waste reduction diversion - new brunswick · moving toward waste reduction & diversion ..... 3...

&& WasteReduction Diversion

WasteReduction Diversion

AnAction Plan

NewBrunswick

for

AnAction Plan

NewBrunswick

for

Fall 2001Fall 2001 Environment and Local GovernmentEnvironment and Local Government

For additional copies of this document, please contact:The Stewardship Branch

Department of the Environment and Local GovernmentTel: (506) 453-7945Fax: (506) 453-2390

The Action Plan is also available on the Department’sWeb site at the following address:

http://www.gnb.ca/elg-egl

Waste Reduction and DiversionAn Action Plan for New Brunswick

Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................... 1

Waste Management, Reduction, and Diversion Phase 1- A Sound Investment ...................................................................................... 2

A Regional Approach........................................................................................................... 2Environmental Protection .................................................................................................... 2Moving Toward Waste Reduction & Diversion .................................................................... 3

Waste Management, Reduction, and Diversion Phase 2- Looking to the Future .................................................................................... 6

Listening to New Brunswickers ........................................................................................... 6Organization and Accountability .......................................................................................... 6A Continuing Commitment to Involvement .......................................................................... 7

An Action Plan for New Brunswick:- Summary of the Initiatives under the 10 Point Plan ............................................ 8

Point 1 Legislated Waste Diversion Standards .......................................................... 8Point 2 A Green Procurement Policy for Government ............................................... 9Point 3 Enhanced Public Education and Awareness ................................................ 10Point 4 Support for Local and Regional Waste Reduction Initiatives ........................ 11Point 5 Waste Reduction and Diversion Plans ......................................................... 12Point 6 Prevention of Illegal Dumping....................................................................... 13Point 7 Advocating Mandatory Recycled Content .................................................... 14Point 8 Industry Stewardship .................................................................................... 15Point 9 Municipal and Regional Options ................................................................... 16Point 10 Consideration of Landfill Bans ...................................................................... 17

Conclusion .................................................................................................... 19

To Submit Comments .................................................................................. 20

Waste Reduction and Diversion - An Action Plan for New Brunswick

Introduction

This document outlines the Province’s intentions for the man-agement, reduction, and diversion of solid waste over the nextfive years. It consists of a 10-point plan featuring key initia-tives which are designed to help shape New Brunswick’s envi-ronmental and economic future — by establishing clear prov-ince-wide commitments, strengthening regional priorities, andsupporting waste reduction actions by individuals, communi-ties, businesses and institutions.

This Action Plan was developed following an extensive con-sultation exercise that solicited feedback from the general pub-lic, as well as from Regional Solid Waste Commissions, Mu-nicipal and Local Service District representatives, private sec-tor interests, and environmental groups. And while this exer-cise generated considerable input relating to our present andfuture direction, our province’s move toward integrated wastemanagement has been evolving over many years.

New Brunswick’s approach to organized waste management,reduction and diversion has two distinct phases – an initial andextensive investment in environmental protection, – and a planto extend the life-span of our waste management infrastruc-ture through new waste reduction opportunities.

1


Years ago, and for generations, the face ofwaste in New Brunswick was an unpleasantone. Hundreds of dumps were scatteredthroughout the Province, operated by munici-palities, by the provincial Department ofTransportation, or by private individuals. Nosingle body had responsibility for the safe dis-posal of our waste.

At these dumpsites, odour and vermin prob-lems were “solved” by regular open burningof the refuse, which in turn created air pollu-tion and related health hazards. Dumping waslargely uncontrolled, and a variety of hazard-ous wastes were dropped off along withhousehold garbage to be buried or burned.Liquid running off from the refuse was not con-tained on site, and this leachate was free toenter nearby lakes and streams, threateningdrinking water supplies of neighbouringhomes.

In response to the growing public concernsabout our health and environment, the Prov-ince began to apply stricter environmentalstandards. By the mid-1980s, it had becomevery clear that our traditional ‘dump-and-burn’method of garbage disposal could not be sus-tained; we needed a long-range plan.

A Regional Approach

After considerable background work, NewBrunswick’s Solid Waste Management Planwas adopted in 1987. This new plan proposedto establish a series of Regional Solid WasteCommissions, each with direct responsibilityfor all aspects of solid waste management inits own area. Commission members wouldbe local decision-makers, drawn from Munici-pal officials, Local Service District Advisory

Committees, and First Nations band councilswhere applicable.

Volunteer-based “Provisional Committees”were formed to study the waste managementoptions, to consult with local residents, and todevelop a long-term waste management strat-egy for their respective regions. As specificplans for construction of new waste-handlingfacilities were finalized for each region, its Pro-visional Committee was replaced by a SolidWaste Commission, empowered by the CleanEnvironment Act to manage that region’shousehold, commercial, and industrial wastes.

This regional approach allows for the differ-ences in population, infrastructure, and othercharacteristics between various areas of NewBrunswick. Decisions are made on a localbasis by representatives of the people mostdirectly affected by those decisions, within thecomprehensive waste management strategythat guides the Province as a whole.

