Blue Box Program Enhancement and Best Practices Assessment Project

OPERATIONS IMPROVEMENT BlueBox Program Enhancement andBest Practices Assessment Project FinalReport VolumeI–July31,2007

ADVISORY SERVICES

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TableofContents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2

INTRODUCTION 4 ProjectOverview 4

APPROACHAND METHODOLOGY 6 TeamStructure 6 ProjectApproach 7 BlueBoxProgramVisits 9 Documentation 11 AnalysisandAssessment 12 SecondaryResearch 12

BEST PRACTICES DEFINITIONAND ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 15 DefinitionofBestPractices 15 BestPracticesAttributes 15

KEY OBSERVATIONS 16 UseofE&EFactorasaPerformanceMeasure 16 ProgramDiversity 17 ChallengesofComparability 19 FactorsContributingtoGoodandPoorPerformance 20 OtherObservations 24

BEST PRACTICESFOR ONTARIO BLUE BOX PROGRAMS 25 IntroductiontoBestPractices 25 FundamentalBestPractices 26 DevelopmentandImplementationofanUp-to-datePlanforRecycling,asPartofanIntegrated WasteManagementSystem 28 Multi-MunicipalPlanningApproachtoCollectionandProcessingRecyclables 33 EstablishingDefinedPerformanceMeasures,IncludingDiversionTargets,Monitoring,anda ContinuousImprovementProgram 37 OptimizationofOperationsinCollectionsandProcessing 41 TrainingofKeyProgramStaffinCoreCompetencies 44 FollowingGenerallyAcceptedPrinciplesforEffectiveProcurementandContractManagement 49 AppropriatelyPlanned,Designed,andFundedPromotionandEducationProgram 56

EstablishedandEnforcedPoliciesthatInduceWasteDiversion 63 ConditionalBestPractices 69 BestPracticeSpotlights 69 BestPracticesinCurbsideCollection 70 BestPracticesinProcessingofRecyclableMaterials 77 SuccessfulMarketingStrategyforProcessedRecyclables 88 BestPracticesinMulti-FamilyRecycling 96 BestPracticesintheUseofRecyclingDepots 107 BestPracticesinCollectionandProcessingofChallengingPlastics 113 OtherPracticesMeritingConsideration 126

DECISION TREEFOR CONDITIONAL BEST PRACTICES 132 OverviewofDecisionTree 132 DecisionTreeStructure 133 SmallRuralSouthernBlueBoxProgram 137 SmallSuburbanSouthernBlueBoxProgram 143 SmallUrbanSouthernBlueBoxProgram 149 MediumRuralSouthernBlueBoxProgram 154 MediumSuburbanSouthernBlueBoxProgram 159 MediumUrbanSouthernBlueBoxProgram 164 LargeSuburbanSouthernBlueBoxProgram 169 LargeUrbanSouthernBlueBoxProgram 175 SmallRuralNorthernBlueBoxProgram 181 SmallSuburbanNorthernBlueBoxProgram 187 SmallUrbanNorthernBlueBoxProgram 192 MediumSuburbanNorthernBlueBoxProgram 197

DIFFUSIONOF BEST PRACTICES 203 NextStepsforBestPracticeDiffusion 203 E&EFundOptionsforDiffusingBestPractices 206

APPENDIX A: VISITED MUNICIPAL PROGRAMS 210

APPENDIX B: TABLEOF CONTENTSOFA SAMPLE PROGRAM REPORT 211

ThisreportisintendedsolelyfortheuseoftheMIPCSteeringCommitteeofthe RecyclingProgramEnhancementandBestPracticesProject(2006/2007)andOntario municipalitieswithrespecttothisspecificmatterandisnotintendedforother generaluse,circulationorpublication.NeitherKPMGLLP,itsaffiliates,employees ofadvisorsassumeanyresponsibilityorliabilityforanyclaims,costs,damages, losses,liabilitiesorexpensesincurredbyanyoneasaresultofthecirculation, publication,reproduction,useoforrelianceuponourreportcontrarytothe provisionsofthisparagraph.Thecommentsinthisreportarenotintended,nor shouldtheybeinterpretedtobe,legaladviceoropinion.

Aswithanyplanningassignment,theroleofthisdocumentistoestimatefuture eventsbasedoninformationavailableand/orprovidedtousatthetimeofourreport, primarilyinterviewresults,fieldobservations,consultationwithindustry representativesandavailablepublishedinformation.Thereare,however,anumber ofuncontrollablepolitical,socialandinternalfactorsthatmayaffectthefindings outlinedinthisdocument.Asaresult,thisdocumentshouldbeviewedinthe contextofbeinganestimatebasedoninformation,whichmayormaynotbe influencedbyunforeseenoruncontrollableevents.Wecautionthereaderthatthe ultimatesuccessanyBlueBoxProgramEnhancementinitiativescanvary significantlyfromtheprojectionsoutlinedinthisreportduetoeconomicor regulatorychanges,costescalations,decisionsofcommunities,theemergenceof newcompetitors,changesingovernmentfundingprogramsand/orpriorities,orthe inabilityoftheprogramimprovementprocesstoachievecertainkeymilestones.

ExecutiveSummary

InSeptember2006,theMunicipal-IndustryProgramsCommittee(MIPC)ofWaste DiversionOntario(WDO)directedaKPMG-ledconsortiumtoidentifyBestPractices inOntariomunicipalBlueBoxrecyclingandtodetermine2006NetSystemCost underBestPractices.Identificationofopportunitiesforimprovementamonga numberofrecyclingprogramswasalsosoughtbyMIPC.

TheProjectTeamwascomprisedofKPMGLLP,arecognizedCanadianadvisory servicesfirm,R.W.BeckInc.,aleadingUS-basedrecyclingandsolidwaste managementconsultingorganization,andEntecConsultingLtd.,alocalrecycling servicesconsultancy;municipalandindustrysecondeesaugmentedtheconsulting team.

Workingcollaboratively,theTeamdevelopedaprojectdefinitionofBestPracticesin thecontextofOntarioBlueBoxrecycling.BestPracticesweredefinedas waste Project Team visited 32 programs to system practices that affect Blue Box recycling programs and that result in the understand causes of good and poor performance and to glean Best attainment of provincial and municipal Blue Box material diversion goals in the Practices. most cost-effective way possible .

Best Practices needed to be InordertogleanBestPracticesandidentifyopportunitiesforimprovementamong measurable , comparable , theprovince’srecyclingprograms,detailedquestionnaireswerecompletedby transferable , and replicable . programstaffandtheProjectTeamthenconductedsitevisitsat32Ontario

municipalrecyclingprograms.Programswereselectedonthebasisofcostand Best Practices also needed to result in minimized unit cost , while recoveryperformance,size,geography,programtype,andcontractstructure. maintaining or improving diversion , and producing net positive effects, Onsitevisits,teammembersinterviewedkeyprogramstaff,observedcollection related to cost and diversion. routes,andtouredtransferstationsandprocessingfacilities.Interviewsandvisit observationswerethoroughlydocumentedandsharedacrosstheteamusingweb- basedcollaborationtools.Over1,000photographsandvideoswerecollectedaspart

ofthefieldevidence.SitevisitswereaugmentedbysecondaryresearchofBest

PracticesfromCanadianandInternationalsources.PreviousBestPracticestudies byOntarioprovincial,municipal,andindustryentitieswerealsoleveraged.

Informationgatheredfromsitevisitsandindustryresearchwassubsequentlyused Programs were observed to have a toformulateBestPractices,analyzeissuesandbarriers,andidentifyopportunities wide variety of attributes. They varied forimprovement. in geography , size , household density , maturity , governance , Followingasignificantanalyticalexerciseandaconsensusbuildingprocessamong demographics , and materials theteammembers,preliminaryBestPracticeswereidentified.Afact-based accepted in the Blue Box , among approach,rootedinsitevisitevidence,expertcontributions,andstatisticalanalysis, other factors. wasusedtofinalizeasetofBestPracticesformunicipalBlueBoxprograms.

FundamentalBestPractices–BestPracticesasdefinedabovethatapplytoall Ontarioprograms–arepresentedbelow:

Developmentandimplementationofanup-to-dateplanforrecycling,aspartofan integratedWasteManagementsystem

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Multi-municipalplanningapproachtocollectionandprocessingofrecyclables Establishingdefinedperformancemeasures,includingdiversiontargets, monitoringandacontinuousimprovementprogram Optimizationofoperationsincollectionsandprocessing Trainingofkeyprogramstaffincorecompetencies Followinggenerallyacceptedprinciplesforeffectiveprocurementandcontract management Appropriatelyplanned,designed,andfundedPromotionandEducationprogram Establishedandenforcedpoliciesthatinducewastediversion AsetofBestPracticeSpotlights–descriptionsofleadingpracticesinspecific programcomponents–wasdevelopedtohelprecyclingcoordinatorsaddress commonlyencounteredchallengesandissues.Theseprogramareasinclude:

Multi-FamilyRecycling RecyclingofChallengingPlasticMaterials CurbsideCollectionofMaterials DepotCollectionofMaterials ProcessingofMaterials MarketingofMaterials Decision Tree Factors ConditionalBestPractices,whichapplyonlytoprogramswithspecificcharacteristics andundercertainconditions,weredelineatedforspecificprogramtypesusinga The basis for geographic delineation is DecisionTreeapproach.TheDecisionTreetakesintoconsiderationthreemain the Blue Box Program Plan legislation, which defines physical boundaries of factorsinprogramvariability:geography,size,anddensity.Basedonthe Northern and Southern parts of the combinationofthesethreefactors,12programtypeswereidentified.Conditional province. BestPractices,alongwithotherhelpfulguidance,aredetailedinProgramProfile documents,customizedforeachprogramtype. Program size is defined by the annual Blue Box material tonnes marketed by Individualizedreportsonopportunitiesforimprovementweredevelopedfor23of the program. thevisitedmunicipalities.Thesecustomizedreportscontainanoverviewofthe

currentstate,thefuturestateunderBestPractices,andprovidespecificactionitems Household density is defined by the number of households per kilometre tobeimplementedbythemunicipalitytoimprovetheperformanceofitsBlueBox of road in served by the program. program.Thesedocumentsweredistributeddirectlytotherespectivemunicipalities, andarenotincludedinthisreport.Reportstocommunitiesthathaveagreedto makethempubliccanbefoundontheWDOwebsite.

InadditiontoidentifyingBestPracticeactivitiesinmunicipalrecycling,theProject Teamdevelopedanestimateof2006BlueBoxProgramNetSystemCostsunder BestPracticesforthepurposesofsetting2008Stewards’fees.Thiscostestimate rangesfrom$134.1Mto$144.9M,dependingonthemethodofcalculation.

VolumeIofthisdocumentprovidesinformationrelatedtoBestPracticeactivities. VolumeIIprovidesinformationonthecostmodelanddeterminationof2006Net SystemCostunderBestPractices.

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Introduction

The Ontario Blue Box Recycling Program Effectiveness and Best Practices Assessment Project is driven by the need to identify Best Practices in municipal recycling and determine the 2006 Net System Cost under Best Practices.

ProjectOverview

Key Drivers InSeptember2006,theMunicipal-IndustryProgramCommittee(MIPC)ofWaste DiversionOntario(WDO)engagedKPMGanditsassociatestoreviewcurrent practicesacrossanumberofOntariomunicipalrecyclingprograms,identifyand documentBestPractices,formulateopportunitiesforimplementinganddiffusing BestPractices,andquantifytheeffectsofprovince-wideBestPracticeadoption. Thekeydriversforthisprojectareasfollows:

TheMinisteroftheEnvironmenthasdeterminedthatStewards’obligationwillbe confinedto50%ofBestPracticesystemcostsby2008 Stewards’feesfor2008aretobebasedon2006NetSystemCostunderBest Practices Thereislackofunderstandingandconsensusamongstakeholdersonwhat constitutesBestPracticesinmunicipalrecycling MunicipalitiesareseekingguidanceonhowtoemployBestPracticesinorderto increasediversionandlowerprogramcosts

Project Objectives and Expected Outcomes ToaddresstheMinister’sdirectionandhelpmunicipalitiestoimplementBest Practices,MIPCdefinedseveralkeyprojectobjectives.Twoprimaryobjectivesare asfollows:

ToidentifyOntarioBlueBoxRecyclingProgramBestPracticeactivities, opportunities,andassociatedcosts Todeterminethe2006OntarioNetSystemCostunderBestPracticesforthe purposeofdefiningStewards'contributions Asecondaryobjective,aimedatdiffusingprojectdeliverablesandimplementingBest Practicesis:

ToidentifyandassessoptionsfortheuseoftheEffectivenessandEfficiency (E&E)FundinpromotingtheadoptionofBestPractices

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Theattainmentoftheseobjectivesrelatesdirectlytoexpectedoutcomesforthe project.MIPC’sexpectationsforprojectoutcomesareasfollows:

ListofBestPracticeactivities IndividualplansonhowtoadoptBestPracticesforselectedparticipant municipalities Total2006NetSystemCostunderBestPracticesforthepurposeofsettingof 2008StewardFees OptionsfortheuseoftheE&EFundtopromoteBestPracticediffusion

Success Criteria Inordertodefinewhatconstitutessuccessforthisproject,KPMGinterviewed severalMIPCmembersandreceivedfeedbackontheirvisionforasuccessful outcome.Whileanumberoffactorswerearticulated,themaincriteriaforsuccess weredocumentedasfollows:

ConsensusisreachedonBestPracticeNetSystemCostfigurefor2006 Deliverablesaredevelopedinatransparent,inclusive,collaborativemanner RecommendationsmadebytheKPMGTeamareacceptedbyMIPC Recommendationsinstitutionalizeacontinuousimprovementapproachwithin municipalities MIPC,astheSteeringCommitteefortheproject,isthegoverningbodythatdecides whethertheabovecriteriahavebeenmetandtheprojectdeemedtobesuccessful. UponbeingacceptedandsignedoffbyMIPC,projectdeliverablesaretobe presentedtotheWDOBoard,StewardshipOntarioBoard,andAssociationof MunicipalitiesofOntario(AMO)Board.

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ApproachandMethodology

To effectively execute this engagement, the Project Team employed a rigorous, fact-based, collaborative approach in gathering and analyzing data, engaging stakeholders, and producing project deliverables.

TeamStructure

Consortium of KPMG, R.W. Beck, and Entec Projectscopeandobjectivesrequiredamultifacetedconsultingteam,withtheability tobringexperienceinidentifyingbestmanagementpractices,adoptingleading recyclingprocesses,andleveragingtheknowledgeofOntarioBlueBoxprograms.A consortiumoffirmswasestablishedthatincludedKPMG,R.W.Beck,andEntec Consulting.

KPMGteammembersareprofessionalsinthefirm’slargeandrapidly-growing AdvisoryServicespractice,focusingmainlyonbusinessimprovementandstrategic costmanagement.Theyhaveworkedacrossthebroaderpublicsector,andina KPMG LLP is the Canadian member firm of KPMG International, the diverserangeofindustries,includingfinancialservices,manufacturing,healthcare, coordinating entity for a global network andretail.Onpreviousprojectstheyhavehelpedorganizationstoreduceoperational of professional services firms that aim costs,streamlineprocesses,determinestrategicdirection,managechange,and to turn knowledge into value for the revieworimplementnewprogramsorservices. benefit of their clients, people and the capital markets. R.W.Beckprofessionalshavecompletedmajorstrategicplanningandrecycling policyandprogramdevelopmentprojectsformultipleUSmunicipalities,state With nearly 94,000 people worldwide, governmentsandtheUSEPA,aswellastradeassociationsrepresentingnearlyallof and more than 3,500 people in 35 offices across Canada, KPMG provides themajorrecyclingcommodities.Additionally,R.W.Beckhascollaboratedwith a range of management advisory, audit numerousFortune500companies,includingWal-Mart,Weyerhaeuser,Dow and tax services. Chemical,CocaColaandProcter&Gamble,todevelopcorporatesustainabilityand recyclingprograminitiatives.

