October/November 2015
INSIDE: The Great Kearns Debate – page 21 Ontario EPR – page 27 Collector Feedback Line – page 43 www.solidwastemag.com
BRIGHT LIGHTS BIG WASTE Festival Aftermath — page 8
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October/November 2015
Volume 20, Number 5
CONTENTS
Solid Waste & Recycling
Canada’s magazine on collection, hauling, processing and disposal
COVER STORY
8
7 QUESTIONS
Event Waste Q&A with Green Chair Recycling by Vanessa Farquharson
BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG WASTE, BAD ATTITUDE
10 s Jaffe by Charle
A report on the state of event waste management by David Nesseth
Turning low-quality gases into clean energy by Alain Castro
Cover art
FEATURES
FILLING THE DATA GAP THIS OLD LANDFILL
15
BC TOPS EPR CANADA REPORT Is this a harbinger for future EPR success in Canada? by Barbara McConnell & Geoff Love
17
THE GREAT KEARNS DEMO DEBATE
DEPARTMENTS
Legal battle looms over EFW at Six Nations by John Nicholson
21
DRINK IT UP: FROM IDEA TO SOLUTION
Waste Watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 IOT wooing waste haulers . . . . . . . . 30
No hidden fees for Manitoba containers by Ken Friesen
24
PLAYTIME IS OVER: EPR FOR ONTARIO Fixing the disconnect between product start and end-of life by Tom Chervinsky
Enerkem Expansions . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Emterra CNG Update . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Organic Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
27
PRAGMATECH’S REMOTE PAYOFF
WorkSafe NB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Machinex MRFs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Regulation Roundup . . . . . . . . . . . 37
The data boost from real-time monitoring by Diane Blackburn
29
PUBLIC FEEDBACK BOOSTS COLLECTORS’ MORALE Customer feedback leads to collector rewards by Claudia Marsales
17
Editorial – The Event Waste Dilemma . . . 4
International Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . 39 Tyromer Tire Opens . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
43
21
24
43
NEXT EDITION:
December/January 2015 Editorial: Annual Buyer’s Guide and Directory • NEW Refuse vehicle feature • Front load, side load & rear load • Roll-offs containers and bins • Lifts and handling Space closing: November 19, 2015. Artwork required: November 21, 2015. October/November 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 3
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EDITORIAL
by David Nesseth “The band is on, the crowd is ready, and the waste is flowing.”
Us before the land...always How do we move beyond the philosophy that somebody will always be along to clean up after us?
E
vents are the best examples of priorities coming front and centre. Is the sound right? Check. The lights? Perfect. Even the security guards are smiling tonight. But while there are people employed left and right for things that generate income through ring tosses, souvenirs and soft drinks, you may see just a single soul with a broom and a dust pan, the waste bins around him assaulted from all sides like a combat mission. The band is on, the crowd is ready, and the waste is flowing. So was the scene that was left upon the mountain pastures of perfect Pemberton in British Columbia this June. One picture told the story, and its internet clicks mounted as it spread to inboxes across Canada. Headlines read, “Pemberton Music Festival visitors left B.C. campground covered in garbage”; “Photo of garbage left behind at Pemberton Music Festival goes viral”; “Pemberton Music Festival Goers Leave Behind Shocking Mess.” The mess wasn’t so shocking or disheartening to area bears, who scaled fences to get at the appetizing aftermath. It wasn’t so much the picture that went viral that got my attention. That picture is quite wide-angled, showing the scene in most of its entirety. It was some of the more close-up shots that left me puzzled — the ones where concertgoers clearly left tents, coolers, sleeping bags, lanterns, backpacks, half-inflated mattresses, and other camping equipment. This stuff didn’t look like rubbish to me. It looked like it cost a fair penny. Was this festival so alcohol and drug-fueled that festival patrons stumbled out of the park gates in a stupor, just enough strength to stand let alone clean up their respective pig sties? I wonder what Facebook user Keith Harasymiw was thinking when he snapped the now infamous pic of the waste-strewn site? Obviously,
SEPTIC ENCORE Sewage generated by concertgoers this summer at two events planned for Burl’s Creek Event Grounds could reap close to $200,000 in revenues for Orillia. Environmental services director Andrew Schell confirmed organizers of the large-scale shows approached the city with the request. The Boots and Hearts Music Festival in August is anticipated to generate approximately 3,500 cubic meters of human waste – worth about $105,000 in municipal fees at the city’s septage receival facility. WayHome Arts and Music Festival in July is expected to produce roughly 2,800 cubic meters of waste, for another $84,000 in fees. Source: Orillia Today
At the Glastonbury Festival in 2014, some 800 waste collectors worked for weeks to get the site back to normal after the music stopped.
he wasn’t impressed, and thought that others should see what had happened. Good on him for that. Upon posting the photo online, Harasymiw sarcastically commented: “Great job on picking up after yourselves at Pembyfest. Glad to see how much you all love your gorgeous B.C.” Of course, this isn’t about calling out B.C. No picturesque province is immune from event waste. I clearly remember the time I found myself in the area of Toronto’s massive Santa Claus Parade, well after the event had wrapped. I couldn’t believe the amount of junk left by parade goers on the streets and sidewalks. Much like the B.C. festival, this event also demonstrated a dichotomy. In B.C., it’s the mountain majesty that makes the littering so appalling; and with the parade, it’s the idea of something so positive, and something so inspiring for children, which makes the waste that much harder to accept. Even massive spiritual events like the one that welcomed Pope John Paul II to Toronto in 2002 for World Youth Day can be devilish wastewise. On the heels of a city-wide garbage collection strike, I showed up to spectate in the scorching sun, and could not believe the strange combination of prayer and littering. At what point exactly did we start holding ourselves so above the planet? It makes such little sense to me. I think that for many litterers the answer is that there will always be somebody to come along and clean up after them, which is true to an extent. But while this may be true, how do we intend to move forward, perhaps someday able to enjoy transcendent live music or comedy, without even generating a single piece of waste? It’s all about respect. David Nesseth is the editor of Solid Waste & Recycling magazine. He can be reached at dnesseth@solidwastemag.com
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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
Art Director
Gary White
Market Production
Diane Rakoff Senior Circulation Manager Tel: 416-510-5216; Fax: 416-510-6875 Silva Telian Circulation Customer Service Tel: 416-442-5600 x 3636; Fax: 416-510-6875 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. 43005526 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: drakoff@annexnewcom.ca Mail to: Privacy Officer Annex-Newcom LP 80 Valleybrook Drive Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 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
Montreal Dumping
Dozens of kayaking protesters are paddling against Montreal’s tentative decision to dump billions of litres of raw sewage into the St. Lawrence River next week. Montreal officials are calling the sewage purge set for Oct. 18 a safe and necessary infrastructure measure to move a snow chute before demolishing the downtown
Bonaventure Expressway. Officials say the plan is safe, and that oxygen in the water will help dissolve bacteria. They added that Montreal’s sewage treatment plant could be at risk without the dump. Following the controversial decision, federal Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq says she hopes more time will be taken to consider the plan.
New National Waste Stats
According to Statistics Canada’s latest data, the total amount of waste binned by Canadian households jumped almost seven per cent since 2004 to 9.6 million tonnes in 2012.
Court Overturns NYC Foam Ban
The foam industry found victory in New York this week after a Supreme Court overturned a municipal ban on polystyrene, the kind used for fast food take-out, plastic utensils and packing peanuts. The Manhattan judge ruled that the ban, implemented in January, was excessive, considering that polystyrene can be recycled at a reasonable cost. “The [sanitation] Commissioner’s concern is not justified given abundant evidence showing a viable and growing market for not just clean EPS (expanded polystyrene foam) but post consumer EPS material,” Justice Margaret Chan wrote in her decision. The city intends to fight the decision. Whereas the foam products can be recycled, New York officials say it can’t be done profitably. Last year, the city collected nearly 30,000 tons of single-use foam, which is more than six pounds of foam per resident. City schools were throwing away 800,000 foam lunch trays a day. Dozens of other cities, including Washington and San Francisco, have also banned foam.
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
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WA S T E WAT C H
Trouble for MMBC?
PEI wants higher landfill
Waste Truck Collisions
Island Waste Management Corporation of Prince Edward Island has applied to increase the total height of the East Prince Waste Management Facility from 14 to 24 metres. Consultants at CBCL Ltd. evaluated the landfill and found that it could increase its height to 24 meters “without impacting or creating any potential technical, operational, safety or visual concerns or issues.”
British Columbia’s Ministry of Environment says as many as 200 B.C. producers have failed to pay their share of costs for running the province’s new printed paper and packaging stewardship program called Multi-Material BC. MMBC launched in May 2014 as a non-profit stewardship organization. While MMBC officials say they won’t engage in name shaming at this juncture, they note that delinquent fees are delaying the expansion of curbside recycling into communities that need it, such as Kamloops. MMBC’s first annual report says the agency is exceeded its recycling targets. In the first seven months of operation, it managed to recover 80 per cent of its members’ materials, five per cent beyond projections.
A scooter-riding teenager suffered serious injuries after being struck and trapped under a dump truck in Vaughan on Oct. 6. Emergency crews were able to rescue the teen and transport him by air ambulance to a nearby hospital with serious, but non-life threatening injuries. The collision occurred just weeks after a 49-year-old Brampton woman was struck and killed by a waste truck in Mississauga.
Manitoba company pleads guilty
Numbered company, 6322093 Manitoba Inc., operating as Global Recycling & Recovery in the business of scrap salvage, demolition and dismantling operations, has pleaded guilty and been fined $55,000 after a worker fell and suffered fractures while removing equipment from a decommissioned mill in Thunder Bay, Ont. The company was contracted to dismantle and remove assets from a former mill located at 965 Strathcona Avenue in Thunder Bay. On Dec. 17, 2013, a worker was on the third floor of the mill and removing equipment by pushing it through an open hatchway, which would then fall to the floor below to be taken away. While pushing a large metal cabinet weighing approximately 150 pounds, the worker’s glove became caught in the cabinet and the worker was pulled over the edge of the hatchway. The worker fell about 5.84 metres (19 feet) and suffered numerous fractures. A Ministry of Labour investigation that took place the same day determined that the workers were not protected by any means of fall protection.
EPA proposes methane reduction plan
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued two proposals to reduce methane emissions from municipal solid waste landfills.As part of President Barack Obama’s Climate Action Plan — Strategy to Reduce Methane Emissions — the proposals target new, modified and existing landfills. If passed, landfills would begin collecting and controlling landfill gas at emission levels nearly a third lower than current requirements. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential more than 25 times that of carbon dioxide. In addition to methane, landfills also emit other pollutants, including the air toxics benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and vinyl chloride. Municipal solid waste landfills receive non-hazardous wastes from homes, businesses and institutions. As landfill waste decomposes, it produces a number of air toxics, carbon dioxide, and methane. MSW landfills are the third-largest source of human-related methane emissions in the U.S., accounting for 18 percent of methane emissions in 2013 – the equivalent of approximately 100 million metric tons of carbon dioxide pollution. Combined, the proposed rules are expected to reduce methane emissions by an estimated 487,000 tons a year beginning in 2025 — equivalent to reducing 12.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, or the carbon pollution emissions from more than 1.1 million homes. EPA estimates the climate benefits of the combined proposals at nearly $750 million in 2025 or nearly $14 for every dollar spent to comply. Combined costs of the proposed rules are estimated at $55 million in 2025.
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E V E N T W A S T E P T. I I
by Vanessa Farquharson "In an age where it’s clearly possible to host an event and have thousands of people attend and not create any waste, why are there still so many walk-a-thons, food festivals, concerts, parades and fun fairs that generate so much of it?"
7 Questions An event waste Q&A with Green Chair Recycling’s Liliana Segal
R
arely does a photo of garbage go viral on social media. But such was the case this summer when a concertgoer posted an image of the detritus strewn across a pristine valley in British Columbia, in the wake of the Pemberton Festival. Water bottles, lawn chairs, wristbands, snack wrappers and more, left behind by more than 30,000 attendees, added up to such a high volume of waste, the clean-up crew hired by festival organizers was overwhelmed. A week later, in Guelph, Ont., the very similar-sized Hillside music festival took place and generated almost no garbage at all. The secret? A zero-waste ethos is core to the event planning for Hillside, which isn’t just an annual concert but a non-profit organization in and of itself. There are no takeout containers on the premises, no disposable water bottles, no single-use items whatsoever. In an age where it’s clearly possible to host an event and have thou-
sands of people attend and not create any waste, why are there still so many walk-a-thons, food festivals, concerts, parades and fun fairs that generate so much of it? Liliana Segal has some answers, as well as solutions. She’s the founder of Green Chair Recycling, a Canadian social enterprise that offers customized solutions for low-waste, zero-waste or even negativewaste events. Most recently, on Sept. 3, Green Chair partnered with the PNE (Pacific National Exhibition) to divert 95% of its waste. Here, Ms. Segal answers our questions:
How and why did Green Chair Recycling start? “I started the company eight years ago. My background is in event planning and for years I would find myself talking with clients — usually board chairs from various organizations — about the need to reduce
Members of Green Chair Recycling ready for the challenge.
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E V E N T W A S T E P T. I I
Aftermath of B.C.’s three-day Pemberton Music Festival in July.