Environmental Protection

The Solid Waste Management Plan repre-sented a new approach to waste manage-ment, placing a priority on environmental pro-tection. Region by region, a total of six sani-tary landfill sites were opened, replacing thehundreds of old, unsafe dumpsites. Thesemodern landfills are designed and operatedto prevent seepage into surface and groundwater supplies, odours and health hazardsfrom open burning, and long-term soil con-tamination. In addition to the landfill facilities,five transfer stations completed the Province-wide waste management network.

Waste Management, Reduction, and Diversion Phase 1- A Sound Investment -

2


The roadside collection of solid waste, pro-vided by municipalities to their residents foryears, was expanded to include unincorpo-rated areas as the old, local dumps weregradually closed. Under the new plan, Mu-nicipalities continued to oversee householdwaste collection in their respective communi-ties, while the Province, through its provisionof services to Local Service Districts, con-tracted with local haulers for waste collectionin rural areas.

After more than a decade of intense effort andextensive public consultation, and with the in-vestment of over $75 million, New Brunswicknow has one of the most environmentallysound waste disposal systems in Canada.

Moving TowardReduction & Diversion

In 1989, the Canadian Council of Ministers ofthe Environment (CCME), including NewBrunswick, agreed on a national goal to re-duce the waste sent for disposal by 50% percapita, by the year 2000. During the ensu-ing decade, New Brunswick continued toplace its primary focus on building safeguardsfor environmental protection. Even so, effortwas made to initiate and support localized andprovincial reduction measures, so that as of2000, we have achieved a 40% per capitareduction in our generated waste — throughprivate sector and voluntary efforts in com-munities across the Province, and throughsome ground-breaking environmental legis-lation.

Beverage ContainersThe Beverage Containers Act (1992) estab-lished a deposit/refund system for soft drink,beer, and liquor containers, to discourage lit-tering and to divert recyclable or refillable con-tainers from our solid waste stream and ourlandfills. Juice containers were added to thelist of returnables in 1993.

Under this program half of the deposit on bev-erage containers is refunded when consum-ers return them to a redemption centre. Thebalance goes to industry to help offset thecosts of collecting and recycling the contain-ers, and to the New Brunswick Environmen-tal Trust Fund.

Over 100 distributors of beverages, and over3,000 brands and types of containers are nowcovered by the legislation. To date, over onebillion recyclable containers have been re-turned, and redemption centres and process-ing facilities around the Province employ over250 people in full and part-time jobs.

Scrap TiresIn New Brunswick, we buy about 700,000 newtires each year. Improper storage and dis-posal of our many discarded tires can createreal environmental hazards in the event of fire,including air pollution and groundwater con-tamination.

In 1995, the government partnered with tiremanufacturers, distributors, and retailers toexplore a new way of handling scrap tires.The result was the NB Tire StewardshipBoard, set up under the New Brunswick TireStewardship Regulation (1996) with represen-tatives from both industry and government.

The Board uses an “environmental levy” ontire sales to subsidize a private processingfacility that grinds used tires into “rubbercrumb” then manufactures new products. Todate, over 2.5 million tires have been divertedfrom our landfills under this stewardship pro-gram.

CompostingComposting of organic matter not only pro-duces a valuable soil additive; it can divertup to 1/3 of household wastes from landfills.Yard wastes and grass clippings, food wastes,and wood products can be successfullycomposted.

3


Two Solid Waste Commissions in NewBrunswick have fully-implemented large scalecomposting to date, and other commissionsare moving in this direction, and voluntaryhome-based composting is quickly gaining inpopularity. As well, a number of municipali-ties hold backyard composting workshopsand/or supply low-cost compost bins for theirresidents. Some communities also sponsorChristmas and other tree mulching programs,utilizing the mulch on public green spaces.

A number of municipalities produce organicbio-solids from their respective wastewatertreatment plants, producing compost whichcan benefit soil structure and enhance cropperformance. Bio-solids also provide restor-ative cover for land reclamation projects, andreduce the need to deplete valuable topsoil.

Other Examples of Recycling

� There are a variety of locales where “do-it-yourself-ers” can take their used oil. It isthen collected and transported to compa-nies that can process and “clean” it, to beused again for fuel or other purposes.

� Salvage yards have traditionally boughtand sold scrap metal for recycling into newmetal products; and used auto parts ingood condition are often sold to consum-ers and garages for repairing other ve-hicles.

� Since 1997, the Canadian Household Bat-tery Association has voluntarily operateda national program to collect and recycleused Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cad) recharge-able batteries. A number of New Brunswickretailers accept these and other householdbatteries, or automotive batteries, for re-cycling.

� Some large manufacturers of wood prod-ucts now make saleable products, suchas fuel for wood-pellet stoves, from their

own wood waste.

� There is a growing re-sale market in NewBrunswick, as elsewhere, for used dimen-sional lumber, mouldings, fixtures, andother building materials saved from demo-lition or left over from construction. Con-struction waste offers considerable poten-tial for recycling: for example, scraps ofdrywall or plasterboard can be crushed,screened, and recycled into new gypsumproducts.