Entec’smainprincipalhasbeenactivelyinvolvedinprovidingconsultingservicesto Ontariomunicipalitiesforover30years.Duringthattime,hehasworkedboth R.W. Beck Inc. is an employee -owned directlywithindividualmunicipalclients,aswellasindirectlythroughclientssuchas corporation, founded in 1942, with 25 OMMRI,CSR,WDOandmorerecentlyStewardshipOntario,onawidevarietyof offices in the US and project experience solidwastesystemdesignandevaluationprojectsforcollectionsystems,MRFs,and in over 50 countries . transferstations.HehasalsoworkedonanumberofInternationalrecyclingand solidwasteprojects. With a portfolio of more than 500 recycling studies in the United State Anumberofindustryandfunctionaladvisorswerereliedonatkeypointsinthe and abroad, R.W. Beck is widely projecttobringsubjectmatterexpertiseandanalyze,validate,andreviewthe regarded as the leading recycling consulting firm in the United States. Team’sfindings.Specifically,guidancewasprovidedinthefollowingareas:

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Costmanagement Statisticalanalysis Industryinsight Emergingandexistingrecyclingtechnologies Promotionandadvertising Procurementandsupplychainmanagement Stakeholderengagement Changemanagement

Municipal and Steward Secondees Toaugmenttheconsultingteamandbringfirst-handknowledgeofOntariorecycling programs,ninemunicipalandstewardemployeesweredeployedtothisprojectona secondmentbasis.Municipalsecondeesrepresentedlarge,smallandmidsized programsacrosstheprovince.Stewardrepresentativeshadextensivemunicipal recyclingworkexperienceandspecializedexpertiserelevanttotheproject. Collectively,thesecondees’expertiseandexperiencespannedvirtuallyallelements ofarecyclingprogram,including:

Programcoordinationandmanagement Promotionandeducation Policydevelopment Procurementandcontractmanagement Collections Processing Marketing ProjectApproach

KPMG Methodology OnthisprojectTheKPMGTeamemployedarobustProjectManagement methodologythathasbeenusedeffectivelyonnumerouspreviouslargescale assignments.ThismethodologyenabledtheProjectTeamtomeettheobjectivesof theengagementandcompletetheprojectintheallottedtimeframe.

Todeveloptheprojectworkplan,theTeamleveragedKPMG’sBusiness TransformationMethodology,whichisdesignedtohelporganizationstransitionfrom currentstatetoadesiredfuturestate.Allprojectphases,activities,andtaskswere alignedalongthemaincomponentsofthismethodology,asdepictedbelow:

Start Up Insight Design Implement Sustain

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Collaboration Allmajordeliverablesproducedinthisprojectweredevelopedthrougha collaborativeanditerativeprocessthatinvolvedconsultants,secondees,andkey stakeholders.Byemployingcommunicationandworkflowtools,allmembersofthe Teamwereabletowrite,revise,review,and/orcommentonworkproductsat variousstagesoftheircompletion.Tocommunicate,sharedocuments,schedule events,andstoredata,theTeamusedKClient–aproprietaryweb-basedproject managementandcollaborationtool.

Weeklyteammeetingscontributedtoheightenedlevelsofengagement,awareness, participation,andresponsibilitybyallmembersoftheTeam.

Programsitevisitsandinterviewswereconductedjointlybyconsultantsand secondees,withatleastonememberofKPMGorR.W.Beckparticipatingineach visit.

Stakeholder Involvement Tounderstandandincorporateperspectivesofvariousstakeholdersaffectedbythis project,theTeamdevelopedandexecutedaStakeholderEngagementPlan.Key stakeholdersofthisprojectwereidentifiedas:

MIPC StewardshipOntario Municipalprogramsandtheirrepresentatives WDO MinistryoftheEnvironment Privatesectorservicecompanies Municipalleadersinrecycling Secondees RegularmeetingswithMIPCwereheldtoreportonprojectprogress,make decisionsinthedirectionofthework,andreviewandcommentoninterimandfinal deliverables.Also,aMIPC-appointedProjectCoordinatorliaisedwiththeteamona regularbasis.Furthermore,allMIPCmemberswereinterviewedindividuallyaspart oftheinitialstakeholderengagementstrategy.

StewardshipOntariowasinvolvedinprovidinginsightintocurrentindustryissues andopportunities,conveyingInternationalleadingpractices,obtainingprogramdata, andcoordinatingthesecondmentofmunicipalandstewardresources.Also,several presentationsweremadetotheStewardshipOntarioProjectsCommittee. Individualinterviewswerealsoconductedwithselectedstewardrepresentatives.

Municipalprogramscoordinatorsandstaffwereinvolvedinsitevisitinterviewsand facilitytours.Theywerealsoprimaryreviewersandrecipientsofindividualprogram reportsonopportunitiesforimprovement.Presentationsonprojectworkscopeand

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progressweremadetomunicipalentities,suchasAMO,AssociationofMunicipal RecyclingCoordinators(AMRC),andattheOntarioRecyclers’Workshop(ORW).

Individualinterviewsonprojectexpectationsanddesiredoutcomeswereconducted withmembersoftheWDOCostEffectivenessCommitteeandwithsenior personnelwithintheOntarioMinistryofEnvironment.

Togaininsightsandseekanswerstospecifictechnicalquestions,interviewswere conductedwithselectedrecyclingequipmentmanufacturers,privateoperators,and recyclingindustryconsultants.

Workshopsfocusingonprojectexpectations,interimdeliverables,andinputfor implementationofworkproductswereheldwithrepresentativesoflargeand influentialOntariomunicipalrecyclingprograms.

MunicipalandstewardsecondeeswereintegratedintotheProjectTeamand workedjointlywithconsultantsonallmajorworkproducts.Professional developmenttrainingsessionswereheldatregularintervalstoenhanceskillsinthe areasofteamwork,projectplanning,meetingeffectiveness,andnegotiations, amongothers.

BlueBoxProgramVisits

Program Selection Process InordertogleanBestPracticesandidentifyopportunitiesforimprovementamong province’srecyclingprograms,theProjectTeamconductedsitevisitsofseveral Ontariomunicipalities.

SelectionofmunicipalitiestobevisitedwasbasedonthefollowingProjectCharter criteria:

Eighttotenprogramsregardedashighperforming,basedonhavinglow EffectivenessandEfficiency(E&E)ratios,weretobevisitedforthepurposeof identifyingBestPracticesanddeterminingfactorsthatleadtohighperformance. (ThedefinitionandcomponentsoftheE&Eratioarediscussedinthe“Key Observations”sectionofthisreport.) Twentytothirtyprograms,believedtobemoderatelytopoorlyperforming, (havinghighE&Eratios),weretobevisitedforthepurposeofidentifying opportunitiesforimprovementanddeterminingfactorsthatleadtomoderateor poorperformance.BestPracticesandfactorsthatleadtohighperformance werealsotobeobservedanddocumentedwithintheseprograms. Largestprograms,asmeasuredbytonnageofmarketedmaterialsweretobe visitedduetothepotentialmagnitudeofimpactoncostandtonnageofdiverted materials. Withinthese,tobeselectedwere:fivetotenprogramswithcontractsexpiringin thenext24months,fivetotenprogramsexpiringafter24months,andfivetoten

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municipally-operatedprograms.Inordertoidentifyindividualcommunitiesthatfall withintheparametersoftheProjectChartercriteria,additionalselectioncriteriawere developed.Thesecriteria,aimedatmaximizingthevalueoftheproject,areas follows:

MunicipalGroupings(clustersofprograms,basedonsize,density,geography,and collectiontype)–withinmunicipalgroupings,atleastonehighperforming programandoneormoremoderatetopoorperformingprogramsweretobe selected.Indepotcollectiongroups,onlythehighperformingprogramswereto beselected Geography–whilerepresentationofgeographyisfacilitatedbytheMunicipal Groupingscriterion,thefinalsampleofprogramswastocontainamixof SouthernandNorthernmunicipalitiestoensurebalancedrepresentation Transferable–theaimofBestPracticeanalysiswastoidentifythosepractices andcircumstancesthatcanduplicatedacrossalargenumberofcommunities Clusteredprograms–programsweretobeselectedthatarelocatedclosetoeach other,therebypresentingopportunitiesforprojectefficiencyandthepotentialto identifymulti-municipalcooperationstructures Learningvalue–programsthatareknownintheindustrytoexhibitleading practicesweretobeconsidered Programsmeetingtheabovecriteriawereinvitedtoparticipateinthisstudy.Upon receiptoftheresponses,alistof32programstobevisitedwasfinalizedand approvedbyMIPC.ThelistofparticipatingmunicipalitiesispresentedinAppendixA. Nineofthesemunicipalitieswereselectedaswellperformingprogramsas measuredbytheE&Efactor,while23wereselectedaspoorerperformingprograms asmeasuredbytheE&Efactor.Individualprogramreportsonopportunitiesfor improvementweretobedevelopedanddistributedonlytothelattersetof municipalities.Duetotheprogram-specificinformationoutlinedinthecommunity reportsandtheconfidentialityagreementbetweentheProjectTeamand municipalities,theseworkproductsarenotpresentedaspartofthisfinalreport.A tableofcontentsforasampleprogramispresentedinAppendixB.Reportsfor communitiesthathaveagreedtomakethempublicwillbepostedontheWDO website.

The s ite visit questionnaire was Questionnaire Development designed to gather information on Inordertoobtainreliableandcomprehensiveinformationfromvisitedprograms,a numerous program areas, including: consistentandrepeatableprocessofgatheringdatawasrequired.TheProjectTeam general program management, workedcollaborativelytodefinetheobjectivesofthesitevisit,assessthemeansof promotion and education, collection, facilitatingtheinterview,anddeterminetheoptionsforsitevisitdocumentation. processing marketing, tendering and contracts, and monitoring and Asignificantelementoftheinterviewprotocolwastheadministrationofa evaluation. questionnairetolearndetailsabouteachprogram.Thequestionnairewasdeveloped throughaniterativeprocessinvolvingtheconsultingteam,secondees,andMIPC members.Stakeholdersuggestionsandamendmentswereintegratedintothe questionnairetoensurethatinformationonkeyaspectsoftheprogramwas

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captured.Thefinalquestionnairecontained121questionssplitintotwosections: pre-visitandsite-visit.

TheresultingquestionnairewasusedasaninterviewguidethatenabledtheTeamto askthesamesetofquestionsineachcommunity,leadingtogreatercomparability andconsistencyofdocumentedprograminformation.

Site Visits MembersoftheProjectTeamvisited32Ontariomunicipalrecyclingprogramsto gleanBestPracticesandidentifyopportunitiesforimprovement.Forsmaller programs,asitevisitlastedoneday.Forlargerprograms,timespentonsite typicallyconsistedoftwotothreedaystogatherprogramdataandinformation.A typicalvisitconsistedofaninterviewwithkeyprogramstaff,observationsofa collectionroute,andatourofaprocessingfacilityand/oradepot/transferstation.

Theinterviewwasusuallyconductedwiththeprogramcoordinator;inlarger programs,specializedstaffwerealsopresenttoanswerquestionsonspecific questionnairetopics.Promotionalmaterialsusedbytheprogramwerecollectedfor furtherstudyandanalysis.

Tourswereusuallyfacilitatedbyamunicipalstaffmemberoracontractor representative.Collectionvehicles,curbsidesetouts,depotareas,andloading processes,werephotographedorvideotaped.Whereallowedbythe contractor/municipality,processingfacilitieswerealsophotographedorvideotaped. Over1,000photographsandvideoswerecollectedaspartofthefieldevidence.

InformationgatheredfromsitevisitswassubsequentlyusedtodefineBest Practices,analyzeissuesandbarriers,andformulateopportunitiesforimprovement.

Documentation

Use of KClient Tofacilitatecapturing,storing,andsharingofinformation,theTeamutilizedKClient asadynamicdocumentandrecordrepository.Amixofdatabases,shared directories,andcalendarswasused.

Allpertinentdocumentsthatwereidentifiedandreviewedaspartoftheprimaryand secondaryresearchwerefiledinKClient.Allsitevisitinformation,including completedquestionnaires,backgroundreports,WDOaudits,photographsand videos,electronicversionsofpromotionalmaterials,andotherrelevantprogram documentswerestoredonKClientforteamaccessandreview.

Allquantitativeandqualitativeanalysesconductedonavailableandacquireddata werestoredonKClientforTeamaccessandreview.Allinterimandfinaldeliverables, includingProjectCharter,presentationstostakeholders,andstatusreportswere filedonKClientforfullaccessbytheTeam.

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Collectively,thesesupportingdocumentsactasafoundationofthefact-based analysisconductedbytheTeam.Theycompriseasetofworkingpapersthatcanbe usedtotracethesource,rationale,andbasisfortheTeam’sfindings.Duetoits importancetoproject’sfinalresults,allelectronicdocumentationfromKClienthas beenmadeavailabletoMIPCtosupporttheinformationcontainedinthisreport.

AnalysisandAssessment

Regression analysis examines the Range of Analytical Tools relation of a dependent variable Acombinationofquantitativeandqualitativeanalyseswasusedtosupportorreject (response variable) to specified hypotheses,validatefindings,andconfirmourrecommendations.Quantitatively,the independent variables (predictors). In this project it was used to determine followingmethodswereused: how and to what degree a change in process/activity/practice has the ability Regressionanalysis to influence program performance. Correlationanalysis

Correlation indicates the strength and Frequencydistributionanalysis direction of a linear relationship Meanandmediancalculations between two random variables. In this project it was used to determine factors TheTeamalsoreliedonanevidenceframeworkinanalyzingqualitativeelementsof that correlate to good and poor programsandidentifyingBestPractices.Thisframeworkincludedconsiderationsof performance by programs. thefollowing:

Frequency distribution is an BestPracticesdefinitionandcriteria,agreedtobyMIPC assessment of values that a variable takes in a given sample. In this project it Sitevisitevidence was used to assess the probability of a BestPracticereportsonothercommunitiesandjurisdictions performance outcome based on a change in one or more parameters. IndustryexpertopinionandotherpreviousBestPracticesstudies(AMRC,Ontario WasteManagementAssociation,OntarioCentreforMunicipalBestPractices, R.W.Beckstudies,andotherdatasources) Furtherdetailsonthemethodologyutilizedareprovidedinthefollowingsections describingspecificprojectworksteps.

SecondaryResearch

Document Research and Review MembersoftheBestPracticesProjectTeamperformedasearchandreviewof literature,availableinprintandonline,relatedtoresidentialrecyclingpractices. Teammemberswereaskedtoresearchinformationonassignedtopics,sothey couldbecometeam“experts”intheirassignedtopicareasonbehalfoftheTeamas awhole.Theseindividualswerelatercalledupontodosubsequentprojecttasks relatedtotheirareasofexpertiseandtoserveastechnicalresourcestootherteam membersasneeded.

