Solid Waste & Recycling June / July 2016

Canada’s magazine on collection, hauling, processing, and disposal • June / July 2016

MARKHAM TACKLES TEXTILES This issue: National Research Platform Envision Tax-Deposit System on Soft Drinks Networking Events & Tradeshows Lots of Money, No Deals Reusing Drywall

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Contents COVER STORY

Tackles Textiles 12 Markham Markham aims to recycle the shirt off your back and have the fashion industry pay the costs.

Canada’s/magazine on collection, hauling, processing, and disposal JUNE JULY 2016 | VOLUME 21 | NUMBER 2

10

Innovation 10 Building a National Research Platform

OWMA has entered into an MOU with the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) to create an EREF Research Program.

14 Envision - Transforming Waste Facilities to Recovery Centres Rating system for infrastructure helps develop sustainable waste management facilities.

12

Recycling 16 Environmental Lawyer urges Ontario government to impose TaxDeposit System on Soft Drinks to Fight Obesity

Can a tax and deposit system on soft drinks and other refillable containers fight obesity and environmental degradation?

18 Greening Business

Air Canada’s environmental waste program takes off.

19 Get Reel

16

Get those dated recording devicesß out of the closet for good.

Business 20 Tradeshows 101

How to get the most out of networking events and tradeshows... even if you hate networking.

20

23 Calling for Mergers Lots of money, no deals available in the environmental and water industry.

Construction Recycling 29 Drywall can be Reused, again and again Banning wallboard from landfills cuts down on greenhouse gases and bacteria growth.

Departments & Columns 4 5 6 8 9

From the Editor Guest Editorial Waste Watch Product Showcase Op-Ed

31 33 34 36 38

Technology Regulatory Developments Organic Matters Around the World Advertiser Index

29

FROM THE EDITOR Jessica Kirby, Editor Solid Waste & Recycling Canada’s magazine on collection, hauling, processing, and disposal

Construction waste: we need to act; we need to care waste—some projects divert 99 per cent of the waste generated. Like in any industry, there are the ultra-responsible (designers who will create buildings to the highest environmental standard regardless of whether the owner is seeking certification) and the quasiresponsible (employing one or two simple and inexpensive sustainability strategies while marketing the heck out of themselves as a green builder). The results, however, are in the diversion rates—unless they are dumping their scrap at the end of a country road somewhere, developers can’t fake an environmentally sustainable project.

Construction waste is a complex matter that begins with responsible building design and material choice, and remains relevant through the life of the project.

Obviously waste prevention is a crucial step in the process, and building certification programs like Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Living Building Challenge, and Envision (pg. 14) seek to address waste through stringent material selection requirements and, in some case, restrictions.

Diversion can mean a lot of things— deconstruction, separation and reuse, recyclability, and repurposing—but it mostly means a commitment to sustainable, responsible building practices. From the construction perspective, sustainability is a significant investment up front for long-term lucrative pay-off, especially since building rating systems now require energy audits to ensure the finished building is performing as designed—this means guaranteed payback for the owner, and a better price for the building.

The question is, however, how much to we care about it anyway? Unfortunately, Canada doesn’t have a great record for waste in general, ranking 17th out of 17 countries ranked by the Conference Board of Canada, and sending around 25 million tonnes to disposal each year.

We all know the detriments of poor or inadequate waste management – land pollution, GHG emissions, and reduced air and water quality – but we still under perform given the tremendous access we have to the world’s best technology and knowledge.

When a building is constructed responsibly waste is reduced to such a degree over a traditional building, the conversation is more about recycling and repurposing than it is about

According to a report commissioned

by Canadian Council for Ministers of Environment in 2014, construction,

HOGZILLA

®

The SW&R team Lara Perraton, Group Publisher lperraton@pointonemedia.com Jessica Kirby, Editor 877.755.2762 • jessica.kirby@pointonemedia.com Christina Tranberg, Advertising Sales 877.755.2762 • ctranberg@pointonemedia.com

contributing writers Diane Blackburn Mark Borkowski Timothy Byrne Katie Callaghan Rosalind H. Cooper Peter Hargreave Cheryl McKitterick David McRobert Claudia Marsales Glen Murray Harish Murthy Chelsea Quirke Lourette Swanepoel Usman Valiante Paul van der Werf

cover image Charles Jaffe

Published bi-moßnthly by

Point One Media, Inc. Solid Waste & Recycling P.O. Box 11, Station A Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K4 CANADA t: 877.755.2762 • www.solidwastemag.com 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 co-ordinators, landfill and compost facility operators, and other waste industry professionals.

While information contained in this publication has been compiled from sources deemed to be reliable, the publisher may not be held liable for omissions or errors.

Contents ©2016 by Point One Media Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or duplicated without prior written permission from the publisher.

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4 » Solid Waste & Recycling

GUEST EDITORIAL renovation, and demolition (CRD) diversion has increased 30 per cent over the past decade, largely due to municipal initiatives into the private sector. But without mandatory diversion programs the battle remains. CRD waste initiatives are in a state of flux— materials like concrete, asphalt, gypsum (page 29), and roofing materials have recycling streams, but each product is unique and comprises a complex set of materials, meaning Individual Producer Responsibility is the preferred route.

on the building and product design, construction practices, purchasing, policy, operations and maintenance, to base their decisions on resource efficiency and reduce CRD waste to landfill, says the report. The CRI’s 2015 prospectus welcomes partners to assist in the development of future zero waste cities, with elimination of CRD at the hub, since construction creates more waste than any other sector and is expected to grow 85 per cent between now and 2030.

Construction Resources Initiative (CRI) Council aims to eliminate CRD wastes sent to landfill nation-wide by 2030 by motivating all decision makers

The upside to waste overall is an upsurge in reuse programs across the past decade. Most

management recycling and Canada over recently, the

The future is finally here

Ontario votes to make Bill 151 Waste Free Ontario law On June 1, 2016 Bill 151 Waste Free Ontario (WFO) passed third reading in the Ontario legislature. It will likely be given royal assent in the late fall.

As described in SWR December2015/ January2016, WFO comprises two pieces of legislation: Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act (RRECA) and the Waste Diversion Transition Act (WDTA).

Bill 151 was vigorously debated in committee and a number of key amendments were made to both component pieces of legislation before it returned to the legislature for third reading.

Firstly, a number of key definitions under the RRCEA were established or clarified.

Circular economy has been defined in the RRCEA as: an economy in which participants strive, (a) to minimize the use of raw materials, (b) to maximize the useful life of materials and other resources through resource recovery, and (c) to minimize waste generated at the end of life of products and packaging.

Waste-Free Ontario Act (pgs. 5 & 9) and Markham’s Textile Recovery Program (pg. 12) are making headlines and drawing attention to producer responsibility and, most importantly, the potential we have to make progress beyond pop cans a paper. And the more progress we make in technology, process, and legislation, the more we learn to care and convince others to do the same. By the time this issue hits your desks, the Point One Media team will have attended Waste Expo in Las Vegas and learned a great deal about what is up and coming in this important field. I can’t wait to share thoughts on our experience next time around. ●●

by / Usman Valiante

A definition of resource recovery is also now provided: the extraction of useful materials or other resources from things that might otherwise be waste, including through reuse, recycling, reintegration, regeneration, or other activities.

The WDTA was also amended. It now clearly states its purpose to wind up existing industry funding organizations (IFO) (e.g. for used tires, electronics, municipal household and special wastes, and the Blue Box program for paper and packaging).

Finally, a definition of waste reduction has been added: the minimization of waste generated at the end of life of products or packaging, including through activities related to design, manufacturing, and material use.

The WDTA also prohibits IFO from using money or assets other than in a way that is consistent with the purpose of an IFO and the government may now make regulations governing the Authority’s requests for information from IFOs.

The amended RRCEA clarifies rules on registration and reporting of parties subject to the Act. Entities required to register with and report to the new Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority include those who arrange for recycling services for producers (producer responsibility organizations) and those who actually provide recycling services (collectors and processors).

The RRCEA now allows a maximum of 90 days following proclamation for the government to publish the Strategy for a Waste-Free Ontario: Building the Circular Economy.

The most contentious amendment to the WDTA is the provision governing producer payments to municipalities under the existing Blue Box program (prior to that program being wound down in order to transition producers to the RRCEA).

In addition to allowing the Minister to change the current 50 per cent portion of total net Blue Box program costs incurred by municipalities to be paid

by Stewardship Ontario (the Blue Box IFO), the amended WDTA also allows the Minister to “… change the waste

solidwastemag.com » June / July 2016 » 5

GUEST EDITORIAL diversion program for blue box waste to determine the total annual amount that shall be paid to municipalities under the program.”

is it 50 per cent of the actual costs incurred by municipalities in delivering the Blue Box program or, is it 50 per cent of reasonable costs they incurred?

The WDTA requires the Minister to “… consult with Stewardship Ontario and representatives of municipalities” before any changes are made. Any proposed changes to the Blue Box program that arise from this provision are also subject to public consultation under Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights.

The dispute on what is 50 per cent led to arbitration on November 25, 2014 and the result of the arbitration was that the total net costs incurred by municipalities is limited by the requirement that those costs be reasonable. A year and a half later and there is still no agreed upon formula for determining what is “reasonable.”

The provision allowing the Minister to fundamentally alter the existing Blue Box program will be of great interest to both producers and municipalities as it may afford the opportunity to address a longstanding impasse regarding producer payments to municipalities for recycling.

The opportunity to amend the Blue Box program could avoid tinkering with cost sharing formulae by changing the actual roles and responsibilities of producers and municipalities with regard to Blue Box delivery to Ontario residents.

At the heart of the dispute is the question of how the 50 per cent is calculated—

WASTE WATCH

HazMat Depot opens in the North Okanagan The Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) has opened an Eco Depot to receive household hazardous waste (HHW) free of charge year round.

The Eco Depot replaced the annual RDNO Household Hazardous Waste Round-Up and was established in partnership with Interior Recycling at their long established bottle depot on 24th Avenue. This depot provides residents with a convenient, year round, one-stop-drop location for HHW as well as many other recyclable items such as packaging and printed paper, electronics, paint, and batteries. To date more than 8,000 litres and 360 kg of HHW have been collected and disposed. The total cost of the project was $29,800 with all costs covered by the Federal Gas Tax Fund.

6 » Solid Waste & Recycling

Under a revised Blue Box plan producers could assume an operational

The Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) administers the Gas Tax Fund in BC, in collaboration with Canada and British Columbia. ●●

Transport Canada Requires Reporting Changes for Dangerous Goods Amendments to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDGR) came into effect June 1st requiring shippers to file emergency reports with local authorities if a tractor-trailer’s dangerous cargo is lost, stolen, or involved in a collision. Transport Canada says the changes are aimed at improved reporting in order to enhance public safety and improve local emergency response.

“Knowledge is power, and with these new amendments, we’ll have more information on dangerous goods than

role for some paper and packaging recycling activities (perhaps postcollection consolidation, recycling and marketing of paper and packaging materials) and work in collaboration with municipalities on others (e.g. collection of materials from households and promotion and education).

A change in operational roles under the blue box program under the WDTA could offer a measured stepping-stone to the transition to producer delivered EPR for paper and packaging under the RRCEA. The principled legislative framework for EPR so many have hoped for has finally arrived. Discussions between producers and municipalities to chart a path to evolving Ontario’s residential recycling system towards full EPR should begin in earnest. The future is finally here. ●●

we ever have in the past,” said federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau. “We can’t just be advised of large events involving dangerous goods; we need to know about smaller incidents as well.