� Plastics, glass and paper wastes of vari-ous types are widely collected for recy-cling, by commercial recycling companiesor through community-based programsunder each Regional Solid Waste Com-mission.

Our opportunities for recycling do vary con-siderably from one region to the next, andchange from time to time. Much depends oneach region’s population and how it is distrib-uted, as well as on such factors as transpor-tation costs and changes in the marketplace.

4


Where Do We Go From Here?

We can look back on two decades of consid-erable accomplishment. New Brunswick’s old,environmentally unacceptable dumps havebeen closed; and a sophisticated new sys-tem of sanitary landfills protects our environ-ment from further harm. And we’ve made agood start in the area of recycling.

With our landfill infrastructure in place, NewBrunswick can now focus strongly on wastereduction and diversion — on initiatives to di-vert waste from our landfills by reducing theamount of waste generated, reusing materi-als which would otherwise become waste, andby recycling.

It is inevitable that waste reduction efforts willhave an impact on all New Brunswickersthrough changes in lifestyle and workplacehabits, as well as the investments required toachieve province-wide waste reduction goals.As a result, we will continue the regional ap-proach to waste management, where deci-sions that impact each region will continue tobe made locally, within the broader provinciallegislative and regulatory framework, and inconjunction with the delivery of this ActionPlan.

The cornerstone for waste reduction alreadyexists in organizational and physical infra-structure across the province. There isgreater private sector activity in waste han-dling than ever before. Business and indus-try are moving toward the stewardship initia-tives that mark them as good corporate citi-zens, and residents throughout the provinceare calling for increased opportunities to mini-mize waste. With these variables in place,and a strong commitment to realizing the ini-tiatives outlined in this document, NewBrunswick can be a leader in waste reduc-tion and diversion.

5


New Brunswick has made important stridesin managing solid waste. Now we look to thefuture with an emphasis on reducing and di-verting waste, not only to prolong the life ofthe sanitary landfills, but also to create newopportunities both provincially, and locally.The development and delivery of this ActionPlan will require focussed effort and commit-ment at all levels of government, by regionaland community interests, and by the privatesector. And individual New Brunswickers,who are empowered as consumers, taxpay-ers, waste generators, and participants inwaste reduction programs, will help determineits success.

Listening to New Brunswickers

In December of 1999, a Discussion Paper,featuring 16 key discussion points was madepublicly available on the Internet and throughthe Department of Environment’s regional of-fices and Service New Brunswick Centres.The Paper, based on a review of solid wastemanagement practices in New Brunswick andother North American jurisdictions, was alsodistributed directly to over 300 key stakehold-ers throughout the province. A period of threemonths was provided for the submission ofpublic comments, and the paper formed thebasis of more detailed discussions with rep-resentatives of the 12 Regional Solid WasteCommissions, Municipalities and Local Ser-vice Districts, private sector interests, andenvironmental groups (see below). Stemmingfrom the Discussion Paper, the departmentreceived 88 written submissions from acrossthe province for consideration in developingthe Action Plan.

Simultaneous to the release of the DiscussionPaper, a Household Reply Card was distrib-uted randomly to residents in each of theprovince’s 12 solid waste regions. The cardwas designed to gather information about NewBrunswickers’ attitudes toward, and commit-ment to expanded waste reduction and diver-sion initiatives. A very positive return rate ofover 10% (2,590 cards) provided the depart-ment with a clear sense of public views.

In conjunction with the New Brunswick SolidWaste Association, the department conducteda series of discussion sessions with stake-holders in each of the 12 Solid Waste Re-gions of the province. One hundred and thirtyfour attendees, representing a broad rangeof perspectives and interests, participated inthese sessions. The resulting 100-page sum-mary of their input created a valuable tool inthe development of the Action Plan.

Organization and Accountability

The first step toward implementation of theWaste Reduction and Diversion Action Planwould be the development by the Departmentof the Environment and Local Government,of a work plan to aid all parties in achievingpositive results within the targeted timeframes. This work plan would guide both thelegislative and operational aspects of the Pro-vincial Government’s role, as well as settingclear objectives for Regional Solid WasteCommissions. It would serve not only as anorganizing tool, but also as a means of mea-suring and reporting to New Brunswickers onprogress in implementing the Action Plan.

Waste Management, Reduction, and Diversion - Phase 2- Looking to the Future -

6


A Continuing Commitmentto Involvement

Throughout the development of this ActionPlan, there has been an ongoing commitmentto involve the key players in the province’swaste management sectors as initiatives areintroduced. In keeping with this commitment,Regional Solid Waste Commissions, Munici-palities and Local Service Districts, Businessand Industry would be made aware of anymajor initiatives which are likely to have animpact on their respective areas of interest,and provided respective opportunities for in-put when an initiative places direct responsi-bility on any one of these sectors.