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Theliteraturethatwasreviewedencompassedover100documents,availablefrom numerousOntario,Canadian,andinternationalsources.Localresearchsources included:

StewardshipOntarioandtheStewardshipOntarioKnowledgeNetwork WasteDiversionOntario AMO AMRC FederationofCanadianMunicipalities OntarioCenterforMunicipalBestPractices SelectedOntariolocalgovernmentwebsites OtherCanadaprovincewebsites,includingNovaScotiaandNewBrunswick Selectedrecyclingindustrytradeassociations Municipalprograms DocumentsandinformationfromProjectTeammemberfilesandreference libraries InternationalBestPracticesresearchfocusedonleadingglobalrecyclingjurisdictions, includingthefollowing: U.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency SelectedU.S.states,includingMinnesota,California,Pennsylvania,NewYork, andMassachusetts SelectedU.Scitiesandcounties,includingAlamedaCounty,CA;KansasCity,MO; NewYorkCity,NY TheUnitedKingdom Australia Sweden Japan Scotland Germany Manyoftherevieweddocumentsortheirassociatedweblinkswereuploadedto KClientsotheycouldbeaccessedbytheTeamforreferencethroughouttheproject. Toaidotherteammembersinaccessinginformationpertinenttotheirwork, significantdocumentswerecataloguedintheTeam’sDocumentsReviewDatabase onKClient,withnotationsmaderegardingtopicscovered,keyinsights,and relevance.

Other Research Inadditiontoreviewingrecyclingindustryliteratureandreferencematerials, informationonspecifictopicswasalsoobtainedthroughe-mailcommunicationsand interviewswithselectedrecyclingprofessionalsandindustryexperts.Amongthese

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wereprocessingequipmentmanufacturers,MRFoperators,tradeassociation technicalstaff,andrecyclingprogrammanagersinCanada,theUS,andabroad.For themostpart,suchcommunicationsservedtovalidateProjectTeamassumptions regardingBestPracticesortoobtainspecificinformation(e.g.,leadingInternational BestPracticesinformation)notavailablethroughothersources.

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BestPracticesDefinitionand AssessmentCriteria

A definition and assessment criteria for Best Practices allow for determination of what constitutes a Best Practice and provides direction on how to differentiate practices that are “Good” from those that are “Best”

DefinitionofBestPractices TheProjectTeamworkedcollaborativelytodetermineaworkingdefinitionofthe term“BestPractice”,asitappliestotherecyclingindustry.Teammembers’ proposalsandsuggestionswereevaluatedbasedontheneedtomaintainabalance ofmunicipalities’andstewards’objectives,respectmunicipalautonomy,adhereto BlueBoxProgramPlanguidelines,andtobeclearandeasytounderstand.

Asanoutcomeofthisprocess,thefollowingdefinitionwasformulatedandapproved byMIPC:

“Best Practices are defined as waste system practices that affect Blue Box recycling programs and that result in the attainment of provincial and municipal Blue Box material diversion goals in the most cost-effective way possible” BestPracticesAttributes Tohelpidentifyandqualifyobservedpracticesas“BestPractices”,theTeam developedasetofcriteriaandattributesthatfurtheraugmenttheformulated definition.Thus,BestPracticesinmunicipalBlueBoxrecyclingare:

Measurable Comparable Transferable Replicable Resultinminimizedunitcost,whilemaintainingorimprovingdiversion Resultinnetpositiveeffect,asitrelatestocostanddiversion Temporalinnature–continuousimprovementandevolutionoftechnologywill yieldnewBestPractices BestPracticesarenotconfinedtoanyspecificareaoftheBlueBoxprogram.They couldbeoperational,promotional,administrative,orlegislative.

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KeyObservations

Team’s observations from site visits, research, and analysis are presented in this section. Collectively, they serve as a foundation for project findings and recommendations.

UseofE&EFactorasaPerformanceMeasure

E&E Factor Definition TheEffectivenessandEfficiencyFactor(E&EFactor)wasdevelopedaspartofthe WDOCostContainmentplanrequestedbytheMinisteroftheEnvironment,and takesintoconsiderationtwofundamentalprogrammetrics–recoveryrateandnet costpertonne.Itisderivedbydividingnetcostpertonnebytherecoveryrate percentageforagivenprogram.LowerE&EFactorfiguresaremeanttoconvey betterperformance,asprogramsstrivetominimizeunitcosts(numerator)and maximizerecoveryrates(denominator).

Netcostpertonneisdeterminedbydeductingprogramrevenuesfromgross programcostsanddividingtheresultingnetprogramcostbythetonnageof materialsmarketed.

TherecoveryrateportionoftheFactor,measuredinpercent,conveysthe relationshipbetweenkilogramsperhouseholdperyearrecoveredandkilogramsper householdperyearavailableforagivencommunity.Theavailablekilogramsare assignedtoaprogrambasedonanumberoffactors,chiefofwhichisextrapolation ofresultsofmaterialauditsacrosstheprovince.

Examples of feedback received on Observations on the use of the E&E Factor the use of the E&E ratio: TheFactorservesasagoodoverallmetrictoassessprogramperformanceatahigh level.Programswithlowunitcostsandhighrecoveryratesdodemonstratebetter “…it has some merit when used with E&EFactornumbersthanthosewithhighunitcostsandpoorrecoveryrates. proper data and in context.” However,thereareanumberofinherentissueswiththeE&EFactor. “ …(a) performance measure is a good idea and (E&E Ratio) ties two key First,asmunicipalprogramoperatorshavepointedout,therecoveryratepercentage performance factors together – isacalculatednumber,basedontheavailabilityofrecyclablematerialsassignedby costs/tonne and recovery – to give a WDO.Iftheavailabilityofmaterialsdoesnotaccuratelyrepresentacommunity’s quick comparative snapshot.“ retailinglandscape,demographicprofile,orresidents’purchasingpatterns,the

recoveryratefigureswillbeskewed. “…the recovery rate is an artificial number based upon extrapolation of a Second,thenetcostpertonnedoesnotadequatelyallocateprogramcapitalcoststo study.” currenttonnesiftheemployedcapitalisfullydepreciated.Therefore,ifaprogram

“… (E&E Ratio) works well for (a withanolder,amortizedMRFoptstoreplaceitwithanewfacility,itsnetcostwill program in which) MRF is fully mostlikelyrise,andsowilltheE&EFactor.Inthissituation,programperformance amortized.”

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maynothavechanged(ormayhaveevenimproved),whiletheE&EFactorwould Examples of feedback received on indicatelowerlevelsofperformance.Thus,asanobservation,programswithfully the use of the E&E ratio (cont): amortizedMRFstendtoexhibitlowerE&EFactormetrics.

“…It appears to try to consider too Third,theFactorisdesignedtoassignequalimportancetounitcostsandrecovery much, and if you slightly fall outside levels.Thismaynotaccountforthedifferencesinmunicipalgoalsandperspectives, different steps, your program is considered ineffective.” assomemunicipalitiesplacepriorityonmaximizingdiversionandarepreparedto incurhighercostsbecauseofit,whileothersmaypursueoppositeobjectives.Thus, “…it does not take into account that fromamunicipalpointofview,ifaprogramisrecovering80%ofrecyclablesat programs are in different developmental $160/tonne,itmaybeconsideredtoperformsignificantlybetterthanaprogramthat stages.” recovers50%ofrecyclablesat$100/tonne(bothprogramswouldhavethesame

E&EFactorof2).

Finally,theFactortendstopenalizemunicipalitieswithrecentlyintroducedprograms andrewardcommunitieswithestablished,matureprograms.Newerprogramstend toexhibithighercostsandlowerrecoverylevelsduetostartupactivitiesandlow initialresidentparticipationrates.ThereisadualeffectontheE&EFactor:low tonnagesofrecyclablesrecoveredsignificantlyreducethecalculatedrecoveryrate, andfixedandvariableprogramcostsarespreadoutoverasmallernumberoftonnes, leadingtohigherunitcosts.Consequently,programswithinthesamemunicipal group(similarsize,geography,collectionmethod)willexhibitdifferentE&EFactors duetovarianceintheirmaturity.

Asaresultoftheseshortcomings,theuseoftheE&EFactoralonetoevaluate programperformancemaynotbeoptimal,asperceivedbymunicipalprogram coordinatorsandoperators.Itisimportanttounderstandotherfactorsinassessinga program’sperformance.

ProgramDiversity ThechallengeofidentifyingBestPracticesbecomesmoredifficultwhenone considersthesheervarietyofmunicipalBlueBoxprogramsthatexistinOntario. WhilesomeofthedifferencesarecapturedbytheuseofMunicipalGroupings, whichaimtocategorizeprogramsbasedonsize,geography,density,andcollection process,othervariationsthatappeartohavesignificantprogramimplicationsstill exist.

Oneofthemajordifferencesamongprogramsissize,asmeasuredbypopulation andtonnage.Largercitiesandmunicipalities,evenwithinmunicipalgroups,tendto generategreatereconomiesofscale.Theyhavemorestaffdedicatedtowaste managementandrecycling.Theirfixedcostsaredistributedoveralargernumberof tonnesand/orhouseholds,therebyreducingunitcosts.Largercitiesalsotendto havemorepressinglandfillissues,leadingtoincreasedemphasisonrecycling.

Geographyisanimportantdifferentiatorofprograms.NorthernOntario municipalitiestendtodealwithissuesthatarenotprevalentinthesouthernpartsof theprovince.Theseincludedistancetomarketsandequipmentsuppliers,lackof

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competition,lackofdiversiondrivers(greaterlandfillcapacities),largedistances betweenprograms,weathercomplexities,andconflictwiththenaturalresource- basedeconomyoftheNorth,amongothers.SouthernOntariomunicipalitiesexhibit differencesintheirproximitytotheGoldenHorseshoeregion(andtheassociated markets,equipmentsuppliers,andcontractors),proximitytohighways,topography, seasonalandtransientpopulation,andlabouravailability.

Householddensityisanessentialcomponentofprogramdesignandoperation,and evenwithinmunicipalgroupings,itvariessubstantially.Moreover,some municipalitieshaveuniformdistributionofhouseholds,whileothershavepocketsof density,requiringdifferentcollectionmethods.Thepercentageofmulti-family households,whichisafunctionofhouseholddensity,alsovariesacrossprograms, addingfurthercomplexitytoprogramoperations.

Programmaturityvariessignificantlyamongmunicipalitiesinthesamegroup. RecentlyestablishedBlueBoxprogramstendoperateinaninvestmentmode,which requiressubstantialemphasisandeffortonoptimizingprogramcomponentsand increasingresidents’participationandrecoveryrates.Matureprogramstendto concentrateonmaintainingortweakingexistingprocesses,seekingtogain incrementalimprovementsincostsorrecoveryrates.TheProjectTeamvisited communitieswithBlueBoxhistoryrangingfromthreeyearstoseveraldecades.

Avarietyofgovernancestructureswasalsoobservedinsitevisits.Insome municipalities,decisionsonallstrategic,tactical,andoperationalissuesneedtobe escalatedtofullcouncillevel.Inothers,acouncilsub-committeehastheauthority tomakefinaldecisions.Insome,onlystrategicissuesaredealtwithbythecouncil, whereasoperationaldecisionsaremadeatthestafflevel.Insomeregional programs,aBoard,comprisedofrepresentativesfromparticipatingmunicipalities, makesthemajorityofdecisions.Therealsoexistinstances,whereanon-profit municipalentityoperatestheregionalBlueBoxprogram,withonlyperiodicguidance fromitsconstituentmunicipalities.

Demographiccharacteristicsofcommunityresidentsarevariedacrossandwithin programs.Somemunicipalitieshavehomogenousdemographictraits,whileothers exhibithighdiversityinresidentethnicity,language,age,andeconomicstatus.The degreeofattentionaffordedbytherecyclingprogramtoaddressthesedemographic differencesalsovariesgreatlyamongmunicipalities.

TherangeofmaterialsacceptedbyBlueBoxprogramsvariedwidelyacrossthe province.WhilethebasicfivematerialslegislatedbyRegulation101underthe EnvironmentalProtectionActwereacceptedbyallprograms,thecombinationof additionalrecyclablematerialswasuniqueinalmosteveryprogram.Some municipalities,inanefforttomaximizediversion,includeallmajorplastic,paper,and metalrecyclablesintheirprogram.Othersincludeonlythoseproductsthatare economicallyviabletocollectandprocess,andhavedevelopedmaturemarkets.

Otherprogramdifferentiators,observedthroughsitevisitsanddataanalysis,include, butnotlimitedto:

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Synergiesbetweenwastestreams Economicconditionsoftheregion Degreeofcontractorcompetitionavailable Environmentalfocusinthecommunity Poolofavailablelabour ChallengesofComparability

Challenges of Identifying and Quantifying Best Practices ThelargedegreeofvariabilitymakestheidentificationofBestPracticesextremely challenging.ThemainbarriertodeterminingwhatconstitutesaBestPracticeisthat someoftheobservedpracticesemployedbymunicipalitiesmayhaveyieldedgood performanceresultsonlyduetothespecificnatureofagivencommunity,and,thus, theyarenottransferabletootherprograms.

Evenwhenapracticeisdeemedtoresultinnetpositiveeffectsinabroadrangeof municipalities,quantifyingtheeffectofemployingthatpracticeposes insurmountabledifficulties.Forexample,ifarecentlyestablishedprogramwereto beginemployingagoodpracticeandexperienceapositiveoutcomeofacertain magnitude,theoutcomeofthesamemagnitudecannotberealisticallyexpected fromamature,well-establishedprogram.

AnotherfactorthatcomplicatescomparabilityandquantificationofBestPracticeis themethodinwhichmunicipalitiesmakechangestotheirprograms.Inmostcases, whenintroducinganewprocessoremployinganewpractice,municipalitiestendto makemultipleotherprogramamendmentsatthesametime.Asaconsequence, whenprogramperformanceisevaluatedtomeasuretheimpactofimplemented modifications,itisdifficulttoattributetheresultingoutcometoanyonespecific practice.

Additionally,BlueBoxrecyclingprogramsareusuallyoneofmanycomponentsofa community’swastemanagementsystem,andoperationsoftenhaveinterdependent aspects.Asanexample,onecontractormightbehiredtoprovidebothBlueBox recyclingandwastecollectionservices,andcertaincommunitiesperformco- collectionofrecyclablematerialsandwasteitems.

TheseobservationsandrealizationsprecludedtheProjectTeamfromdetermining costsoforassigning“prices”toindividualBlueBoxprogramBestPractices. Furthermore,theTeamconcludedthatextrapolatingfinancialoroperationalresults ofindividualBestPracticestootherprogramsisneitherpracticallyfeasiblenor defensibleinthecontextofOntariomunicipalBlueBoxrecycling.Consequently,it wasnotdeemedfeasibletoaggregatetheeffectofallindividualBestPracticesin ordertoquantifythe“BestPracticeProgramCost”.

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Asanalternativeapproach,theTeamutilizedaholistic,system-wideapproachto identifyingtheeffectsofBestPracticesadoption.Componentsofwell-performing programswereanalyzedwithrespecttotheircollectiveimplicationstodetermine whetheraprogramwasoperatingatBestPracticelevel.Descriptionsofprograms thatwereobservedtoutilizealargenumberofBestPracticesarepresentedin VolumeIIofthisreport.

FactorsContributingtoGoodandPoorPerformance TheProjectTeamutilizedvariousapproachesfordeterminingspecificfactorsthat contributetogoodandpoorBlueBoxprogramperformance.Initialattemptswere focusedonidentifyingthecorrelationbetweendistinctprogramattributesandthe program’sE&Eratio.However,asdescribedinthe“KeyObservations”sectionof thisreport,theProjectTeamfoundthattheE&Eratiowasinfluencedbyanumberof elementsthatarenotrepresentativeofprogramperformance,suchaslocation, geography,andpopulationdemographics.