Green Chair Recycling founder, Lilianna Segal.
waste at their events. Everyone was very passionate but nothing was being done. Then I went to UBC (University of British Columbia) to study management, and found even more people who shared this goal. So finally I decided that instead of being the volunteer chair or the event chair, I would become the green chair.” “We always recycle at home but never at events, and I couldn’t understand why. What I’ve learned is that event planners want to recycle at these things, but they either lack a budget or they don’t have a plan, or both. A lot of people just won’t step up and take responsibility, which is why education is so important.” Why did you choose to become a for-profit instead of a non-profit? “I want to show that a green company can be sustainable and still make money.”
What kind of diversion rates does Green Chair promise?
Are there companies similar to Green Chair, specializing in the field of making events waste-free?
“There is. And the bigger the event, the bigger the effort that needs to be made. I remember how the 2012 Olympic Games in London were supposed to be the greenest Olympics ever, but in the end the organizers just threw everything out — and it’s probably because people wanted to go home, instead of putting in long hours to stay and sort through everything. The reality is that, regardless of the budget, waste diversion takes a lot of time and sorting. That’s why you need to have a clear plan and passionate people helping.”
“Not that I know of. Truly, we have no competition — a few events, like folk festivals, will have some plans in place to curb their waste, but not much beyond that. There are a lot of waste haulers who recycle what they can, but they don’t push for zero waste and they don’t put as much effort into sorting. What makes Green Chair different is that we have ambassadors educating people at every drop-off super station, which prevents contamination and allows for greater diversion.”
How does the process work? “A few months before an event, we work with the organizers very closely to look at all the materials that will come through the event to see how we can recycle or compost them. We give recommendations and provide solutions for existing problems. One time, for instance, there were going to be people giving out thousands of little stickers that would have ended up all over the park. So we suggested to invest in a reusable stamp next year, instead — such an easy change to make, and it could instantly let them become zero waste.”
“Usually our events recycle 95% of the waste; most are zero-waste, and many are negative waste events, where we encourage people to bring items from home to reuse and recycle.”
What’s the secret to making it work? “The key is having lots and lots of manpower. We have about 2,000 volunteers ‘on call’ along with 30 paid staff who are also on call, and we come to these events with an army of hard workers. Our bins — which are made from 100% recycled milk jugs — are used for drop-off points and big, easy-to-read signage, and we have people at each station explaining exactly what goes where.”
It sounds like there’s a lot of commitment involved.
Are you hopeful for a green future in the special events realm? “I am. Canadians are ready for this. We want it. We just need to know how to do it. In fact, just looking at Green Chair’s history, I can’t even think of an event we’ve done where they haven’t booked us for the next year immediately after. Recycling at events works — just make a plan and go for it!” Vanessa Farquharson is the communications manager for TerraCycle Canada. She can be reached at vanessa.farquharson@terracycle.com
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COVER STORY A look at event waste overload, and how we can aim higher
Bright Lights, Big Waste, Bad Attitude A
ny time a McDonald’s bag is thrown out a car window on the highway, or a cigarette butt is flicked onto the sidewalk, somebody will eventually be around to clean it up. We’re civilized that way, right? Major events operate in much the same way. Regardless of how disrespectful festival-goers may be, somebody will always be along to clean up after them, eventually. The problem with this ingrained system is its subtle impact on us as a community, and as a society. The “somebody will take care of it” attitude holds us hostage at such an entry level approach to waste management. (It doesn’t get any more base than throwing waste directly on the ground.) The real problem is that this attitude can carry itself into other aspects of our lives, as well as the entire way that society views waste management. We tend to forego actual planning and strategy for “just get ‘er done,” treating waste as an annoyance, and not as an important part of being human. How then can we ever aspire to improve waste management at major events? It doesn’t have to be so complicated; we just need to care. ...And we haven’t for some time. The 1969 Woodstock music festival is arguably one of the most
by David Nesseth “Another feather in the cap of organizers is the waste standard to which they hold vendors. Vendor responsibility is a huge component of ensuring successful waste management.” legendary mass gatherings of all time. Iconic images of mud revellers and skinny-dippers are just as ingrained in our minds as the harmonies and guitar solos. As a journalist, I recall seeing pictures of the press corp as they wrote at tables, paper strewn all over the ground around them. Of Woodstock, The Who guitarist Pete Townshend said, “By and large, the past two generations have made such a colossal mess of the world that they have to step down and let us take over.” Well, Pete. We’re still working on it. While the 1969 version of the festival was somewhat ad-hoc and freestyle in its waste management, its 1999 counterpart had to have a
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COVER STORY
clear plan to keep the New York grounds spick and span. It’s the law these days. Contracted waste authorities planned for crowds to generate some 1,200 tons of waste over the four-day festival, which baked under a scorching July sun. Amazingly, the event’s final waste tally was 1,261, almost bang on. It took four weeks to clean up, which is kind of crazy. That’s a month’s worth of trash picking – long hours each day. Is this the best we can do, really? There was a lot more for sale at Woodstock ’99 than ’69, and that automatically means more waste. Of course, beyond the obvious entertainment value, our modern festivals are driven by commerce and dependant on vendors of all sorts. These kinds of priorities become more than just a pain in the side of event waste contractors, but can be dangerous to the health of concertgoers forced to wait in line and pony up $5 for a bottle of water during a heat wave. Personal water isn’t allowed in. A more recent example of event waste gone wrong is the 2013 concert in Pittsburgh by modern country music performer Kenny Chesney. Brawling fans left an aftermath of stale beer and urine surrounded by some 40 tons of waste, including choice items like homemade toilets, portable pools and couches – you know, the usual concert fare. “You probably could say 80 to 90% of the people there are acting responsibly, but even 20% of 50,000 people getting out of control is pretty bad,” said a parking company rep, who worked the infamous Chesney gig. Of course, the bigger the event the bigger the waste challenge faced. Understandably, there are many considerations that take priority over waste management, such as medical services. Although, wading around in waste over the course of a multi-day festival doesn’t seem very good for your health. Poor event waste management isn’t just a North American phenomenon either. Following the massive 2014 Glastonbury Festival in England, some 800 waste collectors combed the littered Somerset grounds to remove what had in essence become a 1,200-acre pop-up landfill designed by concertgoers. The cleanup took weeks and cost nearly a million pounds to restore the site, or at least get it as close to clean as possible. Despite the obvious challenges faced by organizers of the Glastonbury Festival, they still talk the talk, playing up the green festival angle on their website. And there are some legitimate reasons. In 2014, organizers were able to recycle about half of the waste generated by nearly 200,000 people. All cans, glass, paper, wood and organic waste are separated and recycled. Amazingly, there are 15,000 bins around the site clearly identified for either wet or dry recyclable materials or nonrecyclable rubbish, as they call it. There are 1,300 recycling volunteers at Glastonbury, 1,200 work for a ticket and the others volunteer for their nominated charity. Beyond that, Glastonbury has introduced solar panels, hybrid generators, compost-style outhouses (loos!), a massive water reservoir, and planted more than 10,000 trees.
SERVICE PROVIDER TIPS: • Identify early on the types of collection containers offered by each of your materials service providers, so that you can plan signage and bin placement appropriate for those containers. • Ensure that the containers being provided by your service provider do not contain imprints or attached signage that will conflict with your messaging.
• Write into your contract that you will require tonnage figures of materials collected, disposed and diverted from landfill, so that you can gauge the success of your waste diversion efforts and to provide a benchmark against which you can gauge future efforts (see Waste Audit Guide tool) • Find out where your service provider will take the materials collected from your event and write into the contract that you require waybills from each place to which materials are delivered. • Identify and confirm markets for recyclables. • Write into your contract that you want financial reports back from service providers on amounts collected. • Consult with your local Ministry of Environment office to confirm the service provider is legitimate. SOURCE: RCO
An interesting sidenote about the Glastonbury Festival is the ongoing danger posed to the Whitelake River from public urinators. Large amounts of urine enter the river and cut oxygen from the water, killing local wildlife. Back in Oh Canada, it was as recent as July when event waste got back on the news radar. A few spectator pictures from the Pemberton Music Festival went viral online, showing the heaps of waste left among the scenic British Columbia mountain pasture. Waste went wild. Approximately 200 volunteers and 50 sanitation workers teamed up to clean up the littered site (see Editorial Pg. 3). “It is insane, absolutely insane. The bags are overflowing every night. It’s kind of hard to keep on top of things,” sanitation worker Daragh Herron told Metro Canada. The statement that came from event organizers? “What makes Pemberton Music Festival such a special event is our majestic site in the Pemberton Valley. It is certainly not in our best interest to avoid removOctober/November 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 11
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COVER STORY
When an organization or company hosts an event, there are certain hoops to jump through— permits and the like. If it’s considered a “street event,” meaning it’s literally taking place on the streets and sidewalks of a local neighbourhood, a waste management plan is mandatory.
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COVER STORY
MESSIEST FESTIVALS EVER: 1. La Tomatina is the festival where people throw tomatoes. Last year, 45,000 revelers joined the red riot in Buñol, Spain. 2. Boryeong Mud Festival in South Korea. Prospective attendees can expect the usual mix of messy attractions, namely, mud fights, mud slides, mud baths, mud wrestling and a mud marathon. 3. Glastonbury Music Festival in England. The world’s filthiest festivals bide their time until the warmer months. 4. On June 29, thousands of winos gather in Haro, Spain, a small town in the Rioja region, to drench each other in reserve stocks of the area’s signature vino. The event is known as La Batalla del Vino, or the Wine Fight. Source: CNN
ECOVERSE.CA ONTARIO:
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COVER STORY
EVENT SIGNAGE • Develop a look and feel for the zero waste component of your event and include it on all communications pieces. • Develop your key message for your sign that articulates your environmental goals and objectives, perhaps you’ll want to state your new environmental policy. Develop a plan for your signage/messaging that includes: • Numbers, sizes and types of signs needed • Posting locations • Deadlines for graphic design and printing • Messaging required for each sign • Use durable signage at waste collection sites,
ing trash and debris continually and expediently before, during and after the festival,” said the statement. Following the litterbug mayhem of B.C.’s Pemberton Music Festival in July, the ethos of South Vancouver’s Tall Tree Music Festival is more than welcome. The festival’s philosophy is that they provide a “Leave no trace” event, they’re policy stating, “What you bring in, you pack out.” On the festival website, organizers say, “The Tall Tree Team asks that you leave your campsite in the same pristine condition as when you entered the festival grounds. This is your campsite and with that your home - treat it this way. We work tirelessly year round to bring you this incredible event; however it is not our responsibility to pick up after everyone. We want to enjoy the festival too!” Interesting comment – it’s not their responsibility to pick up after everyone. Few event organizers are brazen enough to suggest that attendees won’t be pampered. Another feather in the cap of organizers is the waste standard to which they hold vendors. Vendor responsibility is a huge component of ensuring successful waste management. For the Tall Tree Music Festival, vendors must use compostable products. Styrofoam and glass aren’t allowed. When an organization or company hosts an event, there are certain hoops to jump through— permits and the like. If it’s considered a “street event,” meaning it’s literally taking place on the streets and sidewalks of a local neighbourhood, a waste management plan is mandatory. Check out Toronto’s Special Events Waste Diversion Handbook here. But if the event is on private property, it seems to be up to the event
for event tents/locations, for directional signage, etc. that can be reused at future events. Seek environmentally-friendly options [see sidebar] where possible. •U se simple and clear messaging on all signs. Pictures of acceptable materials will work best, especially in a multilingual community. • P ost signs at high traffic routes on event site and where needed to direct specific actions (e.g., recycling). • Focus attention on areas where waste generation potential is the highest (e.g., dining areas). SOURCE: Recycling Council of Ontario (Zero Waste Community Event Toolkit)
EVENT WASTE STAPLES: • supply, delivery and removal of garbage, recycling and green cart containers • cleaning of containers for use at other events • supply of community outreach signage to promote diversion capture of acceptable materials • collection, processing and disposal of all materials collected host to deal responsibly, or not, with the event’s waste management. Very often, this just means a lot of garbage bags and garbage cans. Maybe some good old-fashioned dumping too? Everybody, of course, is more concerned with the event running smoothly: Do the mics work? Are the rides safe? Port-a-Potties ready? It’s hard to give waste the time it deserves. It’s not exactly fun. Maybe it’s even a little gross. If there are waste guidelines that private companies need to follow for a special event, it’s pretty clear that they aren’t often enforced. Perhaps it’s a cost issue, but a company, especially such a large one, shouldn’t have the freedom to do as it pleases when it comes to event waste. Pretty basic stuff. David Nesseth is the editor of Solid Waste & Recycling magazine. He can be reached at dnesseth@solidwastemag.com
14 www.solidwastemag.com October/November 2015
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WA S T E - T O - E N E R G Y
by Alain Castro "The project’s success is imperative, given that the air emission rules in Southern California are slated to get tougher in January 2016."
