Worldwide GM now has 122 sites sending ‘nothing’ to landfill. Waste from daily operations is recycled, reused or converted to energy. An additional bump to GM’s proud tradition was being one of a handful of companies and the only automaker to be inducted into the U.S. EPA WasteWise Hall of Fame.
38 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
38-40 swr apr-may 2015 IC&I Waste p 38-40.indd 38
15-04-14 11:59 AM
I C & I WA S T E
Courtesy of GM
The locations where all of this zero waste activity percolates include the U.S. home front at Grand Rapids Operations and the GM Heritage Centre, along with other more exotic locales such as Colombia, Brazil, Spain, China and the U.K. The GM Sustainability website itemizes their impressive leading ways as: • No. 1 automaker for voluntary carbon reductions • No. 1 in clean energy patents • 122 landfill-free sites (automotive industry leader) • 70 facilities meeting the U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR Challenge for industry • 40 global sites certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council • 18 facilities with a global solar footprint equal to 104 football fields. A visit to GM’s 2013 Sustainability Scorecard reveal their objectives for the key performance indicators of “Product Commitment” and “Manufacturing Commitment.”
Product Commitments were keyed on:
1. Electrification: 500,000 vehicles with some form of electrification by 2017 2. Mobile Emissions: Reduction of U.S. fleet’s carbon emissions by 15 per cent by 2016 3. U.S. Fuel Economy: Double the number of U.S. models achieving EPA-estimated 40 mpg or better by 2017.
4. Manufacturing Commitments 2020 (solid waste comprised two of nine commitments): a) Reduce total waste from facilities by 10 per cent - achieved in 2013, seven years ahead of schedule. b) Achieve 100 landfill-free manufacturing sites and 25 non-manufacturing sites by 2020. The balance of manufacturing commitments focused on reduction of energy and carbon intensity from facilities, global renewable energy use, VOC emissions, rare earth minerals and water quality. One of the solid waste priority issues moving forward is setting a new goal for the total waste on a kg/vehicle basis. The sustainability scorecard indicates that the 2020 goal was already achieved in 2013. Metal waste reduction has been the driver of success as GM implemented light-weighting initiatives to improve fuel economy. The second most important priority is the reduction of packaging that accounts for 47 per cent of global manufacturing wastes, excluding metals and foundry sand. Other waste recycling initiatives have resulted in the re-manufacture of packing foam into vehicle parts; paint sludge and machining filter media into reusable engine pallets and shipping crates into duck nesting boxes and bat houses in wildlife conservancies. On the human side of the equation, GM appears to have mobilized reduction zealots across all of its facilities domestic and foreign. Sustained and encouraged by training initiatives and employee awareApril/May 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 39
38-40 swr apr-may 2015 IC&I Waste p 38-40.indd 39
15-04-14 11:59 AM
ness campaigns the drive to zero waste production goals will be spearheaded by workers at every level of GM enterprise. As Margaret Mead once famously said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” GM is grooming their own not so small (219,000) employee base to take the lead on an ambitious drive to landfill-free manufacturing. And that’s a headline to be proud of.
Photos courtesy GM
I C & I WA S T E
For a nostalgic stroll down advertising alley, Google up “100 Years of GM Advertising.” Diane Blackburn is events manager for the Recycling Council of Ontario (RCO) and produces the RCO’s annual Waste Minimization Awards. This column regularly profiles finalists and winners from that awards program. Contact Diane at events@rco.on.ca
40 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
38-40 swr apr-may 2015 IC&I Waste p 38-40.indd 40
15-04-14 11:59 AM
FILM REVIEW
Celeb leaves no room for the wise
Photo: Blenheim Films
A review of Trashed, a new documentary on Netflix
T
here’s a lingering close-up on a doll’s head, gazing into the void, followed by a shot of an empty prescription pill bottle, slipping in and out of focus; in the background, an intense, moody score by Vangelis, the composer behind Chariots of Fire. Audiences wondering if they aren’t streaming a David Lynch film by accident should rest easy — this is, in fact, the opening to a documentary about garbage. In fairness, our garbage problem is highly disturbing, but this is something most viewers will have already concluded. While the average waste-conscious citizen may not be able to cite specifics — 200 billion plastic bottles thrown away each year, 80 per cent of people in the UK are now living within two km of a landfill, according to the film — most are familiar with the terms “ocean gyre” and “carbon neutral”, and nearly everyone these days has an opinion on single-brew coffee pods. Where Trashed succeeds is therefore less in the numbers and more in the humanity. Instead of an Inconvenient Truth-style slideshow, it’s more a narrative about how we got to this point (and how we might get away from it). Because garbage isn’t exactly glamorous, director Candida Brady has roped in a celebrity to make it so — namely actor Jeremy Irons, whom we first meet strolling along a trash-strewn shoreline in Lebanon. “I’ve always enjoyed beachcombing,” he muses. Irons gently welcomes viewers into to an uncontrolled landfill outside Beirut that has just reached a height of 40 metres, its contents spilling out into the ocean, straight into the nets of local fishermen hauling their daily catch. “This is appalling,” says Irons, surveying the scene with the air of a disappointed monarch. On the one hand, Irons makes for a compelling host, getting his hands dirty and guiding us through segments on landfills, incineration, the effect of garbage on our oceans, and finally potential solutions in the form of recycling and zero-waste living, effortlessly switching hats between investigative reporter, field researcher and important-sounding narrator. He also switches hats quite literally, sporting a different one in