The actions we are taking today make our system even safer and will continue to improve how dangerous goods are safely transported across Canada,” he added.

Under the new rules, shippers are required to create an emergency report to any local authority responsibility for responding to emergencies at the location of the release of the dangerous goods or anticipated release of the dangerous goods.

The report is also required any time the release or anticipated release from the trailer endangers, or could endanger public safety.

For more information please visit Transport Canada at www.tc.gc.ca ●●

WASTE WATCH

Fort McMurray Wildfires Leave Toxic Mess Research from California wildfires suggests ash mixed with water is almost as caustic as oven cleaner, leaving Fort McMurray residents concerned as they return home.

“This is a vital body of water that is integral to the food supply of Inuit communities in Greenland and Canada,” he said. “Inuit live here, Inuit use the animals in these waters to feed our families.”

The Russian Embassy claims all the rocket’s fuel will be burned up by the time it hits the water.

Wildfires raged through the northern Alberta community in May, causing emergency evacuation of all 88,000 residents.

The CBC, however, reports Russian scientists suggest it is normal for about 10 per cent of the fuel to remain in the rocket and remain unburned.

According to researchers in California, who have plenty of research material given wildfires experienced each summer, this type of fire burns hot enough to incinerate materials like vinyl siding, carpet, plastics, and household chemicals, having detrimental impacts on air quality.

Experts at the University of Manitoba say the fuel is highly toxic and persists in the water.

The US Geological Survey studied California’s wildfires of 2007 and 2008 and found the ash far more alkaline than that from wood fires. It also contained dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, antimony, chromium, zinc, and copper. Experts say the longevity of the chemicals and long-term health effects are not yet known. Clean-up has already begun and is expected to last several months. ●●

Inuit Communities Angered at Russia’s Plan to Drop Rocket in Canada’s North Russia plans to drop part of a rocket into Baqffin Bay between Ellesmere Island and Greenland, outside Canada’s geographic territory, but within water Canada controls economically.

According to Okalik Eegeesiak of the Inuit Circumpolar Commission, the rocket will not be falling into an area with no effect on natural or human life.

Paul Crowley of the World Wildlife Fund’s Arctic program said it is a violation of Canadian Arctic sovereignty and points to the reaction Russia might exhibit if the tables were turned.

“If Canada was launching a rocket and some of it was going to be landing in the Russian Federation, you can imagine what kind of reaction we’d have there,” said Crowley. “The government of Canada should be defending our territorial integrity.” ●●

Manitoba Refinery Turns Waste Oil into Deisel HD-Petroleum™ has developed a small-scale waste oil micro-refinery, providing a profitable and sustainable solution for the processing of waste oil.

The technology creates opportunity for many regions and industries to be part of the solution, while creating local employment and reducing the environmental impact of waste oil.

The improper disposal of waste oil has a devastating impact on human health and the environment. Traditional used oil re-refineries are scarce in many

regions, leading to environmentallyhazardous waste oil management practices.

The technology uses three steps to convert waste oil into a high quality diesel fuel that can be used in the same geographic region.

For more information please visit hdpetroleum.com. ●●

Ontario Preventing Fall Hazards at Workplaces Ontario will target hazards that can lead to falls during a safety blitz at workplaces across the province from May 16 to July 15, 2016. Falls are a leading cause of worker injuries and deaths in Ontario. Ministry of Labour inspectors will check that employers are properly assessing and addressing hazards that could cause workers to fall.

They will visit a variety of workplaces in the construction, industrial and mining sectors. These include: • Low-rise and high-rise new build and renovation projects • Retail, restaurants and other industrial establishments • Mines and mining plants In particular, inspectors will check that: • Employers have policies, programs and safe work practices in place to protect workers from falls • Employers have assessed ladders, mobile stands and platforms for hazards, maintained equipment and placed it on firm footing when in use • Safety barriers such as guardrails are installed when needed • Employers have trained workers on the use of appropriate fall protection systems, personal protective equipment and other safety devices when working at heights • Employers ensure that workers are working safely on truck beds, trailers or the top of loads solidwastemag.com » June / July 2016 » 7

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For over 40 years, Metro Compactor Service Inc. has been custom designing and manufacturing quality compactors.

Any Metro Compactor can have the revolutionary Pandora Intelligent ® Network Smart Compactor System incorporated into it, giving you the answers you need: • How many cycles have completed since my last service?

• Is the container 100% full when it is removed?

• Can I reduce the number of containers I have at my site?

• Can I reduce the number of pickups?

• Do I use the right sized container for our waste habits?

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8 » Solid Waste & Recycling

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• Remote monitoring saves as much as 60% of all waste pickups by ensuring your pickups are only done when the bin is full.

• Implementation of waste diversion programs, maximizing return on recyclable commodities, which generate revenue.

• Development of Waste Management Policies and training packages.

• One point of contact for all your waste and recycling needs.

Pragmatech Ltd. www.pragmatechltd.com

Protecting workers is part of the government’s continued commitment to prevent workplace injuries and illness through its Safe At Work Ontario enforcement initiative.

Falls are the number one cause of critical injuries and deaths of construction workers in Ontario. In 2015, 10 workers died at construction projects from falls.

In 2015, there were eight workrelated deaths from falls at industrial workplaces.

Between 1991 and 2015, 10 workers died in Ontario mines as a result of incidents involving falls.

Since 2008, ministry inspectors have conducted more than 620,000 field visits, and 79 inspection blitzes.

Inspectors have issued more than 1 million compliance orders across all sectors in Ontario since June 2008.

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the right to refuse unsafe work applies to all workers other than specified types of workers in specified circumstances ( i.e. police officers , firefighter and correctional officers).

Workers can report unsafe work to the Ministry of Labour any time by calling the Health and Safety Contact Centre at 1-877-202-0008. In an emergency, always call 911 immediately.

“Workers are at serious risk of falls in construction, industrial and mining workplaces in Ontario,” said Kevin Flynn, Minister of Labour. “This blitz and other initiatives are helping to prevent worker injuries and deaths.

We want all workers to return home to their families safe and sound each work day.”

“Falls remain one of the major causes of critical injuries and fatalities.,” said George Gritziotis, Chief Prevention Officer. “Workplace safety is a shared responsibility. We must all work together to prevent these types of hazards. We all have a role and responsibility in preventing injury.” ●●

OP ED

Toward A Waste Free Ontario Ontario is generating too much waste, and not recycling enough. Each one of us generates nearly a tonne of waste per year. Even though we’ve achieved a lot through our popular Blue Box program and other existing diversion programs, our diversion rate has stalled at 25 per cent over the last decade, and Ontario’s landfills could be at full capacity in less than 20 years.

In fact, only 3 million of the 11.5 million tonnes of waste generated annually in Ontario is recovered for recycling.

Valuable resources are being lost. We are missing out on a huge opportunity to generate revenue and create jobs.

Recovering just 60 per cent of waste materials could create 13 thousand jobs and contribute $1.5 billion in gross domestic product to Ontario.

Stakeholders have expressed concerns about the existing ineffective waste diversion system; over the limited government role, ineffective oversight body, barriers to open and fair marketplace, and strained relationships between participants.

It is clear that more needs to be done.

Now is the time for action. That is why Ontario is creating a new framework: the Waste-Free Ontario Act, to reduce waste and recover resources.

This is a bold new approach for Ontario that transforms how we manage waste and encourages the development of products and packaging that are never discarded. One where products and packaging are reintroduced into a system to be reused, refurbished, recycled, or reintegrated into new products—this is called the circular economy.

Moving to a circular economy has numerous benefits including creating jobs, increasing economic activity, conserving our precious non-renewable

by / Glen Murray, Ontario’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change

resources, saving energy, and reducing greenhouse gas pollution.

Under the new approach, producers would be fully responsible for recovering the resources and reducing the waste associated with their products and packaging. It would increase accountability for those who have the greatest ability to influence the design of products and packaging. It provides business with the incentive to design long-lasting, reusable and easily recyclable products.

This approach also provides producers with the flexibility to manage their waste in the most cost-efficient and effective manner. This will lower recycling costs and give consumers access to more convenient recycling options. It is expected that the new system will save municipal taxpayers as much as $115 million annually, while supporting and improving the sustainability of municipal services.

The new legislation establishes an overarching provincial interest in resource recovery and waste reduction, and enables the government to issue policy statements to support that interest. It requires ministries, municipalities, producers, and others to perform waste reduction and resource recovery activities in a manner that is consistent with those policies.

The new legislation will also overhaul Waste Diversion Ontario into a strong oversight body, with new compliance and enforcement powers. The ‘Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority’ will be a non-Crown corporation and will provide independent, robust oversight of the legislation.

performance under the producer responsibility regime and transitioning the existing waste diversion programs to the new regime. The Authority will also operate a data clearinghouse to collect the necessary data from producers and other parties.

Ensuring transparency and accountability is a key feature of this proposed legislation. Under the Act the government will have certain checks and balances, including empowering the Minister to issue policy direction to the Authority, requiring a review of the Authority’s operations and enabling the Auditor General to audit the Authority.

The legislation also includes a timeline for the minister to provide direction to industry funding organizations to windup existing e-waste, used tires, and hazardous waste programs.

In addition, the government will be finalizing its draft Strategy for a WasteFree Ontario: Building the Circular Economy, within three months of the legislation coming into effect.

The strategy will outline Ontario’s vision for a zero waste future, the proposed plan to implement the legislation and a roadmap for the future of diversion in Ontario Responsible waste diversion and resource recovery plays a crucial role in building a circular economy, protecting our environment and creating a greener, more prosperous Ontario for all. ●●

Equipped with a suite of compliance and enforcement tools, the Authority will provide oversight of the producers’ solidwastemag.com » June / July 2016 » 9

INNOVATION

© Can Stock Photo Inc. / alexoakenman

Building A National Research Platform by / Peter Hargreave

THE WASTE MANAGEMENT

sector is dedicated to finding environmental solutions for waste and resource management problems that nobody else wants to solve. The sector is always innovating and evolving to address new challenges and opportunities. This is extremely relevant today as we seek to address major global issues like climate change, resource scarcity and other health and environmental issues related to how waste materials are managed.

While progress continues with the development of new technologies and approaches, what is lacking in Canada is a national research platform.

Currently research in the country on waste management related issues can be characterized generally as disjointed, underfunded and poorly publicized.

10 » Solid Waste & Recycling

This is certainly not a criticism on the research institutions doing work in this area or of the many private and public organizations that are supporting research in these areas. Unfortunately, gaps exist in several key areas: • Networks between the waste management sector and Canadian academic institutions and other research-orientated organizations are lacking which limits the ability to share research, identify and prioritize issues, and create synergies in research with other jurisdictions.

• Data Collection is very limited in Canada, which inhibits the ability for informed research and analysis.

• Stable Ongoing Support for research is also lacking which constrains

INNOVATION current research and development of new researchers.

In an effort, to address these gaps, the Ontario Waste Management Association (OWMA) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) to help address these gaps through a Canadian EREF Research Program.

The strategic objectives will be to: • Establish a program to fund and facilitate research that addresses the needs of the Canadian waste management sector and fosters relationships with Canadian academic institutions and other research oriented organizations.

• Provide a mechanism to ensure stable ongoing funding to support academic research in Ontario and the rest of Canada on issues that impact the waste management sector including but not exclusive to policy impacts, mitigation of risk (safety or environmental), technical issues and improvement of operations/ efficiency/bottom line.