THIS OLD LANDFILL
Turning Low-Quality Gases into Clean Energy for Santiago Canyon Landfill Project
I
n January 2015, the California Energy Commission awarded a $1.5 million grant to the University of California, Irvine’s Advanced Power & Energy Program (APEP) in order to facilitate renewable energy projects. These funds now represent the start of a project at the Santiago Canyon Landfill, where 1,000 cubic feet of methane is currently being flared every single minute. Methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas than CO2; one molecule of methane traps 25-30 times more heat in the atmosphere than an equivalent molecule of CO2. The standard practice for older (closed) landfills is to flare gas, as has been done historically at Santiago Canyon ever since the landfill closed in 1996. However, by merely flaring away this greenhouse gas to comply with environmental regulations, and attempt to slow down its global warming effects, a major economic opportunity is being missed. Surprisingly, local Irvine-based company Ener-Core, Inc. can now turn these poor-quality gases into electricity, which can generate revenue for the landfill, produce clean energy for the county, and also enable this old landfill to actually exceed the emissions reductions that are achieved with a flare. In the coming months, Ener-Core will install a proprietary power-station that will directly convert the low-quality methane to electricity at the landfill, as part of a new partnership between Ener-Core, the County of Orange and APEP. This project will not only benefit the local community, but will also represent a big shift at a global level, as there are thousands of closed landfills around the world that currently emit greenhouse gases. The project’s location at the landfill has been approved by the Orange County Board of Supervisors, and detailed design and work for the project has already begun. Although the project won’t start generating electricity until 2017, Ener-Core’s Power Oxidizer is planned to provide approximately $250,000 per year worth of electricity to the county— without a price tag attached. And unlike wind and solar technologies, the Power Oxidizer is unique in that it can utilize a low-quality waste gas as a fuel and turn it into two valuable resources: clean electricity and money. So how does the technology work? The process starts with emissions being sent into a heated pressure vessel. As the temperature rises, a natural chemical reaction called oxidation begins, without any flame or any type of ignition. Methane and oxygen go into the vessel and water, carbon dioxide and heat come out. A ceramic bed retains the heat inside of the vessel, thereby creating a self-sustaining reaction as long as the waste fuels continue to come in. The heat that comes out spins a turbine to generate electricity, all while producing near-zero nitrogen oxide emissions. The system does not use any catalysts, and it manages to accelerate the natural oxidation reaction (which typically takes 10-20 years for methane in the atmosphere) such that the entire reaction takes place in approximately two seconds. At the Santiago Canyon Landfill, about one-fifth of the landfill emissions will be diverted to Ener-Core’s three-year-long project, which will produce 250 kilowatts of electricity, enough to power approximately 350 homes. Effectively, the project will also prevent one ton of nitrogen ox-
Oxidizer test vessel operated on site by Ener-Core engineers.
ides—another harmful pollutant—from getting into the atmosphere per year. If successful, the technology could be emulated at landfills across the state, providing electricity for hundreds of thousands of homes. Moreover, according to data from the Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, at least 50 percent of the landfills in the U.S. are already at full capacity and hence closed. When landfills close, the solid waste within them continues to decompose at a slow rate, and this ongoing decomposition typically results in the ongoing emissions of harmful greenhouse gases for as long as 50 to 70 years after their closure. However, the quality of these gases typically falls drastically October/November 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 15
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WA S T E - T O - E N E R G Y below 35 percent after a landfill has been closed; project specifications over a 12-month period. traditional engines and turbines require the inlet The project will also provide applied research gases to have at least 35 percent methane, and opportunities for graduate and undergraduate also require the gases to be fairly clear of the constudents at APEP who will develop and execute taminants that are typically found in landfill gas. performance validation test plans to critically Historically, there have not been any solutions assess the project performance against its stated to productively utilize these low-quality waste goals of generating 2GW-hr of electricity and reduce NOx emissions by nearly one ton per year. gases to generate energy. It’s for this reason that The project’s success is imperative, given most inactive/closed landfills elect to flare (burn) that the air emission rules in Southern California the gas emissions. are slated to get tougher in January 2016. That This project will serve as the first U.S.means more potential customers for the energy based demonstration of the Ener-Core powergenerated from landfills. Officials at the South station’s ability to generate clean energy from Coast Air Quality Management District are the low-quality gases of a landfill long after the discussing delaying some compliance requirelandfill has been closed (the first commercial ments for rule 1110.2, which reduces emissions site was in the Netherlands and began operatof nitrogen oxides and other pollutants through ing in June 2014). The site selected for this The Ener-Core Powerstation FP250 combines emissions limits. But they say stricter measures installation, the Santiago Canyon Landfill, has been inactive since 1996. Ener-Core also has a Gradual Oxidization with a 250 kW gas turbine, will still come, even if delayed. developed by Ingersoll-Rand plc and FlexEnergy fully functional system running at University of Installation of the 250kW Powerstation Inc. Ener-Core’s Gradual Oxidizer replaces the California, Irvine, where it frequently demonEC250 at Santiago Canyon is expected by the turbine’s standard combustor, resulting in a strates its technology’s ability to generate elec- generation system with a wide fuel operating range second quarter 2016. and ultra-low emissions. tricity with gases that are as low as two percent methane. This means that Ener-Core’s equipment at Santiago Canyon Landfill could potentially be generating renewable electricity for 30 to Alain Castro is CEO of Ener-Core, Inc., the world’s only provider 50 more years. of commercialized Power Oxidation technology and equipment that An additional objective of the project is to meet or exceed emission generates clean power from low-quality and waste gases from a wide destruction efficiency and validate reliability targets as defined within variety of industries.
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EPR REPORT CARD
by Barbara McConnell & Geoff Love “If EPR, as some of us believe, is the way to go, what are the key barriers that are blocking the path forward?”
BC Tops EPR Canada Report Card with First Ever ‘A’ Is this a harbinger for the future success of EPR Regulations in Canada?
M
ost people might equate monitoring developments in extended producer responsibility (EPR) to watching paint dry, but not so for some government representatives, producers and producer associations, environmentalists and related organizations in Canada who keep a keen eye on EPR developments. None more so than the members of EPR Canada. In the past four years, EPR Canada has published three EPR Report Cards that assess the progress each jurisdiction in Canada is making in adopting EPR policies and programs in compliance with their commitment to the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) Canada-wide Action Plan on EPR. The measuring stick EPR Canada uses is full EPR, which assigns full responsibility to producers (brand owners, manufacturers and first importers) for their products and packaging at end-of-life, when consumers no longer need or want them (see Transitioning Product Stewardship to Full EPR chart.)
At the recent joint Recycling Council of Alberta/Canadian Stewardship Conference held in Banff, EPR Canada released the results of the 2015 EPR Report Card summarizing the 2014 program year. Top marks once again went to the Province of British Columbia, which earned an A, the highest score EPR Canada has ever allocated in the three years it has been scoring the provinces and federal government. In consideration of the waste management challenges and the infancy of their EPR policies, EPR Canada reviews but does not score the Territories. In accepting the EPR Certificate of Recognition, Cameron Lewis, executive director of the BC Government’s waste prevention branch,
said, “It is gratifying to see BC’s accomplishments to date recognized with this award from EPR Canada. Challenges and opportunities for improvement still exist for EPR programs in BC, to be sure,” Lewis added. “But as this award confirms, we have a lot to be proud of and good reasons to be optimistic about the future of EPR in BC.” In the previous 2013 scored report card, BC shared head of the class with Quebec, each earning a B+, and in the first year’s (2012) report card, BC claimed the highest grade at A-. Close behind BC in this year’s assessment are Quebec with a B+ and Manitoba with a B. Individual scores with comparisons to previous years were:
That BC earned head of class accolades in the 2015 rankings isn’t really a surprise. The province is widely recognized for its more robust adoption of EPR policies ahead of other jurisdictions in Canada. Its top ranking score results from its progress in: • following the CCME’s CAP on EPR implementation schedule • utilizing a non-prescriptive, results-based regulation that assigns responsibility for end-of-life management to producers or their agents • including a pollution prevention hierarchy in the regulation, with which producers are to manage environmental impacts of their products • expanding efforts to enforce producer compliance October/November 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 17
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EPR REPORT CARD
WHAT IS EPR CANADA? EPR Canada is a not-for-profit organization formed in 2011. Our goal is to foster continued growth and improvement of EPR policies, programs and practices in Canada. EPR Canada assesses and grades each jurisdiction based on their response to questions which reflect best practices for the development and implementation of EPR policies and programs under three categories: • C ommitment – indicators that a government is following through on its commitment to adopt the principles of extended producer responsibility in compliance with the CCME Canada-wide Action Plan on EPR, and is developing EPR policies and programs • I mplementation – policies and practices that a government can implement to support producer performance • requiring stewardship agencies to report by using a standard template, including third-party audits of performance data • retaining a contractor to review third-party audits and, based on the contractor’s assessment, providing feedback on performance gaps and recommending continuous improvement efforts for each stewardship program. EPR Canada’s Duncan Bury applauded BC for setting a steady pace toward full EPR that distinguishes it from other jurisdictions in Canada. Bury is co-founder of EPR Canada and one of seven members involved in EPR issues in Canada for some two decades. “BC continues to keep its foot on the pedal in establishing full producer responsibility for the consumer products that are sold into the marketplace,” Bury said. “For that they deserve our highest honour and our congratulations.”
• Accountability – indicators that a government has mechanisms in place to measure and report on producer performance Following the publication of the 2012 Report Card, EPR Canada introduced a progressive weighting of the scores assigned to each category to acknowledge the evolution of EPR in Canada from stewardship to partial EPR and then full EPR. This year’s report, along with all previous annual publications, are posted on EPRC’s website at www.eprcanada.ca. The next fully scored report card covering 2016 will be published in 2017. This year’s sponsors are CleanFARMS, Emterra Group, Encorp Pacific, Merlin Plastics and the Ontario Waste Management Association. patchwork of programs and a mix of EPR and stewardship initiatives. Strategies and programs targeting the Phase 2 list of products (construction, renovation and demolition [CRD] materials, furniture, textiles and carpet, and appliances) are still in their infancy, and it remains to be seen whether the EPR Action Plan target of operational programs by 2017 will be achieved. “Program performance and accountability for EPR programs are areas where there is still a need for improvement,” said Bury, noting that not all jurisdictions set performance targets for programs. In some places, independent reporting on program performance is not required and in most cases penalties for failing to meet targets are lacking, suggesting targets may be simply aspirational. On the positive side, cooperative work and communication between jurisdictions on EPR is facilitated through the CCME, and in a couple
Highlights of the 2014 Responses The regulation and implementation of EPR programs across the country continues steadily, and the CCME’s goals under the Canada-wide Action Plan on EPR are gradually being met. There continues, however, to be a significant difference in the number of EPR programs in each province with the leading jurisdictions covering most or all of the CCME Phase 1 (see sidebar CCME Phase 1 and 2 List) list of products while others are slowly working their way through the list of priorities. Most jurisdictions have programs in place for electronics, paints and coatings, but in the areas of household hazardous wastes, packaging and mercury containing products, there exists a ... continues on page 20
18 www.solidwastemag.com October/November 2015
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EPR REPORT CARD
... continued from page 18
of instances through inter-jurisdictional initiatives. In general, however, the harmonization of provincial programs remains largely an unfulfilled dream and an area of frustration for producers and producer responsibility organizations which have to abide by provincial regulations and standards that have not aligned product lists or definitions, targets, key performance indicators and reporting requirements.
harmonization and learning from the best practices of others across the country in a manner that would indicate a coherent strategy and approach. Some Canadian jurisdictions have made great progress in holding producers responsible for the end-of-life management of a range of products and packaging. Others have done well by focusing on a narrow range of products of greatest interest and concern to them.
Summary Table of Jurisdictions’ Key EPR Characteristics
A few have made no progress at all.
The table below illustrates the strengths and deficiencies of each jurisdiction against selected factors in the three assessment categories. Graphically, the table shows the progress being made by the provinces in the areas of commitment, implementation and accountability. It is also shows some of the specific activities where leading provinces are adopting common best practice measures.
Generally speaking, EPR has not yet been embraced by the majority of Canadian provinces as the ”go to” way to better manage — and reduce — waste materials. Admittedly, not all wastes have identifiable “producers” (e.g. leaves). If EPR, as some of us believe, is the way to go, what are the key barriers that are blocking the path forward? We think we need to explore this question and, over the course of the next two years of the Report Card project, EPR Canada plans to suggest some possible approaches and solutions.
Canada’s Place in the World of EPR EPR Canada’s assessments over the past few years show EPR program implementation in Canada is patchwork and there is very limited federal engagement (except at the CCME level). In addition, there is little
Geoff Love and Barbara McConnell are members of EPR Canada.
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WA S T E - T O - E N E R G Y
by John Nicholson “Arguably, if the agreement called for advanced air pollution controls on the demonstration unit then this entire debacle could have been avoided.”
The Great Kearns Demo Debate Risk of legal battle looms over EFW at Six Nations Reserve
Inventor John Kearns says there were no stipulations on air pollution controls on the demo unit and the Elected Council was fully aware of that fact and that it was in the written agreement. Photo Courtesy of Jim Windle, Two Row Times.
T
he Six Nations Reserve, just west of Hamilton, Ont., faces a challenge similar to many municipalities – what to do with its domestic waste now that its landfill has reached capacity. If the answer is to be found within the jurisdictional boundaries, then the solution is either new landfill capacity or thermal treatment (i.e., incineration or gasification). There is no other golden solution – the 3Rs can only accomplish so much. For the Six Nation Reserve’s 22,000 residents, a waste management solution can’t come fast enough. Its landfill, originally expected to last 40 years, was full in half that time, by 2006. Since then, the temporary measure of piling waste on top of the existing landfill is what exists today. Currently, the community of 2,800 homes and a number of businesses generate 120 tonnes of MSW per month. To date, little emphasis has been placed on recycling programs within the community. In 2013, the Elected Council of the Six Nations Reserve signed an agreement with Kearns Waste Sciences Group Inc. (KWSG), whereby
it would pay for a thermal treatment demonstration unit that would be supplied and operated by KWSG. If the demonstration unit operated successfully, a full-scale system would be purchased at a cost of $4.8 million.