by Vanessa Farquharson each scene, including a distractingly jaunty flat-cap variety. On the other hand, however, the charm in having a respected British actor tell the story about garbage is brought down by moments when it feels as though Irons could have done with a more thorough briefing on the subject matter beforehand. When he interviews the owner of a zero-waste grocery store, for instance, she reveals that her annual output of waste fits into a single bag, and his response is, with incredulity, “But what about newspapers?” She informs him, with a polite if nonplussed tone, that newspapers can be recycled. This scene arrives near the end of the documentary, which has that desperate we’d-better-leave-it-on-a-hopeful-note vibe, and while it’s nice to see the zero-waste movement receive attention as a viable lifestyle choice, there are so many more people tackling the waste problem in innovative ways who aren’t getting the recognition they deserve — it would have been refreshing to hear from some of these voices and, ultimately, go beyond the film’s concluding message, which is essentially, “Let’s all try to compost and recycle more often.” Summing things up at the end of Trashed is a quote lifted from Albert Einstein: “A clever man solves a problem; a wise man avoids it.” The thing is, we’ve gone beyond avoidance and are sitting on a massive, toxic problem. So perhaps it’s worth turning the spotlight on the clever people and having some trust that audiences will pay attention, with or without a celebrity host. Vanessa Farquharson is the communications manager for TerraCycle Canada. Previously, she was a film critic for the National Post. She can be reached at vanessa.farquharson@terracycle.com. April/May 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 41
41 swr apr-may 2015 film review p 41.indd 41
15-04-14 11:59 AM
H A L I FA X U P D AT E S
Clearly Halifax Waste committees busy on East Coast
H
alifax’s new clear waste bag policy will begin to be enforced starting Aug. 1. The city’s new collection policy allows for a maximum of six regulation clear waste bags, including one black privacy bag, per residential single unit. The bag limit drops to four if it’s a multi-residential property eligible for curbside collection. Proponents of reducing the number of bags allowed at the curb lost their fight in late 2014, when council voted to maintain the status quo for bag quantity. After Aug. 1, Halifax officials say that non-compliant bags will be “tagged with a rejection notice and the resident will be responsible for proper bags and sorting.” The enforcement date allows for a six-month period for stores to stock shelves with clear waste bags and for residents get prepared.
Waste scavengers are sure to welcome the City’s new clear bag policy.
Halifax RFP for waste apps
O
n April 23, the Halifax Regional Municipality will wrap up its smartphone waste app tender. The municipality has been seeking proposals (RFP#P15-056) from qualified individuals or firms to provide online and mobile apps to address garbage, recycling and organics collection day schedules and reminders through a searchable database. The municipality is seeking a waste collection search tool that allows an individual to enter their civic address and be given their collection calendar/schedule (with optional reminders). The app will also provide a waste sorting guide search tool to allow an individual to enter an item and be presented with the appropriate waste stream. For more information about the tender contact terryst@halifax.ca
Halifax Waste Apps iPhone HRM Waste By Eric Noel Android Halifax Waste Collection By Dogsbyte Software
42 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
42 swr apr-may 2015 Halifax updates p 42.indd 42
15-04-14 12:00 PM
PRODUCT PROFILE
Screening still ‘separates’ BHS from the crowd
D
espite the screening technology having been developed some 25 years ago, in-line compound discs remain an industry success story for Oregon-based Bulk Handling Systems. Widely known as the Debris Roll Screen, the popular product has continued as a premiere sizing tool for single-stream MSW, construction and demolition waste, wood waste, compost, plastics, glass, tires and other materials. Hundreds of Debris Roll Screens are in action across the world today. In March of 2015, for instance, Zanker Recycling in California opened a 75 tonnes-per-hour construction and demolition debris materials recovery facility, where it more than doubled its processing capacity to upwards of 90 per cent recovery by using two BHS Debris Roll Screens. So, what “separates” BHS from the crowd? As opposed to the small surface areas covered by standard trommel screens, BHS’s compound discs offer a precise opening for accurate material sizing. A standard trommel screen tumbles like a clothes dryer, whereas the Debris Roll Screen acts more like a bouncing, wave-agitating conveyor belt, separating materials more efficiently. The Tri-Disc agitation and rectangular inter-face openings prevent clogs typical with trommels and reduces the time materials spend with contaminants. The less time material stays on the screen means less wear-and-tear on the equipment, plus energy savings. Not that wear matters too much, in part because BHS’s durable steel castings are hardened to a 400-plus Brinell rating, and create no machine vibrations that can damage equipment over time.