Theprojectteamattemptedtoanalyzethe2005WDODatacalldatatoseeifgood andpoorperformancecouldbecorrelatedtocertainprogramitems,despite understandingthatnon-programmaticfactorscontributetoperformance.However,it wasoftenfoundthatcorrelationanalysiswasnotmeaningfulduetolackofdata pointsandmultiplecontributingfactors.Thefollowingexamplemayhelptoillustrate this.Thenumberofprogramoptionsexponentiallyaffectsthenumberofpossible permutations–asetofonlytenoptionswithtwochoiceseachresultsin2 10 or 1,024possibleprogramconfigurations.Infact,combinationsofmorethanseven programoptionsexceedtheavailablenumberofdatapoints(189totalprogramsin 2005).

Becauseofdatalimitations,theProjectTeamsoughttoidentifywhichattributes appearedtocontributepositivelyornegativelytoprogramperformanceasdefinedby avarietyofotherperformancemeasuresanddidnotrelyontheE&Eratioaloneas themeasureofperformance.

Methodsusedinthismodifiedapproachtotheanalysiswereasfollows:

Documentingspecificfactorsandprogramattributesidentifiedthroughsitevisits thatappearedtoinfluenceprogramperformance Interviewingprogramrepresentativestogaintheirinsightsandopinionsregarding programattributesthattheybelieveaffectedprogramperformance Reviewingandassessingprogramdataandinterviewrecordstogleaninformation indicatingpotentialcontributorstogoodorpoorprogramperformance Comparingtheresultsacrossvisitedcommunitiestolookforpatternsindicating commoncontributingfactors PerforminglimitedsetsofstatisticalanalysesonWDODatacalldataregarding veryspecificfactorstoassesstheextenttowhichthepresenceorabsenceof thesefactorsappearedtoaffectprogramresults

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Holdingfieldteamandfullteammeetingstodiscusstheresultsoftheactivities describedaboveandtodevelopacommonlistoffactorsandprogramattributes forreferencepurposesindeterminingBestPractices Alistofpotentialcontributorstoprogramperformanceidentifiedthroughqualitative analysisandasreportedtotheProjectTeambycommunityrepresentatives interviewedwascompiled.Althoughregressionanalysiscouldnotprovide confidenceincorrelationofmanyspecificprogramfactorstoperformance,a quantitativeandqualitativeanalysis(e.g.,includingsupportfromotherstudies,field workandexpertopinion)ofcertaindatasetsprovidedstrongsupportthatcertain factorscontributetogoodorpoorperformance.Conclusionsthatwerederivedfrom theseanalysesareasfollows:

Reducingsolidwasteservices(e.g.,two-baglimit,reducedfrequencyofsolid wastecollection)supportedbydiversionalternativeswasfoundtoresultin higherrecoveryratesforBlueBoxmaterials.Thisisillustratedinthefollowing figure,whichshowstherelationshipbetweenrecoveryrateandthegarbagebag limitimposedonresidents.

BagLimitEffectonthe 60%

RecoveryRate 58%

56% Municipalities with lower weekly 54% garbage bag limits tend to exhibit higher recovery rates. 52%

50%

48%

46% 44%

42%

40% 1 2 3 4 5 Weekly Garbage Bag Limit

CollectinganexpandedlistofBlueBoxmaterialsabovethatrequiredbyOntario Regulation101wasfoundtoresultinhigherrecoveryratesforBlueBox materials. Reducingthefrequencyofgarbagecollectionand/orincreasingthefrequencyof BlueBoxcollectionwasfoundtohaveapositiveeffectonrecoveryrate,as illustratedinthefigurebelow.

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70% FrequencyofGarbageand 60% BlueBoxCollection 54% 50% 44%

40% Municipalities that collect recyclables less frequently than 30% garbage tend to exhibit lower recovery rates, as compared to 20% municipalities where collection 10% frequency of garbage and recyclables is equal. 0% Frequency Same Blue Box Less Frequent

WhilethecorrelationbetweenP&Eexpendituresandcorrespondingrecovery rateswaslow,onaverage,programsthatobtain60%recoverytendtospend approximately$1onPromotionandEducation.Thisisillustratedinthe followingfigure.

PromotionandEducation Expendituresamong $4.00 MediumandLarge $3.50

Municipalities $3.00

$2.50

Municipalities achieving 60% $2.00 recovery levels, on average, tend to $1.50 spend approximately $1 on Promotion and Education. $1.00

$0.50 $0.00 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Recovery Rate Distinctprocessingefficiencydifferenceswereobservedbetweenfacilitiesthat processmorethan10,000tonnesperyearofBlueBoxrecyclablesandthose thatprocessless. AnumberofotherfactorswerereportedtotheProjectTeamonsitevisitsas potentialfactorsinfluencingperformance.

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Factorsthatappearedto positively affectprogramperformance:

Promotionofenvironmentalawarenessascommunityfocus-comprehensive menuofenvironmentalprogramsthatdevelops/reinforcesabroad environmentalethic ExistenceofanintegratedWasteManagementPlan Regionalcooperation Establishedrelationshipswithandknowledgeofendmarkets AtleastonedepotforBlueBoxoverflow,additionalmaterials,ortoservemulti- familywhootherwisedon’thaveBlueBoxservice Programsthatforegorevenueforlowcostcollection/processingfromalocalMRF canbeveryefficient ShortdistancetoMRFsandmarkets Clearinstructionstoresidents,operators,collectors,etc. Consistentenforcementofrulesandlimits Staffconsistency,especiallyoncollection CollaborativeP&E,withschools/civicorganizations/youngpersonsgroups,etc. HighavailabilityofP&E,suchaslocalphonebooks,visibleontrucks,calendars,etc. Hightippingfeesatlandfills Factorsthatappearedto negatively affectprogramperformance:

LongdistancetoMRFsandmarkets Contractsnotfullyunderstood,e.g.,fuelsurchargeamounts Highresiduerates–maybepoorsetout,collection,processing,or“high-grading” atMRF Poorbaling–notdenseenough Inconsistentcollectionorenforcementofrules Pooreducationofmunicipal/contractoremployees NoprovisionofBlueboxes Highdegreeofseasonalresidents Highdegreeofprivate,narrow,roads Dispersedpopulation PoorlocationofMRFwithinmunicipality(notcentralized) LackofAuditsofmaterials Lowimportancebymanagement Lackofskillsandresources Recentlyestablishedrecyclingprogram

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OtherObservations TheProjectTeamdocumentedanumberofotherobservations,drawnfromsite visits,research,anddataanalysis.Thesearepresentedinthisdocumentas perceivedissues;furtherreview,analysis,andvalidationisrequiredtosubstantiate theseobservations.

Thesystemappearstobeunder-capitalized,asmanyprogramscontinueto operateprocessingfacilitiesthatareold,rudimentary,andfullydepreciatedfor accountingpurposes.AwaveofnewMRFsisexpectedtobeconstructedor retrofitted(orhaverecentlybeenconstructedorretrofitted)inthenextseveral yearstoaddressthisissue.Thiswilllikelycausereportedcapitalcoststo escalate. Programvariance,detailedabove,mayhavebeencausedbyfactorsthatwere withinmunicipality’sspanofcontrol,ratherthanbyinherent,unchangeable factors.Thisimpliesthatsomeprogramsaredifferentduetohistoricelements andprogramdecisionsthathavebeenmadeinthepast. Generally,municipalprogramstaffaretryingtobeefficientandseekingcost effectivemethodsofoperatingtheBlueBoxprogram.Insomeisolatedcases, neglectandlackofpriorityofrecyclingwithinothercompetingmunicipal programs,causesprograminefficienciesandinhibitsimprovement. Transportationpractices,specificallyintransferringmaterialsfromthecurbtoa processingfacility,appeartobenon-standardizedinruralremotecommunities. Wherenomajorurbancenterexistsinthearea,ruralprogramsfacechallenges infindingeffectivetransportationmethodsforhaulingmaterialstotheclosest MRF(whichisoftensituatedveryfarfromtheruralcommunity). Pricingforprocessingofcommingled(unsortedsinglestreamortwo-stream) materialappearstovarysignificantlyacrossOntarioMRFsthatreceive recyclablesfromothercommunities.ThesameMRFmaybepayingafee, receivingmaterialsfreeofcharge,orchargingatippingfeeforseeminglysimilar materialcompositionsfromvaryingcommunities. Inter-municipalcooperationhasreportedlynotbeenwidelypracticedacross Ontarioprograms.Somerivalriesbetweenneighbouringmunicipalitiesexist, andsomepoliticalfiguresorprogramstaffdon’tlikeworkingtogetherwiththeir neighboursforhistoricalreasons. ThereisaperceivedlackofcommunicationsbetweenMIPC/WDOandOntario municipalities(thismaybeduetothefactthatmunicipalMIPCmembershave fewfull-timeMIPC-dedicatedresources).Furthermore,thereisaperceivedlack oftransparencyinMIPC’sdecision-makingprocess.

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BestPracticesforOntario BlueBoxPrograms

Best Practices were formulated as a result of a fact- based analysis, incorporating site visit evidence, multi- jurisdictional research, contribution of industry experts, and use of advanced statistical tools.

IntroductiontoBestPractices Aspreviouslystated,“BestPractices”forthepurposeofthisprojectaredefinedas “waste system practices that affect Blue Box recycling programs and that result in the attainment of provincial and municipal Blue Box material diversion goals in the most cost-effective way possible” .

Todistinguishpracticesthatare“best”fromthosethatmaybegood,poor,or irrelevant,theProjectTeamusedanevidenceframeworkbuiltonacombinationof researchfindings,analyticalassessments,anddefinedscreeningcriteria.

First,theoriginaldefinitionandcriteria,presentedearlierinthisreport,were expandedupontofurtherclarifywhatisandisnotaBestPractice.Thesecriteria helpedteammemberstoidentifyanddocumentcandidateBestPractices.

Next,aBestPracticesDatabasewasestablishedforcollectiveteamuseonKClient. TeammembersidentifiedandpostedcandidateBestPracticespertainingtospecific recyclingprogramcomponents,alongwithsupportinginformation.Inadditionto BestPracticedescriptionanditsapplicability,thedatabaseprovidedforcaptureof thefollowinginformationforeachrecord:

Potentialimpactresultingfromuseofthepractice Ontariomunicipalitiesdemonstratinguseofthepractice International/otherCanadalocationsdemonstratinguseofthepractice Expertcomment/stakeholderconsensus(AMRC,OWMA,consultingteams,etc.) regardingthepracticeasabestpractice Proofofconcept/validation(documentationthatthepracticeisabestpractice) Quantifiedcosts/benefits Communitytypethatthepracticeissuitedfor Resourcerequirementsforimplementingthepractice Constrainingvariableslimitingapplicabilityofthepractice Throughthisdocumentationprocess,theBestPracticesDatabaseservedasa commonrepositoryforallcandidateBestPracticesinformationderivedfromthefield

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work,literaturereview,interviews,andothermeansofgatheringBestPractices informationinthisproject.

Finally,candidateBestPracticesweresubjectedtoascreeningprocess,whichtook intoaccountthedegreeoffact-basedevidenceavailabletosupportthem.Main evidencecategoriesincluded:

SitevisitevidencesuggestingaBestPractice CanadianandInternationalsourcescitingtheBestPractice DocumentedexpertopinionandpublishedreportscitingtheBestPractice QuantitativeanalysissuggestingcorrelationofperformanceanduseofBest Practice Thisanalyticalframeworkservedasthefoundationforidentifyingapreliminarylistof Fundamental Best Practices apply to all Municipal Programs “Fundamental Best Practices” thatapplytoallOntarioBlueBoxrecycling programsand “Conditional Best Practices” thatappearedtoapplytosomebutnot allprogramsdependingonprevailingcircumstances.Insomecasesthese Conditional Best Practices apply to conditionalpracticeswereidentifiedasalternativemethodsor“toolsets”for programs with certain characteristics or achievingtheFundamentalBestPractices.Certainothercandidatepractices, are included as alternative methods or “toolsets” for achieving Fundamental reportedtotheTeambystaffofvisitedmunicipalitiesordocumentedthrough Best Practices research,weredeemedas “Other Practices Meriting Consideration” ifsomeor allevidentiarycriteriawerenotmet.Severalworkshopsaimedatvalidatingthe preliminaryBestPracticesandgainingconsensusontheirapplicabilitywereheld Other Practices have not been withtheentireteam.Subsequenttothatprocess,asetofnarrativedescriptionsof substantiated by fact-based analysis; they may, however, produce positive eachFundamentalBestPracticewasdeveloped.Furthermore,attherequestof results in isolated cases MIPC,theProjectTeamdevelopeddescriptionBestPracticesapplicationsinseveral keyprogramareas.Thesearepresentedinthisreportas “Best Practice Spotlights” . FundamentalBestPractices TheProjectTeamidentifiedeightFundamentalBestPracticesthatapplytoall municipalrecyclingprogramsinOntario.Theseareasfollows:

Developmentandimplementationofanup-to-dateplanforrecycling,aspartofan integratedWasteManagementsystem Multi-municipalplanningapproachtocollectionandprocessingrecyclables Establishingdefinedperformancemeasures,includingdiversiontargetsand monitoringandacontinuousimprovementprogram Optimizationofoperationsincollectionsandprocessing Trainingofkeyprogramstaffincorecompetencies Followinggenerallyacceptedprinciplesforeffectiveprocurementandcontract management Appropriatelyplanned,designed,andfundedPromotionandEducationprogram Establishedandenforcedpoliciesthatinducewastediversion

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EachoftheseFundamentalBestPracticesisdescribedindetailinthissection.

ItisimportanttonotethatalloftheBestPracticesdiscussedhereinwerebasedon research,fieldobservations,andcarefuldeliberationandconsensusbuildingamong membersoftheProjectTeam.Wheninformationwasconflictingorteammember opinionsdiffered,additionalresearchwasperformedtomakeadecision.If inadequateinformationwasfoundtoresolveconflictingpositions,thedisputed practicewasomitted.Thereadershouldkeepinmind,however,thatindiscussing BestPracticesattheprofileorprogramcomponentlevel,theinformationpresented isinherentlygeneralinnature.Furthermore,themoredetailedandspecificthe informationpresented,thelesssupportingdocumentationisavailabletosubstantiate thataparticularpracticeisindeedBestPractice.

TheProjectTeamhasworkedtobalancestakeholderdesiresfordetailedguidance withtheneedfor“proof”withrespecttoBestPractices.Thisisnotaperfect science;consequentlyneitheraretheresults.Howevertheguidanceprovided hereinistheresultofextensivescrutinyandfinetuningwhichaddsconfidencetoits validity.Futureprojectswillbeneededtodevelopmore-detailedguidanceand technicalassistancetoolssuchasworksheets,checklists,trainingmodules,tohelp ensurethatthepracticesidentifiedhereinareimplementedinabestpractices fashionbycommunitiesseekingtodoso.

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FundamentalBest Development and Implementation of an Up-to-date Plan for Recycling, as Part of an Integrated Waste Practice Management System

Overview

Arecyclingprogramplanthatresultsfromathoroughplanningprocessisastrategic andpracticalguideforthedesign,management,operation,andoptimizationofa community’sBlueBoxprogram.Tobeeffective,itshouldreflectcareful examinationofallprogramcomponents,anddirectgoalsetting,actionsteps,and resourceallocationtoachievemeaningfulresultsovertime.Implementationofa well-conceivedplanisfacilitatedbyanoverarchingvision,purpose,anddirection, allowingsynergiestoberealizedacrossoperational,geographical,andpolitical boundaries.Therecyclingplanmaybeastandalonedocumentormaybe incorporatedintoalargerintegratedwastemanagementplan.