Technology KWSG is a Nova Scotia-based waste treatment company founded by John Kearns, inventor of the Kearns Disintegration System (KDS). The two-stage patented system consists of a primary chamber and afterburner. In the primary chamber, waste is combusted at temperatures ranging from 800 to over 1,400 degrees Celsius. In the afterburner, the products of combustion from the primary chamber are maintained at temperatures between 800 to over 1,600°C for up to four seconds. Kearns, inventor of the KDS and founder of KWSG states that “the main difference between a KDS and a typical mass burn incinerator is the higher temperature, longer holding time, and reduced ash found in a KDS.” October/November 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 21
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WA S T E - T O - E N E R G Y
In 1983, a 20-ton per day demonstration unit was built for Sydney, N.S. Acres International consulting group (subsequently merged with Hatch) tested the unit for capacity and confirmed it could handle 1.3 tons per hour. A five-tonne per day prototype KDS was built and tested in Nova Scotia back in 2000 to evaluate the performance of the technology. “Independent third-party testing verified the system could fully combust municipal solid waste and that it produced fewer emissions when compared to typical incinerators,” Kearns said.
Demonstration system at the Six Nations Reserve near Brantford One of the appealing features of the KDS for the Six Nations Reserve is that it is designed to handle any type of MSW, as the community had a minimal recycling program. KWSG installed a demonstration unit in 2014 and ran it intermit-
tently for 10 months, producing 3.8 tons of ash from 50 tons of municipal solid waste. When independent third-party air emissions testing conducted by the consulting firm RWDI found levels of pollutants above Canadian environmental standards, the Six Nations Elected Council cancelled the agreement with KWSG. In defence of KWSG, Kearns says “the demonstration unit was built merely to show that the system could process MSW and produce low-carbon ash. There were no stipulations on air pollution controls on the demo unit and the Elected Council was fully aware of that fact and that it was in the written agreement.” The full-scale system was to have advanced pollution controls that would result in emissions well within acceptable limits. Emission testing performed on the KDS showed levels of dioxins and furans, cadmium and lead, and carbon monoxide and nitric oxide emissions in exceedance of Ontario Guidelines for air pollution control from MSW thermal treatment facilities. Nonetheless, the RWDI air emissions report concluded that KDS technology “could be a good option for landfill waste reduction” but needs “minor to moderate work” to bring the emissions within provincial guideline limits. At a public meeting held at the Six Nations Reserve, Kirk Easto of RWDI stated that the high emission levels were measured in the stack itself and “do not represent concentrations in the community of surrounding environment.” RWDI’s testing report also included air dispersion modelling, which showed that the point of impingement (POI) concentration of air pollutants at the sensitive receptors surrounding the site met the provincial POI limits. KWSG argues that the RWDI report vindicates its claim that the public was never at risk from the operation of the demonstration unit.
KWSG Responds to Criticism Never one to shy away from criticism, Kearns held an open meeting to discuss the technology, the test results, and the deal his company has with the Six Nations Band Council. Held in May 2015, the press release on the event called it a “no-holds-barred” information and Q&A session. The session was attended by 50 people, the majority of which were vehemently opposed to the KDS and KWSG. Arguably, the session didn’t disappoint if one went to spectate at this “no-holds-barred” event. Kearns and protesters sparred for approximately two hours during the session. “I stood there and answered every question and took every insult for two hours,” said Kearns. Despite the setback with the Six Nations Reserve, KWSG is moving
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WA S T E - T O - E N E R G Y
FINDING GREEN ENERGY FOR FIRST NATIONS
Courtesy of Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation
The Cayuga Grand Renewable Solar (GRS) project partners Six Nations with tech giant Samsung and financiers Connor, Clark & Lunn Infrastructure, to operate nearly half-a-million solar panels for green energy. The Cayuga GRS Project will surge 100 megawatts (MW) to 17,000 Ontario homes a year, Six Nations will receive a 10 per cent equity stake in the 404-hectare solar project and the surrounding wind farm. That will translate into payments of $27 million and $38 million, respectively, over the next 20 years. The GRS project will assist Ontario in reducing its dependence on fossil fuel energy as it will produce enough clean energy to meet the needs of over 17,000 households. Compared to coal-fired energy generation, each year the GRS project will offset approximately 162,000 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of taking 29,610 cars off the roads. “This day represents a historic day achieved only after investing four years of hard work with our partners Samsung and Connor, Clark and Lunn,” said Ava Hill, Chief of Six Nations Elected Council.
ahead with the construction of a 20-ton per day system which will include advanced air pollution control systems. It will be ready by spring 2016 for commissioning and testing.
Lessons Learned From the perspective of the Six Nations Elected Council, they paid $480,000 to KWSG for the thermal treatment demonstration system. The Six Nations Elected Council opted not to purchase a full-scale system from KWSG at a cost of $4.8 million. Sadly, the Reserve is still disposing of waste in an overfilled landfill. Earlier this year, the landfill caught fire and continues to be both a health and fire hazard.
From the KWSG perspective, the company insists it met the terms of the agreement and proved that the KDS could process the waste into inert ash. A full-scale system would have had advanced pollution controls that could meet all emission limits. KWSG holds the view that the Band Council is in breach of contract and is considering launching a lawsuit. From an outsider’s point of view, it is unfortunate that the situation has come to this point. Arguably, if the agreement called for advanced air pollution controls on the demonstration unit then this entire debacle could have been avoided. With the installation of advanced pollution controls, KWSG could have shown that KDS can operate within the boundaries of the Ontario’s air pollution control guidelines, as well as demonstrate the ability to produce low-carbon ash. The inclusion of advanced air pollution controls on the demo unit would have added an additional $546,000 to its cost. This is a case where both parties lose. KWSG has had its reputation tarnished, lost a sale, and the entire community is no closer to a solution to its waste management crisis. John Nicholson, M.Sc., P.Eng., is a consultant based in Toronto, Ontario. Contact John at john.nicholson@ebccanada.com
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C O N TA I N E R S
by Ken Friesen “Changing behaviour is typically slow and costs money. In some years, CBCRA invested almost $4 per capita in P&E.”
Drink it Up: From Idea to Solution With no hidden fee, consumers are assured there is no markup along the way
C
hallenges demand creative ideas, which often become innovative solutions. In 2008, Manitoba passed a new Packaging and Printed Paper Regulation that included a 75 per cent recovery target for sealed, singleserve beverage containers sold in Manitoba. It was known that 25 to 30 per cent of beverage containers were consumed and disposed of away from home and would never be captured in the residential or Blue Box system. The away-from-home recycling infrastructure was patchy at best, so it was clear what was needed: a solution that combines the best of deposit return systems, i.e. high recovery, with the low cost of a comprehensive or multi-material residential curbside system. The Canadian Beverage Container Recycling Association (CBCRA) and its core program, Recycle Everywhere, were created to be that innovative solution. Moving away from minimal awayfrom-home recovery and stalled residential recovery to a system that captures beverage containers in shopping malls, parks, streetscapes, events, arenas, stadiums, and all other places people consume and dispose of their beverages was no easy task. But the answer became obvious: a system that moves consumers from lax recycling Image courtesy of Recycle Everywhere attitudes to positive strong recycling behaviour. It was determined very early that accessibility and Promotion and Education (P&E) were the two key drivers to increased recovery. By creating a first class, multi-pronged promotions outreach program, and placing over 40,000 beverage container recycling bins and signage across the province (to date), we were able to provide away-from-home access and educate consumers about away-from-home recycling at no cost to municipalities, businesses, and event organizers.
into the bins. To be effective, CBCRA had to answer the questions posed by those who did not recycle them earlier: Where do the containers go? Do they land up in landfill? What happens to them? Despite all of the challenges and the monumental shift in consumer attitude required, CBCRA moved the recovery needle from 42 per cent to 64 per cent within 4 years, an increase in recovery not seen in any other beverage container system in North America.
Based on third party market research and pilot testing of new ideas, a province-wide P&E campaign was launched that included radio, print, billboards, TV, digital and social media. The transformation campaign showed what empty beverage containers become: new bicycles, airplane parts, clothes, etc. It became an award-winning campaign with numerous local advertising awards, including a third place finish in the 2015 International Solid Waste Association competition. Changing behaviour is typically slow and costs money. In some years, CBCRA invested almost $4 per capita in P&E. This extensive sustained “Recycle Everywhere” promotion and education also had positive spillover effect on other materials in the Blue Box, benefitting all industry stewards. Direct engagement was recognized early on as key to changing behaviour and increasing the number of bins in public spaces. The Recycle Everywhere street teams participate in more than 250 event days each year. Part promotion, part education, they also trained event organizers to manage the recycling themselves at future events. It’s not a solution on its own, but one more piece of the solution CBCRA provides. www. recycleeverywhere.ca
Recovery Rate
RE101
The recovery rate for sealed beverage containers was 42 per cent in 2010 when CBCRA commenced operations. Moving the recovery needle to 75 per cent meant changing the consumer and citizen mindset from one of disposal/litter behaviour to recycling behaviour. It was not only a matter of convincing people to place their empty beverage containers
Among the numerous achievements initiated by CBCRA over the past few years was the launch of a program for schools called RE101 or Recycle Everywhere 101. Recognizing the importance of youth and students to the future of recycling, this program provides free bins, signage, educational presentations, etc., to primary, middle and secondary
Outreach
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C O N TA I N E R S
schools, which has reached almost 70 per cent of all schools in Manitoba in less than two years. Partnerships with Winnipeg Jets and Blue Bombers players enhance the outreach and engagement with these schools.
Blue Box Collaboration Ensuring that the Blue Box system is maintained as a cost-effective means to collect all types of residential paper and packaging is important to all stakeholders, stewards and residents who fund it. It is very important to note that as part of its design, CBCRA pays for the entire beverage producers’ share of costs related to the recovery of beverage containerrelated material in the Blue Box. It also ensures that high value beverage containers from residential sources, like aluminum cans, remain in the Blue Box, making it the most convenient option for consumers.
Funding How are free bins for municipalities, businesses, events, comprehensive multi-channel media campaigns funded, and is it sustainable? Each beverage producer that participates in CBCRA is obligated to pay the organization 2 cents for each beverage container it supplies into Manitoba. CBCRA uses that sum to fund the entire cost of recovering beverage containers from the residential Blue Box system; provides free bins and signage infrastructure to municipalities, businesses, provincial parks, and events; and creates and executes a first-rate P&E campaign across the entire province. All of this for two cents per container - a fraction of the net costs to consumers in deposit return systems. However, CBCRA set out to achieve similar recovery rates while keeping beverage containers in the residential curbside system, thereby reducing the net costs for nonbeverage producers as well. And all of this convenience ultimately at a much lower cost for consumers. Who pays the Container Recycling Fee (CRF) and why is it a flat 2 cents? While CBCRA started with a flat 2 cents per container for the start-up phase, it has created a differential funding model that reflects the different costs of recovering (e.g. plastic PET containers as compared to aluminum cans). CBCRA has agreed to provide ample advance notice to both the Manitoba Government and retailers before it is implemented. The variation in fees will never be as great as in deposit return jurisdictions due to the design of the program. As the old adage goes, follow the money. CBCRA charges each participating beverage producer 2 cents for each container it supplies in the province. In almost all cases the beverage producer passes that CRF
Image courtesy of Recycle Everywhere
on to retailers, who in turn pass it on to consumers. And by being a visible (not hidden) fee, consumers are assured that there is no markup along the way. Ultimately, like in every beverage recovery program in the country, the consumer pays. Very importantly, third party research has shown that Manitobans associate the CRF positively with the cost of recycling the container.
What Can We Conclude? The government-mandated target in Manitoba clearly motivated the beverage sector to create something new. The legislation set the target for beverage container recovery, but did not prescribe how an individual company or the entire beverage sector should meet that challenge, and it allowed for flexibility. All parties came to see that this was a practical approach that offered individual companies and sectors options and the opportunity to create their own unique solutions. So is this good? The consumers in Manitoba who now have over 40,000 public space bins, convenience and the largest, most-effective recycling P&E campaign anywhere would say ‘yes’. Beverage companies who are able to manage their own affairs and are making dramatic and steady progress toward the 75 per cent recovery rate would say yes. The stewards responsible for the Blue Box system are pleased that residential beverage containers remain in the Blue Box, reducing overall Blue Box costs. The Manitoba government is pleased with the progress toward the 75 per cent target as well as with the positive recycling attitudes in the province. The CD Howe Institute, an independent Canadian think tank, recently released a report mostly focused on Ontario but which noted the efficacy of the CBCRA model https://www.cdhowe.org/opportunitynot-be-wasted-reforming-ontario per centE2 per cent80 per cent99s-recycling-program. No model is perfect and, more importantly, there has been significant learning along the way. Recycle Everywhere is making great progress toward the mandated recovery goal, creating a positive recycling culture across the province, preserving the integrity and cost efficiency of the residential Blue Box system and providing a system that serves all stakeholders well. In short, CBCRA has taken the idea of achieving high deposit-like recovery while preserving the low cost of a comprehensive Blue Box system and made it a win-win solution. Ken Friesen is the executive director for the CBCRA and its Recycle Everywhere program. He has been directly involved in waste reduction and recycling since 1990. He can be reached at kfriesen@cbcra-acrcb.org
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IPR
by Tom Chervinsky "Suddenly, they have the drive to make the doll’s packaging as minimal and affordable to recycle as possible, and to incentivize their consumers to do so."