• Provide a more effective means to facilitate, evaluate and oversee direct independent scientific research & educational initiatives of specific interest in Canada.

• Promote stronger ties and relations between the waste management sector in Canada and Canadian academic institutions especially in (but not limited to) Ontario. This includes ensuring the academic sector better understands the key issues impacting the sector in Canada.

• Facilitate better sharing of international research that is of interest to the sector.

• Create relationships that would allow for reciprocal sharing of Ontario/ Canadian based research and data with other jurisdictions.

Both organizations bring a unique expertise to ensure these objectives are achieved. EREF, a non-profit, non-lobbying charitable organization, has a mission to facilitate research and educational initiatives related to sustainable solid waste management practices to benefit the solid waste industry and the communities it serves. The foundation’s mission is executed via 4 core programs: research grants, internal research, scholarships andeducation. EREF is currently one of the largest sources of research funding related to solid waste in North America, with over $1 million (US) funded annually in grants and scholarships.

The OWMA is the largest waste management association in Canada with relationships with all other waste management associations across the country and in the US. With over 250 members representing both the private and public sectors its members are involved in every aspect of waste management. OWMA and member organizations have resources available to facilitate Canadian fundraising efforts. It has begun a major initiative to collect annual facility based data and the program could be expanded nationally.

EREF’s current activities, which include funding of scholarships to students at Canadian institutions and research efforts that address issues of interest to the Canadian waste industry, set a strong precedent for this collaboration.

Additional ties include a member of the EREF Board of Directors that is a faculty member at the University of New Brunswick. Over the next year, EREF and the OWMA will be working with other organizations across Canada to establish this program to fund and facilitate research that addresses the needs of the Canadian waste management sector and fosters relationships with Canadian academic institutions and other research-oriented organizations. ●●

About the Environmental Research & Education Foundation

Mission To fund and direct scientific research and educational initiatives for waste management practices to benefit industry participants and the communities they serve.

Vision The leading institution lighting a clear path, through research and education, translating ideas into action for sustainable waste management practices.

Strategic Objectives • Unbiased, scientific reports and analysis on waste management practices • Scholarships for high potential graduate students and internships for highly qualified undergraduate students • Targeted research to expand industry knowledge and understanding of the waste stream from generation to final disposition • Improved public understanding of solid waste stream and sustainable solid waste management practices • Increasing industry knowledge through educational programs For more information please visit www.erefdn.org ●●

solidwastemag.com » June / July 2016 » 11

INNOVATION

Markham plans to replace donation bins with Markham Smart containers located at City facilities.

Markham Tackles Textiles by / Claudia Marsales Senior Manager Waste & Environmental Management, City of Markham

MARKHAM AIMS TO RECYCLE

the shirt off your back and have the fashion industry pay the costs.

When we think of pollution, we envision smoke billowing factories, clear-cut forests, and leaking landfills. We never think about the shirt on our back. But the sad reality is that the overall impact the textile industry has on our global environment is truly grim.

Over the last 30 years, clothing has become increasingly cheap and abundant, to the extent that the average consumer purchases 1.2 garments per week. Many Ontario consumers can now pick up a new outfit while doing the weekly grocery shopping.

12 » Solid Waste & Recycling

This cheap clothing, often described as “fast fashion,” is designed to be moved as quickly as possible from the catwalk, to the consumer, to the waste bin. Fast fashion leads the way in actual ‘disposable’ clothing and fast fashion retailers spur this consumption by creating demand and then continually churning out massive amounts of cheap clothes. The low prices can only be achieved because more than 98 per cent of all garments sold in Canada are made abroad in Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines. China, the leading producer of clothing, is responsible for nearly 33 per cent of the world’s textile exports.

What is becoming increasingly apparent is that the carbon footprint of textiles is huge—with each step in the process increasing carbon emissions.

From the production and transportation halfway around the world, our clothing is contributing to global warming. For example, natural cotton fibre, used in nearly 10 per cent of all clothing, requires large amounts of pesticides and herbicides to grow. It takes 2,700 litres of water to produce a cotton shirt and 11,000 to 20,000 litres of water to produce a single pair of jeans.

Synthetic, human-made fibers, such as polyester or nylon, while not as waterintensive, are energy intensive.

Clothes continue to impact the environment long after purchase, and Canadians are purchasing – then trashing – more and more textiles every year. The average Canadian now discards an average of 55kg of textiles annually, and the sad reality is that about 85 per cent of all household textiles end up in the garbage.

INNOVATION For the most part, municipalities and provincial governments are ignoring this trend, concentrating on the recycling of electronics, pop cans, and paper. In a report commissioned by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment in 2014, Laurie Giroux describes how there are currently no “province or territory-wide diversion programs for textiles [in Canada]” in place. Since the capture rates of other recyclable materials such as aluminium or paper can be as high as 70–80 per cent, governments need to devise and implement more effective education programs and EPR solutions to address the growing textile waste problem.

waste. To learn more how residents in Markham are dealing with their unwanted textiles, Informa Market Research conducted focus groups in 2012. The results provided interesting and disturbing insight to how little residents know about textile recycling.

Key findings from the focus groups provided valuable information for designing Markham’s innovation and new textile diversion program:

A 2012 waste composition audit conducted by York Region in cooperation with Markham, determined that discarded textiles account for up to 5 per cent of waste destined for disposal—about 4,425 tonnes a year in York Region. This would place York Region in line with typical estimates for total textile waste in landfills, which can be as high as 10 per cent, according to a 2012 waste audit conducted by the Resource Recovery Fund Board (RRFB) in Nova Scotia.

2.

Residents have little to no understanding of what textiles are accepted for donation. They were unaware that towels, sheets, purses, and shoes, etc. can be recycled.

Although some textiles have a higher collection value than many of the items currently collected in blue box programs, they nevertheless present a unique challenge. Textiles are very sensitive to water – if they get wet, they produce mould and immediately lose their value – making them a poor fit for municipal curbside collection programs. To get around this difficulty, most municipalities leave textile collection exclusively to charity and for-profit collection companies. This hands-off approach by governments results in inadequate consumer education, limited diversion data, and little end-market accountability.

The City of Markham realized that taking the next step towards zero waste would mean addressing textile

1.

Participants only donate clothing with ‘designer’ or popular labels in near perfect condition. All other textiles are placed in the garbage deemed not good enough for charity.

3. They had no allegiance to charitable causes and were skeptical that donations actually benefited charities. When they had donations, residents used charity boxes for convenience—not to support the cause.

4. They disliked throwing away textiles and wanted more education on textile recycling including what is permissible for donation and what happens to them.

In 2015, with funding support from The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), Markham developed an aggressive textile recycling program designed to divert and track as much textile waste as possible. Markham partnered with an experienced waste management consultant (Visionquest Environmental Strategies) and the Salvation Army to launch its citywide SMART Bin initiative in May 2016.

select Community Centres will have the new textile containers. The goal is to make textile donation visible, accountable, convenient, and accessible for Markham residents.

However, the SMART Bin initiative is more than just the introduction of textile donation bins: the program integrates state-of-art technology in every container. Each container features remote location surveillance cameras to discourage dumping, in-unit volume sensors to monitor when containers need servicing, and solar power lighting to ensure users will be able to drop-off material at well-lit, clean locations. The Salvation Army will provide collection services, diversion data, and end market accountability.

The next step of the Smart bin initiative will be to impose stricter regulations, including confiscation and fines, of fugitive donation boxes that continue to pop up on vacant properties in Markham. Additionally, this initiative aims to take textile recycling to the next level with a campaign to educate residents about the impacts social and environmental impacts of disposable fashion.

Textiles are the perfect candidate for EPR designation. No problem identifying the brand owners, since brand owners proudly affix their label on everything from socks to underwear.

An overarching goal of Markham’s SMART bin initiative is to draw attention to the environmental impact of textiles and ultimately convince governments to take action to stem the flood of textile waste and pressure the textile and fashion industries to take end-of-life responsibility for the products they sell. ●●

The program will see the installation of municipally managed textile donation containers at municipal facilities across the city. All nine Fire Stations and solidwastemag.com » June / July 2016 » 13

INNOVATION

Envision -

Transforming Waste Facilities to Recovery Centers By / Lourette Swanepoel and Harish Murthy The Evolution of Waste

Celebrating waste: A design challenge

Gone are the days of thinking of waste as well… waste. As communities across Canada move to address their sustainability goals, a renewed focus is on waste management. As our thinking about waste evolves from waste as just garbage to waste as a resource, it is expected that waste facilities will similarly evolve. The current design focuses on reimagining waste facilities as “recovery centres” that are no longer distant facilities separated from the community, but rather as integral parts of the community. Modern recovery centres are venues to learn about waste, and can even be – dare we imagine – beautiful facilities in their own right. By their very nature, waste management and recovery centres are places that form part of the urban sustainability story. It is expected that these facilities similarly incorporate sustainability into their design and construction. But how do we do that?

LEED®’s rating system was initially created to encourage improved performance in the design and construction of office buildings.

With a focus on conservation and improving the health of the public and the environment, LEED® has proven to be well-suited for buildings closely related to human occupancy. LEED® provides designers with an effective mechanism for assessing and validating sustainable measures incorporated within a building, in terms of the lived experience for the individuals that use it.

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But what about buildings where human occupancy is not the primary concern, such as waste facilities or transfer stations? That’s why we need to look at the Envision® framework and rating system. Stantec’s experience suggests that Envision offers an excellent platform for local governments, user groups, design teams, and contractors to collectively strive for the creation of a sustainable facility.

Solid waste and recycling facilities, in our opinion, have much to gain from considering the parameters under which Envision® encourages sustainable design in the context of the broader community. As designers and sustainability specialists, we saw a gap in the framework for innovative, sustainable design solutions for industrial and processoriented buildings such as waste recovery centres. Typically only a small percentage of these buildings are built for human occupancy and often these buildings are more reliant upon, and integrated, with horizontal infrastructure that goes beyond the building shell.

What is Envision®?

The Envision® rating system for sustainable infrastructure is the new international best practice for all types of infrastructure assets—including waste, energy, water, wastewater, and transportation. Developed in partnership by Harvard University’s

INNOVATION

Stantec Low Level Road North Vancouver, BC.

Graduate School of Design and the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI), the system is an integrated framework of best practices that provide guidance throughout the project lifecycle, organized around five general sustainability concepts: quality of life, leadership, resource allocation, natural world, and climate and risk. Four years and almost 4,500 accredited professionals later, hundreds of municipalities, consulting firms, and contractors are using Envision® to improve the sustainability of infrastructure projects in North America and across the globe.

Envision® provides a reference for options analysis and choices, and similar to LEED®, it is available as a rating and scoring system for assessing sustainable achievement and earning project awards and recognition.

Beyond the hundreds of project self-assessments, 12 projects have completed third-party verification and received awards to date, with several projects currently in the verification process and many more on the path to an award.

Importantly, Envision® is meant to complement LEED® by focusing on

horizontal and process infrastructure that currently falls outside the scope of LEED® credits. It is not meant to compete with or replace LEED®.

Bend Wastewater Treatment Facility in South Huron-Lambton Shores, Ontario, and the Low Level Road in North Vancouver, British Columbia.

Envision® – Forging a path towards sustainable recovery centers

Envision® is an excellent tool to encourage all project participants to think and strive towards sustainable solutions.