OnJune12,2007theMinistryoftheEnvironmentissuedapolicystatementon planningthat“articulatestheprovince’sexpectationsforwastemanagementin Ontario,outlinesaframeworkandprinciplesfordecision-makingbyallwaste managersandprovidesspecificdirectiontoguidethedevelopmentoflong-term municipalwastemanagementplans.Itisintendedtoachievemoreconsistentand timelywastemanagementplanningacrosstheprovinceandtomakethedecision- makingprocessmoretransparent.ThisPolicyStatementsetsoutbestmanagement practicesforthemanagementofwasteandcreationofwastemanagementplans, andtheProvinceencouragesallwastemanagerstofacethechallengeofwaste managementandfollowthispolicy.”

This28-pagepolicystatementshouldalsobereferencedasasourceofbestpractice guidanceforBlueBoxprogramplanningasonecomponentofintegratedwaste managementplanning.

Key Benefits and Outcomes

Programplanningisalong-terminvestmentthatwillresultinthefollowingbenefits:

Aclearvisiontoguideprogramdevelopment Definedprogramgoalsandobjectivesagainstwhichprogresscanbemeasured Focuseduseofstaffandmonetaryresourcesaimedatachievingcost-effective results Clarificationofwhatisneededtoproactivelybringaboutchangeratherthanjust reacttochange Provisionofa“roadmap”onhowtomeetprogramneedsandobjectives Enhancedoperationalandpoliticaldecision-makingprocess Integrationofsolidwasteservices,leadingtolowersystemcosts Overallimprovedprogrameffectivenessandefficiency

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Description of Best Practice

Integrated waste management isdefinedasacombinationoftechniquesand programstomanageallmunicipalwastestreamsinamannerthatisappropriate basedonlocalneedsandcircumstancesandconsiderateofpotentialeconomic, environmental,andsocialimplicationsofthechoicesmade.Criticaltothesuccess ofanyBlueBoxrecyclingprogramisup-frontplanningofhowtheprogramwillbe developedandimplemented,withtherecognitionthatBlueBoxrecyclingisan integralpartoftheoverallwastemanagementsystem.

Thevalueofrecyclingprogramplanningcomesnotjustwiththedevelopmentofa document,butisrealizedduringtheprocessofplanningitself.Whilethenatureand extentoftheplanningprocesswillvary,dependingonthelevelofresources availableforplanningandthecomplexityofprogramsbeingplannedfor,planningis fundamentaltoallprograms.

Regardlessofthesizeorcomplexityoftheplanningdocument,arecyclingplan shouldaskandprovideanswerstofourbasicquestions:

1 Wheredowewanttobe? 2 Wherearewenow? 3 HowdowegetfromCurrentStatetoFutureState? 4 Howdowemeasure/trackourprogress? Thekindofinformationthatcanbepresentedtoanswereachofthesequestionsis providedbelow.Theamountofinformationandthedegreeofitsdetailwillvarywith programsizeandresourcesavailableforplanning.

1. Where do we want to be (Future State)?

Thiscomponentoftheplanestablishesalong-rangevisionforhowtherecycling programwouldlook,iffullyandsuccessfullyimplemented,andsetsthegoalsand objectivesoftheprogramtobeachievedduringtheplanningtimeframe.Typical planninghorizonisaroundthreetofiveyears;however,programplanningcanhavea longertimeframe–fivetotenyears–dependingontheextenttowhich infrastructureisneeded.Animportantpartofthisplanningstepistoengage communitystakeholdersinthevisioningprocess,sothattheresultantvisionis sharedbyall.

Equallyimportantisrecognizingthatrecyclingasjustonecomponentofanoverall wastemanagementsystem.Theentiresystemshouldbeaimedatminimizing wastegenerationandcapturingvaluableenergyandmaterialresourcesfromwaste priortodisposingofmaterialsthatcannotbetechnicallyand/oreconomically recoveredforfurtheruse.Establishinganintegratedwastemanagementsystem anddeterminingtheappropriateroleforrecyclingwithinthatvisionservesasaguide tofurtherrecyclingplanninganddecision-making.Inaddition,recyclingandwaste managementplanningshouldbeintegratedwithotherbroadmunicipalplanning

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activities,suchasplanningforgrowth,economicdevelopment,orsustainabilityand wouldbenefitfrombeingpartofacomprehensiveenvironmentalmanagement systemprovidingasystematicapproachtoaddressinginstitutionalandoperating programobjectives.

2. Where are we now (Current State)?

Developingananswertothisquestionwillentailareviewandassessmentofthe currentrecyclingandrelatedwastemanagementprograms,operations,and activitiesincluding:

Populationandrecyclablematerialstonnageprojectionsfortheplanningperiod, estimatesofcurrentdiversionlevels Adescriptionofthestrengthsandweaknessesofallaspectsoftherecycling programandrelatedpolicies,procedures,facilities,andoperations.Thisreview shouldincludeanassessmentofthecurrentandprojectedcapacityofthe recyclablematerialshandlinginfrastructure,anassessmentofrecyclable materialsmarketconditions,andmarkettrends,andanycircumstancesor conditionsthatmayaffecttheprogramoverthecourseoftheplanningperiod Documentingcurrentcostsforprograms Identifyinghowthecurrentrecyclingprogramworksinconjunctionwithother wastemanagementprograms Identifyingremainingneedsandgapstobeaddressed 3. How do we get from Current State to Future State?

Withrespecttoansweringthisquestion,plansshoulddescribethestrategiesand actionstepstobeusedinordertoaddresstheidentifiedneedsandgapsandmeet theBlueBoxprogram’sgoalsandobjectives.Topicstobeaddressedinthe developmentoftheseplanstrategiescouldinclude:

Potentialprogramandpolicyoptions Opportunitiesforcooperation(bothinternalandexternal,withrespectto neighbouringjurisdictions) Opportunitiesforcoordinationandintegrationofrecyclingprogramsand operationswithothercomponentsoftheresource/wastemanagementsystem Opportunitiesforpublic/privatepartnerships Clarificationoftherolesandresponsibilitiesofvariousstakeholders Costing/budgetestimatesandfinancingapproach Continuousimprovementsmeasures Animplementationtimetablereflectingshort,midandlongtermplanning milestones 4. How do we measure/track progress?

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Toaddressthisplanningquestion,plansshouldoutlinethemethodstobeusedto measuretheBlueBoxprogram’sprogressandperformanceresults.Having performancemeasuresandtrackingperformanceagainstthesemeasureswill ensurethatcontinuousimprovementwillbeanintegralpartofthesystem.Thiswill include:

Adoptionoftheplanbytheappropriatedecision-makingbodies Identifyingthemeansbywhichdataandinformationcanbecapturedtomeasure progresstowarddefinedprogramtargets Timelinesforreviewoftheprogramandtherecyclingplanitself Programplansshouldincludespecificdiversiontargetsagainstwhichprogram effectivenesscanbemeasured(seeBestPracticeonPerformanceMeasurement).

Implementation

Anymunicipalityshouldbeabletodevelopabasicrecyclingplanandwillbenefit fromdoingso.Thekeyaspectindevelopingaplanistomatchtheplantothe programneeds,sizeandcomplexity.Thereisno“onesizefitsall”solutionfora plan,butagoodplanningprocesswillhavethefollowingcommoncharacteristics:

Isflexible,applicabletotheprogramanduserfriendly Isparticipatory--hastheinvolvementofallthekey“stakeholders”intheplanning processand,ultimately,theirsupport Ispracticalandrealisticwithrespecttogoals,objectives,resourcesandoutcomes Accountsforbudgetandresourceallocationsandlimitations Providesforrealisticandachievablerecommendationsfortheprogram Establishesandensuresaccountabilityforresults Leadstoresourcedecisionsandacknowledgestherealityofthelimitationsof financialandotherresources Isnotstatic–theprocessandplanhavetobereviewedandrevisedonaregular basis Isnotdoneinisolationofotherplanningprocesses,suchasforotherwaste managementsystemcomponents,aswellasforbroadermunicipalplanning, suchascommunitymasterplanning Lastly,arecyclingplanshouldaddressandincorporateelementsfromotherdefined BestPractices.

Source and Links

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“Preparing a Waste Management Plan – A methodological guidance note” http://www.eukn.org/eukn/themes/Urban_Policy/Transport_and_infrastructure/Techni cal_infrastructure/Waste_collection/Waste-management-plan_1002.html

“Guidelines for Strategic Planning”,USDepartmentofEnergy http://www.orau.gov/pbm/links/sp-guide.pdf

“Guide to the Preparation of Regional Solid Waste Management Plans by Regional Districts,” MinistryoftheEnvironmentEnvironmentalProtectionDivision,British Columbia: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/epdpa/mpp/gprswmp1.html#s17

EuropeanTopicCentreonResourceandWasteManagement http://waste.eionet.europa.eu

OntarioCentreforMunicipalBestPractices http://www.amo.on.ca/Content/ocmbp/PolicyIssues/WasteManagement/default.htm

PolicyStatementonWasteManagementPlanning:BestPracticesforWaste Managers,MinistryoftheEnvironment,Publishedon:June12,2007

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FundamFundamentalBestentalBestPractice Multi-Municipal Planning Approach to Collection and Practice Processing Recyclables

Overview

Awidely-recognizedprincipleofbusinessisthatsignificantefficienciesand economiescanbeobtainedfromlargerscaleactivities.Thesameprincipleappliesto recyclingprograms.Therefore,itisconsideredafundamentalBestPracticefor municipalitiestoexploreamulti-municipalapproachtoplanningrecyclingactivities. Considerableamountofindustryresearchanddataanalysisindicatesthatnearlyall municipalitiescanbenefitfromaco-operativeapproachtoplanningand/orproviding recyclingservices.

Key Benefits and Outcomes

Manycommunitieshavefounditadvantageoustoworkco-operativelyinproviding solidwastemanagementservices.Workingjointly,municipalitiescanincrease bargainingpowerwithprivateserviceprovidersforcollectionandprocessingof recyclables.Poolingresources,suchasprocessingequipment,collectionequipment, orfacilities,canresultinincreasingequipment,labour,and/orfacilityutilization, therebyrealizingfinancialandoperationalefficiencies.

Co-operationbetweentwoormoremunicipalitiesisbecomingmorecommonas municipalitiesfaceincreasingbudgetaryconstraints.Co-operativeplanningcanlead toimprovedperformanceacrossvirtuallyallrecyclingprogramcomponents, enhancingeffectivenessandefficiencyinthefollowingareas:

Economiesofscale Increasedresidentparticipation/satisfaction Optimizedprogramfunding Sharedstaff/time/costs/skills/equipment Improvedsupplier/contractorrelations Reducedneedformanagementsupervision Reducedneedforcounciltimeandattention Increasedcapacitytoadoptnewtechnologiesandmethods Materialmarketsandpricingadvantages,yieldinghigherrevenues Increasedinnovationinstrategies,servicesandproducts Sharedriskmanagement Sharedcapitalrequirements Description of Best Practice

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Whilemulti-municipalcooperationcanyieldpositiveresultsinallcircumstances,its applicabilityishighestwhen:

Municipalitieswithintheregionareinneedofthesamesetofservices Jurisdictionshaveworkedtogethersuccessfullyinthepast Responsibilitiesandrolesareclearlydefined Thereareclearadvantagestoworkingcooperatively Entryandexitprotocolsforcontractualrelationshipsareclearlydefined Asuccessfulmulti-municipalplanningapproachwillfocusonsupportingmunicipal objectives,including;

Cost Containment

Economiesofscalecanresultindramaticsavingsformunicipalitiesduetovolume discounts;standardizedequipmentsize,features,andspecifications;standardized servicelevels;andpromotionandeducationsynergies.Forexample,a2006, cooperativecollectioncontractamongsixmunicipalitiesinYorkRegionreportedly resultedinannualBlueBoxandwastecostsavingsofover$900,000.

Improved Quality and Productivity

Municipalitiesthatsharesomeoftheworkloadacrossamultitudeofcomponentsof arecyclingprogramcanlowertheirunitcostanddevelopstaffexpertisethrough commonresources.Thisoftenresultsinimprovedqualityandconsistencyofthe servicesdeliveredandincreasedstaffproductivity.Adesirablebonusobtainedfrom interactionwithknowledgeablestaffisanincreaseinresidentsatisfactionwiththe program,which,inturn,resultsinincreasedparticipationanddiversion.

Transferability

Multi-municipalcooperationcanresultingreaterresidentparticipationandsmoother operationoftherecyclingprogram.Asresidentscommuteandrelocatefromone communitytoanother,commonmessagesthroughco-operativepromotionand educationandcommonservicelevels/proceduresmakeiteasyforresidentsto maintaintheirparticipationanddiversionlevels.

Overtime,costreductionswillberealizedthroughstafftimeandpromotional savingsobtainedfromlessre-educationandreducedcollectionrejections. Contaminationlevelsoftendecreaseanddiversionismaintainedorincreasedasa resultofthediminishedneedtoeducateresidents.

Competitiveness

ManymunicipalitiesstruggletoattractbiddersforrecyclingRFP’sortenders.One obviousbenefitofmulti-municipalplanningistotakeadvantageofthelargertonnage offeredunderco-operativecontractstoattractmorebidders,aswellasnon-local bidders.WDODatacallstatisticsconfirmthatrecyclingcostsaresteeplyreduced whengreaterquantitiesofmaterialsarecollectedandprocessedabovea10,000

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tonnesperyearthresholdlevel.Clearly,themoretonnagethatcanbecombined underasinglecontract,themorecontractorsarewillingtoparticipateandtopasson savingstomunicipalities.

Theinversealsoholdstrue.Acontractthatrequireshalfatruckperweektocollect ismuchlesslikelytoattractmultiplebiddersthanacontractthatrequiresfivetrucks perweek.

Market Revenue

Revenuesforlargeramountsofrecyclablesoftenincreasebecauseofshipping, storageandhandlingeconomies.

Recyclablemarketsareusuallywillingtopaybetterpricesforalarger,continuous supplyofgoodqualitymaterial.Amulti-municipalapproachtoplanning/marketing materialmayprovidesomeofthesebenefits.

Implementation

InordertoimplementthisBestPractice,municipalitiesareadvisedtofollowa seven-stepapproachoutlinedbelow:

1 Identifyserviceneedsofeachpotentialco-operatingjurisdiction 2 Identifyandcommunicateadvantagestoworkingco-operatively 3 Identifyandimplementcommunicationandworkingprotocolsamongpotential cooperatingmunicipalities(asteeringcommitteeorataskgroupmaybe required) 4 Determineanddocumentclearlyhowthemulti-municipalprogramwillbefunded, usingfinancialprojectionsandabusinessplan 5 Identifythegovernancestrategiesforprovidingforaccountability,monitoring,and decision-makingauthoritytoparticipatingjurisdictions.Thesemayincludea utility-typeboard,asub-committeeofmunicipalrepresentatives,amunicipal corporation,oracombinationoftheabove. 6 Identifycosts(andcostsavings)associatedwiththeco-operativeprogram,using financialprojectionsandbusinessplanfromStep4. 7 Testmulti-municipalstrategiesinlow-riskcircumstances,suchasajoint advertising,containerpurchasing,promotion&education,etc.,andbuildon successesofsuchefforts Co-operativerecyclingactivities,moreoftenthannot,simplyentailestablishinggood contractsthatalignwithactivitiesandservicesmunicipalneighboursarealready providing.Communicationisthekeytoengagingintheco-operativeplanning process.