The adoption of this Action Plan would havedefinite implications for the key players in-volved, both in financial terms as well as inincreased or evolving management respon-sibilities. The Plan also heralds new oppor-tunities, with a potential for the developmentof new resources and markets and in accom-panying job creation. With a commitment tocontinued dialogue between the Province andkey stakeholders, aided by an effective liai-son role within the Department of the Envi-ronment and Local Government, the signa-ture of a new era in waste reduction and di-version should be one of respectful collabo-ration.

7


1. Ensuring Province-wideConsistency- Legislated Waste Diversion Standards

Local decision-making has guided solid wastemanagement in New Brunswick for more thana decade, an approach that has allowed forthe differing needs and objectives of diverseregions. And while it is recognized that localdecision-making has been important to actionssuch as siting and maintaining sanitary land-fills, a regional approach can also create in-consistencies in the broader waste manage-ment and reduction spectrum. It doesn’t meanthat decisions shouldn’t continue to be madelocally and activities carried out in the respec-tive solid waste regions, but simply that thereshould be some consistency across the prov-ince so that our collective efforts to reducewaste will have greater impact provincially.

Some regions of the province have developedcomprehensive waste diversion and recyclingprograms for municipal and industrial, com-mercial, and institutional waste while otherregions lag considerably behind. The result isthat New Brunswickers in some areas do nothave access to the waste reduction programstheir fellow citizens enjoy elsewhere. Simi-larly, there are fewer business opportunitiesrelated to waste management and reductionin some locales.

Most people who live and conduct businessin the province recognize the importance ofenvironmental protection. They also know thatthe longer a landfill lasts, the less money andeffort will have to be spent locally to create anew one, and that by investing in reduction

and diversion instead, New Brunswick will bebetter off environmentally as well as economi-cally in the future.

Initiatives under Point 1

In response to the need for province-wideconsistency on waste diversion, the Prov-ince would establish regulated standardsto ensure certain recycling services for allresidents of New Brunswick, as follows:

Ø Each Regional Solid Waste Commis-sion would be required to implementregion-wide recycling programs for:

· Corrugated cardboard, newsprint,box board, and office paper by De-cember 31, 2003

· Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) andhigh density polyethylene (HDPE)plastics, (#1&2) by December 31, 2004

· Composting of all organic wasteby December 31, 2006.

Ø All Regional Solid Waste Commissionswould be required to establish region-wide solid waste recycling programsfor these specific wastes within theirrespective regions. The particular re-cycling program to be adopted by eachregion would be determined as part ofa regional solid waste reduction anddiversion plan (see Point 5).

Ø Each Commission would also be re-quired to report annually, on a form pro-vided by the department, to the Minis-

An Action Plan for New Brunswick:Summary of the Initiatives under the 10 Point Plan

8


ter of the Environment and Local Gov-ernment on the amount of material di-verted from their respective regionallandfills.

The waste reduction and diversion standardsoutlined above allow for the implementationof the regional waste diversion initiatives inphases. That is, the standards allow for anincremental development of appropriate leg-islative support, regional planning and infra-structure over the five-year implementationperiod. It should also be noted, that thesestandards are a benchmark, and do not pre-clude continuing or additional activity towardwaste reduction and diversion in solid wasteregions.

2. Leading by Example- A Green Procurement Policy for Government

The business of running government and de-livering services to New Brunswickers makesdemands on a wide variety of resources, bothin terms of purchase and utilization. Con-certed efforts to reduce waste are not onlydesirable in environmental terms, but can alsomean more effective use of public funds.

Among other positive outcomes, implement-ing sound environmental practices amonggovernment employees can have far-reach-ing behavioural impacts in communitiesacross the province, and by changing ourbusiness practices, an additional gain can bemade in the likely increase in market volumeof particular recyclable commodities.

In all of these respects, the provincial gov-ernment has an opportunity to lead by ex-ample, by setting and achieving reductiontargets for its own operations.

The government also acts as the central pur-chasing body on behalf of New Brunswickers,

which means it sets certain standards for pur-chasing activities. By including environmen-tal considerations in its purchasing policies,the government can not only help reducewaste, but also influence the practices of thebusiness community from which it makesthose purchases.

The Province recognizes that demands willbe made of virtually ever sector in the prov-ince, including individual citizens, if this Ac-tion Plan is to see positive results over thenext five years. Accordingly, the governmentis prepared to not only guide the implemen-tation of the overall initiatives in the ActionPlan, but to be an active participant in achiev-ing waste reduction and diversion in NewBrunswick.


In a commitment to lead by example, theProvince would:

1. Conduct a government wide waste au-dit to measure current waste reductionand diversion practices, identify areaswhere waste reduction and diversioncan be applied, and to set a benchmarkfor measuring reduction and diversionperformance over time.

2. Develop and adopt waste reductionguidelines for use by departments inconducting their everyday operations.

3. Undertake the development of an en-vironmentally responsible and eco-nomically sound procurement and ten-dering policy. All government depart-ments, agencies and boards would berequired to adhere to the policy.

4. This process would include the estab-lishment of an interdepartmental com-mittee to review procurement and ten-dering options, including those asso-

9


ciated with construction and demoli-tion activities.

5. As part of its mandate, the Interdepart-mental Committee would be asked toconsider whether an environmentallyresponsible procurement policyshould be adopted as regulation.