Envision® provides opportunity for sustainable projects for the industrial buildings and facilities sector to be celebrated for their ability to act as responsible recovery centers benefitting the health and safety of the public and protecting the environment. ●●

Envision® enables us as designers to strengthen our design process through application of authentic sustainability principles that are intrinsic to the work that we do every day. Envision® promotes and incentivizes the proper integration of social, economic, and environmental concerns into project design and delivery.

As a company, Stantec has wholly embraced green building practices, with 600+ LEED® registered projects globally. Our work has tremendous potential to impact the communities where we live and work, and we continue to explore tools and approaches to enhance the performance of our projects. With this in mind, Stantec has embraced Envision®. Currently over 150 Stantec professionals have obtained the Envision® Sustainability Professional (ENV SP) credential, and have certified the first two projects in Canada to achieve an award – the Grand

Lourette Swanepoel is a Registered Professional Planner and an accredited Envision® Sustainability Professional. She serves on the Institute of Sustainable Infrastructure Public Outreach committee and is also a certified Envision® trainer.

Harish Murthy is an Architect, Design Coordinator, BIM (Building Information Modeling) Manager, and Sustainability Specialist with a keen interest in building design and creative use of progressive technology. He is currently the project architect for Biofuel Processing Facility in Envision® certified and a waste transfer Station in the Metro Vancouver region.

solidwastemag.com » June / July 2016 » 15

Environmental Lawyer urges Ontario government to impose Tax-Deposit System on Soft Drinks to Fight

Obesity

Ontario-based environmental lawyer David McRobert is urging the provincial government to impose a combination of a tax and deposit system on soft drinks and other non-refillable containers to fight obesity, create local jobs, lessen plastic entering Ontario’s Great Lakes, rivers, and waterways, while improving the environmental and energy performance of the systems.

Support for his arguments are set out in his new book released in June called Doing More for Less on Container Recycling. McRobert is a blogger and contributor to Solid Waste & Recycling. For more than 30 years he has documented policy debates about the role of deposit-refund systems in promoting waste reduction and re-use in Canada and other developed nations.

McRobert says, “given the emphasis in Ontario’s new Waste Free Ontario Act on product stewardship and promoting a circular economy, it would be untenable not to implement a system of deposits and taxes on Ontario’s non-refillable soft drinks and beverage containers, including juices and bottled waters.”

16 » Solid Waste & Recycling

The core ideas in the book are based on a controversial brief McRobert originally prepared in 1991 for Pollution Probe, which examined the subject. Drawing on the example of container reuse, the 30-page brief showed deposit-return systems are an extremely effective way to encourage consumers to recycle and reuse beverage containers, and the system could effectively be adapted to other waste products such as batteries, compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), or paint cans, which should be kept out of landfills. Some of the background material dates back to the 1970s, but most of the historical material dates from the mid 1980s until 2015.

The 1991 brief noted that a combination of a deposit and a tax on non-refillable containers would serve to promote greater use refillables. This system was implemented for beer containers in 1989 when the Ontario government passed a law implementing a five cent per container tax on all nonrefillable alcohol and beer containers sold in Ontario. In 1992, the tax was increased on beer containers to 10 cents per container to ensure the continued success of the refillable system for

© Can Stock Photo Inc. / woodoo

beer and protect thousands of jobs in Ontario’s beer industry, then threatened by cheaper American beer sold in cans by the LCBO. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia followed the same model for the soft drink industry in the early 1990s.

McRobert argues that a similar combined tax-deposit system could be implemented for Ontario’s soft drink, juice, and bottled water containers, and

© Can Stock Photo Inc. / travismanley

RECYCLING

RECYCLING this would serve to reduce epidemic obesity levels. He also notes that the McGuinty administration, which preceded the Wynne government, appointed a panel to study the obesity problem, despite receiving recommendations from organizations such as the Ontario Medical Association in 2012 and 2013 that a tax on soft drinks could be a good measure to fight obesity.

“The time has come to revisit the policy choice made in the 1970s to allow the soft drink industry to have packaging freedom and market their products at prices that are absurdly low relative to healthier alternatives such as milk and unsweetened juice,” says McRoberts.

“In the 1960s when I was a kid, soft drinks were a rare treat. Now some folks have four to ten sugar-laden soft drinks a day, each containing about 10 teaspoons of sugar.”

He worries we may be raising generations of children who, “on average are destined to be physically smaller, weaker, and less healthy than their parents because of their inactivity and addiction to portable devices, as well their excessive consumption of fast foods, including astonishingly cheap soft drinks.”

McRoberts notes, non-refillable, no deposit containers in Ontario have promoted levels of soft drink consumption that are environmentally unsustainable. In the US, the Surgeon General and First Lady Michelle Obama have done considerable work on that country’s obesity crisis since 2010.

New York City imposed a controversial tax on soft drink consumption in 2012, which McRobert supported; however, the tax was struck down by the courts.

In 2013, the Mexican government imposed a tax on sugar-sweetened drinks that amounted to a 10 per cent increase in the price of the beverages.

This represented a substantial jump but only half the increase many health

“Deposit-refund systems and refillable containers are based on the concept of product stewardship,and the argument that consumers and producers should take greater responsibility for the used materials they generate.” experts think is desirable. The tax was imposed on distributors, rather than as a sales tax, so that any price increase to cover the tax would be visible to consumers when they were deciding on the purchase, before they got to the cash register. The sellers in Mexico chose not to absorb the cost of the tax, but to pass it on to consumers in the form of higher prices, which successfully discouraged consumption, similar to cigarette taxes.

As noted in media reports in late 2015, preliminary results from a study by University of North Carolina researchers and Mexican public health authorities found there was an average six per cent decrease in soda sales in Mexico that intensified in 2013. Sales were down 12 per cent in 2014 and down as much as 17 per cent for the lowest-income Mexicans.

Most of the book focuses on the merits of deposit-refund systems for container waste. McRobert says, “where depositrefund systems are employed with depots and well promoted, container redemption rates can reach up to 98 per cent. Deposits also have a proven track record on reducing litter, and they are supported by naturalists, cottagers, and others who dislike seeing litter in rural or wilderness areas.”

However, he goes on observe that retailers of beverages in some developed nations dislike deposit/ refund systems because they can create more handling work for employees and

the cans and bottles have been viewed as “unsightly.”

Despite these concerns, the environmental benefits of depositrefund systems include less pollution, sending less solid waste to landfills, less contaminated recyclables, and reductions in energy (and labour costs) to operate trucks to pick up and process recyclables. But there are other benefits. Reusable products, as opposed to disposable ones, are also cheaper for the average consumer over the long term, saving on the time and effort of constantly replacing disposable items.

Deposit-refund systems and refillable containers also are based on the concept of product stewardship, and the argument that consumers and producers should take greater responsibility for the used materials they generate.

McRobert says the taxes and unredeemed deposits could be used to fund provision of clean tap water to Ontario’s Aboriginal peoples and educate consumers about healthier diets and lifestyles.

He has emailed an eversion of his new book to the US First Lady, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Mayor Bloomberg and has forwarded two hard copies of the book by ExpressPost to Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne; Glen Murray, Ontario Minister of Environment; and, Climate Change, and Dr. Eric Hoskins, Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. ●● solidwastemag.com » June / July 2016 » 17

RECYCLING

Greening Business: Air Canada’s Environmental Waste Program Takes Off By / Chelsea Quirke Environmental Waste Programs Manager, Air Canada

CANADA, like many countries, is on a path to greater environmental awareness and action. In its 2016 budget, the Government of Canada committed $128 million for energy efficiency programs, highlighting the rapidlygrowing connection between the environment and a thriving economy.

Canadians, for their part, are adopting greener practices, such as recycling more, buying organic, auto sharing, and cutting down on plastic bags. They are also increasingly demanding that the businesses they patronize demonstrate a similar commitment.

As Canada’s largest and oldest airline, Air Canada recognizes the impact our business has on the environment and the importance – both fiscal and moral – of minimizing our environmental footprint. Where possible, we strive to contribute to positive environmental change.

Contributing to positive environmental change means doing more than what is traditionally expected of us. To achieve this, Air Canada has set ambitious goals as part of an environmental approach we call Leave Less, Do More. Leave less carbon in the atmosphere, waste in the land and water, and noise in communities. Do more to address environmental issues: more collaboration and participation with industry partners, and more involvement with communities, 18 » Solid Waste & Recycling

employees, and customers to achieve greater success.

In conceiving the Leave Less, Do More approach, we conducted a thorough review of our fleet, our fuels and hazardous substances, and the processes we employ on the ground and in the air. It has led to large-scale changes and commitments, including investing in energy-efficient planes, participating in sustainable aviation biofuel initiatives, collaborating with industry associations, and developing an Environmental Management System based on ISO 14001 to address long-term environmental issues and challenges.

Over the last year, we have drilled down a level—examining work processes, requesting suggestions from employees and simply asking lots of questions about how we can reduce or extend the life of the items we use day-to-day. This focus has led to new practices that extend the usefulness of our everyday items—including cargo straps, animal travel carriers, blankets, airplane carpets and curtains, and many more.

Our experience over the past year has taught us that there is potential for a significant reduction in our environmental footprint through these smaller programs. One area where we’ve experienced particular success

is batteries. Like many companies, Air Canada uses battery-operated mobile phones and devices, laptops, power tools, and other portable equipment across our business operations.

Because of this proliferation of battery use, we saw an opportunity to have a particularly meaningful impact through a battery-focused environmental initiative.

In 2015 we partnered with Call2Recycle, Canada’s oldest battery recycling organization, to collect and responsibly dispose of the many used batteries we generate. We placed Call2Recycle collection boxes in all of our operating locations—hangars, airports, offices, etc. Staff simply bag and drop the batteries in. When the box is full, it is shipped to Call2Recycle for processing. continued on page 38

Get

RECYCLING

Reel

UNLESS you are a committed

hoarder, the time eventually comes when you feel the urge to purge. This random event can be precipitated by kids leaving the nest for that nifty new 250 sq. ft. condo where they can be master of their own ‘home’ as long as all their junk remains in the parental basement, or when you have sentimental attachment to items that are on life support. And other times, the purge urge is a seasonal virus where you clear out everything and donate it to the local church rummage sale. One thing is for sure, we all have junk somewhere. And nothing speaks to nostalgia like that old box of audio, eight track, and video tapes… you know you have them… in the darkest corner of your closet.

It is estimated that every household in Ontario has about 25 units of obsolete recording media lurking about. This represents a potential 122 million units based on the current provincial population. To date most of this waste, if dealt with at all, goes to landfill.

That’s a lot of material that could be recovered, and recycled if only there were a program to accept it.

Enter Project Get ReelTM the brainchild of a disparate group of people committed to our environment and to inclusion principles. An ardent and experienced ‘waster,’ David Neilson tinkered around in his own basement for a year or two working on a process to dismantle and recycle this most challenging of products.

Having emigrated from the UK in 1982 with experience in explosives (chemical) technology, David caught the recycling bug working part time at a waste management company while he retrained in engineering technology at Niagara College. And he has never looked back.

In his various business development roles over 25 years, David attended

By / Diane Blackburn, Recycling Council of Ontario Photo © Can Stock Photo Inc. / deyangeorgiev

numerous electronics recycling events where everyone would bring along old media with their equipment in the hope that they could drop it off and feel noble about having ‘recycled’ the items. Of course, it all went to landfill.

In 2012, David met Graham Lewis, a passionate social innovator with a long history of developing social enterprise programs for those with barriers to employment but who needed to gain re-entry into the workforce. The final piece of the puzzle fell into place with the involvement of Philip Yan and Amy Cheung of Genesis XD, a brand marketing and development company with a social conscience who recognized the project’s potential.