We’re often told that education and addressing the demand for goods is the most important issue — and it is certainly important, but we’ve been working on that for decades and the problem persists, says Chervinsky.
PLAYTIME OVER: Producers can fix broken system Costs associated with diversion and recycling can be included in the good sold, the producer competing to reduce costs and prices, using market forces to drive down waste
C
anadians for Clean Prosperity is dedicated to finding market solutions to pollution, and creating a strong and prosperous circular economy. What does that mean? Well, it means that we take a pro-capitalist approach. We prefer markets over regulation, and tax-cuts over government programs. We take as our root belief that the economy and the environment are not and should not be mutually exclusive, and that the most powerful way to reduce polluting behaviour is to use market forces. Over the past year, we’ve been fighting a campaign to see Ontario adopt Individual Producer Responsibility (IPR)as a way to reduce landfill waste, create jobs and save money. That’s why we were thrilled to see the CD Howe Institute endorse Indpedent Producer Responsibioity in their e-Brief and help make the case for this important policy. Let’s start with a simple question: Why, in 2015, are we still throwing away so much garbage? Here’s a look at the numbers: In Ontario, the percentage of waste we divert from landfills has remained stagnant at 25% for the past 20 years. Compare that to Germany and the Netherlands, who recycled over 70% of their packaging waste in 2010. In the UK, the recycling rate for packaging has increased from 40% in 2000 to 61% in 2010. Our failure to divert more waste from landfill has been expensive. While our diversion rate has stagnated, the cost of diversion programs have skyrocketed by 70% over the past 10 years. The reason why our system is broken? Well, currently, a producer makes and sells a product. The consumer buys the product and does whatever they want with it. The municipality operates a recycling program, but consumers end up choosing whether to recycle or throw stuff
away. The recycling program is 50% paid for using taxpayer property taxes and 50% fees to producers. The result: a diffused system that spreads responsibility across many players, creates no incentive for IPR, and disconnects the start- of-life of a product with its end-of-life costs and disposal. So what is the solution? Simply, the company that produces a product should be responsible for the costs and diversion targets of their product. We’re often told that education and addressing the demand for goods is the most important issue — and it is certainly important, but we’ve been working on that for decades and the problem persists. To achieve structural change, we need to fix our broken system. As a thought exSo what are the outcomes of a better system? With higher diversion rates come important economic benefits. • It liberates significant costs from cash-strapped municipalities and allow them to refocus taxpayer money on their own priorities. • It incentivizes higher diversion rates, and better consumer decision making. • Every 1,000 tonnes diverted from landfills creates 7 high-paying, good jobs here in Ontario. • Increasing Ontario’s rate of waste diversion to 60% (and there’s no reason to believe we can’t) would create about 13,000 jobs and increase GDP by $1.5 billion, according to the Conference Board of Canada.
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IPR
ercise: Imagine a kid who wants a toy for Christmas or their birthday. I mean, really wanted it. You know — the whole tantrum, hold their breath thing. How many parents would refuse to buy it just because it is wrapped in three layers of hard-to-recycle plastic? Now imagine, it was the toy company’s job to ensure a reduction of 60% of their waste from landfill, and to pay for the processes involved. “Suddenly, they have the drive to make the doll’s packaging as minimal and affordable to recycle as possible, and to incentivize their consumers to do so.” By doing this, any costs associated with diversion and recycling are included in the price of the good sold. That way, producers compete to reduce their costs and prices, using market forces to drive down waste and garbage. Moreover, we need to demand high diversion rates, and make sure producers meet their targets — and that system needs to embrace competition and have teeth. Obviously — or maybe not obviously — this is a simplification, but the principles are all there. Another question that needs to be looked at is “who isn’t being represented at the table?” There are a lot of great organizations who have joined this conversation: everyone from “stewards” (aka product manufacturers and retailers) to environmental NGOs to waste manage-
ment companies, but the missing voice in this has been the voice of average Ontarians. Ultimately, Clean Prosperity’s mission is to build a strong economy and a strong environment for the people of Ontario and across Canada. Are our core, we are about representing the interests of the average citizen — who pays the taxes, buys the goods, and disposes of the waste. We need a system that puts them first, and ensures that both our economy and environment are strengthened in ways that benefit them and their families. For the past year we’ve been working with municipal councillors to ensure that the voices of Ontarians are reflected in the debate. Through our work, we have recruited the support of over 100 councillors, including more than 10 mayors, and have passed 5 municipal resolutions in Barrie, Clarington, Ajax, Durham Region and Mississauga. We’re optimistic that the Ministry will be bringing forward strong, thoughtful legislation in the fall, so that we can stop wasting billions on a broken system and turn the corner to a more prosperous Ontario. Tom Chervinsky is VP of Campaigns at Canadians for Clean Prosperity. He can be reached at tchervinsky@cleanprosperity.ca
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I C & I WA S T E
I C & I WA S T E
by Diane Blackburn
“The equipment diagnostics offer a 40% average saving in maintenance/repair costs while the capacity reports have the potential to reduce hauling costs by 40–50%.”
Company president Danny Mauti held that transparency was a standard worth pursuing for his clients, and so with the boom in digital technology he aligned his brand with PragmaTech Ltd. and helped expand the development of the Pandora product.
PragmaTech’s remote payoff Valuable real-time monitoring data is a boost for owners, operators and haulers
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t’s not just about hauling trash anymore…. It’s clear to anyone living in the 21st century that data is king. Anything can be reduced to an algorithm. Just ask Ashley Madison. For the average person, it’s a little unnerving to know that your most personal habits are a series of bits and bytes owned, parsed and manipulated by everyone from Canada Revenue to Canadian Tire. As individuals, maybe we should be alarmed about how much of ourselves we have willingly or unwittingly shared. There is, however, a proper place for solid, accurate, detailed data, and any business owner can testify that clear information equals efficient management. The dearth of untainted data in the waste industry has impeded the development of meaningful change in how waste is managed and held us back from becoming a more environmentally responsible society. When it comes to information technology, this era has spawned management systems of every description, and now there are tools that can help determine exactly what is happening in any organization’s waste management operations. PragmaTech Waste Solutions Ltd. using Pandora Intelligent Networks is one such company specializing in waste solutions and asset tracking. The waste community is as close knit as any other and it’s only a matter of time before people of like mind collide with ideas on how to improve processes and procedures. And so it was with Derrick Tuyl and Tammy Billings, who grew up professionally in the waste industry. Through thick and thin and multiple company takeovers, they grew their knowledge and honed their skills, always looking for a better way, an improved product or methodology that would advance diversion and increase 3Rs practice. They recognized the lack of transparency and wanted to enact change. Eventually – and before Linked In, they crossed paths in business and recognized how their experience and individual skill sets were complimentary. Both Tammy and Derrick had backgrounds in sales, while Tammy brought the added skill of waste audit experience to the alliance. By that time, Derrick had already formed Efficient Waste Management (EWM), which dealt in compactors, containers, balers and other waste handling equipment and related services. In particular, EWM had a strong relationship with Metro Compactor Service (est. 1974), who were already involved with Pandora remote monitoring system developed by PragmaTech Ltd. Metro Compactor is Canada’s master distributor of Marathon Equipment, and operates the industry’s largest Canadian service fleet, for which they maintain and repair every make, model and size in the
industrial, commercial and institutional (IC&I) market. Company president Danny Mauti held that transparency was a standard worth pursuing for his clients, and so with the boom in digital technology he aligned his brand with PragmaTech Ltd. and helped expand the development of the Pandora product. Pandora monitors every twitch and hiccup that a piece of equipment can make by reporting every aspect of the equipment’s mechanical functions. The diagnostic reporting is in real time, making it easier to catch potential problems before they become major repair costs. By monitoring the capacity of the compactor for any irregularities, Pandora also reduces the number of pick-ups required. Networks can be managed from a single location across all platforms -- mobile, desktop or tablet. And this data is not just for the equipment owner/operator. Haulers have their own portal that enables dispatchers to monitor vehicles and routing in a way that permits quick decision making to save time, conserve fuel, reduce emissions and wasted man hours. Benefits are significant when a client can access this type of data. The equipment diagnostics offer a 40% average saving in maintenance/ repair costs while the capacity reports have the potential to reduce hauling costs by 40 – 50%. And these benefits have won Pragmatech contracts with large retailers here in Canada and in the U.S. EWM officially merged with PragmaTech Ltd. in August 2014 and this year they changed the company name to reflect both the PragmaTech brand for the monitoring system and the EWM contribution of consulting and waste management services. The new name: PragmaTech Ltd. Waste Solutions. Diane Blackburn is Events Manager for the Recycling Council of Ontario (RCO) and produces the RCO’s annual Waste Minimization Awards. Contact her at events@rco.on.ca. October/November 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 29
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W A S T E T R A C K I N G P T. I I
by SWR Staff
Internet of Things Marketplace wooing waste haulers
Focus technology is also useful in areas such as creating electronic time sheets, storing transfer station records; and ensuring regulatory compliance SPEAK SMART
For right now, the connections that can be made run the gamut from security, to signage, asset tracking, and of course, fleet management.
W
aste hauling gets more high-tech every year, and Telus is looking to keep the digital ball rolling with its new IoT Marketplace, known as the Internet of things or simply smart technology. There are many options out there in the market for waste companies to choose from, so Telus’s idea is to do a little vetting and simplify the process of connecting waste companies with the long list of tech companies, insteadt of haulers throwing up a Hail Mary pass and choosing their own. While Telus’s IoT marketplace covers all kinds of different sectors, not just waste, it formed a partnership with Focus Smart Fleet and Fuel Optimization for its excellence in smart tech management. “People are trying to connect with everything now,” says a spokesperson from Focus. For right now, the connections that can be made run the gamut from security, to signage, asset tracking, and of course, fleet management. Focus technology can also offer the ability to store data and generate statistics; determine how much time spent per customer; inventory; biling; maintenance timelines; route planning; driver safety; emergency response; and fuel tracking. Focus technology is also useful in areas such as creating electronic time sheets, storing transfer station records; and ensuring regulatory compliance. Focus says that its technology can also be used to track where materials are coming from. “Quantity could also be broken right down,” says the Focus spokesperson.
FleetMind Solutions Inc., the award-winning technology leader for fleet management solutions, has announced that its CEO, Martin Demers, will be speaking on Smart Truck themes at the 6th Annual Canadian Waste to Resource Conference, November 4 - 5, 2015, Palais des Congrès, Montreal, QC. WHEN: Wednesday, November 4th, 2015 at 1:15 pm TITLE: Waste Fleets are “Smartening Up” – New Directions in Smart Truck Technologies & Capabilities “Waste fleet managers need real-time and complete oversight and control of their waste and recycling collection fleet operations,” said Demers. “We are now in the era of the ‘smart truck’. Today’s top truck manufacturers are just starting to integrate on-board computing systems as standard features on their refuse trucks. These devices provide unprecedented real-time information to drivers and managers about a truck’s load weight, route status, service MARTIN DEMERS completion, vehicular telemetry, driver activities and much, much more. The result is a leaner, greener, more productive and much safer fleet operation.” This presentation will overview the latest industry trends in Smart Truck technologies and provide compelling case studies from some of the leading waste fleets in North America.
Getting started with Focus is easy: 1. Request a quote: They will set up a convenient time to show you how Focus can help you simplify your business and generate more profits. 2. Sign up for turn-key web-based service. No equipment or software purchase required. 3. They deploy: qualified technician installs the Focus units at your location – log in and see the power of Focus 4. They train you: friendly trainer contacts you to get you started at your earliest convenience. For more information about Focus smart technology, please visit www.focusoptimization.com
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PROFILE
by SWR Staff
Enerkem expands in Edmonton, welcomes new CFO New round of financing comes through
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aste-to-biofuels and chemicals producer Enerkem has raised $152.6 million to start production of biomethanol from non-recyclable household waste at its full-scale biofuels facility in Edmonton. The financing is comprised of a recently accessed $29 million debt facility from Integrated Asset Management Corp.’s Private Debt Group, as well as $50 million in private placements from current investors and $73.6 million of debt from two other lenders, closed over the past year. The funding will be used for the product expansion of the Edmonton facility and the company’s global growth. “I must say a huge thank you to our financial partners, employees, as well as the City of Edmonton and Alberta Innovates – Energy and Environment Solutions who believed in us and have accompanied us while we were reaching this pivotal operational milestone,” said Vincent Chornet, president and CEO of Enerkem.“We are about to fundamentally transform the waste industry over the coming years and allow energy and chemical groups access to a new and competitive source of renewable carbon,” he added. In other Enerkem news, the company has announced that Robert
Enekem’s new Edmonton, Alberta facility.