Debris Roll Screen
Hundreds of Debris Roll Screens are in action across the world right now. Time to increase processing capacity. Photo: BHS
The Debris Roll Screen features gear timing paired with variable speed drives, allowing for fine tuning of various material conditions. BHS also has a plug-and-play demo unit for the Debris Roll Screen. It can be operational within one hour, which makes on-site testing possible at facilities or trade shows. The demo unit has an opening of 40mm, is built on a skid, and can travel to customer sites for onsite screening of different waste input materials. For more information contact 866.688.2066 or sales@bhsequip.com
vs
Trommel Screen
Excellent
Separation Efficiency
Poor
Sizes With Nearly Entire Surface
Screen Efficiency
Uses Small Portion of Surface
Wave-like
Agitation
Tumbling
Excellent
Size Control
Poor
No
Clogging
Yes
Small
Footprint
Large
Short
Time on Screen
Long
Minimal
Mixing With Contaminants
Significant
Safe and Easy
Access
Difficult
Low
Energy/Tonne
High April/May 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 43
43-44 swr apr-may 2015 Product Profile p 43-44.indd 43
15-04-14 12:00 PM
PRODUCT PROFILE
Spring cleaning with EnviroWirx
A
s spring arrives—ever so slowly—it’s time to take stock of a facility’s appearance again, now that you can no longer count on the snow to cover up all those blemishes that waste storage can cause at times. One of the quickest, easiest and most affordable ways to beautify a business for a strong first impression is a switch from more traditional rear-of-facility green dumpsters to a waste container that takes nearly
After a business in London, Ont., switched from the rearof-facility green dumpsters (inset), to the EnviroWirx 7 Yard Deep Waste containers.
The AMRC is now the MWA... with a new website to match our new name
www.municipalwaste.ca
Project1
11/13/06
10:28 AM
Page 1
half of the waste system underground, yet holds nearly twice as much waste. That means less containers on the property, plus an improved modern design aesthetic, and the ability to customize the colour of the containers too. EnviroWirx 7 Yard Deep Waste containers were recently added to properties in Vaughan and Kitchener, Ont. A typical dumpster holds about 4 yards of material. EnviroWirx, from RTS Companies, also allows for lower temperature to help reduce odours. You don’t have to change your current pick-up contract as EnviroWirx containers work with standard front loading trucks. Containers are available with either the standard waste lid or a recycling lid which are both secure to keep unwanted waste and pests out. Clean up the look of your waste disposal system today. 1. No special equipment required. EnviroWirx can be unloaded with traditional front loader garbage trucks. This feature will also save money, as other bins require a special boom to unload. 2. The main lid is secured with a gravity lock, which will automatically unlock when the unit is being unloaded by the garbage truck. There is also access via a key lock, which will deter illegal dumping and to keep the unit safe and secure. 3. The EnviroWirx is available with a standard waste lid (optional lock) or a recycling lid. For more information on EnviroWirx please call 1.800.663.2803 or send an email to info@rtscompaniesinc.com
44 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
43-44 swr apr-may 2015 Product Profile p 43-44.indd 44
15-04-14 12:00 PM
Advertisers’ Index Company
Page #
Company
April/May 2015
Page #
2cg/Paul van der Werf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Mack Trucks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
ALG/Eye Trax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Municipal Waste Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
ALLU Group Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Ontario Waste Management Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Bulk Handling Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Cole Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Ecoverse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Paradigm Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 RCA Waste Reduction Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 RTS/Envirowirx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Environmental Business Consultants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Eriez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Freightliner Trucks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Goodyear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Heil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 OWMA AD
6/5/07
7:33 AM
Trux Route Management Systems Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Van Dyk Recycling Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Vermeer Canada Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 VisionQuest Environmental Strategies Corporation . . . . . . . 12
Page 1
Liebherr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Walinga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Machinex Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Waste Expo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Ontario Waste Management Association
Who’s standing up for Your Business? If you own or manage a private sector waste management company involved in any facet of solid or hazardous waste management – let us stand up for you …join OWMA today! OWMA has a primary mission to support a strong and viable waste service industry and to ensure that OWMA member companies are recognized as industry leaders.