Forexample,itispossibletobeginaco-operativeplanningprocessbysynchronizing theexpirydateofneighbouringmunicipalcontracts,sothatwhenthenexttenderis issued,contractorsmaybidonmultiplecontractssimultaneously.Municipalitiesmay

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ormaynothavedifferentservicelevelsandfeaturesundereachcontract.Such minimalmulti-municipalplanningmayresultinconsiderableeconomiesofscalefora supplierwhoisoftenwillingtoshareaportionofsavingswiththemunicipalitiesin ordertowinthebid.

Anotherexampleistheco-operativepurchasingofblueboxes.Sincesupplierswill almostalwaysoffervolumediscounts,savingscanbeobtainedsimplyby coordinatingannualbluebox(oranyotherprogramconsumable)purchase requirements.

Nocrossgovernancestructures,utilityboardsorjointventuresarerequiredto participateintheseormanyothertypesofrecyclingactivities.

Potential Challenges and Suggested Solutions

Municipalitiesoftenhavereservationsaboutplanningactivitiesandserviceswith communitiesoutsidetheirownboundaries.Concernsfrequentlycenteronlossof autonomy.Staffandcouncilmaybeconcernedthattheydonotwanttolosecontrol oftheirprogram.Suggestedsolutionstoovercometheseissuesare:

Exploreopportunitiesforshareddecision-makingandmanagementauthority;and Clearlydocumentrolesandresponsibilities,suchthatcontrolisnotlost,but economiesaregained. Anotherfrequentconcernisthatservicesprovidedareoftendifferentinsurrounding jurisdictions.Suggestedsolutionstoovercometheseissuesare:

Considersomeprogramsthatyoucouldworktogetheron.Shareeducational items,forexample,orsharemodelcontractsorcommunicationliteraturethat canbeadjustedtosuitindividualprograms; Considerwhyprogramsaredifferent,andifitmightbemutuallybeneficialtojoin forces,evenifitmeansalteringaprogram;and DesigncontractsandRFP’stoprovidefordifferentservicesindifferentlocations.

Sources and Links

Therearenumeroussourcesofonlineinformationthatwillofferhelpwithmulti- municipalplanningactivities.Belowaresomeidentifiedsourcedocumentation/links foradditionalinformation:

BlueBoxAssistanceTeam(A-Team) http://www.vubiz.com/V5/Stewardship/bluebox.htm

AssociationofMunicipalRecyclingCoordinators http://www.amrc.ca

StewardshipOntario http://www.stewardshipontario.ca

Recyclers’KnowledgeNetwork http://www.vubiz.com/stewardship/Welcome.asp

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FundamentalBest Establishing Defined Performance Measures, Including Diversion Targets, Monitoring, and a Practice Continuous Improvement Program

Overview

Propermanagementofarecyclingprogramincludesthemonitoringand measurementoftheprogramgoalsthroughtheestablishmentofdiversiontargets andperformanceobjectives.Targetsandobjectivesmustberealistic,measurable andrelevant.Furthermore,targetsandobjectivesareneededfortheindividual programcomponentstobeevaluated(e.g.,curbsidecollection,depots,processing, promotionandeducation,etc.)Evaluationfacilitatescontinuousimprovementwithin therecyclingprogram.

Key Benefits and Outcomes

Effectivemonitoringandevaluationallowsprogrammanagerstocontinuously improvetheirmunicipalrecyclingprogramsandtrackprogressthroughtheuseof targetsandperformancemeasures.Specifically,programstaffareableto:

Setobjectivesandtargetsforrecyclingprogramsthatareimplementedand evaluatedwithinadefinedtimeperiod Collectspecificprogramdatatoevaluatetheeffectivenessofrecyclingprograms beforeandafterimplementation Makedecisionsonrecyclingprogramsbasedonadetailedanalysisofdiversion ratesandassociatedcosts Evaluateprogramobjectivesagainstthepre-definedtargets Tailordatacollectedtomatchthespecificgoal,avoidingthecollectionofdatathat arenotpertinent Description and Implementation of Best Practice

Themonitoringandevaluationprogramshouldbedevelopedwithappropriate resourcestogatherandevaluatetherequiredinformation.Thecollecteddatamust berelevanttotherecyclingprogramandthetargetsetmustbemeasurable.The effectivenessoftherecyclingprogramshouldbeevaluatedandgoalsshouldbeset forcontinuousimprovement.Specificstepsforimplementationaredetailedbelow.

Step 1: Establishing Program Objectives

Objectivesandtargetsmustbereasonablyestablishedbythemunicipalitytomeet therequirementsofthespecificprogramtowhichtheywillapply.Thedesired outcomesandtheassociatedbenefitstotheprogramshouldbedefined.The targetsmustbemeasurableandachievable,butchallenging,andleadtoincreased benefits.Anexampleofsettingprogramobjectivesandtargetswouldbethesetting

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ofadiversiontarget,establishingstepstomeetthetarget,andthenmonitoringthe diversionratetoevaluateifthetargetisbeingmet.Ongoingassessmentsofthe targetsandobjectivesmustbemadetoensurethattherecyclingprogramgoalsare beingmet.

Step 2: Baseline Measurements and Waste Audits

Inevaluatingprogramperformance,itisoftendesirabletofirstestablishabaseline. Thisbaselinewillbespecifictotheprogramunderconsiderationandcanbeusedto comparethefutureperformanceoftheprogram.Datacollectedaspartofthe baselinemustbeappropriatelysuitedtoaccomplishtheobjectives.Understanding thespecificwastestreamthattheprogramistargetingisacriticalfirststep.Thisis generallyaccomplishedthroughthecompletionofwasteaudits.Wasteaudits determinethecompositionofwastebeinggenerated,canmeasurethe effectivenessofexistingprogramsandcanidentifyopportunitiesforimprovements inthewastemanagementprogram.PleaserefertotheStepbyStep:WasteAudits linkinthesourcedocumentationreferencesectionforthisfundamentalleading practice.

Step 3: Defining Data Requirements

Bestpracticesassociatedwithprogramevaluationareaimedattrackingprogram effectiveness(howsuccessfulhastheprogrambeeninachievingitstargetgoalsand objectives)aswellasefficiency(theextenttowhichtheprogramaccomplishedits objectiveswithminimaluseofresources).

Indefiningdatarequirements,thefollowingquestionsshouldbeanswered:

Willthemeasuretrackprogramoutcomesasopposedtojustoutputsandinputs? Isthemeasureforabsoluteimpactsorrelativeimpacts? Caninformationpertainingtothemeasurebegatheredsystematically, consistently,andobjectively? Istheresufficienttimeandresourcestogather,organizeandinterpretthat informationinordertotellameaningfulstorytotheevaluationaudience? Willtheintendedaudiencesperceivethemeasureascredible? Willtheknowledgegainedthroughuseofthemeasurebeuseful(e.g.,for programimprovement,adjustmentinfunding)? Typesofdatacollectedcanconsistofset-outrate,capturerate,participationrate, residuerate,materialtonnages,costallocation,recyclablemarketstatistics,MRF residueaudits,MRFproductivitystatistics,staffrequirements,facilityrequirements, supplies(i.e.,blueboxes),andequipment.Selecteddefinitionsareprovidedinthe lastsectionofthisBestPracticenarrative.

Step 4: Data Collection and Management

Nextdeterminehowthedatawillbegatheredandstored.Differentdatacollection methodsincludemechanical(scales),surveys,focusgroups,visually,etc.If

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appropriatedevelopadatabasetostorethedatainasecurelocation.Throughout themonitoringphaseevaluatethedatabeingcollectedtoensurethattheyare relevanttomeasuringthedesiredoutcome,andaccurate.Monitorthestepsaspart ofthetargetandifrequired,adjustthestepsandtargetasdataisevaluated.

Step 5: Assessment and Reporting

Compilethedataandanalyzeitbycomparingtothebaselineinformation.Assess themonitoringandevaluationprogramagainstthedesiredandmeasurableoutcome. Reportontheoutcomeoftheobjectivesandtargets.Identifyandanalyzethe factorsthatinfluenceyourprogram’sabilitytomeetestablishedgoals.Overall,use thefindingstoidentifybarrierstorecycling,assessprogramperformancerelativeto theobjectives,assessMRFperformance,andimprovetheeffectivenessofthe recyclingprogram.Onceagoalismet,continuouslybuildandimproveonfuture goalsfortheprogram.

Step 6: Reviewing Goals and Objectives

Evaluationforcontinuousimprovementisanongoingactivity.Programperformance mustbemonitoredatappropriateintervals,oftendeterminedbytheneedsof individualprogramcomponents.Theeffectivenessofpriorevaluationmethods shouldalsobeevaluated,sothatthisprogramcomponent,too,canbeimproved upon.

Select Definitions

Capture Rate–Thecapturerateistheamountofrecyclablessetoutforrecycling dividedbythetotalamountofrecyclablessetoutforrecyclingplusrecyclablesleftin thegarbage.Captureratescanalsobecomparedforeachmaterialtype.

Participation Rate –Theparticipationrateistypicallydefinedasthepercentageof householdsonacurbsidecollectionroutewhosetoutrecyclablesatleastonceina consecutivefourweekperiod.ItisdifferentfromSet-OutRate(seebelow),asit measuresthepercentageofresidentsparticipatingintheprogramingeneral,not necessarilyoneverygivencollectionday(somehouseholdsmaynotgenerate enoughrecyclablestoset-outtheBlueBoxoneverycollectionday).

Residue Rate –Thepercentofmaterialinarecyclingstreamthatisrejectedduring processing.

Set-Out Rate –Percentageofhouseholdsonacurbsidecollectionroutesettingout recyclablesonthedayofcollection.Asapercenttheset-outrateisthe#of householdssettingoutrecyclingoncollectiondaydividedbythetotalnumberof householdsavailabletosetoutmaterial.

Waste Audit –Aformal,structuredprocessusedtoquantifytheamountandtypeof wasteincludingrecyclablesbeinggenerated.

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Source and Links

StewardshipOntario’sPlanYourOwnWasteAuditwebpage: http://www.stewardshipontario.ca/eefund/projects/audits/waste_audit_own.htm

E&EProject#105–ProtocolforMRFResidualSamplingApril,2006: http://www.stewardshipontario.ca/pdf/eefund/reports/105/105_tech_memo_2.pdf

E&EProject#164–MarketsHelpDesk(seeAppendixC:ProtocolsandProcedures forConductingAuditsatthePIWMF) http://www.stewardshipontario.ca/pdf/eefund/reports/164/164_final_report.pdf

CaliforniaDivisionofRecyclingProjectEvaluationTips: http://www.consrv.ca.gov/DOR/grants/grant_seekers/ProEval.htm

EvaluationofRecyclingPrograms,EastCentralIowaCouncilofGovernments: http://www.iowadnr.com/waste/pubs/files/ecicogfinal.pdf

EPAMeasuringRecyclingAGuideforStateandLocalGovernments: http://www.epa.gov/recyclable.measure/download.htm

StepbyStep:WasteAudits http://www.wme.com.au/magazine/downloads/WasteAudit_dec2002.pdf

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FundamentalBest Optimization of Operations in Collections and Processing Practice

Overview

Optimizationofoperationsisaprocessofcriticallyassessingcollectionand processingfunctionsandmakingchangesthathaveanetpositiveeffectonrecovery ratesand/orcost.Acombinationofdata-driven,expertise-driven,andheuristic approachescanbeusedtooptimizeoperations.Wherecollectionand/orprocessing areoutsourced,closecollaborationwiththecontractor,sufficientflexibilityintheuse ofcontractorlabourandassets,andthoroughunderstandingofcostdrivers contributetooptimizationofthesystem.

Key Benefits and Outcomes

Collectionefficiencymeansgettingmoreforless—pickingupmorerecyclables usingfewertrucks,fewerstaffand/orlesstime.Optimizedcurbsidecollection operationsmaximizethequantityoftargetmaterialssetoutateachstopon collectiondayandminimizetheamountoftimerequiredtocollectthatmaterial, therebyminimizingtheunitcostsinvolved. Optimizedprocessingoperationsmakefulluseoftheavailableprocessing capacity,minimizetheamountofmanualandmechanicalsortingrequiredto producerecyclableproductsthatmeettargetmarketspecifications,and maximizethequantitiesofthesematerialsfromtheincomingfeed,while minimizingtheamountofoutthrows,residueandprohibitivesassociatedwith thecapturedmaterial. Description and Implementation of Best Practice

Optimizationentailsevaluationandimplementationstepsaimedatimprovingthe performanceandefficiencyofthoseoperationsbeingevaluated.Therearebasic principlesassociatedwithoptimizationthatapplytobothcollectionandprocessing. Keyprinciplesareasfollows:

Haveanintegratedapproachtodesignandmanagementofoperationssoasto takeadvantageofopportunitiestosharefacilitiesandotherresources,suchas thoseassociatedwithP&Eprogramdesignandimplementation,andreducethe costsofthesystemasawhole Pursuethe“lowhangingfruit”first:optionsthatprovidethegreatestreturnon investmentwithrespecttomeetingoperationalperformanceandefficiency targetssetbythejurisdiction(seeBestPracticeonMonitoringandEvaluation) Useexistinginfrastructureasappropriatepriortoestablishingadditional infrastructurethatmayduplicateorcompetewiththatalreadyinexistence Provideforareasonabledegreeofredundancytominimizedowntime,while avoidingunnecessaryduplicationofinfrastructure.Anexampleofthisistohave

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sparecollectionvehiclesorarrangeforaneighbouringprocessingfacilityto acceptmaterialintheeventofprocessingfacilitydowntime Matchthescaleandnatureofoperationalinfrastructuretothetaskathandand useappropriatetechnology–therighttoolforthejob Balancetheuseofmechanizationwithuseoflabour Avoiddoublehandlingofmaterials(e.g.,movingmaterialsfromplacetoplace withinaMRFwhenconveyorscoulddothejobmorecost-effectively) Provideincentivestoworkersandcontractorsforspawninginnovationand continuousimprovement.Onemeansofdoingthisistoofferspotbonusesfor ideasthatgeneratesignificantcostsavings Useergonomic,workerfriendlyequipmentandsystems,suchassorting conveyorsofproperheightandwidth,comfortablesafetyequipment,andgood lightingandairconditioning Maintainaflexibledesignandoperationalapproachtorespondtochangingneeds andcircumstances Makeanappropriatelevelofcapitalinvestmenttomaximizebenefitsoverthe longtermatareasonablepaybacklevel Utilizeapreventativemaintenanceprogrambyservicingequipmentpriorto breakdownsinsteadoffixingituponbreakage,thusreducingdowntime Addressoperationalissueswhentheyarisebyunderstandingtheunderlying causes,developingpotentialsolutions,andminimizingadverseimpact.An exampleistointroducecompaction-enabledcollectiontruckswhenlowmaterial densityhasbeenidentifiedasanissue Provideappropriatelevelsofmanagementandsupervisorypersonnelwhoare trainedonoptimizationtechniquesanduseofBestPractices Planandprovideforemergencies,contingencies,andgrowth Inworkingtooptimizeoperations,itisimportanttorecognizethatotherobjectives beyondoptimizationmeritfocusandattention,suchasprovidingforworkersafety andacceptableworkingconditions,andprotectingpublichealthandwelfare. Consequently,optimizationmustbeperformedinamannerconsistentwithmeeting othersuchimportantcommunityobjectives.

Additionaloptimizationbestpracticesandconsiderationsspecifictocurbside collectionandprocessingareprovidedinseparatesectionsonthesetopics.Best practicesfordepotandmulti-familyrecyclingprogramsarealsodiscussedin separatesectionssotitled.