Shaw joined its executive team as senior VP and chief financial officer. Throughout his career, Shaw held executive roles in businesses ranging from oil and gas, energy, industrial manufacturing, industrial gases, and consumer products and services. He has held financial and operating executive roles in both public and private companies, and was most recently CFO of Southwest Oilfield Products, a privatelyheld oilfield equipment manufacturer. Prior to Southwest, he was Treasurer at Transocean and at Air Liquide. His experience covers treasury, investor relations, financial planning and analysis, operational finance, risk management as well as mergers and acquisitions. “Robert Shaw is a seasoned executive who brings over 25 years of a broad international experience in various industrial sectors,” said VinRobert Shaw cent Chornet, president and CEO of Enerkem. “He will play a prominent role as we expand globally and implement our next advanced biorefineries. We are pleased to welcome such a well-rounded leader aboard.” For more information about Enerkem, please visist the company’s website at www.enerkem.com October/November 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 31
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PROFILE
by SWR Staff
EMTERRA FUELS UP The 16 new trucks and CNG fuelling station represent an $8 million investment in the CRD
From left: Oak Bay Mayor and Chair of Capital Regional District (CRD) Board Nils Jensen, BC Deputy Minister of Environment Wes Shoemaker, VP Eastern Region of Clean Energy Fuels Corporation, Mark Riley, and Emmie Leung, Founder and CEO of Emterra Group.
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mterra Environmental has officially opened its second state-ofthe-art compressed natural gas (CNG) fuelling station in British Columbia. This time? On John Street in Victoria. The CNG fuelling station is a key part of Emterra’s new capability to provide recycling collection services to the CRD’s 13 municipalities and local businesses, with cleaner-burning, quieter-running, CNG-fuelled collection trucks. Together, the 16 new trucks and CNG fuelling station represent an $8 million investment in the CRD. CNG-fuelled trucks reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 20% compared to diesel-fuelled engines. “Over the years of service these new trucks will help us cut carbon emissions in the CRD by an estimated 2,800 tonnes1,” said Emmie Leung, Founder and CEO of Emterra Group at the grand opening today. “That will contribute significantly to the CRD’s and the province’s climate control targets.” To add to the GHG emission reductions achieved by their own fleet of CNG-fuelled trucks, Emterra is opening the refuelling facility to the public, allowing other CNG fleet owners and operators to conveniently refuel there and encouraging still more to convert to lower-emission CNG options. “This will allow other third party fleet operators and owners in the region to realize the cost savings of using CNG instead of diesel, as well as the environmental benefits, without having to invest millions of dollars in their own fuelling infrastructure,” Leung said. This is the third of four CNG fuelling stations that Emterra is establishing in Canada. The first opened in 2012 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Emterra opened the second in Chilliwack in May of this year and the fourth will be opened in Mississauga, Ontario later this month. This makes Emterra one of the leaders in adopting cleaner running CNG technology to help make its operations more environmentally friendly and sustainable. “We’re blazing the trail in building CNG fuelling stations for our own CNG fleets because we see the economic and environmental bene-
fit of it. But we’re also improving the environmental health of B.C. by opening up this station for use by other CNG fleet owners and operators and members of the public,” Leung said. Emterra’s partner in building and operating the Victoria and Chilliwack facilities is California-based Clean Energy Fuels, which has a division in Chilliwack called Clean Energy Compression (formerly known as IMW Industries) where it builds CNG compressors that are exported around the world. Iain Johnstone, Regional Manager Canada for Clean Energy Fuels said his company is proud to be partners with Emterra in the Victoria and Chilliwack fuelling stations, and sees Emterra as progressive in its decision to build CNG fuelling stations in B.C. “We applaud Emterra for its leadership in providing access to cleaner natural gas for vehicles in the Fraser Valley and CRD areas. Natural gas as a transportation fuel can provide environmental and economic benefits for fleets of all sizes,” said Johnstone. The CNG fuelling stations contribute to the B.C. Ministry of Natural Gas Development’s Natural Gas Strategy, including developing new markets for natural gas to increase the value of B.C.’s natural gas and promoting use of natural gas as a climate solution and to the BC’s Climate Action Charter goals. Emterra Environmental, a division of Emterra Group and a Canadian leader in recycling resources management and waste diversion was awarded its second consecutive contract following a competitive bid process in the spring by the CRD to provide recycling collection services to 124,000 homes in 13 municipalities including Colwood, Esquimalt, Highlands, Langford, Metchosin, Oak Bay, Saanich, Central Saanich, North Saanich, Sidney, Sooke, Victoria and View Royal, as well as the Juan de Fuca electoral area. For more information about Emterra’s CNG expansions, please visit their website at www.emterra.ca
GREEN FUEL EXPANSION This is the third of four compressed natural gas (CNG) fuelling stations that Emterra has established across Canada. The first was opened in 2012 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Emterra opened another CNG station earlier this year in Chilliwack, BC and the fourth will be opened in Mississauga, Ontario, in October. The CNG fuelling stations in B.C. contribute to the BC Ministry of Natural Gas Development’s Natural Gas Strategy, including developing new markets for natural gas to increase the value of BC’s natural gas and promoting use of natural gas as a climate solution. The CNG fuelling station in Chilliwack and Victoria will contribute to the local green economy and to the Fraser Valley Regional District, the Capital Regional District, and Province of BC’s Climate Action Charter goals. Fast filling means that when the CNG station opens to third party users, CNG-fuelled vehicles and trucks can fill up in approximately 10 minutes, which is a timeframe that is nearly the same as filling at traditional diesel fuelling stations.
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O R G A N I C M AT T E R S
by Paul van der Werf "The key reasons given for disposing avoidable food include over-purchasing resulting in spoilage and overcooking and over-serving."
Overcoming Indigestion
Food for thought from our organics columnist, who tracks Metro Vancouver’s version of the “Love Food Hate Waste” program, and a new food exhibit at southwestern Ontario’s Museum London
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ood is political. Food is a human right. People are full. People are hungry. Food is a fight. One of Museum London’s latest exhibits is thematically concerned with food, highlighting its history in London, as well as posing the serious questions artists ask. London, Ont. artist Ron Benner is a food politician, although I suspect he would hate that term. Bespectacled, hair slightly askew and with a little orange NDP button on his suede vest, he cuts a professor-meetscraftsman figure. An artist for more than 40 years, he draws from a deep well of activism to make his point. His 1990s installation piece “In Digestion” is a feature at these exhibits until the end of January 2016. It follows the journey of two boxes of bell peppers to London from the fields of Mexico. Much of the inspiration and ideas for this piece were collected in Mexico, where he has visited many times, looking at food production and following it from field to the point of ingestion. As Museum London’s literature puts it, In Digestion “[…] began with a series of simple questions about the food we consume: who grows it, where is it grown, how is it processed and shipped?” The installation represents the inside of a transport trailer with brightly-coloured produce boxes at its entrance, the shredded tire ephemera of long-haul transportation and 200 photographs “that contrast contemporary transportation systems with the ancient trade routes of the Americas.” Inside the trailer, our artist Benner highlights how little we know about the food we eat with such zest and skill, identifying our disconnection, without directly saying so. Urbanization and increased leisure time to entertain ourselves is what has created this disconnection from the production of food. We watch Big Bang Theory reruns in place of our former hunter-gatherer lives, trying to coax the land to give us enough food to last us through winter. This needs to be bridged. Waste diversion only provides a bandage for what should not have been wasted in the first place. Even mathematically understanding the nature of food waste does not provide us with the answers as to why so much of it is wasted, while at the same time so many seem not to have adequate access to it. There is, of course, no shortage of food, just inadequate distribution systems, which could fulfill this human right. And this is the underpinning of much greater social issues.
habits (how much and where did it go) of 500 households. This included having these households maintain a diary of food waste generation, as well as surveying them. When extrapolated, this and other research showed that of the 190,000 tonnes per year of food waste generated, 100,000 tonnes per year of this waste was avoidable (i.e. could have been eaten). This wasted food is costing Metro Vancouver households about $700/year, the study found. About 40 per cent of this food waste consists of vegetables and leftovers. The key reasons given for disposing avoidable food include over-purchasing (resulting in spoilage), overcooking, and over-serving. Other reasons include children not finishing meals or thinking food waste reduction unnecessary because there are waste diversion opportunities. “Many people appear to be unaware of the amount of food waste they generate and that is an important first plank of action. You can’t change behavior if you are not self-aware. The better news is that overall about 55% of this food is diverted through the green bin, backyard composting or animals feed. That still means, however, that every week households throw out $7.50 of food. About 30%, or another $4 per week goes to the waste stream with about 15% or another $2 per week literally down the drain. An important and interesting contradiction is that, on the one hand, people generate food waste because they perceive food and drink costs as minimal, while on the other hand, many people indicate that the high price of food means they did not buy the food they actually wanted.
There are efforts afoot
Metro Vancouver launched its version of the “Love Food Hate Waste” program in May 2015 with a goal to reduce avoidable food and liquid waste by 10 per cent by 2018. They banned food waste from their landfills at the start of 2015. Prior to its program launch, they collected background data, a summary of which will be included in the soon-to-bereleased slick education piece “Broccoli Lovers Hate Waste”. For one week, in November 2014, Vancouver tracked the food waste
Love Food Hate Waste campaigns, such as this UK-based program, are popping up all over the world Graphic courtesy of Somerset Waste Partnership, U.K.
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O R G A N I C M AT T E R S
Love Food Hate Waste, in addition to creating accessible awareness about the problem, tries to establish a value proposition that reducing food waste will leave you with money to buy higher quality ingredients. This feeds directly into the quality over quantity adage. While I think this program is fantastic, I am left with the lingering notion that we, as a society, are still just scratching at the symptoms of the food waste problem, not bothering to try and figure out the overarching root cause in terms of overall food distribution. What if we thought about Metro Vancouver’s 100,000 tonnes/year of food waste? If we assume that every meal consists of a hypothetical 500 grams of food, this means that this food waste consists of more than 200 million meals annually. Put another way, that is more than 500,000 meals per day and could feed over 150,000 people. Of course, there is no linear relationship between avoiding food waste at home and feeding someone that is hungry, but, there is a compelling argument that there is The “In Digestion” exhibit runs Sept. 12, 2015 to Jan. 31, 2016, Interior Gallery. Photo Courtesy of Museum London.
FOOD POLITICIAN, RON BENNER Born in London, Ont., in 1949, Ron Benner has been working as an artist since 1971, after having briefly studied agricultural engineering at the University of Guelph from 1969 to 1970. Since the early 1970s the study of indigenous cultures and frequent travel in Central and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia have inspired his work. Photo Courtesy of Museum London.
enough food to feed everyone. Somehow there must be a way — as part of the value proposition to reduce food waste — that we work to match up people with food. This is not a romantic or nostalgic notion, but an area of real potential progress. I think that efforts to reduce food waste have a very real opportunity to dig a bit deeper and connect both sides of this loop: To move beyond the symptoms and cure the disease. Paul van der Werf is president of London, Ont.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 34 www.solidwastemag.com October/November 2015
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COLLECTION
by SWR Staff
New Brunswick unveils Safe Waste Collection Plan Safe Waste Collection is a two-year initiative designed to improve safety culture and reduce the frequency and severity of injuries for workers in the industry
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ew Brunswick’s WorkSafeNB has unveiled a strategy aimed at making the province’s waste collection safer. Called Safe Waste Collection, the strategy is a two-year initiative designed to improve safety culture and reduce the frequency and severity of injuries for workers in the industry. Waste collection workers are three times more likely to be hurt on the job than the average New Brunswick worker. Since 2003, four waste collection workers have died from workplace injuries. Gerard Adams, president and CEO of WorkSafeNB, says: “As we have done with other high-risk industries, WorkSafeNB is focusing its efforts to help workers in waste collection. Waste collectors face risks daily. “They have a difficult job. We are working with employers and workers to ensure they have the resources and support needed to reduce these risks,” Adams adds. The Safe Waste Collection initiative has several components: increased education; focused compliance activities; recommendations to require safety policies and procedures in the tendering process; and, public awareness and engagement. Starting in September, WorkSafeNB consultants will meet waste collection employers one-on-one throughout the province to help them improve their health and safety practices.
SLOW DOWN SASKATCHEWAN WorkSafeNB is urging motorists to slow down in road construction zones in light of a recent Saskatchewan court case. A Saskatchewan judge recently heard that Ashley Dawn Richards, of Lakeside N.B., was thrown about the width of a football field when she was struck and killed by an SUV in a highway construction zone during her first day on the job in August 2012. She was pregnant. A RCMP accident reconstructionist testified the vehicle was travelling between 82 and 99 km/h when it struck Richards. The posted speed limit was 60 km/h. In 2007, a New Brunswick highway maintenance worker was killed and two others were injured when a transport truck struck them while they were working on the Trans-Canada Highway in Moncton. That incident prompted the New Brunswick government to double the Ashley Dawn Richards, of Lakeside fines for speeding in construction zones. N.B., was was struck and killed by The minimum fine now for speeding in a an SUV during her first day on the construction zone is $480. job in August 2012. The driver, 47-year-old Keith Dunford, went to trial on two charges: Dangerous driving causing death and criminal negligence causing death. Dunford was found guilty of the first count, but not guilty of the second. “Construction crews are working to make the highways safer for you,” he said. “When you slow down, you make the workplace safer for them,” says Gerard Adams, president and CEO of WorkSafeNB.
Homeowners can help in many ways. For example, they can ensure their garbage is within recommended weight limits and is free from sharp objects. They can also ensure the end of their driveway is free from tripping hazards.