During the application process for Get Reel’s provincial operating license, David and Graham performed due diligence on the labour pool most likely to fit into their business model, already aware that any potential work force would be transient. The people they interviewed included a single mom with limited daytime availability, new immigrants looking for their first Canadian work experience, individuals with learning challenges or physical restrictions, and even a denizen of Bay Street overcoming post-traumatic stress disorder. All were looking for a chance to become productive contributors in the work force and they needed that foot in the door.

David had already calculated that by dismantling all the packaging around media, a 90 per cent reduction of waste to landfill could be achieved and with that statistic as inspiration, Project Get Reel started to take shape. The trio of co-founders moved the program from

the drawing board to reality with an introductory media launch in April 2015 at the Learning Enrichment Foundation in the old City of York. Now, with a physical space ready to go and the MOECC’s Environmental Compliance Approval issued (December 2015), Project Get Reel can start promoting their service and accepting materials.

All media formats are accepted and can be completely dismantled into their various component parts and recycled, with the exception of old fashioned magnetic tape. Magnetic tape (PET with iron oxide and carbon) became obsolete, along with floppy disks as evolving technology produced CDs, DVDs, and storage sticks. Magnetic media that contains private information is degaussed to erase data. The remaining recovered materials – flexible and rigid PVC, ABS, polypropylene, high impact polystyrene, GPPS, cardboard, paper, steel, aluminum – are sent for recycling.

While this program in not designed for fundraising purposes, those groups that collect specialized waste for Earth Day and other environmental events would be naturals for adding recording media to their list of recoverable items. School collection initiatives, Boy Scouts, and Girl Guides drives (remember newspapers and bottles, baby boomers?)

Next time you open that cupboard and out pops the ghost of Elvis on eight track… who ya gonna call? GET REEL! To stay in the loop and share the social/ environmental cause online, simply sign up at http://projectgetreel.com to receive news and updates. ●● solidwastemag.com » June / July 2016 » 19

© Can Stock Photo Inc. / edharcanstock

BUSINESS

How to Get the Most out of Networking Events and Tradeshows...

Even if You Hate Networking

By Katie Callaghan

YOU ARE BUSINESS PEOPLE.

Thankfully, most events aren’t like that, and networking events and tradeshows have some distinct advantages for contractors, business owners, and facility managers alike—if you know how to make the most of them.

That word conjures images of a brash, used-car-salesman type with slicked back hair shoving business cards in your face before running after someone more important---which is not your style at all.

Know Your Goal

This means, on top of doing good work and keeping up with your industry, you also have to learn how to run a business… including that most dreaded of beasts: networking.

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Having a goal or a reason for attending any of these events is critical. Are you looking to drum up business? Find referral partners? Get to know industry experts? Many people waste time at conferences and events because they don’t have a goal to help keep them focused on the activities that will be most beneficial to them. Instead, they

BUSINESS rely on luck and serendipity and don’t maximize their experience.

Knowing what you want to accomplish lets you choose which seminars you attend, which booths you peruse, and who you talk to, which gets you closer to your goals.

Choose Your Event Carefully The two biggest benefits of trade shows are that you 1) get to connect connect with like-minded business owners, suppliers, and manufacturers and 2) are in a target-rich environment. You can find a lot of highly qualified sales leads here because people who attend these events already have a strong interest in your services.

Talk to industry associations, coworkers, and read reviews online to find an event that fits your target audience and your business goals so you end up at the best event for you.

Know Who’s Coming Skimming through the list of exhibitors and attendees will help make sure you’re going to an event where your target audience will be present. It can also help you select people you want to connect with while you’re at the event.

Pick 2–4 key people and invite them out for drinks or dinner, or find a way to introduce yourself on the show floor.

When you know who you want to connect with, and are focused on making a few strong, lasting connections, networking becomes a much easier task to manage, and it feels more natural and authentic.

Redefine Networking Instead of being “that guy” trying to get people to help you, change how you think about networking. Networking isn’t about getting a pile of business cards: it’s about making connections and building relationships.

You can find a lot of highly qualified sales leads at tradeshows because people who attend these events already have a strong interest in your services.

You don’t want to help that guy who’s only in it for himself so ask yourself, “how can I help this person?” It can be something as small as a restaurant recommendation or sending them a relevant article after the show. By focusing on how you can help others, you’ll grow real relationships, which can turn into business partners, referrals, industry contacts, and more.

solidwastemag.com » June / July 2016 » 21

BUSINESS Come Ready to Learn

3 Ways to Use Social Media to Improve your Tradeshow Experience Social media is everywhere, and at any networking event you’re pretty much guaranteed to see people tweeting, streaming, and posting about all of the goings on. Here are three tips to help you connect and be part of the social media conversation, both during and after the event:

1) Use Hashtags to Connect

According to Jennie Biltek, director of conference management & marketing with Informa, the group that puts on the Buildex Home Improvement Shows in Western Canada, the vast majority of Buildex attendees are there for educational content.

There are always new products and innovations showcased on the trade floor, and there might be a hidden gem in there that can help you take your work to the next level or break into a new market. Coming prepared and ready to learn can help you take advantage of all the opportunities available to you, from seminars, to the show floor, demos, and more.

Most conferences these days have a social media presence, and that includes a Twitter hashtag. Attendees tag their tweets so that other attendees can see what they’re saying. If you monitor the conference hashtag you can to get up-to-the-minute news about exhibitors, seminars, and more.

Follow-Up as Soon as You Can

For the best results, reply to tweets and engage with other attendees. Help answer questions, give conference feedback, Tweet quotes from seminars, and arrange meet ups with potential clients while you can get face-to-face.

Twitter is a great way to connect initially, but the real value of social media is in co-ordinating, so you can take that connection offline and get personal.

By following up as soon as possible.

In Never Eat Alone, New York Times bestselling author Keith Ferrazzi recommends following up within 1224 hours to really make an impression.

Waiting until after the conference ends can leave your email lost in a slew of similar messages.

2) Mention and Tag People in Tweets and Photos Conferences are a great time for photos. Whether you’re uploading directly to Facebook or posting them on Twitter, take a second to see if the person or company you’ve taken the photo with has an account. If they do, tag or mention them.

This not only shows you as active and engaged, it comes across as thoughtful, because you’re helping to promote the people in those photos, too. Plus photos perform wonderfully on social media, and make a nice break from all the text posts.

3) Blog or Review it After the event, write a blog post recapping your experience or reviewing the conference. What did you see? What was new and cool and exciting?

Did you try out any new products? What did you think?

If you promote the post on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, the conference will often happily help you promote the post by sharing it with their readers, as might any companies you mention. After all, it’s free press for them and more exposure for you, so everybody wins.

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Now that you’ve connected, how do you stay in touch after the show?

To really make an impact, mention something specific you discussed, and find a way to offer help. This way, the person you’re following up with knows you were paying attention and that you genuinely care about their success.

If you follow these tips and use your next tradeshow or networking event strategically as a way to connect with people and build real relationships, you can grow your business, learn new things, and possibly find that one new product that will make your work life ten times easier. ●●

BUSINESS

Lots of Money,

No Deals available in the Environmental and Water industry by / Mark Borkowski

AT THIS TIME, there is more money

in the system than anyone can imagine.

There is a shortage of companies to acquire, or good projects to invest in.

The theory that the baby boomers were selling their companies has proved false. Capital investments are seeking established companies to invest or buy or credible investments. The institutional investment and high net worth community are crawling over each other to find projects. Since 2001, over 1,100 environmental companies have closed their doors in North America.

Private Equity Groups have not been hard-hit by the credit crunch or the past stock market decline. They have capital to invest and are looking for business acquisitions or investments. One of the major market shifts for the acquisition of privately held companies has been the growth in the number of Private Equity Groups (PEGs) over the last decade. These organizations number in the thousands in both the United States and Canada. Private Equity firms generally manage money for insurance funds, pension funds, charitable trusts, and sophisticated investment groups.

They have money to invest. Despite the downturn in the Canadian economy and the industry in general, the buyout and investment market for Canadian companies remains hot. Even early stage businesses are also being sought out.

PEGs have become key players in business acquisitions. They offer flexibility as a liquidity source, giving entrepreneurs the ability to take some cash off the table, recapitalize their company, or simply sell and move on.

Private equity refers to buyout groups that seek to acquire or invest in ongoing, profitable businesses that demonstrate growth potential.

The private equity market had traditionally been restricted to acquiring or investing in larger companies. But increased competition for those larger operations, the greater growth potential of smaller firms, and an easier path to exiting the investment of smaller firms in the future have played a role in attracting PEGs to smaller companies.

PEGs are typically organized as limited partnerships controlled and managed by the private equity firm that acts as the general partner. The fund invests in privately held companies to generate above-market financial returns for investors.

The strategy and focus of these groups vary widely in investment philosophies and transaction structure preferences.

Some prefer complete ownership, while others are happy with a majority or minority interest in acquired companies.

Some limit themselves geographically while others have a global strategy. solidwastemag.com » June / July 2016 » 23

BUSINESS

10 SWANA YPs Honored as Top 40 Under 40 List at WasteExpo SWANA Young Professionals (YPs) are being honored as part of Waste360’s Top 40 Under 40 award list at WasteExpo.

“SWANA is thrilled that fully one quarter of the Waste360 Top 40 under 40 are SWANA YPs. We are building the next generation of waste industry leaders through our YP program, and I encourage young people in both the public and private sector to take advantage of this growing program. The targeted networking, educational and leadership opportunities benefit both the YPs and their employers,” said David Biderman, SWANA’s Executive Director and CEO. Waste360, a trade publication, recognizes young professionals who have made significant contributions in the waste industry through the 40 under 40 program. 25% of the Top 40 under 40 winners for 2016 are SWANA YPs. The following SWANA YPs were named to the list: Lynsey Kocenko, Robert Alan Wilson, Kathy Richardson, Nate Morris, Gena McKinley, David Hostetter, Russell Hightower, Ashley Davis, Christian Benitez, and Marissa Adler.

For more information about SWANA’s Young Professionals Initiative, please visit SWANA.org/ YP411 24 » Solid Waste & Recycling

“Other traits that appeal to PEGs are strong growth opportunities, a compelling track record, low customer concentrations, and a deep management team.”

PEGs also tend to have certain things in common. They typically target companies with relatively stable product lifecycles and a strategy to overcome foreign competition. They avoid leading-edge technology (this is what venture capitalists want) and have a preference for superior profit margins, a unique business model with a sustainable and defensible market niche and position.

Other traits that appeal to PEGs are strong growth opportunities, a compelling track record, low customer concentrations, and a deep management team. Most prefer a qualified management team that will continue to run the day-to-day operations while the group’s principals closely support them on the Board of Director level.

Private equity buyouts or investments take many forms, including: Outright Sale - This is common when the owner wants to sell his ownership interest and retire. Either existing management will be elevated to run the company or management will be brought in. A transition period may be required to train replacement management and provide for a smooth transition of key relationships.

Employee Buyout - PEGs can partner with key employees in the acquisition of a company in which they play a key role. Key employees receive a generous equity stake in the conservatively capitalized company while retaining daily operating control.

Family Succession - This type of transaction often involves backing certain members of family management in acquiring ownership from the senior generation. By working with a PEG

in a family succession transaction, active family members secure operating control and significant equity ownership, while gaining a financial partner for growth.