Contact: Michele Goulding (905) 791-9500 www.owma.org April/May 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 45
45 swr apr-may 2015 ad idx p 45.indd 45
15-04-14 2:02 PM
BIOGAS Newmarket, Ont.-based CCI BioEnergy founder Kevin Matthews provides operations, management and technical support to the operating team structure for both Toronto’s Disco and Dufferin facilities. Photo: David Nesseth.
Toronto’s biofuel push
B
efore the end of the decade, Toronto will be producing enough biogas from its Disco Road and Dufferin facilities to theoretically power its entire waste management fleet. Combined, these two facilities could produce some 9 million m3 of biofuels each year. The biogas created from Toronto’s organics in the anaerobic digesters will be refined into compressed natural gas. At the Disco facility, which started receiving organics in November 2013, biogas is also used to heat the facility. “It’s a slow process to ramp up a facility like this because you have to make sure your bugs are happy,” says Nadine Kerr from the City of Toronto, who spoke recently at an event hosted by the Compost Council of Canada. Disco produces about 75,000 tonnes of organics per year, whereas Dufferin, which has been categorized as a pilot project from 2002 to 2014, generally processes about 25,000 tonnes per year. Dufferin has been working with one 3,400 m3 anaerobic digester; Disco has two digesters that are 5,400 m3 . From Dufferin you can see an open biogas flare. “We’ve got many calls about it over the years from people thinking there’s a fire,” says Kerr. “At Disco we have an enclosed flare. It doesn’t look like anything’s happening, but you can see the heat wave coming off it.” Toronto recently submitted its renewable energy permit for biogas utilization at Disco, but construction may not occur for a couple of years.
Dufferin biogas facility.
Toronto had an RFP that closed earlier in 2015 regarding an expansion of the Dufferin facility. It will ramp up from 25,000 to 55,000 tonnes of processing per year. Newmarket, Ont.-based CCI BioEnergy provides operations, management and technical support to the operating team structure for both Toronto’s Disco and Dufferin facilities. For the Disco facility, it partnered with AECOM Canada for the build. CCI founder and CEO Kevin Matthews says the biogas formula at Disco is about 110-120 m3 per input tonne of material. He says methane content ends up at an average of about 62 per cent. Matthews says that as the province and Canada as a whole ramps up its interest in CO2 reductions, CCI found it important to hire a consultant and determine a calculation for the environmental impact of the Toronto facilities. Flaring the material, it’s about 0.4 of a tonne; with the material taken towards a fuel product, it could rise to one full tonne. “These factors will likely become more a part of projects in the future, part of revenue streams. I know there are a lot of naysayers in the world of carbon reduction and greenhouse gases, but sometimes there are images that make it a reality,” says Matthews, who recently spoke at an event hosted by the Biogas Association in Hamilton, Ont.
Disco Road biogas facility.
DISCO
VS.
DUFFERIN
75,000 tpy
25,000 tpy
Large tip floor
Short tip floor
3 hydropulpers
1 hydropulper
3 hydrocyclones
1 hydrocyclones
2 anaerobic digesters
1 digester
Suspension buffer tank
No suspension buffer
Dual-fired boilers
No dual-fired boilers
Enclosed flare
Open flare
Wastewater Treatment
No wastewater treatment
Source: City of Toronto
46 www.solidwastemag.com April/May 2015
46 swr apr-may 2015 blog p 46.indd 46
15-04-14 12:01 PM
BOLLEGRAAF
HBC Balers
A Bollegraaf fully automated baler is widely versatile, extremely powerful, and very cost efficient. Advantages Low operating costs A dedicated operator is not required Patented easy-maintenance needle heads for an uninterrupted production process Lowest maintenance costs Pre-press flap means no shearing, low power consumption, and dense, high quality bales Efficient hydraulic installation guarantees large capacity with low power consumption Energy efficient 50% fewer cycles than a two ram baler means less wear and less energy costs Silent pumps make this baler the quietest in the world Van Dyk Baler Corp. and Lubo USA, DBA:
WE ORIGINATE, OTHERS IMITATE
vdrs.com â—? 203-967-1100 â—? info@vdrs.com
Exclusive North American Sales & Service for BOLLEGRAAF, LUBO & TITECH
47-48 swr apr-may 2015 ads p 47-48.indd 47
15-04-14 12:01 PM
WE’RE IN IT FOR THE LONG RUN.
When you ride with Mack, you become part of a proud heritage that always looks to the future. And clearly, there’s a bright future for natural-gas-powered vehicles. Our Mack® TerraPro® Natural Gas trucks help cut costs by tapping into abundant domestic energy. Available in Cabover and Low Entry models, these trucks combine the cost savings and environmental benefits of clean-burning natural gas with the legendary performance you expect from a Mack. That’s something we can all look forward to. MackTrucks.com
47-48 swr apr-may 2015 ads p 47-48.indd 48
15-04-14 12:01 PM