6. Examine the links between any provin-cial waste reduction and procurementpolicies and those of municipalities.

7. Encourage those municipalities whichproduce municipal bio-solids to givepreference, in suitable applications, tothe use of manufactured topsoil usingcomposted bio-solids in place of top-soil from agricultural land.

It should be noted that a strategy for wastereduction through gains in energy efficiencyhas been outlined in the Province’s EnergyPolicy, and includes:

- directing provincial government depart-ments to include energy efficiency in allrelevant decisions and policies, includingprocurement.

- expanding the Energy Accounting System(which sets measurable standards of en-ergy use for building managers) to includeoil and natural gas.

- extending the scope of the ProvincialBuildings Initiative to include indirectlyfunded buildings such as hospitals, nurs-ing homes and buildings owned or oper-ated by crown corporations.

3. Encouraging Personal andCommunity Action- Enhanced Public Education and Awareness

The success of community, regional, andprovincial waste programs, hinges to a greatextent on the acceptance and activeparticipation of individual New Brunswickers.Public education and awareness plays animportant role in fostering this acceptance andpromoting personal action. An informed publiccan engender a more environmentally-responsible public, as people come tounderstand and act on their individual andinter-dependent roles.

There has been considerable waste-relatededucational activity across the province overthe past several years. Several municipalitiesas well as community and environmentalgroups have created demonstration projectsand staged events to call attention toparticular waste related issues. Regional SolidWaste Commissions have led the way inexplaining local waste management andreduction services to residents. The Province,in turn, has supported both individual andcommunity awareness through departmentalactivities and educational materials, as wellas through sponsorship under theEnvironmental Trust Fund.

In the area of waste reduction, perhaps thesingle most active contingent of the populationhas been New Brunswick’s school children,and particularly those in elementary andmiddle schools. These youngsters, withsupport from teachers and parents, haveestablished a broad roster of recycling andconservation programs that serve as aconstant reminder of what collective effort canaccomplish.

10


With the implementation of the WasteReduction and Diversion Action Plan, thedevelopment of focussed, New Brunswick-specific education initiatives would becomea priority across all sectors.


With the aim of encouraging personaland community action, the Provincewould:

Ø Develop and disseminate educationalmaterials via the Department of theEnvironment and Local Governmentwhich

· explain the public’s role underwaste reduction legislation orpolicies;

· promote changes in overallconsumer and user behaviourregarding waste generation andmanagement;

· provide practical information toguide New Brunswickers inmaking sound waste reductionrelated decisions.

Areas for particular consideration wouldinclude a) the benefits of the three R’s(reduction, re-use, recycling), b)household hazardous waste, and c)illegal dumping.

Ø Support regional and community-based waste reduction awarenessefforts through

· recommendations for fundingunder the Environmental TrustFund as appropriate;

· in-kind support stemming fromthe delivery of Provincial wastereduction programs (e.g. technicalknowledge of waste systems)

· and continued provision ofProvincial education materials forlocal use.

Ø Promote, via the Department ofEducation, the comprehensiveadoption of recycling and otherconservation programs in NewBrunswick schools.

4. Enabling Our Local Partners- Support for Local and Regional Waste Reduction Initiatives

The Phase 1 development of a province-widewaste management system would not havebeen realized had there not been financialinvestments from both the provincial as wellas local governments and the people theyrepresent. Of equal importance, thisundertaking required organizational supportduring the respective planning, developmentand construction activities. This supportcontinues today through the ongoingmanagement, funding and regulation of thosewaste systems.

The move toward increased waste reductionopportunities will also require money andother resources. The experience ofcommunities or regional waste commissionswhere waste reduction and recycling activitiesare already well underway, tells us that suchinvestments are required to achieve futureimprovements. And just as authorities havehad to devise ways of operating regionallandfill facilities and transfer stations, or localblue box programs with economic viability inmind, so the implementation of expandedwaste reduction measures will require sound

11


economic decisions.

To enable local and regional action bothfinancial and organizational investments willhave to be made from a spectrum of sources.Apart from the elements of support referencedabove (Point 3), and the potential fundingopportunities which can be identified at federaland provincial levels, individual communitiesand Regional Solid Waste Commissions willbe encouraged to seek innovative means ofdelivering waste reduction programs aseconomically as possible. This could includereducing collection costs through householderwaste reduction (see Point 9), or seekingprivate sector partnerships. Whatever theapproach, the most immediate dividends willbe for an improved environment.


To facilitate support for local and re-gional waste reduction initiatives, theProvince would:

Ø Ensure that all municipalities are awareof funding opportunities under theCanada-New Brunswick InfrastructureProgram, and carefully consider appli-cations for funding in light of Provin-cial waste reduction objectives.

It should be noted that the present fund-ing criteria includes a Provincial commit-ment to dedicating a minimum of 70 % ofthe total funding to Green Local Govern-ment infrastructure, including that associ-ated with waste management.

Ø Encourage applications to the Environ-mental Trust Fund which demonstrateachievable results under this ActionPlan and which identify, wherever pos-sible, alternative and/or complemen-tary sources of funding.