“Every company will receive a visit,” Adams says. Health and safety officers will focus their efforts on new employee orientation and training. In spring 2016, WorkSafeNB will begin inspections of mobile equipment and facilities of employers in the industry. WorkSafeNB provides several tools at its Safety Excellence NB website to help prepare workplaces. Included are checklists, pre-use and post-use inspection lists, ergonomic guidelines and links to legislation. WorkSafeNB will also recommend that safety policies and procedures be required when awarding contracts. “Like the construction industry, we want safety to be a priority in the bidding process,” says Adams. In spring 2016, a public awareness campaign will remind homeowners that safety is everyone’s responsibility. Homeowners can help in many ways. For example, they can ensure their garbage is within recommended weight limits and is free from sharp objects. They can also ensure the end of their driveway is free from tripping hazards. “Your curbside is their workplace,” Adams says. WorkSafeNB consulted New Brunswick private waste collection companies, municipalities, regional service commissions and other industry stakeholders for feedback on its planned strategy. As part of its safety goal, WorkSafeNB regularly focuses on reducing injuries in high-risk industries. In recent years, WorkSafeNB has helped workers in nursing home, supermarket, forestry and construction sectors. To learn more about the waste collection industry, its risks and WorkSafeNB’s Safe Waste Collection initiative, please visit www.worksafenb.ca October/November 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 35
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A new $22-million MRF at the Norris Arm Regional Waste Management Facility.
PROFILE
by SWR Staff
Machinex revs up MRF madness across North America Quebec company opens new MRFs in Newfoundland and Georgia
C
entral Newfoundland Waste Management (CNWM), in collaboration with the Machinex Group, have officially launched a new $22-million MRF at the Norris Arm Regional Waste Management Facility. The facility is expected to employ 24 people full time. It will be operated by Hebert’s Recycling Inc., under contract to the Central Regional Service Board, and is expected to process up to 12 tons per hour of dry residential and commercial waste. This facility is the second MRF manufactured by Machinex in Newfoundland, after the St. John’s-based Robin Hood Bay plant opened in 2010. “We here at Central Newfoundland Waste Management are very pleased to be working with the professionals of Machinex,” says Ed Evans, CAO of Central Newfoundland Waste Management. “Their expertise in innovative recycling solutions is another piece of the environmental responsibilities that our group has in Central Newfoundland,” adds Evans. “The performance of Machinex sorting equipment has exceeded our expectations, and they continue to improve our operations with their leadEd Evans ing-edge recycling technologies.” The latest MRF designed by Machinex offers a balance between manual labour and automated sorting equipment, including a bag opener, trommel, MACH ballistic separator, ferrous magnet, three plastic perforators and a non-ferrous separator. Some other Machinex technology included are the new optical sorting unit MACH Hyspec and the Machinex II-Ram Baler. The plant is additionally equipped with elevated tour platforms, a feature that provides a safe environment for the public to view the system in operation. Due to its operational flexibility, the plant will process a wide composition of material while focusing on the recovery of recyclates such as paper, cardboard, ferrous, non-ferrous, PET & HDPE plastics bottles, mixed plastics, wood, film and textile.
GEORGIA BOUND
The opening of the new MRF for Pratt Recycling in Conyers, GA.
Back in 2014, Machinex Group was selected by Pratt Industries, a private, recycled corrugated packaging company,
to design a system able to handle multiple material streams. Machinex Group has taken on the challenge and is proud to take part of the grand opening of the brand new, state-of-the-art MRF. Pratt is the fifth largest corrugated box company in the U.S. Located in the city of Conyers in the state of Georgia, the system was engineered to mainly recover the mixed fiber from the stream but was expected to have the flexibility to process single stream, C&I and commercial OCC as well, a very important feature requested by Pratt Industries. The system has a tremendous amount of flexibility in terms of how to route the input stream and which piece of sorting technology it will (and will not) see, all based on operator preferences. Originally designed to process material at 25 to 30 TPH, the versatile system has since been tested at over 32 TPH. The system can also recover certain non-recyclable materials for use in its waste-to-energy gasification plant which is also located on the same Eco-campus. The advanced facility includes some of the most efficient equipment such as a shredder, a heavy-light separator, three ferrous magnets, two non ferrous separators, a drum feeder, a back scraping drum and a truck load-out station. The system is also equipped with Machinex latest technologies including a MACH Ballistic Separator andthree optical units MACH Hyspec to sort PET, HDPE, fiber and aseptic packaging. “Due to the various streams they planned to run, the typical single stream design would simply not fit the bill. explains Rusty Angel, Sales Manager at Machinex. “So, over the following year, we worked with them very Rusty Angel closely to provide them with all the flexibility they needed. The result is an extremely flexible system that gives them the recovery they require with a focus on a quality mixed paper that they can feed directly to their mill next door. Kurt Schmitz with Pratt Industries adds: “This project has been a long time in development and we are excited abouthow the system is performing and achieving our goals. The system will enable us to process a variety of streams,producing paper for our on-site mill and fuel for our Clean Energy Plant which is also on-site. This facility is a keycomponent in expanding our Eco-Campus capabilities. Machinex has become a true partner in the evelopment ofthis facility. Their attention to our expectations and the delivery of the final product has been a smooth process.” Catch Machinex at the Canadian Waste & Recycling Expo in Montreal, QC, November 4-5, 2015, Booth #1715. For more information about Machinex, please visit their website at www.machinexrecycling.com
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R E G U L AT I O N R O U N D U P
by Rosalind Cooper, L.L.B.
A Waste Audit Refresher Let’s take a look at Ontario’s Waste Audits and Waste Reduction Work Plans
W
hile many of Canada’s waste management and handing regulations have been in place for decades, enforcement activity can often highlight areas where companies need a refresher on the requirements for compliance. In Ontario, recent enforcement activities have focused attention on a companion set of regulations relating to waste.
Regulation of Waste Management in Canada Waste management activities in Canada can be and are regulated by all three levels of government: federal, provincial and municipal. However, most activities are regulated at the provincial level. Waste management legislation in Ontario tends to focus on two primary sectors where wastes are generated: residential and the industrial, commercial and institution (IC&I). Members of the IC&I sector are individually responsible for complying with waste regulations. The requirements that apply depend entirely on the size of the company. The introduction of stewardship and/or extended producer responsibility regulations has changed the traditional allocation of responsibility to the extent that many IC&I businesses that are producers of product and/or packaging are now required to take responsibility for the wastes that their products and/or packaging create. Residential waste management and recycling services are legislated by the provincial government, but the actual management activities themselves are carried out by local municipalities. Each municipality is responsible for developing its own waste management program,
by Rosalind H. Cooper, L.L.B. "The audit to be undertaken is required to identify recycled or reused content of materials and products that the establishments consume and produce, as well as quantities and composition of the waste." which may include curbside collection, depot drop-off, pay-as-youthrow, or any combination of these. The programs developed by the municipalities must comply with the requirements of the Environmental Protection Act.
Waste Audits One of the regulations in existence in Ontario for some 20 years is Ontario Regulation 102/94, entitled “Waste Audits and Waste Reduction Work Plans”. This Regulation deals with requirements for assessing the generation of wastes and then planning for reduction. The Regulation makes owners of manufacturing facilities, hotels, office buildings, shopping centres, and large construction and demolition projects responsible for conducting waste audits and preparing waste reduction work plans which must be updated annually. October/November 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 37
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R E G U L AT I O N R O U N D U P
also required to have these programs in place. Restaurants with gross sales for all Ontario restaurants owned by the same owner that are more than $3 million in either of the two preceding years must also comply, although they can report together, and can cooperate with others that are reporting if the restaurants are located in another reporting premises such as a shopping centre. The audit to be undertaken is required to identify recycled or reused content of materials and products that the establishments consume and produce, as well as quantities and composition of the waste. There are provisions in the Regulation that allow multiple similar premises to do one audit of a representative site, if it is reasonable to expect that separate audits would produce similar results.
Waste Reduction Work Plans Each establishment must also prepare a waste reduction work plan to set waste reduction targets and deadlines, and assign responsibility for implementation. No specific targets are mandated by the Regulation, but rather it is up to each establishment to set its own targets. Annual followup reports are expected to measure progress towards targets and to refine and revise the work plans as necessary. The Regulation recognizes that responsibility for waste reduction is tied to control over waste production. As such, landlords are not required to reduce waste from major tenants who dispose of their waste independently and school administrators are not required to reduce waste brought home by students.
Compliance with Work Plans The waste audits and work plans do not need to filed, but the ministry can demand a copy of the audit and work plan. There are no sanctions for non-compliance with the work plans, however, the lack of an audit and work plan and annual updating are grounds for enforcement and charges to be laid. A significant feature of most waste reduction work plans is the source separation programs required under Regulation 103/94. The Regulation applies to retail stores or a store in a shopping centre with floor area greater than 10,000 square meters, and to shopping centres with floor area greater than 10,000 square meters. The Regulation also applies to manufacturers with more than than 16,000 employee hours worked in any one month in the last two years, which is 100 fulltime employees or equivalent. In addition, large construction and demolition projects, where either the floor area of the project being built or being demolished is greater than 2,000 square meters, must also comply. This requirement is often overlooked on construction and demolition projects because of the transient nature of the undertaking. The Regulation applies to office buildings with floor area greater than 10,000 square meters in one or more buildings in a group. Hotels with more than 75 units and schools with more than 350 students are
Source Separation Programs Ontario Regulation 103/94, which is the companion regulation to the waste audit and waste reduction work plan, specifically applies to the IC&I sector and is entitled “Industrial, commercial and Institutional Source Separation Programs.� The Regulation requires large establishments to set up facilities for the separate collection and removal of certain recycled materials such as cardboard, wood, steel, fine paper, newsprint, aluminum, glass and plastic, and the owners of establishments must make reasonable efforts to encourage employees and other waste generators on their premises to use the system. Rosalind Cooper, LL.B., is a partner with Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP in Toronto, Ontario. Contact Rosalind at rcooper@tor.fasken.com
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I N T ’ L WA S T E S P O T L I G H T
by Timothy Byrne “The Principality will be self sufficient in its current waste management system for many years to come.”
An aerial view of Monaco showing the famous Port and looking out towards the Mediterranean sea.
Garbage in Paradise A technical look at Monaco’s collection, recycling and incineration processes
T
he Principality of Monaco has a population of 36,371 and stretches over an area of 2.02 km2 (0.78 square miles). Monaco is the second smallest and most densely populated country in the world. The warm Mediterranean climate attracts tourists both staying and visiting the principality from neighbouring coastal resorts. The Formula One Grand Prix, held annually, also adds to visitor numbers with consequent increases in waste production. Because of this, it is vital to maintain a high standard of cleanliness, so waste management is a very important task in the Principality. The responsibility for waste management lies with the Societe Monegasque D’ Assainissement (SMA), a private company with a history dating back
to 1938, when it provided the first waste management systems in the Principality. The SMA today provides the collection of municipal, commercial and industrial wastes, as well as dry recyclables such as source separated paper, cardboard; plastics — Tetrapack, HDPE, PET, drinks cartons; aerosol cans, glass and packaging wastes; the collection of waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE); and hazardous wastes — waste oil, batteries, gas canisters, paints and solvents. In the heart of the Fontvieille district, the SMA operates an incineration plant with the capability of processing 80,000 tonnes of waste per annum with energy recovery. Initially, the plant was built with three identical furnace grates, but the plant only treats a maximum of around 50,000 tonnes of waste per annum to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, thus complying with the Kyoto Protocol. This is achieved by using two of the three furnace grates continuously and having the third as a standby furnace grate for when one of the other two are shut for annual maintenance. It is also the responsibility of the SMA to provide street and beach cleansing services, which includes the cleaning of public channels and private alleys, galleries, public elevators, commercial and technical galleries, waterways, car parks, as well as road tunnels and industrial areas.
Waste Collection and Recycling A 15- tonne Renault Midlum two-axle chassis fitted with an 11m3 Faun Grange Variopress rear loading compactor body and Faun Grange bin lift collecting at night in Monaco.
SMA’s waste collection services in the Principality have various types of collection systems. For the hotels, casinos and restaurants, collec-
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I N T ’ L WA S T E S P O T L I G H T
tion containers of 660 and 1,100-litre capacities are provided due to the volume and density of the wastes from these establishments. Communal collection points are also provided, housing containers from 240, 360, 660 and 1,100-litre capacities to nearby villas for waste storage. In some parts of the Principality, a door-to-door waste collection system is provided, where residents place their waste on the pavement in plastic bags for collection. The collection of municipal and commercial wastes is carried out using a fleet of Provence Bennes rear loading satellite waste collection vehicles mounted onto Toyota Dyna two axle 7.5 tonne chassis and larger Geesinknorba GPM Mini, Grange Variopress and Farid T1SM rear-loading waste collection vehicles mounted onto Renault Midlum two-axle 12 and 15 tonne chassis and Renault Premium and Iveco Eurocargo two-axle 18 tonne chassis. The smaller Provence Bennes 7.5 tonne two-axle satellite units and Geesinknorba GPM Mini waste collection vehicles are used for areas of tight access such as side streets and beaches, as well as for villas with low waste output. The larger Faun Grange and Farid T1SM two-axle waste collection vehicles are used to collect the larger volumes of municipal and commercial wastes produced from hotels, casinos, restaurants, etc. Any excess waste produced and placed next to full waste containers is also collected to maintain hygiene and prevent odours produced from decomposing waste in the warm climate. A further development is the use of the pneumatic waste collection system for the Fontvieille district. The waste from the pneumatic collection system is transported through the pipework system directly into the waste storage bunker of the incineration plant. This reduces the need for additional waste storage infrastructure to accommodate the wastes from the pneumatic collection system. Underground container collection systems are also used for the collection of dry recyclables such as paper and cardboard collected together, while plastics — TETRAPACK, HDPE and PET, drinks cartons, steel and aluminium cans and aerosol cans are collected commingled.