Recapitalization - This is an option for an owner who wants to sell a portion of the company for liquidity while retaining equity ownership to participate in the company’s future upside potential. This structure allows the owner to achieve personal liquidity, retain significant operational input and responsibility and gain a financial partner to help capitalize on strategic expansion opportunities.

Growth Capital - Growing a business often strains cash flow and requires significant access to additional working capital. A growth capital investment permits management to focus on running the business without constantly having to be concerned with cash flow matters.

PEGs have become a major force in the acquisition and investment arena.

They can also be thought of as strategic acquirers in certain instances, when they own portfolio companies in your industry or a related area that addresses the same customer base. These buyers may be in a position to pay more than an industry or strategic buyer that does not have this financial backing. ●● Mark Borkowski is president of Torontobased Mercantile Mergers & Acquisitions Corp. Mercantile specializes in the sale of mid market companies sold to strategic buyers or private equity firms. He can be contacted in confidence at mark@mercantilema. com or (416) 368-8466 ext. 232 or www.mercantilemergersacquisitions.com



Local Job Creation



Energy Capture



Soil Health  COMPOST!

Organics Recycling Conference 2016 September 26-28, 2016  Niagara Falls, Ontario

Register Now @ www.compost.org

PRESENTATIONS  TOURS TRAINING  EXHIBITS

Waste Diversion

www.compost.org 1-877-571-GROW(4769) 

Local Job Creation



Energy Capture



Waste Diversion  Local Job Creation  Energy Capture  Soil Health  Waste Diversion  COMPOST!

Waste Diversion  Local Job Creation  Energy Capture  Soil Health  Waste Diversion  COMPOST!

Waste Diversion

Soil Health  COMPOST!

Organics Recycling Conference 2016 September 26-28, 2016  Niagara Falls, Ontario

Register Now @ www.compost.org

EXTRA BONUS DAY !

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25TH

9AM-5PM (EXTRA FEES APPLY)

GREAT WORKSHOP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE! ODOUR MANAGEMENT 101 AND A SERIES OF INTERACTIVE LEARNING SESSIONS SOIL HEALTH OPERATOR ESSENTIALS MATURITY TESTING IDENTIFICATION OF MICROBES IN COMPOST MONDAY SEPTEMBER 26th and TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 27th

9AM – 5PM

PRESENTATIONS AND TRADESHOW

A series of plenary and concurrent sessions covering the full range of dynamics & issues pertaining to organics recycling – both composting & anaerobic digestion -- and program success. For full agenda details, visit www.compost.org

CONFERENCE TOUR DAY

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 28TH

9AM-5PM

SEE COMPOSTING, ANAEROBIC DIGESTION AND RESEARCH FACILITIES IN ACTION! VISITS WILL INCLUDE: WALKER ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPUS INCLUDING A GORE® COMPOSTING FACILITY, N-VIRO® PROCESSING FACILITY, LANDFILL GAS UTILIZATION FACILITY, RESIDENTIAL DROP-OFF DEPOT AND A LANDFILL BIO-EN POWER ANAEROBIC DIGESTION FACILITY VINELAND RESEARCH AND INNOVATION CENTRE EXTRA BONUS DAY !

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 29TH

9AM-5PM (EXTRA FEES APPLY)

CITY OF HAMILTON CENTRAL COMPOSTING FACILITY CITY OF TORONTO’S DISCO ROAD ORGANICS PROCESSING FACILITY WALKER ENVIRONMENTAL

BIO-EN POWER VINELAND RESEARCH

The 2016 National Compost Conference Sessions include:

COMMUNITY COMPOSTING SOLUTIONS

REDUCING FOOD WASTE

HEALTH & SAFETY

WRESTLING WITH CLIMATE CHAN

RESEARCH MATTERS

GE

FOOD WASTE PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT

DUCTS INNOVATION IN PRO AND PROCESSING

EMISSIONS MEASUREMENT FROM LARGE-SCALE FACILITIES

ANAEROBIC DIGESTION AND DIGESTATE

S SYNTHETIC FERTILIZER VS COMPOSTS

GLOBAL VIEW OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF USING COMPOST

LOGISTICS OF COLLECTION AND PROCESSING

AGRICULTURAL S CONSIDERATION

NEIGHBOURHOOD SOIL REBUILDERS

TECHNOLOGY SYNERGIES AND CO

NSIDERATIONS

COMPOST MARKET UPDATES

DIGESTATE FOR COMPOSTING

COMPOST IN SPECIFICATIOSOIL NS

Organics Recycling Conference 2016 September 26-28, 2016  Niagara Falls, Ontario

Register Now @ www.compost.org



Local Job Creation



Energy Capture



Soil Health  COMPOST!

Register now for the Organics Recycling Conference 2016 www.compost.org or call 1-877-571-GROW(4769)

PRESENTATIONS  TOURS TRAINING  EXHIBITS

Meet Leaders of the Organics Recycling Industry in our Exhibit Area.

CONFERENCE EXHIBITORS INCLUDE:

ECOVERSE ORBIS CORPORATION ECS (ENGINEERED PENINSULA PLASTICS LTD. COMPOST SYSTEMS INC.) REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY GROUPE COMMERCIAL OF NIAGARA PAUL LAROUCHE INC. (GCPL) SCARAB INTERNATIONAL IPL INC. SOLID WASTE & KOMPTECH AMERICAS RECYCLING MAGAZINE MILLER COMPOST VERMEER CANADA MOLOK NORTH AMERICA LTD. WALKER ENVIRONMENTAL ODOTECH INC.

JOIN US TO LEARN ! SEE ! NETWORK !

@ the 26th Annual National Organics Recycling Conference September 26-28, 2016 with bonus learning days on September 25th & 29th Register Now @ www.compost.org or call 1-877-571-GROW(4769)

Waste Diversion



Local Job Creation



Energy Capture



Waste Diversion  Local Job Creation  Energy Capture  Soil Health  Waste Diversion  COMPOST!

Waste Diversion  Local Job Creation  Energy Capture  Soil Health  Waste Diversion  COMPOST!

Waste Diversion

Soil Health  COMPOST!

CONSTRUCTION RECYCLING

Drywall can be reused, again and again

Banning wallboard from landfills cuts down on greenhouse gases and bacteria growth.

By Cheryl McKitterick, New West Gypsum Recycling

SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING

is a growing global trend resulting in manufacturers creating more closedloop products. For some, this just brings to the forefront the actions their companies made years ago.

In Seattle, CertainTeed Gypsum is one of these companies. CertainTeed has been working with New West Gypsum, a gypsum wallboard recycling company, to create a closed-loop system for the infinite reuse of drywall.

What is closed loop?

“Closed loop” is a production process in which post-consumer waste is collected, recycled and used to make new products. When something gets recycled, a common misconception is that it gets easily and immediately

turned right back into the same thing it was. The reality is many materials are “down-cycled,” meaning they are converted into new materials that are usually of a lesser quality or reduced functionality.

For a closed-loop system to work properly, consumers, recyclers and manufacturers must work hand-in-hand to reclaim valuable resources from our waste stream and be committed to making new products with them.

When in proper working order, this closed-loop recycling system becomes the backbone to manufacturers’ supply chains. To keep the reclaimed material in the closed-loop system infinitely, it is paramount that manufacturers put a premium on designing products for recyclability.

What is drywall?

Drywall is made of an inner layer of gypsum including various additives, sandwiched between two outer layers of lining paper with varying designs for weight, strength, and sound proofing dependent on the product’s usage.

North America is one of the largest drywall users in the world and an average new American home contains more than eight tons of it.

Why recycle drywall?

Recycling drywall reduces the need to quarry and produce virgin gypsum.

Drywall should be recycled because of environmental concerns that arise when it is sent to a landfill. The primary component of drywall is calcium sulfate dehydrate, commonly called gypsum. solidwastemag.com » June / July 2016 » 29

CONSTRUCTION RECYCLING When gypsum is mixed with other materials in the moist, airless, carboncontaining environment often found in a landfill, the sulfates convert to toxic hydrogen sulfide gas.

Decomposing gypsum can release up to a quarter its weight in hydrogen sulfide. Moreover, bacteria that thrive in this environment will convert the paper liner in the drywall to methane, which is a greenhouse gas. Due to these environmental concerns, more than 30 years ago government in greater Vancouver, B.C., banned gypsum wallboard from landfills. This ban prompted Tony and Gwen McCamley to create New West Gypsum Recycling.

Working with a local manufacturer in British Columbia, at that time called Domtar and now Georgia-Pacific, the McCamleys found that old drywall could be reused in the production of new drywall without detrimental impact on the production or quality of the new product.

The ideal solution for gypsum is a closed-loop reutilization of the material. That is, recycled material is returned to the wallboard manufacturer to re-enter the manufacturing process — so ensuring gypsum is not “lost” as it is with composting or land spreading.

Gypsum can essentially be recycled forever with no degradation to the material. New West Gypsum’s philosophy keeps gypsum in the supply chain, reducing the need to extract virgin material and helping to preserve valuable natural resources for generations to come.

What is sustainability?

Sustainability is defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Sustainable construction aims to meet present day needs for housing, working environments and

infrastructure without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Recycling drywall supports the commitment of governments, companies and individuals to sustainability and the environment.

Can I make a difference?

By purchasing products containing recycled materials we are increasing demand for these products, and providing a use for the recyclable materials that companies and communities collect.

The benefit of increased demand in closed-loop products is the opportunity for manufacturers to show their commitment in the management of products—from inception through design and manufacturing to service and disposal or recycling. ●● This story originally appeared in the Daily Journal of Commerce, April 29, 2016. Cheryl McKitterick is a 26-year veteran of the construction recycling industry. She lives in British Columbia.

Gypsum Facts Gypsum is also known as calcium sulfate dihydrate in chemistry or hydrated calcium sulfate.

The chemical formula for pure gypsum is Ca(SO4) • 2(H2O) In nature, gypsum is formed by a chemical process; gypsum forms crystals, if given the resources and space for formation.

When gypsum is exposed to heat, it releases water, making it an ideal building material for its resilience and fireproofing properties.

Gypsum is also water-soluable— about ten times more so than limestone.

Gypsum can be found more than 100 feet below the ground, or in some cases, at the surface.

In its natural form, gypsum looks like rock, but it is soft and can easily be scratched with a finger nail.

Facts courtesy of sciencewithkids.com.

30 » Solid Waste & Recycling

technology ●●

New Technology Scale-Up Blues Approximately a year ago, the City of Toronto published a technical report that discussed options for the management of biosolids from its Highland Creek treatment plant as part of a class environmental assessment. Of note to any new technology developer was the screening criteria used to determine the feasibility of biosolids management alternatives. The very first criterion was that the alternative must have been demonstrated at a similar scale in North America for more than two years.

The thought process for choosing a biosolids management alternative at Toronto’s Highland Creek is only one example of many in which innovative Canadian technology developers must prove themselves elsewhere before having being accepted on home soil.

The Municipal Perspective In fairness to municipal operators, one can see their perspective. There are no days off when it comes to treatment of sewage and management of waste.

Is a city of the size of Toronto the

by / John Nicholson, M.Sc., P.Eng. Business Columnist, Solid Waste & Recycling

place to fully implement a technology with limited operational history? If a promising new technology doesn’t work, it’s the municipal officials that have to answer to politicians and the public as to their choice of technology.

Examples of municipalities taking bold chances on new technologies that delivered less than promised can easily be found in the Cities of Guelph and Ottawa.

In the case of Guelph, the City signed an agreement with Super Blue Box Recycling Corp (SUBBOR) in 1998 whereby the municipality would be a full-scale test site for SUBBOR’s municipal waste treatment technology.