Sources and Links

E&EFundProjectNumber207.YorkCollectionandProcessingOptimizationStudy, 2006 http://www.stewardshipontario.ca/eefund/projects/benchmark.htm#207

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EfficientRecyclingCollectionRoutinginPictouCounty,2001 http://www.cogs.ns.ca/planning/projects/plt20014/images/research.pdf

USEnvironmentalProtectionAgency.GettingMoreforLess:ImprovingCollection Efficiency,1999 www.epa.gov/garbage/coll-eff/r99038.pdf

SingleStreamBestPracticesManualandImplementationGuide,SusanKinsella, Conservatree,2007 http://conservatree.com/learn/SolidWaste/bestpractices.shtml

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FundamentalBest Training of Key Program Staff in Core Competencies Practice Overview

Municipalitiesneedtoensurethatmanagementprogrampersonnelareadequately trainedonposition-relatedcompetenciesandresponsibilities.Trainingprovidesthe skillsneededtodevelop,manage,monitor,documentandpromotethenumerous andcomplexcomponentsofasuccessfulrecyclingprogram.Regardlessofthesize ortypeofmunicipalprogram,trainingactsasanenablerofperformance,facilitating theachievementofobjectivesinacost-effectivemanner.Equallyimportantto trainingisensuringthatstructure,authorityandresponsibilityarewellestablished andunderstood.

Key Benefits and Outcomes

Properstaffingandtrainingleadstoimprovedperformanceinallkeyprogram components,includingbotheffectivenessandefficiencyinthefollowingareas:

Residentparticipationandsatisfaction Optimizedprogramfunding Stafftime/costs Supplier/contractorrelations Reducedneedformanagementsupervision Reducedneedforcounciltimeandattention Jobsatisfaction,motivationandmoraleamongemployees Processefficiencies Capacitytoadoptnewtechnologiesandmethods Knowledgeofmaterialmarketsandpricing,yieldinghigherrevenues Innovationinbusinessstrategiesandproducts Reducedemployeeturnover Enhancedmunicipalimage Riskmanagement Increasedabilitytoattract/promotestaff

Description of Best Practice

Municipalitiesthattakeontheresponsibilityofprovidingrecyclingservicesalso assumethedutytoprovideadequateamountsoftimefromknowledgeable managementandoperationsstafftodeliverthoseservices.Itisassumedthatall

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municipalitiesandprivatecontractorstrainoperationsstafftolevelsthatensurethe safetyandefficiencyoftheprogram.

Additionally,municipalitiesneedtorecognizetheimportanceofhavingappropriately trainedmanagementstafftoeffectivelyperformtheassignedresponsibilities. Providingadequatestafftimemaybeachallengetosmallermunicipalities,however, alleffectiveandefficientrecyclingprogramsdependontheavailabilityofenough timefromknowledgeablepeople.Therefore,allmunicipalitiesareencouragedto strivefortheappropriatestaffingandmanagementtraininglevels.

Knowledgeablestaffroutinelyachievehigherlevelsofsuccesswithintheirlocal recyclingprogram,asmeasuredbygreaterresidentparticipationandsatisfaction, alongwithincreaseddiversionandoptimizedprogramfunding.Businessresearch showsthatproductivityincreaseswhiletrainingtakesplace(seeendofthissection forreferences).Staffwhoreceiveformaltrainingcanbesignificantlymore productivethanuntrainedcolleagueswhoareworkinginthesamerole.Asaresult, mostbusinessesprovideon-the-jobtraining,whichgenerallyyieldsapositivereturn oninvestment.

Whilerationaleandobjectivesfortrainingvaryacrossorganizations,municipalities seekingtoimproveprogramperformanceshouldconsiderfocusingonthefollowing goals:

Improved Quality and Productivity

Trainingthatmeetsbothstaffandemployerneedscanincreasethequalityand flexibilityofmunicipalrecyclingservicesbyencouraging:

accuracyandefficiency strongworksafetypractices bettercustomerservice Enhanced Transferability

Thebenefitsoftraininginoneareacanflowthroughtoalllevelsofanorganization. Overtime,trainingwillreducecostsbydecreasing:

wastedtimeandmaterials redundantwork workplaceaccidents recruitmentcoststhroughtheinternalpromotionofskilledstaff absenteeism Increased Competitiveness

Municipalitiesmustcontinuallychangetheirworkpracticesandinfrastructureto improvediversionandcontainrecyclingcosts.Trainingstafftomanagethe implementationofnewtechnology,workpracticesandbusinessstrategiescanalso actasabenchmarkforfuturerecruitmentandqualityassurancepractices.

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Inadditiontoimpactingmunicipalcosts,trainingcanimprove:

staffmoraleandsatisfaction inter-staff/departmentcommunicationandleadership timemanagement customersatisfaction Effective Recruiting

Trainingaidstherecruitingprocess.Ifamunicipalityiscommittedtotraining,itmay bemorewillingtohireadesirablecandidatewholacksaspecificskill.Trainingalso makesamunicipalitymoreattractiveintheeyesofpotentialemployeesbecauseit showsthemthattheyhaveroomtogrowandacceptnewchallenges.Additionally, trainingexistingemployeesoftenreducestheneedtohirenewstaff.

Trainingrewardslong-timeemployees.Municipalitiesaremorewillingtopromote existingemployeeswhohavelearnednewskillsandarereadytotakeonnew challenges.

Trainingreducestheneedforsupervision.Notonlydoesskill-basedtrainingteach employeeshowtodotheirjobsbetter,butitalsohelpsthemworkmore independentlyanddevelopacan-doattitude.

Perhapsthemostimportantbenefitofahealthytrainingcultureisthattheskillsof yourstaffareformallyrecognizedandtheircontributiontothemunicipalityandthe recyclingprogramisopenlyvalued.

Staff Retention

Trainingincreasesstaffretention,resultinginsignificantcostsavings.Thelossof onecompetentpersoncanequaltheequivalentofoneyear'spayandbenefits.In somecompanies,trainingprogramshavereducedstaffturnoverby70percentand ledtosubstantialreturnsoninvestment.

Implementation

Ontariorecyclingprogramcoordinatorsandseniorstaffneedtheskillsandexpertise toeffectivelyemployallofthefundamentalbestpracticesdescribedinthisreport. Suchskillsinclude:

Recyclingprogramplanning,development,evaluation,andcontinuous improvement Recyclingservicesprocurementandcontractadministration Useofpolicymechanismstopromotewastediversionandrecycling,and promotionandeducation Operationsplanningandmanagement(wherethemunicipalityprovidesthat function)

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Itisimportanttoensurethistrainingisongoing–i.e.,refreshertrainingtoensure staffarekeptcurrentandcross-trainingofdepartmentalstaffthatrotatepositions. Thecompetencyofstaffshouldbemonitoredviaannualperformancereviews.

Numerousorganizationsofferopportunitiestoacquiretraining,informationand networking.

TheAssociationofMunicipalRecyclingCoordinators(AMRC)offersseveral recyclingconferencesandworkshopseachyear: WasteDiversionOntario(WDO)offersmanyguidesandinformationalpackagesto assistwithmunicipalDatacallcompletion,fundingandCAN/OCNAinkind advertising. AssociationofMunicipalitiesofOntario(AMO)isanon-profitorganization representingthemunicipalorderofgovernmentandprovidesavarietyof servicesandproductstomembersandnon-members. StewardshipOntario,WDO,andAMOregularlyhost“OntarioRecycler Workshops"(ORWs)forOntariomunicipalwastemanagementstaffandprivate sectorserviceproviders,aswellasformunicipalcouncillorsandinterested stewardsofBlueBoxrecyclables.Theseworkshopsandwebcastsprovide informationabouthowtooptimizeWDOfundingtosupportmunicipal residentialBlueBoxrecyclingprograms.Projectstudiesandreports commissionedundertheEffectivenessandEfficiencyFundareavailable,along withtenderingtoolsandinformationfromtheRecyclers’KnowledgeNetwork. TheSolidWasteAssociationofNorthAmerica(SWANA)hasbeenaleading sourceofinformationandtrainingprogramsforsolidwasteprofessionalsfor over40years.SWANAofferstrainingandcertificationasaRecyclingSystems Professional. Althoughalloftheaboveorganizationsoffersometrainingandinformationservices, thereisnocoordinatedrecyclingmanagementtrainingsystemcurrentlyavailablein Ontario.

Broaderandmorecomprehensivetrainingresourcesandtoolsmaybeimplemented inthenearfuturetoequipmunicipalrecyclingstaffwithadequateskillstoeffectively manageandoperateBlueBoxprograms.

Forexample,intheUnitedKingdom,WRAP(theWaste&ResourcesAction Programme)hasannouncedphasefourofitsfreetrainingcoursesforrecycling managers.Thetrainingprogram,developedtosupportrecyclingmanagersin improvingexistingrecyclingschemesandintroducingnewcollectioninitiatives,has provedverypopular.Inthefirstyearofoperation,25courseshavebeenrunand400 delegatesfromacrosstheUKhavereceivedtraining.

Thethree-dayresidentialcoursesareaimedatpeoplefromlocalauthorities,the communityandprivatesectorswhomanageordevelopandpromotecollectionsof recyclableorcompostablematerials.Thecontentfocusesonequippingdelegates withtheknowledge,skillsandtoolstodevelopcost-effectivesystemswithhigh

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participationandrecoveryratesforthecollectionandsortingofmaterialsthatmeet endmarketrequirements.

Basedonthisandotherexamples,theTeamestimatedthatannualcostsfor recyclingprogrammanagementtrainingwouldamounttoapproximately$412,000. Thisassumesthattwostaffmembersfromthelargest40programsandonestaff memberfromtheremaining150programsneedtobetrained.Training-related expensesrangefrom$1,600to$2,150perdelegate.

Source and Links

Therearenumeroussourcesofonlineinformationabouttraininganddevelopment. Belowaresomeidentifiedsourcedocumentation/linksforadditionalinformation:

AssociationofMunicipalitiesofOntariohttp://www.amo.on.ca

AssociationofMunicipalRecyclingCoordinators http://www.amrc.ca

WasteDiversionOntario http://www.wdo.ca

StewardshipOntario http://www.stewardshipontario.ca

Recyclers’KnowledgeNetwork http://www.vubiz.com/stewardship/Welcome.asp

OntarioRecyclerWorkshops http://www.stewardshipontario.ca/eefund/orw/orw_main.htm

SolidWasteAssociationofNorthAmerica http://www.swana.org

Researchontrainingintheworkplace:SmithA.,2001,ReturnonInvestmentin Training:ResearchReadingshttp://www.ncver.edu.au/research/proj/nr1002.pdf 2001,AustralianNationalTrainingAuthority.

WRAPlaunchesphase4ofitsrecyclingmanagertrainingprograms http://www.wrap.org.uk/wrap_corporate/news/wrap_launches_6.html

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FundamentalBest Following Generally Accepted Principles for Effective Practice Procurement and Contract Management

Overview

AvastmajorityofOntarioBlueBoxmunicipalprogramsinvolvetheuseof contractorsforcollectionand/orprocessingofrecyclables.Sincecontractor selectionandperformanceinthesemunicipalitieshasasubstantialimpacton programdesign,servicedelivery,cost,andsustainability,effectivepracticesin procurementandcontractmanagementneedtobeemployed.

Key Benefits and Outcomes

Welldesignedandexecutedprocurementandcontractmanagementprocessescan yieldanumberofeffectivenessbenefits.Specifically,it

Ensureshighqualityservicetospecifiedrequirements Offersflexibilitytoaddresschangingneeds Providesincentivestomaximizeparticipation,tonnageandmaterialrevenues Providesapropersystem(orsystemcomponent)designthatincreasesdiversion atalowercost Opensthedoortoinnovation Efficienciesthatcanbegainedinclude:

Costsavingsduetoincreasedcompetition Costsavingsduetoeconomiesofscale Costsavingsduetoproperlystructuredcontractterms

Description and Implementation of Best Practice

ThemajorityofOntarioBlueBoxprogramsinvolvesomeelementofcontractingof services.Itis,therefore,essentialtoemployeffectiveprocurementandcontract managementprocesseswithintheseprogramstoyieldpositiveprovince-wide diversionandfiscalresults.

Thegoalsofgoodprocurementandcontractmanagementareto:

Securethedesiredlevelofservicesfromcompetentcontractorsatthelowest possiblecost,and Createaneffectiveworkingpartnershipbetweencontractingpartiesthat continuesthroughthedurationofthecontract. Acceptedleadingpracticesforeffectiveprocurementandcontractmanagementto extractthebestvalueformunicipalBlueBoxcontractneedsinclude:

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Planningprocurementswellinadvanceofservicerequirements.Usefullifeof existingequipment,leadtimesforreplacingthisequipment,andleadtimesfor theexecutionoftheprocurementprocessitselfallrequirecarefulconsideration. Failuretoplanproperlymaymeancostlymaintenanceandbreakdownsandsub- optimalcontracting. Investigatingandunderstandingsuppliers’marketstounderstandtheplayers, dynamics,costdrivers,andinnovatorsinordertomaximizevaluewhensetting procurementstrategy.Thisresultsinmunicipalstaffbecominginformedbuyers. Involvingsuppliers(inpre-procurementconsultations)tohelprefinerequirements, whereownexperienceislimited,andtoleverageinnovationandcapabilitiesof experiencedsuppliers.Thisresultsinmunicipalstaffbecomingsmartbuyers. Developingacleardefinitionofservicesandperformancerequirements Usingtheappropriateprocurementinstrument,suchasaTenderoranRFP Usingacompetitiveprocurementprocessandworkingtoencouragemultiple proponents/bidders Usingatwo-envelopebidprocess(whenaRequestforProposalprocessis appropriate) Usingapre-defined(transparent&fair)bidevaluationprocess Usingknowledgeableevaluators.Thismayincludeacross-functionalteam, supplementedwithindependentexperts,asrequired. Apartnership-orientedapproachtomonitoringandmanagingthecontractand contractortoachieveobjectivesandtakemutualadvantageofopportunitiesfor improvement Implementationofaneffectiveprocurementandcontractmanagementinvolvesa seriesofsequentialsteps.Thesestepsarepresentedbelow:

Step 1: Precisely define services to be contracted

Thisinvolvesdevelopinganswerstoquestionssuchas:

Whoistheservicerecipient?Isitoneormoremunicipalities? Whatservicesaretobeprovided?Whatisthenatureandtypeofservice(e.g., collection,processing,transportation,marketingofmaterials,communication andeducation,programadministrationandoperation)? Whatisthelengthofcontract?Forcontractsinvolvingthesupplyofequipment, thebestcontractsmatchthelifecycleoftheequipmentbeingsupplied.Ifthe contractistooshort,thecontractormustcapitalizetheequipmentoverthe periodofthecontract,resultinginlessthanoptimalunitpricingandoverallcost. Ifthecontractexceedstheequipmentlifebyayearormore,thecontractorwill incurnewequipmentorexpensivemaintenancecoststhatmustbebuiltinto theprice.Currentlifecycleexpectationsfornewcollectiontrucksareabout7 years;newmaterialsrecoveryfacility(MRF)equipment10-15years.

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Municipalitiesshouldalsoevaluateoptionspriortoproposal/bidprocessthrough informaldialoguewithpotentialserviceprovidersandotherstakeholders. Municipalitiesshouldclearlyandspecifically:

Examineweaknessesinpastagreementsandanyissueswithservice Reviewagreementsfromothercommunities Identifybothshort-andlong-termneeds Identifywhereflexibilitycanbeincorporatedwithoutleavingtoomuchopento interpretation Programmanagersandprocurementpersonnelshouldprovideadequatedataand technicalspecificationsforaccuratepricingofservices.Atypicalcollectioncontract mayinclude:servicestobeprovided,collectionfrequency,streamseparationand numberofstreams,volumetonnageandtypesofmaterial(fromrecentauditedmix), futurematerialscontemplated,numberofhouseholds/stopsperkilometrefor collection;areastobecollected/routemaps.Aprocessingcontractmayinclude: tonnesperhour,productmix,qualitymeasures(e.g.,bailedmaterialcomposition thresholds),uptimeasapercentageofoperatinghours,andacceptableresiduerate, amongotherfactors.