Ø Establish an inter-departmental com-mittee to examine the potential for cre-ating economic opportunities associ-ated with waste reduction and diver-sion, including the development of end-use or product markets for NewBrunswick and Atlantic Canada.

5. Bringing the Solid WasteRegions into Focus- Waste Reduction and

Diversion Plans

New Brunswick’s Regional Solid Waste Com-missions have all achieved the original thresh-old of managing solid waste disposal. A num-ber of commissions have gone beyond thatinitial stage to develop recycling and wastereduction programs. As envisioned at theoutset of the established solid waste manage-ment in New Brunswick, the development ofdisposal facilities was to be the cornerstonein a broader spectrum of waste managementoptions. To achieve that goal, and do so con-sistently across the province requires con-certed planning.

Developing comprehensive plans on a re-gional basis will facilitate the development ofconcrete targets for waste reduction. It is alsowidely regarded as a way to ensure that allsectors within a particular region are activelyinvolved in waste diversion and reduction pro-grams for that region. With established Pro-vincial standards in place (see Point 1), re-gional commissions will have a benchmarkthat either complements their existing opera-tions, or forms a foundation on which to buildnew services. As the standards are for spe-cific materials and target dates, individualcommissions will continue to be able to de-velop region-specific plans for these recyclinginitiatives.

12



As a means of enabling Regional SolidWaste Commissions to meet the require-ments of Provincial waste reduction anddiversion standards, and to encourageconsistency in waste reduction planningthroughout New Brunswick, the Prov-ince would:

Ø Require that each Regional SolidWaste Commission develop a WasteReduction and Diversion Plan to besubmitted to the Minister of the En-vironment and Local Government forreview and approval, by December31, 2002. The plan would have to:

· Respond to the province-widewaste reduction standards forcommissions, and include animplementation schedule to meetthose standards.

· Be developed with the full involve-ment of the Municipalities and Lo-cal Service Districts, (includingLocal Service District AdvisoryCommittees), as well as First Na-tions Councils, where applicablewithin a specific region.

· Be region-wide in scope.

· Have provision for disposal ofhousehold hazardous wastes.

· Include projected diversionsrates.

· Include a public awareness andeducation strategy.

· Consider all alternatives for deliv-ery, including partnering with theprivate sector.

· Provide a complete cost-analysisfor all proposals included in thePlan.

Where more than one commission is ser-viced by a sanitary landfill, the commissionswould be encouraged to pool their re-sources to develop a joint plan.

The Department of the Environment andLocal Government would act as a liaisonwith commissions during the developmentof the waste reduction and diversion plans.

6. Promoting EnvironmentalCompliance- Prevention of Illegal Dumping

Illegal dumping has been an unfortunate partof New Brunswick’s societal and physicallandscape for many years. Its effects can bea detriment to the environment and can posea threat to human health and to wildlife. Thevery visual aspect of this practice can alsohave an impact on the recreational enjoymentof the province’s residents and visitors.

Even with the advent of sanitary landfills andtransfer stations, a system which provides vir-tually every New Brunswick with access tocurb-side garbage collection on a weekly ba-sis, there are still instances of illegal dump-ing.

There have been a variety of approachestaken over the years to reduce the impacts ofillegal dumping, including derelict vehicle re-moval and unsightly premises action pro-grams, which have removed thousands ofeyesores from our landscape. And there havebeen measures to pursue cases of illegaldumping, although it is very difficult to patrolall corners of the province. The inspection

13


and enforcement approach carries a substan-tial investment of time and tax dollars anddoesn’t always guarantee a change in thebehaviour of those who dump illegally. Andso, while enforcement efforts continue, theprimary emphasis must be placed on prevent-ing this behaviour in the first place.

The province supports the premise that therewill be greater long-term success in dimin-ishing illegal dumping through public aware-ness (see Point 3) and the greater availabil-ity of disposal alternatives.

Apart from roadside pick up for householdgarbage, New Brunswick’s Solid Waste Com-missions also co-ordinate bi-annual collec-tions of over-sized items, such as furnitureand appliances. In some areas, this collec-tion schedule has been enhanced to provideadditional opportunities for householders todispose of these items. There are also in-spected and approved sites for constructionand demolition waste which offer a reducedtipping fee to individuals and companies.

While these options are a good starting place,there is a need to increase waste diversionalternatives and with it, to strengthen the pre-vention of illegal dumping.


In an effort to address illegal dumping, theProvince would:

Ø Seek to formalize the implementationof a policy for expanded waste collec-tion in Local Service Districts as cur-rent waste collection contracts expire.This entails:

· including a provision in all LocalService District waste collectionservice contracts, to allow residentsto put out garbage and refuse ordi-

narily associated with special wastecollection days (i.e., small furniturepieces, building material, etc.)