SUBBOR built a $20 million facility and the federal government invested $5 million in the project. The facility was designed to sort MSW, and aerobically digest the organics and produce

recyclables, peat, and gas to generate electricity.

In 2002, the City asked SUBBOR to prove that the technology was working at full-scale. When proof wasn’t forthcoming, the City sent a letter to the company terminating the relationship.

In the case of Ottawa, the City entered into a 20-year, $180 million agreement with Plasco Energy to produce energy from 300 tonnes per day of municipal solid waste back in 2012. In 2015, the City of Ottawa served notice to Plasco that it was severing the relationship when the company could not secure financing to build a full-scale facility.

Plasco has a proprietary technology that heats waste at very high temperature in the absence of oxygen to produce a synthetic gas (syngas) that can be burned to produce heat and electricity.

Its demonstration facility located at the City of Ottawa Trail Road landfill operated from January 2008 to January 2015. In 2014, a third party engineering company declared the technology ready for commercialization.

For a municipality, it’s much easier to simply choose a technology already proven successful in other large municipalities somewhere else in the world than to be an early adopter of something new.

The Start-Ups Perspective Technology innovators in Canada are in a catch-22 situation. How does a new technology that may be more effective, more environmentally friendly, safer to implement, and is less expensive in both capital and operational costs ever break through?

solidwastemag.com » June / July 2016 » 31

technology ●●

“How does a new technology that may be more effective, more environmentally friendly, safer to implement, and is less expensive in both capital and operational costs ever break through?”

The City of Toronto High Creek RFP is very discouraging for innovative companies. For starters, the criterion is so narrow that it totally dismisses full-scale demonstrations in six other continents. Can the biosolids in Europe be so vastly different from North America that technologies proven successful there need to be re-proven in North America?

There are a number of companies in Canada that have developed new thermal, mechanical, and biological technologies for the management various fractions of the municipal waste stream.

32 » Solid Waste & Recycling

Tales of Success All is not lost for Canadian developers of innovative technology. Entrepreneurs can look to several examples in which municipalities were happy first adopters of new technology. The City of Guelph offers such an example as does the City of Edmonton.

The City of Guelph worked with the Canadian-based Lystek International Inc. over a three year period as the company developed and tested its biosolids treatment and processing technology through pilot-scale and fullscale testing. Proof of the successful relationship can be found in the fact

that Lystek has a full-scale commercial process up and running in Guelph since 2008.

In Edmonton, Enerkem (headquartered in Montreal) has been operating a bio-methanol plant using post-sorted municipal solid waste from the City as feedstock. The facility is currently being upgraded to produce ethanol with start-up planned for 2017. With the Enerkem plant up and running, the City’s waste diversion rate from landfill is moving toward 90 per cent. ●●

Regulatory Developments Across Canada Code of Practice for End-of-Life Mercury Lamps Environment and Climate Change Canada has released a document entitled, “Proposed Code of Practice for the Environmentally Sound Management of End-of-life Lamps Containing Mercury.” Mercury is a component in certain energy efficient lamps, such as fluorescent tubes and light bulbs, and may be released as vapour when lamps, which are improperly disposed of as regular garbage, break.

regulatory developments ●● by / Rosland H. Cooper, LLB

and end-of-life management options for northern and remote areas, where access to recycling and disposal facilities is limited. The Proposed Code of Practice does not prescribe specific methods or technologies, but addresses emergency response plans, managing spills and broken lamps, tracking inventory systems, collection and storage, transportation, recycling of materials, and worker training.

Management of End-of-Life Vehicles Waste Disposal Sites

This creates a risk to human health and to the environment because mercury is a toxic chemical element that may be carried long distances in the atmosphere. Mercury is converted to more harmful forms of the metal such as methylmercury in the environment, and methylmercury is readily absorbed by organisms and bioaccumulates in living tissue. In humans, methylmercury can cause brain damage and neurological development effects in fetuses, infants and young children. Mercury and its compounds are toxic substances listed on Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.

The Ontario Government has introduced regulations that would apply new environmental standards to end-of-life vehicle waste disposal sites.

Ontario Regulation 85/16 is entitled “Registrations under Part II.2 of the Act - End-of-life-Vehicles” and prescribes activities in relation to waste, air, and noise issues at end-of-life vehicle waste disposal sites that require registration on the Environmental Activity and Sector Registry (EASR) and imposes operating requirements relating to onsite management of end-of-life vehicles and other similar materials, such as scrap metal.

According to the Proposed Code of Practice, environmentally sound management of spent lamps requires that they be collected separately from the general waste stream and stored, handled, transported, and processed in a manner that prevents release of mercury to the environment. The Proposed Code of Practice also prescribes that mercury from waste products should be recovered or stabilized prior to disposal in a hazardous landfill.

In addition Ontario Regulation 86/16, which amends Regulation 347 which is the general waste management regulation, designates end-of-life vehicles as a waste for the purposes of the Environmental Protection Act and revokes and replaces the existing derelict motor vehicle site exemption from environmental compliance approval requirements and the application of Regulation 347. The amendments also exempt specified activities from requiring an environmental compliance approval, and impose additional requirements for the management of end-of-life vehicles.

The Proposed Code of Practice is a voluntary tool developed to work in conjunction with provincial, territorial, municipal, and other initiatives and includes information on diversion

The regulation also contains a new

definition of asbestos waste to include solid or liquid waste that contains asbestos in more than a trivial amount, specifically, waste that results from the removal of asbestos-containing construction or insulation materials; waste that results from the manufacture of asbestos-containing products; waste that results from the removal of asbestos-containing components from a motor vehicle; and waste that results from the removal or handling of these wastes or materials including personal protective equipment, tools that cannot be decontaminated, and cleaning materials.

The Automotive Recyclers of Canada has called for federal policies to eliminate the import and use of asbestos in Canada. According to the Automotive Recyclers of Canada, approximately 1.6 million vehicles reach their endof-life in Canada every year and require proper management including dismantling for parts salvage and metals recycling. There are various materials that automotive recyclers must manage including fuels, oils, mercury switches and air conditioning refrigerants. But they must also deal with brake pads which may contain asbestos.

Vehicle manufacturers do not install asbestos brake pads, but one of the largest categories of asbestos-containing products imported into Canada is aftermarket brake pads. Canada imported more than $100,000,000 in asbestos brake pads and linings between 2005 and 2015 and imports of asbestos-containing brake pads continues to increase. The continued on page 38 solidwastemag.com » June / July 2016 » 33

●● organic matters

Attitudes Create Opportunities: Insights from a recent trade mission to the Netherlands They say that a little time away allows you to gain new perspectives. A recent trade mission to the Netherlands showed off the Dutch approach to solving universal realities, like death and taxes, of waste and wastewater generation.

The Dutch think about their waste—a lot.

Viewed from afar they are often seen as a land of waste diversion opportunities, worth emulating. It becomes quickly apparent that most of this stature is a result of attitude.

It is this attitude, and the policies it spawns, that sends clear signals to the marketplace, spurring the development and implementation of new technologies, re-application of old ones, or a combination of the two. It is a sense of the policies and the implementation of technologies that we see.

The Dutch are not super human. They generate waste like the rest of us (albeit less than we do) and dispose it. Dutch consumption is, on the whole, noticeably less than North American consumption.

At the single family level they have multiple carts for various streams that they need to present at the curb for collection. They have many residents living in multi-residential households and that have to bring various waste streams to centralized bins. Their challenges are similar to our own. For instance single-family residents don’t want too many carts because they can clutter their small front yards. Multi-

by / Paul vander Werf

residential residents need to walk their various waste streams to centralized bins and this results in waste diversion challenges.

Overarching waste management policy comes from the European Union.

Waste management is co-ordinated nationally with the co-operation of provincial and local governments.

This differs considerably from our own waste management system where much of waste management is municipally driven, albeit with some provincial strategies and regulations of various strengths, but, with little to no enforcement.

Its important to understand that while the Netherlands may appear as a Utopia for waste management solutions it is not without its own challenges. The key again is attitude. Translated this an optimistic “state of mind” where the end goal is known, the challenges and its solutions are identified and solutions tested.

What does all this mean? For organics, for instance, the average Netherlands resident diverts 250kg/year while we divert about 70kg/capita/year. Of course our context is different with lots of wide-open spaces, without the critical mass of population to make non-landfilling options cost effective.

However, the key driver is attitude. A problem, any problem, is just a well thought out solution away from being solved. Co-ordinate that mind set and

you can actually get something done.

The key unifier of all that we saw was the conflation of energy, nutrient and mineral capture. It is a trip back to first principles. We are not trying to divert waste; rather, we are trying to capture molecules. In the circular economy this is what we are trying to keep within this closed system.

Some of the key insights of the trade mission: It is very clear that anaerobic digestion is the preferred front end to compost food and other organic wastes. We had the opportunity to see quite a few different systems including Orgaworld’s Amsterdam Greenmills (part of the Shanks Group) (http://www.shanks. nl) facility, which turns 120,000 tonnes per year of mostly ICI organic waste into 5.5MW of electricity and heat for Amsterdam’s central heating system to Omrin and Attero’s digesters, which upgrade the biogas for placement on the grid and in vehicles. The technologies used continue to evolve and at the Dairy Campus in Leeuwarden we saw Averio Waste Systems (www.adverio.eu) approach to using AD to get at longer chain carbon molecules, such as lignin, opening up the possibility of using AD to extract energy from wood. How to use the digestate produced from these systems also continues to evolve. Dorset (www.dorset.nu) has a technology that uses waste heat to dry the digestate so it can be easily bagged and sent to clients.

There continues to be the ongoing challenge on how to deal with residual

34 » Solid Waste & Recycling

garbage. With garbage to landfill virtually eliminated (although starting to creep up ever so slightly and retaxed) and the recent tax on energy from waste facilities, solutions to capture waste for recycling and to reduce disposal are in demand. Omrin (www. omrin.nl), in Heerenveen, take mixed residential garbage and capture 55 per cent of it. Using a series of trommels, conveyors, magnets, eddy currents, and optical sorters they manage to strip off the paper, plastic, and metal. They are left with a contaminated organics stream that is then directed to their on site digesters. The digestate from this process is directed to energy from waste.

(They were very clear that the inbound organics feedstock quality was never intended to produce compost). The dry recyclables are sold as commodities.

The gas from the organics has been converted into electricity. They are currently building a gas hub to turn it exclusively into natural gas and putting it to the grid.

Attero (www.attero.nl) manages some four million tonnes of waste annually.

At their Wijster location, which includes clean and dirty MRFs, composting, anaerobic digestion, an incinerator and landfill they accept two million tonnes annually.

They have considerable biogas upgrading capability at this facility and have sufficient capacity so that they can also import agricultural

“In Canada, we often turn up our noses at the pejorative ‘dirty MRFs’ because in the past unrealistic and opaque expectations of outcomes and outputs have been presented.” biogas from surrounding farms. They direct upgraded gas to the grid but also to a close by Shell vehicle fueling station. They have also invested considerably to extracting resources from their bottom ash (i.e. various metals). Apparently their bottom ash has a higher concentration of copper than “the best South African mines”.

