City of Thunder Bay

Monday , February 3, 2014

Solid Waste Management Strategy – Draft for Discussion

Agenda

1. Recommended system – Phase 1

2. Recommended system – Phase 2

3. Financial considerations

4. Waste diversion implications

5. Administering the strategy

6. Next steps

Recommended System - Phase 1

Enhanced Waste, Reuse, & Recycling Programs & New Recycling Infrastructure

• Within the City’s mandate from a regulatory perspective

• Includes those that are relatively easy to implement

• Programs proposed are strongly supported by residents as indicated through the public consultation process

Phase 1- Enhanced Waste, Reuse, & Recycling Program Highlights• Enhanced leaf & yard waste

program• Bulky waste collection• Enhance recycling depots –

including access to small commercial generators

• Landfill ban on cardboard• Reuse centre and Take-it-Back

programs• Additional Household Hazardous

Waste collection events

Phase 1- New Recycling Infrastructure• A need for processing capacity to

support the collection and processing of Additional Recyclable Materials

• Options include: retrofit existing Material Recycling Facility (MRF) or construct a new regional MRF

• Transfer option evaluated but not viable by comparison

Surveys:• indicated residents

have a strong desire for an expanded household recycling program

• residents want to recycle more plastics (this option was selected by residents as the first preference the City should consider implementing)

Phase 1- New Recycling InfrastructureSingle-stream vs. continued dual–stream recycling:

• Convenient - can result in additional material capture

• Appropriate for automated cart collection

• Greater efficiencies in collection• Accommodates co-collection• Greater participation in multi-

residential and commercial sectors• Accommodates a regional recycling

system

Focus Groups:• Single stream

recycling was identified as the preferred system for multi-family stakeholders who have material handling, segregation and storage issues

Phase 1- Enhanced Waste Reuse & Recycling ProgramsClear Garbage Bag Program

• Clear bags cost the same as conventional garbage bags and are less expensive than the cost of a bag tag

• No limit to the number of bags that can be placed at the curb. This addresses issues raised during consultation with respect to young families (diapers etc.) and larger families who can generate higher volumes of garbage than average

• Program is highly complementary to many other programs recommended to be implemented as part of this Solid Waste Management Strategy (SWMS)

• Based on the Satisfaction Survey results, 67% supported some kind of enforcement program to provide incentives to reduce garbage set out at the curb. The remaining 33% wanted no reduction in limits from the status quo. The clear garbage bag program achieves both objectives.

Phase 1- Enhanced Waste Reuse & Recycling ProgramsAutomated Garbage & Recycling Collection• Public support for collection of recyclables in

containers • The benefits of a cart-based program outweigh a blue box collection program

• Weekly collection of recyclables

•Surveys indicate residents have a strong desire for recycling collected in containers or carts• 69% of residents favour either a cart or box for

collection as opposed to the current blue bag program

Recommended System - Phase 2

Expanded Waste Reduction & Diversion Programs & Additional Infrastructure• Initiatives that raise the bar beyond

currently mandated programs• Can be phased in over the lifetime of

the SWMS• Require more rigorous planning and

funding• Prepares the City for regulatory

change

Phase 2 – Expanded Waste Reduction & Diversion Program Highlights• Additional Landfill Bans• Differential tipping fees• Expanded multi-residential diversion programs• Construction & demolition waste diversion for

IC&I sector• Green Park – entrepreneurial opportunities at

landfill

shingles wood bricks & concrete tires

Phase 2 – Additional Infrastructure• Consideration for processing capacity to

support a Source Separated Organic (SSO) Waste collection program

• Implementation of this program requires investment in collection containers, promotion & education, and processing infrastructure

• Takes programming to estimated 68% waste diversion

Financial ConsiderationsWaste and recycling programs are currently funded by landfill tipping fees, Provincial funding & tax base funding

Implementation of the SWMS will require additional funding:• Tipping fee revenue will decrease with

increased waste diversion• Additional capital and operating costs

System Financing Options:• Flat rate per household to support Phase 1 &

2 programs (possible utility based option)• Tax based

Summary of Larger System Cost Impacts

MRF Infrastructure Options

Gross Cost Per Tonne14,500 TPY

New Municipal Regional MRF $161.00Retrofit Existing MRF $128.00Transtor System $183.00Komar System $201.00

New Municipal Regional MRF – Single StreamCapital - $9,388,000; Operating - $2,300,000 annually

Retro-fit Existing MRF – Single StreamCapital - $5,000,000; Operating - $1,858,000 annually

Transtor SystemCapital - $2,548,000; Operating - $2,749,000 annually

Komar SystemCapital - $3,238,000; Operating – $2,577,860 annually

Summary of Larger System Cost ImpactsAutomated Cart Program CartsGarbage ~ $234,000 annually (amortized over 10 years)Recycling ~ $212,500 annually (amortized over 10 years)CollectionGarbage ~ ($575,000) annually Recycling ~$1,573,600 annuallyRevenueRecycling ~ $1,160,000 annually

SSO Collection Carts ~ $130,000 annually (amortized over 10 years)Collection ~ $1,640,000 annuallyComposting Operations ~$1,280,000 annuallyProcessing Facility - $2.5 million capital (~ $300,000 amortized over 15 yrs)Would result in decreased garbage collection costs with move to bi-weekly garbage collection ~ $902,800 annually

Utility Based Model (garbage collection & waste diversion programs only)Equivalent Flat RateBase Program Costs (2014 draft budget):Recycling Programs = $1,523,600 Garbage Collection = $3,222,800 Recycling Capital = $60,000Total Programs = $4,806,400

Total Single Family Households = 34,765 Cost per household per year = $138 Equivalent Flat Rate Charge per Single Family Dwellings: $12 per month

Utility Based Model (garbage collection & waste diversion programs only)Equivalent Flat RateBase Program Costs (2014 draft budget):Single Family Dwellings: $12 per month

Addition of Phase 1 programs:Single Family Dwelling: increase $4-10/month Flat fee $16-22/month

Addition of Phase 2 programs:Single Family Dwellings: increase $4-22/month Flat fee $16-34/month

Programming Impacts on Residential Diversion

Phase 1 Implementation Schedule

Phase 2 Implementation Schedule

Administering the Strategy

Administering the Strategy• Complete waste audits – 2014 as first benchmark• Report progress on a regular basis• Stakeholder engagement• SWMS review and updateProper monitoring & measuring serves a number of

functions, including the ability to:• Adhere to currently accepted best practices; • Identify issues with the system & effectively mitigate

these issues; • Adjust implementation schedules if necessary; • Secure highest degree of external funding; and, • Identify opportunities for cost savings & increased

effectiveness of the system.

Next StepsCity• Engineering assessment of existing MRF• Issue Expression of Interest for processing &

collection• Discussion with Waste Diversion Ontario &

Continuous Improvement Fund regarding program funding

Stantec• Incorporate comments/feedback from Council,

any additional public feedback into final SWMS document for presentation to Council in April 2014