· allowing for this collection on aweekly basis

The policy may not be applicable to all LocalService Districts. In regions where there areestablished recycling programs that requirespecially modified waste collection vehicles,it may not be possible to accommodate bulkywastes. Similarly, restrictions may be placedon white goods (appliances – refrigerators,stoves, etc.) and large items (i.e. sofas, arm-chairs) as many waste haulers operate one-person enterprises and the pick up of largeritems would be too difficult for an individualto manage. Large items could be disposedof through special waste days generally heldby waste commissions 2-3 times per year.

Ø Work with the Department of Justiceto develop legislative or regulatorymeasures which could be adopted toenhance compliance and enforcementefforts, including the potential for on-site ticketing by Department of the En-vironment and Local Government In-spection staff in instances of illegaldumping.

While the permanent long-term improvementin the management and control of illegaldumping is expected to come about as a re-sult of improved rural waste pick-up, the ad-ditional impact of issuing tickets would add tothe Province’s enforcement capabilities.

7. Weighing in Nationally- Advocating Mandatory RecycledContent

Instituting mandatory recycled content meansrequiring that manufacturers and packagingcompanies adhere to established percent-

14


ages of recycled materials when producingtheir products. Given that most manufactur-ers produce for a broad, often national or evenlarger market, individual provincial require-ments for content would be both inefficient,which can lead to other forms of environmen-tal waste (e.g. energy, water consumption) aswell as so cost-prohibitive as to deter compli-ance. In order to have maximum impact, arecycled content requirement should be na-tional in scope, or as a minimum, involve sev-eral neighbouring jurisdictions.

Another waste management concept whichis generating considerable interest is ‘ex-tended producer responsibility’ (EPR). Un-der this model, a producer takes back a prod-uct once it has expended its useful life for theconsumer, and the costs of managing thiswaste are incorporated into the price of theproduct.

The concepts of mandatory recycled contentand extended producer responsibility havebeen has been in circulation for some time.In order to move them off the drafting boardand onto consumer shelves, New Brunswickmust join forces with its provincial, territorial,and federal colleagues to mobilize the movetoward waste reduction at this level.


In order to effect national change, whichwill have positive implications for NewBrunswick, the Province will:

Ø advocate for the adoption of mandatoryrecycled content by the Federal Gov-ernment through the Canadian Coun-cil of Ministers of the Environment(CCME), of which the Minister of theEnvironment and Local Government isNew Brunswick’s representative.

Ø encourage other provincial and terri-torial jurisdictions to consider theadoption of compatible mandatory re-cycled content regulations, either as acomplement to federal legislation or asa pre-cursor to its development.

Ø advocate for the study of Extended Pro-ducer Responsibility and it’s applica-bility to Canada through the CCME.

8. Calling for Life-cycle ProductManagement- Industry Stewardship

‘Industry stewardship’ is a term used to de-scribe the management by industry of wasteassociated with a depleted consumer goodor service, originally provided by that indus-try. Historically, this stewardship has comeunder one of two headings: regulated or vol-untary.

Regulated stewardship follows legally re-quired management provisions and may pro-vide an economic incentive for individuals toparticipate, or place an environmental levy ona product to off-set recycling costs. In NewBrunswick regulated stewardship has beenadopted to manage beverage containers andscrap tires. In a voluntary stewardship pro-gram, an industry voluntarily takes back itsproducts (i.e. nickel cadmium (Ni-Cad) bat-teries, Brita water filters, plastic bags). Thecosts associated with managing waste underthis model are often built into the price of theproduct or service.

The call for more active industry stewardshipto divert waste from landfills has wide-spreadsupport in the province among the public andwaste management stakeholders. Regulatedstewardship is seen as the preferred ap-proach, including among potentially affectedindustries, which see it as a means to ensure

15


all competitors in the industry concerned areplaced ‘on a level playing field’.

In an era when individuals are seeing them-selves as having some responsibility for en-vironmental sustainability, industry steward-ship is an obvious next-level ownership ofwaste reduction and diversion solutions.


In recognition of the significant contribu-tion industry can make to waste reductionand diversion, through the lifecycle man-agement of its products and services, theProvince will:

Ø finalize a milk container stewardshipprogram with the New Brunswick DairyIndustry during 2002,

Ø develop a model for Paint Stewardshipduring 2002, and

Ø finalize a Used Oil Regulation for imple-mentation by Spring 2002.

9. Devising Waste ManagementAlternatives- Municipal and Regional Options

Presently in New Brunswick, municipalitiesare responsible for waste collection withintheir boundaries. In turn, the respective Re-gional Solid Waste Commissions manage thedisposal of this waste. For both entities, thecost of collecting and managing waste is agrowing issue.

Municipalities are conscious of the pressureplaced on their budgets by waste collection,and interested in finding alternative means offunding this service other than to increasemunicipal taxes. In this regard, attention is

being given to reducing the volume of wastethat goes to the landfills. Commissions, mean-while, are dependent to some extent on thetipping fees associated with the tonnage ofwaste sent for disposal, which creates bothan environmental and economic conundrum.