What was also quite fascinating and applicable to Canada was their “dirty MRF.” All garbage is directed to this facility to pull out available recyclables and organics prior to incineration (this is over and above recyclables and organics from source separation programs). As at Omrin, a contaminated organics stream is directed to anaerobic digestion to strip out as much energy as possible with digestate directed to their incinerator In Canada, we often turn up our noses at the pejorative “dirty MRFs” because in the past unrealistic and opaque expectations of outcomes and outputs have been presented. As we look how to take waste diversion and the reduction of our waste’s GHG impact

Saltwater Brewery’s Edible Six-pack Rings the Ultimate in Sustainable Recycling We’ve all seen the photos of sealife deformed, killed, or worse by plastic six-pack rings discarded in waterways or sent there by wind or runoff.

Saltwater Brewery in Florida has decided to take action. The company has designed a six-pack ring made from wheat and barley instead of petroleum that is both biodegradable and edible. Marine life can safely snack

to the next level this type of approach offers promise. It could work very well to manage parts of Canada’s multi residential and IC&I waste streams, which in some cases have very poor diversion opportunities or participation.

Push source separation as far as you can and then sort and process the remaining garbage stream.

The essence and the real lesson learned, on this trade mission, is that attitude creates opportunity. It creates the environment where opportunities can be identified and then realized. And as Aim Environmental Group’s CEO (and trade mission delegate) Theo Van Wely reminded me it is the ability to adapt to the changes in situation, markets and regulations that has really driven the Dutch’s success in moving waste diversion forward over the last twentyfive years. ●● Paul is the owner of the environmental consultancy 2cg. He is also a PhD candidate at Western University and developing strategies to prevent food from becoming food waste.

EDITOR’S PICK

on the rings and the material breaks down so quickly in salt water that there is no time to trap a bird or turtle.

the issue of anomals getting stuck in them,” says Gustavo Lauria, cofounder of We Believers.

The product’s development is a project created in tandem with creative advertising agency We Believers, which came up with the idea.

The team originally tried seaweed as a biodegradable material, but it became too rigid out of water. The current rings are made from brewing byproducts, which minimizes their carbon footprint.

“If our six pack ring ends up in the ocean, in a matter of hours it starts breaking down, which also addresses

How’s that for ultimate in recycling?

Bottoms up, Saltwater Brewery! solidwastemag.com » June / July 2016 » 35

●● around the world

Toumbas supplies the municipality of Ampelokipon Menemenis with eight DT16 16m3 rear loading waste collection vehicles Toumbas Special Vehicles Superstructures, one of the main suppliers of waste collection vehicles in Greece and Eastern Europe, has supplied eight of its DT16 series 16m3 rear loading waste collection vehicles to the municipality of Ampelokipon Menemenis in Thessaloniki Prefecture.

The purchase was made from a 2.2 million Euros European Union funding allocation to help the municipality of Ampelokipon Menemenis upgrade its existing fleet of waste collection vehicles. The eight new waste collection vehicles will be used to collect non-recyclable waste across the municipality.

The new Toumbas DT16 waste collection vehicles feature a superstructure made totally of Hardox 450 steel which will give a longer service life and be ideal for collecting abrasive waste materials. The use of the Hardox 450 steel also gives the waste collection vehicle superstructure a weight saving compared to other competitors’ waste collection vehicles made out of heavier, less durable steel.

The weight saving means the new DT16 waste collection vehicles can

by / Timothy Byrne

achieve a higher legal payload. The new DT16 series units are mounted onto DAF LF Euro 6 4x2 two-axle 20 tonne chassis, which feature a 280 horsepower engine and a day cab complete with a dual passenger seat for the seating of a driver and two operatives. The DAF LF chassis features the DAF 8 speed manual transmission and Goodyear 295/80R 22.5 tires.

The new fleet of waste collection vehicles will be used to collect waste seven days a week across the municipality, utilizing the five day working week to collect waste from all areas of the municipality, with weekend collection from main roads and central areas.

The non-recyclable waste fraction across Ampelokipon Menemenis is deposited in 1100 litre containers at communal collection points along the street. The municipality’s new fleet of waste collection vehicles leave the depot at 5:30 a.m. to start collecting waste at 6:00 a.m. The two waste collection operatives position the 1100 litre containers at the rear of the new DT16 waste collection vehicles to be lifted with a Toumbas trunnion / comb lift, which is applicable to DIN 30700

and DIN 30740 EN15001 certification.

Once the 1100 litre containers have been emptied, they are replaced at the communal collection point by the two waste collection operatives. The compaction mechanism designed in the DT16 rear loader is of the slide block type with a conventional packer and carriage blade. The DT16 delivers a high compaction force of 6:1, which achieves a high legal payload of eight tonnes once the DT16 rear loader is full.

Once the waste collection vehicle is full, it travels to the Mavrorahi sanitary landfill site, which is the landfill for the whole Prefecture of Thessaloniki.

This site is operated by FODSA, a public company managing waste for the Association of Local Authorities of the Prefecture of Thessaloniki. It manages the treatment of waste from the two million inhabitants living in the Prefecture.

The eight new Toumbas waste collection vehicles operated by the municipality

Wondering where you’ll see us next? Come and see us at these upcoming events: Compost Council of Canada Tradeshow and Conference Waste and Recycling Expo Canada 36 » Solid Waste & Recycling

around the world ●●

The municipality accessed 2.2 million Euros from the EU funds for Cohesion Policy (ESPA) provided by the European Union from 2007–2013 which enabled them to replace the existing fleet of waste collection vehicles. of Ampelokipon Menemenis collect one load of waste six days a week e.g.

Monday to Saturday but on Mondays collect two loads of waste. This is because some areas of the municipality do not have a waste collection service on Sundays and so there is extra waste put out on Mondays.

The mayor of the municipality of Ampelokipon Menemenis said he realized the current fleet of waste collection vehicles was outdated, proving to be unreliable and not providing the required working conditions for the municipality’s drivers and operatives. The municipality accessed 2.2 million Euros from the EU funds for Cohesion Policy (ESPA) provided by the European Union from 2007–2013 which enabled them to replace the existing fleet of waste collection vehicles. A tender was advertised in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) with the requirements and specification for the eight new waste collection vehicles of 16m3 capacity. After the submission for tenders had closed, all submissions by

waste collection vehicle manufacturers were reviewed and it was decided that Toumbas Special Vehicles Superstructures offered the best value for money in terms of specification of the new fleet of waste collection vehicles.

They were assessed in terms of whole life costs and simplicity in operation e.g. the electrics which operated the Toumbas DT16 waste collection vehicle superstructure were simple and of the non canbus type. Therefore, Toumbas Special Vehicles Superstructures received the order to supply the eight new waste collection vehicles. The mayor concluded by saying that, in conjunction with the purchase of the Euro 6 chassis, the new Toumbas DT16 waste collection vehicles would reduce fuel consumption, emissions,

and noise emissions across the municipality. This would deliver 0% operating costs for both the Toumbas waste collection vehicle body and the DAF LF Euro 6 chassis. This would also help the municipality to deliver a more sustainable and efficient waste collection service to its citizens while it helped to improve the working conditions for the municipalities’ drivers and operatives.

In conclusion, the Toumbas DT16 waste collection vehicle has made a significant improvement to waste collection across the municipality of Ampelokipon Menemenis. This is evident by Delta municipality, the neighbouring municipality to Ampelokipon Menemenis, purchasing two identical specification DT16 waste collection vehicles from Toumbas Special Vehicles Superstructures mounted on DAF LF Euro 6 4x2 two axle 20 tonne chassis. ●●

The CompuWeigh System: Software that Outweighs the Competition

www.paradigmsoftware.com

410.329.1300

The Standard in Weighing and Routing Software 410.329.1300 • www.paradigmsoftware.com solidwastemag.com » June / July 2016 » 37

●● advertiser index Greening Business

is to lead a culture shift that integrates responsible waste management into every department’s decision making— from procurement to the daily procedures of grooming teams and flight attendants.

Continued from page 18

The useable chemicals and metals that are extracted during processing are re-used in the manufacturing of new products.

Having a positive environmental impact doesn’t have to come from large-scale business changes. Small, considered changes to the management of day-today items and processes can be just as meaningful. Companies of any size can initiate battery recycling efforts, and collectively we can divert millions of potentially hazardous batteries from our waste stream. It’s the right thing to do for Canadians and for the environment. ●●

Battery recycling immediately took off at our company. In the first six months alone, we collected more than 1,500 kg. These efforts rested on the strength of employees recycling their batteries from work and bringing them from home, which the company strongly encourages. Of course, the program was not without its speed bumps. Despite carefully considering how to make the most of the program, we initially struggled to manage the varying fill rates of the boxes across our different locations. Toronto, for example, filled boxes much more quickly than we expected, and we were not ready with replacements in a timely fashion. Careful monitoring of box activity in those initial months was key to understanding fill patterns and optimizing the program.

In order to maintain momentum, we continue to track our results and share them periodically with staff.

Partnerships are a key pillar of the Leave Less, Do More philosophy, so we intend to work with Call2Recycle on other battery collection and promotion initiatives that can boost our results in the future. Our next objective

Chelsea Quirke, Air Canada’s Environmental Waste Programs Manager, oversees office and facility waste reduction and recycling for Air Canada. Her duties include developing and implementing effective waste management programs and initiatives, identifying key opportunities for waste disposal and improvement, and ensuring that Air Canada meets its sustainability objectives.

Regulatory Developments Continued from page 33

new Ontario regulation requires automotive recyclers to recycle endof-life vehicles to meet environmental standards and these standards include the removal of asbestos brake pads

Advertiser Index

prior to compaction of vehicle hulks in preparation for shipment to metal recyclers.

Saskatchewan Clarifies Stewardship Program Amendments to the Saskatchewan Household Packaging and Paper Stewardship Program (Reporting Requirements and Exemptions) Amendment Regulations, 2016 under the Environmental Management and Protection Act, 2010 have been published and attempt to clarify certain exemptions.

A steward will be exempt from complying if the steward is a business that generates less than $2,000,000 in gross annual revenue; supplies or distributes less than one tonne of paper and packaging; or operates as a single point of retail sale but does not generate its revenues exclusively from on-line sales. Annual reports now must include the types and amounts of residentiallygenerated waste packaging and paper supplied for use in Saskatchewan by the stewards and non-resident brand owners, and waste packaging and paper collected under the program showing the total amount of waste packaging diverted from municipal landfills, the recovery rate of diverted waste packaging and paper, the fees charged to stewards and non-resident brand owners, total fees collected, and expenses of operating the program. ●●

Company

Phone

2cg Waste Management Consulting Inc.

519.645.7733 www.2cg.ca

34

CW Mill Equipment

800.743.3491 www.hogzilla.com

4

Compost Council of Canada

877.571.GROW

25

Freightliner

800.FTL.HELP www.freightlinertrucks.com/worksmart

OBC

Metrocompactor Services Inc.

888.968.7491

8

Paradigm Software, LLC

410.329.1300 www.paradigmsoftware.com

37

Pragmatech Ltd.

647.848.6410

www.pragmatech.com

8

Recycling Council of Alberta

403.843.6563

www.recycle.ab.ca

21

Van Dyk Recycling Solutsions

203.967.1100

www.vdrs.com

IFC

Waste & Recycling Expo Canada

403.589.4832 www.cwre.ca

38 » Solid Waste & Recycling

Website Page

www.compost.org www.metrocompactor.com

WRAP

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Competitive financing available through Daimler Truck Financial. For the Freightliner Trucks dealer nearest you, call 1-800-FTL-HELP. www.freightlinertrucks.com. FTL/MC-A-1090. Specifications are subject to change without notice. Copyright © 2016. Daimler Trucks North America LLC. All rights reserved. Freightliner Trucks is a division of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, a Daimler company.