The Waste Collection Service The waste collection service has a workforce of 40 who collect the waste generated seven days a week. Two-thirds of the waste is collected during the day with the other third collected at night. The SMA provides the resources — staff and vehicles — to provide waste collection services for the State of Monaco and the commune of La Turbie. A varied mix of collection vehicles are used on both collection shifts. The smaller satellite collection trucks are operated by a driver and one or two crew members, while the larger collection trucks are operated by a driver and two loaders. The roll–on–off with truck-mounted crane collecting underground containers containing recyclables and the conventional roll–on–off truck for emptying portable compactors are operated only with a driver.
Incineration plant / Energy recovery facility The history of waste incineration in the Principality stems back to 1898 when the first incineration plant was constructed at Fontvieille. This facility had a batch treatment process and was successfully operated until
A Renault Manager G- series roll - on off hook lift truck with crane mounted behind the cab carrying an open top container collecting dry mixed recyclables from underground containers.
it was replaced in 1938 with a new incinerator on the same site. This new incinerator, also of batch process type opened in 1938 and was successfully operated in the Principality until it closed in 1980. In 1980, the third waste incineration plant for the Principality was constructed on the same location at Fontvieille. The plant occupies an area of 1500 m2 which justifies its vertically orientated design. The plant is a continuous operation incinerating municipal, commercial and industrial wastes 24 hours, seven days a week, 365 days a year. It is very efficient, reducing the waste by 90% of its volume and 75% by weight. When the plant was constructed, it was made earthquake resistant and the chimney of the facility has been incorporated into the building so it is invisible to the human eye. In 2006, the incineration process was upgraded, incorporating the use of the CNIM Lab Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology to further reduce emissions. The incineration plant treats around 50,000 tonnes per annum of municipal, commercial and industrial wastes and produces energy which is recovered, utilised either as electricity, heat, or cooled for use in air conditioning systems. The electricity provides power to the incineration plant so that it is self-sufficient, while the remainder is exported to the Societe Monegasque de I Electricite et du Gaz, the local electricity company for the Principality. In conclusion, the SMA provide a highly efficient waste management system for the Principality of Monaco, incorporating modern waste collection systems as well as an energy from waste incineration plant boasting all of the latest emission cleaning equipment. The Principality will be self sufficient in its current waste management system for many years to come. Timothy Byrne is based in the UK. He is an MCIWM chartered waste manager, ISWA international waste manager, and an associate member of Ategrus (Spanish Solid Waste Association). He can be reached at garbage32@hotmail.co.uk October/November 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 41
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R E WA R D S
by Claudia Marsales “If a resident contacts the City with a compliment on service, the workers are given a Tim Hortons, Canadian Tire or movie gift card along with a ‘Thank you for a job well done’ note from City staff.”
Public Feedback Loop Boosts Collectors’ Morale
The goal is to allow collectors and residents to see the service through a more positive lens. Residents lacked an appreciation of the challenges faced by waste collectors, such as bad weather and having to deal with hundreds of messy set outs to the curb
E
Waste Management was one of the first city departments to be serviced by the new Active Citizen Request (ACR) system. The result was an influx of new data on specific issues related to waste management collection services.
veryone likes to be recognized for the hard work they do. A recognition award program is one way to create a positive work environment, while at the same time boosting morale and engagement. The result? It can actually mean better service. Research conducted by consulting firm Gallup Inc. has found that when workers feel recognized, there are corresponding improvements in areas like customer satisfaction, staff turnover, productivity and safety. The City of Markham, Ont., a Greater Toronto Area municipality with a population of 350,000 and 84,000 homes, has had private waste collection for over 30 years. Annual Environics customer satisfaction surveys indicate that curbside collection is highly valued by residents, but actual metrics measuring resident satisfaction have been lacking. In 2004, that changed. The city launched a community call centre that enabled detailed tracking of complaints by issue and location. Waste Management was one of the first city departments to be serviced by the new Active Citizen Request (ACR) system. The result was an influx of new data on specific issues related to waste management collection services.
A CLEARER PICTURE QUICKLY EMERGED With collection complaint data now available, the city was able to develop key performance indicators about local waste collection services. While resident complaints were within the acceptable range, Markham noticed trends in the data that suggested complaints were increasing year over year. The data also showed residents lacked an appreciation of the challenges faced by collectors as they performed their daily duties, such as inclement weather and having to deal with hundreds of messy set outs to the curb.
Like most municipalities, Markham tracked performance based on complaints. But this can be a misleading measure. In context, 3,000 complaints per year is not really an issue considering the 6 million annual collection interactions between Markham’s collection contractor and residents. Nevertheless, continual improvement was paramount and Markham wanted to reduce complaints as much as possible. The challenge was to establish a program that would decrease resident complaints, recognize collectors for a job well done, and educate the public on what a collectors’ job is really like. “Waste collectors are a primary face of your municipality,” says Peter Loukes, director of Environmental Services for Markham. “It’s an almost daily interaction between contractor staff and residents. It’s an important relationship and municipalities should be paying close attention to ensure it’s a positive one. You have to get it right,” Loukes added. The selected strategy was to implement a system of recognition for the collection staff and an awareness education strategy for residents. Staff believed that if residents were aware of the challenges collectors face on the job, it could not only impove the relationship between them, but also waste program compliance. The goal was to allow collectors and residents to see the service through a more positive lens. The recognition program arrived at, and still employed today, is “onthe-spot,” delivered at the time of achievement. If a resident contacts the City with a compliment on service, the workers are given a Tim Hortons, Canadian Tire or movie gift card along with a ‘Thank you for a job well done’ note from City staff. During periods of inclement weather – snow or humidity – all Markham collectors get a ‘thank you’ and an ‘ice cap or coffee’ from the City. Alerts go out to residents to take a moment to thank the workers and ... continues on page 44
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suggest they consider offering them water when they come by. During particularly severe winter conditions, the City reminds residents to put out only necessary items to help the collectors finish their routes. Another key component of the program is an annual breakfast celebration for all collectors working on the Markham contract. Markham’s waste department personnel serve approximately 40 collectors a hot breakfast before they go on route. Staff relay complimentary e-mails received from residents over the previous year, and the goals and objectives for the coming year are outlined. The launch of new waste programs also provides an excellent opportunity for recognition and team building. When Markham launched their Mission Green program in 2006, and Clear Bags in 2013, a special launch event barbecue was held with all workers, councillors and waste staff. Once again, the collectors were the guests of honour. The mayor and senior staff were present to thank them for being on the Markham team. “It’s just good people management,” says Loukes. “Folks who are asked to be involved in the planning take more ownership in the program. If collectors understand the program’s goals and objectives they tend to feel more like members of a team.” The second component of the strategy is the awareness program for residents. For this effort, Markham utilizes their environmentally-focused Mission Green newsletter, sent twice annually to every household. Newsletter items include descriptions of a day-in-the-life of a collector, and a standard reminder to residents to thank their collector or offer them a glass of water on a hot day. Mission Green also includes a feature called “Collector’s Corner,” where a collector answers such job-related ques-
The AMRC is now the MWA... with a new website to match our
In context, 3,000 complaints per year is not really an issue considering the 67 million annual collection interactions between Markham’s collection contractor and residents.
tions like ‘what do you like most about your job?’ or ‘what are some tips residents can do to make your day?’ Through the newsletter, the public gets an appreciation for the difficulty and dangers of waste collection. Markham residents were shocked to learn that the waste industry is the fourth most dangerous sector for workers in North America. The also learned that the average collector lifts over 30,000 lbs in a one day! “Our budget for the recognition program is approximately $1,000 per year,” Loukes says. “That’s all it takes. For that modest amount we have seen the relationship between the public and collectors improve dramatically, and service as well.” The results of the recognition program have been better than expected. Markham’s collection service provider, Miller Waste, reports a significant decrease in staff turnover and complaints. There are fewer trivial complaints new name and more positive comments from residents. Reports of adversarial incidents are down and stories of residents offering collectors a heartfelt ‘thank you’ or leaving water out for collectors are way up. Residents and collectors increasingly view each other as members of the same community. Most importantly, the number of resident complaints about the waste service has decreased by an astounding 71% since implementation. “It’s easy to fall into the trap of managing collection services based on a corrective and negative approach,” says Loukes. “The principles of Positive Contract Management and recognition have shown strong results in Markham.” Waste collection truly is one of the most fundamental services a municipality offers. Getting it right requires appreciated, empowered workers.
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Claudia Marsales is Manager of Waste & Environmental Management for the Town of Markham, Ont. Contact her at cmarsales@ markham.ca 44 www.solidwastemag.com October/November 2015
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Company
Advertisers’ Index
October/November 2015
Page # Company
Page #
2cg/Paul van der Werf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
IPL Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Allu Group Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Liebherr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Chevy Lane Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Machinex Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Ecoverse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Mack Trucks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Environmental Business Consultants . . . . . . . 44
Municipal Waste Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Eriez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Paradigm Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Freightliner Trucks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
RTS/Envirowirx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Glad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Van Dyk Recycling Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Goodyear Canada Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Vermeer Canada Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Heil Environmental Solutions Group . . . . . . . 25
Walinga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
October/November 2015 www.solidwastemag.com 45
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I N N O VAT I O N
by SWR Staff
ON A ROLL: Tyromer Tire Technology Tyromer’s process uses CO2 to selectively break the cross-linking sulfur bonds and bring about rapid devulcanization for tires
A
company established by the University of Waterloo to commercialize a better way to recycle scrap tire rubber, and manage scrap tire waste, is now up and running in Waterloo, Ont. Called Tyromer Inc., the tire technology was invented by Professor Costas Tzoganakis of the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, turns scrap tire rubber into a new, versatile, high quality rubber material — Tyromer-TDP (Tire-Derived Polymer). Tyromer’s process uses carbon dioxide (CO2) to selectively break the crosslinking sulfur bonds and bring about rapid Costas Tzoganakis devulcanization. Tyromer Waterloo will be the first manufacturer to introduce Tyromer-TDP, and will showcase the potential impact the Tyromer devulcanization technology can have on tire recycling in Ontario, Canada and globally. “Each year more than 300 million scrap tires are generated in North America. During the average life of a tire, only 20 per cent of the rubber is used, leaving a staggering 10 billion pounds of scrap tires,” said Sam Visaisouk, CEO of Tyromer Inc., speaking at the facility’s opening. “With Tyromer-TDP, there is now a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable solution to the global management of scrap tires.” Tyromer received early financial support from Michelin Development Company, Ontario Centres of Excellenceand University of Waterloo to scale up its technology. Ontario Tire Stewardship provided a research grant for Tyromer to strategically focus on the devulcanization of scrap tire rubber crumb. AirBoss Rubber Compounding,
Licensed Tyromer devulcanization operations can produce Tyromer TDP with tensile strength up to 12 MPa, depending on crumb type, size, quality and source. For typical commercially available scrap tire crumb, the tensile strength ranges from 7 MPa to 8.5 MPa. Devulcanization process conditions can be adjusted to provide a range of Mooney Viscosity for optimal subsequent mixing. Tyromer TDP has excellent shelf life – well over two years. the second largest custom rubber compounder in North America, provided valuable industry knowledge and helped validate Tyromer-TDP as a viable rubber compound replacement in the manufacture of tires, and provided technical assistance in the construction of the Tyromer Waterloo facility. Andrew Horsman, executive director of Ontario Tire Stewardship, said: “The opening of Tyromer Waterloo exemplifies our ongoing focus of spurring economic development by supporting Ontario-based environmental innovators, leading to commercialization.” Horsman added, “It also demonstrates the kind of strategic partnerships we’re building with Ontario-based companies such as Tyromer and AirBoss Rubber Compounding. We look forward to continuing to develop future partnerships that will help drive Ontario’s green economy.” Besides operating its own plant, Tyromer seeks licensees to produce Tyromer-TDP. To learn more about Tyromer, please visit the company’s website at www.tyromer.com
INNOVATION • Broad applicability: scrap tire crumbs of various sizes, types, as well as EPDM • Environmentally sound: No chemical or solvents are used • Controlled process: customization of product: Mooney, elongation • Rapid devulcanization: from feed to product in less than one minute • Reliable process: continuous operation by mature extrusion equipment • High efficiency: 99% conversion of crumb to tyromer • Energy efficient: less than 400 kWh per Metric Ton MPP for Kitchener Centre, Daiene Vernile, CEO of Tyromer, Sam Visaisouk, and Tyromer technology inventor, Costas Tzoganakis, discuss equipment at an open house event. Photo by David Nesseth
46 www.solidwastemag.com October/November 2015
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T:8.125 in
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The new Mack® LR model was created from the ground up to meet driver demands. Everything, from the innovative design to increased storage and enhanced visibility, is centered on increasing comfort while enhancing performance. The LR doesn’t just stand up to the most challenging jobs— it makes every route quicker, safer and easier. MackTrucks.com/NewLRModel
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