Some Municipalities and Commissions favoura collection and disposal fee (sometimes re-ferred to as a user-pay system), in which resi-dents pay for waste collection based on thevolume of waste generated. This providesan economic incentive to reduce the amountof waste each household generates. For themunicipality, a decreased volume of munici-pal waste can potentially stabilize or slow theincreasing costs of waste collection. From alegal perspective, the Municipalities Act doesnot presently allow for a collection and dis-posal fee approach, although this is currentlyunder exploration. Additionally, there are con-cerns that collection and disposal fees willprompt an increase in illegal dumping.

There are alternative means of reducinghousehold waste which, if adopted in a com-prehensive manner, could alleviate the strainon municipal collection costs as well as theprocessing costs associated with recycling byCommissions. Additionally, there may be op-portunities for creating new waste streams asa source of regional revenue. Source sepa-ration is the most familiar of these avenues.By sorting waste where it is generated (inhouseholds or commercial settings), the costsof disposal are reduced, and the quality of thematerials collected (whether organics for largescale composting, or high grade plastics forrecycling), combined with less time spent sort-ing by the Commissions can mean consider-able savings.

16


The success of a source separation programrelies to some extent on the volume of sortedwaste which can be collected, and thereforea high participation rate by residents and otherusers. Whatever options municipal and re-gional interests pursue, New Brunswickershave indicated that waste reduction shouldbe the primary consideration.


In promoting the exploration of alterna-tive municipal and regional waste man-agement options, the Province would:

Ø undertake a review of applicablelegislation to determine what instru-ments might be put in place for useby Municipal and other bodies inmanaging waste volumes locally.

Ø Encourage an examination by WasteCommissions of a tiered tipping feeapproach for managing waste fromthe ICI (Institutional, Commercial,Industrial) sector.

10. New Directions for Diversion- Consideration of Landfill Bans

A landfill ban is a regulatory measure that pro-hibits the disposal of a solid waste that canbe recycled or is not appropriate for disposalin a sanitary landfill. Proponents of landfillbans point to the potential for diversion of re-cyclable materials from disposal facilities, andthe requirement it places on industrial, com-mercial and institutional sectors to source-separate their waste. Those who opposelandfill bans cite a likely increase in illegaldumping or the creation of a glut in materialsfor which there may be fluctuating markets.Some Regional Solid Waste Commissions

see landfill bans as a potential loss of rev-enue to private sector recycling and wastemanagement enterprises.

There can be both environmental and eco-nomic benefits to landfill bans, as long asequitable arrangements are made betweenparties and a fully developed system is inplace to ensure both the environmental andeconomic viability of associated programs.


Recognizing that landfill bans may be abeneficial option in achieving waste reduc-tion in New Brunswick, the province will:

Ø consider proposals to the Departmentof the Environment and Local Govern-ment for landfill bans, per the follow-ing:

· Such a ban is requested by one ormore Solid Waste Commission(s)and would be region or province-wide.

· There are viable alternatives to dis-posal for the banned material (e.g.recycling and reuse programs).

· There is an appropriate collectionmechanism (e.g. source separation)in place for use by the public andindustry.

A Note about other initiatives

The initiatives under this 10-point plan encom-pass many of the proposals originally put for-ward in the Waste Reduction and DiversionDiscussion paper. The remaining conceptsshould be considered as potential future di-rections, which can be re-visited at any timeduring the five-year period covered by this

17


Action Plan or as the foundation for waste re-duction and diversion once it is better estab-lished across the province.

For example, initiatives such as the estab-lishment of a marketing cooperative forrecyclables may be a natural next step in themanagement of New Brunswick’s waste re-sources, but can be better evaluated once in-dividual regional plans for recycling are inplace.

We can also anticipate potential modificationsto future waste reduction and diversion plan-ning, based on the experience gained fromimplementing this Action Plan.

18


Conclusion

New Brunswick has established an environmentallysound solid waste disposal system through its net-work of regional sanitary landfills and transfer sta-tions. There are also a number of provincial, re-gional, and local recycling initiatives underway.

Over the next five years, measures will be introducedby the Province to ensure a broader spectrum ofrecycling opportunities for all New Brunswickers anda subsequent reduction in the overall waste gener-ated and/or disposed of across the province. It isanticipated that regionally-based initiatives will beco-ordinated by the Solid Waste Commissions inconjunction with other key players, including Munici-palities and Local Services Districts, as well as pri-vate sector interests.

Key stakeholders will be involved throughout the de-velopment and delivery of this Action Plan, and thepublic will be kept apprised of the progress beingmade on waste reduction and diversion across theprovince.

19


To Submit Comments

To submit comments or questions concerningthe Action Plan, please use the enclosed Comment Form,

or contact:

Roger Jones, Senior Policy AnalystPolicy and Planning Branch

NB Department of the Environment and Local GovernmentP.O. Box 6000, Fredericton, NB, E3B 5H1

Tel: (506) 457-7811Fax: (506) 453-3843

E-mail: [email protected]

The Action Plan and Comment Form arealso available on the department’s web site at the

following address: http://www.gnb.ca/elg-egl/0372/0005

20


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NOTESNOTES

waste reduction diversion - new brunswick · moving toward waste reduction & diversion ..... 3...

Documents