Staffshouldalsoprepareacostestimateofservicesrequestedtoinformthe procurementprocess–benchmarktootherrecentmunicipalprocurementprocesses forsimilarservices,wheneverpossible.

Step 2: Determine contractor pool and your market position

Goodresultsaremorelikelytocomefromaminimumof3bidders.Inruralareas, bargainingpowermaybeimprovedbybundlingservicesorpartneringwithother communitiestoincreaseattractivenessofpotentialbusiness.Ontheotherhand,if theserviceareaistoolarge,asmaybethecaseinurbanareas,thiscanalsolimit contractors.Inthisevent,itmaybedesirabletode-bundleservicesorbreak-upthe contracttoallowmore,smallerbidderstheopportunitytobidonselectionorentire system.

Theleveloffinancialinvestmentexpectedmaydeterminethemarketofsuppliers.A highcapitalinvestmenttypicallyrequiresalongercontractandimpliesmorerisk. Fewercontractorsmaybecapableofbidding.

Withrespecttorecyclingcollectionandprocessing,theleadingpracticeisto structuretheprocurementprocesstoallowforseparatecontractingforcollection andprocessingwhenfeasible.Thisstimulatescompetitionbyencouraging collectioncontractors,whomaynotbeabletobidonaMRF,toprovidegoodservice atcompetitivepricesonthecollectionprocess.Withthisapproach,itismost desirabletohandletheprocurementprocessforprocessinginadvanceofcollection, ortospecifyaMRFlocation,sothatcollectionserviceproviderswillknowwherethe MRFwillbelocatedandcanstructuretheirproposals/bidsaccordingly.Quality controlconcernswhentwocontractorsareinvolvedcanbemanagedcontractually withappropriatemonitoring,penaltiesandincentives.

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Municipalitiesneedtodevelopcontractpaymenttermsthatalignwithincentivesand desiredperformancelevels.Itshouldbeclearandunambiguoushowadherenceto contacttermsandachievementofperformancethresholdswillbetiedtopayments forservices.

Additionally,itisdesirabletoobtainseparatepricesforcollectionandprocessing evenifunderonecontract,andtorequestpricingforthehandlingofanymaterials thatmightbeaddedatsomepointduringthetermofthecontract.

Finally,aself-assessmentprocessisneededtodeterminewhetheryourmunicipal Example: C omponents of a good organizationisfairandequitablewhendealingwithcontractors.Investinginand RFP and Contract protectingyourreputationforopen,transparentandfairprocurementpracticeswill Clearlydefinedterms positivelyinfluencethepoolofavailablebiddersonfuturecontracts. Detaileddescriptionofservice(s) tobeprovided Step 3: Prepare a detailed, unambiguous RFP or Tender Adequatebackgroundinformation anddata Programsstaffshouldselecttheappropriateprocurementmechanism.Atender Expectationsregarding worksbestwhen: qualificationsandexperience Detailedperformance Servicescanbedefinitivelyspecified specificationsthataddressthe following: Allbiddersarequalified - Locationofservice Priceissoledecidingfactor - Regulatorycompliance - Recyclables(initial&provisions ARequestforProposals(RFP)–Worksbestwhen: forfuture) - Marketsforprocessedmaterials Localgovernmentisreceptivetodifferentapproachestodeliveringservice.This - Capacity/throughput mayoftenyieldadditionalvalueopportunity - Vehicleaccess,operatinghours, Priceisnotsoledeterminingfactorincontractorselection weighing - Residuemanagementandlimits - Startupschedule Step 4: Employ a fair and transparent contractor selection process - Handlingofcomplaints - Recordkeepingandreporting Ahealthycompetitivemarketiscriticaltoavailabilityofservicechoiceandbetter - Equipmentrequirements valueinprocurement.Localservicemarketsbecomediminishediffairand - Publiceducationrequirements transparentprocessesarenotused.Servicechoice,therefore,becomesmore Paymentterms Incentives/penaltiestosupport limitedinthefuture.Municipalitiescaninfluenceandencouragecompetitionand increasingperformance morerobustsuppliermarketsbyemployingthefollowingactivities: Opportunitiesforamendingscope toaddresschanging Usesuppliermailinglistsandwidespreadadvertisingtosolicitinterestinyour circumstances serviceneeds Avenuesforresolving disagreements-mandatory3rd Co-operatewithnearbymunicipalitiestocreatejointopportunitiesthatcould partymediationclause increasethenumberofsuppliers Clearfinancial/costproposal Learnaboutcapabilities/interestsofpotentialcontractorsinadvancebymeeting instructions Proposalsubmissioninstructions withthem Descriptionofselectionprocess Considerpre-qualifyingbidders andevaluationcriteria Holdpre-proposal/bidmeeting Provideadequateopportunitiesforquestions/answersduringproposal/bid development

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Determinedetailedevaluationcriteriaandscoringsystemtobeused Clearlydescribeevaluationcriteriainbiddocuments Requireandverifyreferences Potentialcontractorselectionandevaluationcriteriainclude:

ResponsivenesstoRFPorTender Qualifications&experience(organization,management),including facility/operationalcapacity,financialstability,andreferences Technicalsoundnessofresponse Cost Innovation Eachcriterionmustbeclearlydefinedandexplainedinthedocumentation. Mandatoryandpreferredrequirementsshouldalsobespecified.

Evaluateproposalswithaqualifiedteam,whichmayincludebusinessunit& technicalpersonnel(orqualifiedandindependentconsultants,ifnecessary), purchasing,andlegalrepresentatives.First,evaluatecompliancewithmandatory requirementsonapass/failbasis.Then,evaluatecomplianttechnicalresponsesona pointscaleoronapass/failbasis.Finally,openthepriceenvelopetoevaluateprice andvalueaccordingtothepre-specifiedevaluationcriteria.Documentevaluations andfinalrationaleforselection.

Throughawell-executedprocurementprocess,thecontractwillbeawardedtothe bestoverallscoredproposal(accordingtothepredeterminedbidcriteriaandscoring process).However,ifactionsorcircumstancesdidnotresultinproperprocurement (suchasimpropersequenceofresponsecomponentevaluations,failuretocometo termswiththewinningbidder,failedduediligenceprocesses),theprocessmay needtoberedone.

Communicateresultstoallbidders,includingstrengthsandweaknessesoftheir proposals.Forthewinners,thissetsthestageforanyfinalnegotiationsonservices. Forthelosers,ithelpsthemtoimprovetheirbidsforthenextcompetition,which benefitsallparties.

Step 5: Negotiate a partnership-oriented contract

Thefinalcontractnegotiationprocesswiththewinner(andifnotsuccessful,the runner-up)shouldgosmoothlyiftheprocurementwaswell-managed.Well-prepared RFPsincludeacomprehensivedraftcontractandrequirethesuppliertocommenton thedraftcontractintheirproposal.Thefocusshouldnowturntosettingthestage forbuildingasuccessfulbusinessrelationship,positioningbothpartiesforsuccess. Specifically,themunicipalityshould:

BuilduponRFPtermsandconditions Finalizethestructureofincentivesforimprovingperformance

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Allowflexibilityforamendingscopetoaddresschangingcircumstances,including technicalorprocessinnovation,meansofaddressingextraordinary circumstances,suchaschangesinlaw,index-basedmonthlyfueladjustments, index-basedannualpaymentadjustmentforinflation(e.g.,CPIorPPIwithfuel componentremoved),adjustmentsforgrowth,etc. Provideavenuesforresolvingdisagreements Buildinongoingcommunicationandfeedback Step 6: Maintain partnership approach in contract administration and monitoring through entire contract term

Successfulrelationshipsrequireattentionandeffortinregularmaintenanceand communicationbytrained/skilledcontractmanagementpersonnel.Tomaintainand buildonthepartnership,municipalstaffshould:

Becomeknowledgeableaboutfactorsaffectingrecoveredmaterialsmovement andvalue Monitorrecyclingmarketpricesandtrends Monitormarketsusedandrevenuesreceived Continuouslymonitorcontractorcompliancewithperformancespecificationsand contractterms.Applypre-agreedincentivesandpenaltiesforperformance Liveuptoyoursideoftherelationship,includingtheflexibilityarrangements,to helpyourcontractorbesuccessfulinprovidingyourservice Communicateregularlyonpre-agreedscheduleandfrequency Addressproblemsassoonastheyarise Haveabackupplaniftherelationshipdeterioratesorservicesarejeopardized Common pitfalls to avoid

Byavoidingpitfalls,municipalitiesincreasethelikelihoodofselectingaqualified supplieratalowpriceandbuildingalastingrelationshipwiththem.Thefollowing listincludessomeofthemostcommonpitfallsinrecyclingrelatedprocurement:

Notusingacompetitiveprocess Over-orunder-specification Prescribingthe“Howofoperations”versusfocusingonthebusiness,legal& performancerequirements Micromanagingthecontractorsoperationsbeyondensuringbusiness,legaland performancerequirementsarebeingmet Notmanagingthecontractorduetoinfrequentcommunicationandperformance discussions Notprovidingforoperationalflexibilityorforinnovation

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Poorlymatchingequipmentlife-cycleandmaintenanceprovisiontocontract length Poorprocurementplanning,includinginsufficientleadtimeforprocurementsand insufficientknowledgeofthemarketplace Poorlydefinedservicerequirementsandperformancestandards Prohibitivebondsandlettersofcredit,whichunnecessarilyreducecompetition andadddirectlytocost Noserviceexitstrategyorcontractlanguage Lackoftransparencyandfaircompetition Allowingapoorprocurementtoproceed

Sources and Links

Recycling Contracting Tips and Tools trainingmaterialsdevelopedforStateof Pennsylvania,R.W.Beck,February2006

Best Practices Review – Contracting and Procurement in the Public Sector , MinnesotaDeputyStateAuditor,November2005

Modelcollectioncontractsavailableunder“ToolsforRecyclingCoordinators.” http://www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/reduce/assistan1.htm

Blue Box Residential Recycling Best Practices – A Private Sector Perspective ,AJoint ProjectofStewardshipOntarioandtheWasteManagementAssociation,Guilford andAssociates,February2007

StewardshipOntarioModelTenderTool

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FundamentalBest Appropriately Planned, Designed, and Funded Practice Promotion and Education Program

Overview

Tobeeffective,amunicipalBlueBoxprogramneedstobesupportedbya PromotionandEducation(P&E)componentthatisappropriatelydesignedand funded,andincorporatesspecificaudiences,definedmessages&media,planned frequencyofcommunication,andmonitoringofresults.Awell-designedand implementedP&Eprogramcanhaveeffectsonvirtuallyallotherelementsofthe BlueBoxsystem,includingplanning,collection,processing,marketing,andpolicy development.

Key Benefits and Outcomes

TheimpactsofeffectiveP&Epropagatethroughouttherecyclingprogram.Most significantbenefitsinclude

Potentiallyhigherrevenuesformarketedmaterialsduetothelowerdegreeof contamination Higherwastediversionandrecyclablesrecoveryratesoverall Establishmentofnewrecyclingbehavioursandreinforcementofemergingor existingpositivepatternsamongresidents Increasedcommunityinvolvementintheprogram Setoutofonlythosematerialsthatareacceptedbytheprogram Propersetoutofrecyclablesatthecurb,leadingtoincreasedcollection efficienciesanddecreasedoperatorsafetyissues Lowerresidueratesatprocessingfacilities,resultinginhigherrecoveryandlower costs Description and Implementation of Best Practice

PlanningandimplementingtargetedP&Eprogramsthatsupportrecyclingandwaste diversionarevitaltomunicipalBlueBoxprograms.Expertsinthefieldagreethat P&Eisoneofthecornerstonesofaneffectiveprogram.Mostrecently,anOWMA reportstatedthata“unanimousconclusion(ofagroupofprivatesectorcompanies) isthateffectivepromotionandeducationprogramsaresignificantcontributorstothe successoftheblueboxprogram.”AnotherrecentE&EFundstudy,aimedat enhancingBlueBoxrecoveryintheGoldenHorseshoearea,determinedthat effectivecommunicationandeducationisrequiredto“increasecost-effectivelythe numberofrecyclablesrecovered….”Furthermore,astudytitled“BestPracticeP&E Review”definesandarticulatesanumberattributesthatleadtoasuccessfulP&E program.Somecontentfromtheabovestudiesisusedthroughoutthisdocument.

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ThekeytoeffectiveP&Eliesintheconceptof“appropriateness”–consideringwhat levelofplanning,research,deployment,andmeasurementisappropriatefor differentcommunitiesacrosstheprovince.Eachcommunity’sabilitytodesignand deployP&Eisaffectedbycommunitysize,geography,resources(financial,skills- basedandtime)andmanyotherfactors.

Thedescriptionthatfollowsattemptstoprovideusefuldirectiontocommunities,as theyconsiderwhatmaydeterminetheappropriateP&Efortheirprograms,taking intoaccountfourkeyfactorsthatinclude:

Design Funding Deployment MonitoringandEvaluation Design

P&Eprogramsthatcontributetobestpracticesinrecyclingarebasedonacurrent (andregularlyupdated)communicationsplan,withidentifiedgoalsandmeasurable objectives.

Ideally,recyclingP&Eprogramsandtargetedcampaignswillberootedina communicationsplan,basedontargetedcommunityresearch,orifresourcesare unavailable,onreliableexistingresearchthathighlightscommonfactorsthatare broadlyapplicable.

Communicationsplansincludeastatementofgoalsandobjectives,targetaudiences, keymessages,tactics(includingplannedmediaanddistribution),timing,andplans formonitoringandevaluation.WhilethemajorityofOntariorecyclingprogramsdo nothaveinplacedetailedorcurrentcommunications,inthecourseofthisstudy, projectteammembersweretoldbyvariouscommunitiesthattheyintendtodevelop theseplansinthenearfuture.

TheBestPracticeP&EReviewreport,previouslymentioned,indicatesthatmostof Ontariocommunitiesconductsomeformofresearchtoidentifytheiraudiences, themes,targetedmessages,imagesandbrandingbeforerollingoutnew communicationsefforts.Forcommunitiesthatlacktheresourcestocarryout targetedresearch,severalresearchdocumentsarecurrentlyavailablethatmay provideinsightsfromwhichtheymayextrapolate.SeeSourcesandLinkssection formoreinformationontheseandotherresources.

Funding

Asaruleofthumb,communitieswilldeterminetheleveloffinancialresourcesthey haveavailable,whethertheyareadequatetocoverfullprogramcosts,and,if necessary,identifyothersourcesoffundingormodifytacticstoachieveP&E programgoals.Thebestplancannotbeimplementedifadequatefinancingisnotin place.Furthermore,havingasizableP&Ebudgetwillnotbehelpfulwithoutknowing howtoeffectivelyutilizethesefundstoachievespecifiedP&Eprogramobjectives.

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ArecentstudyofeightprogramsthatareconsideredtobeamongtheP&Eleaders, aswellasofotherwell-performingcommunities,revealedthattheirP&Ecosts,as reportedinthe2005WDODatacall,rangefromapproximately$0.83to$1.18per household,withrecoveryrateatorexceeding60%.Statisticalanalysisshoweda positive,albeitweak,correlationbetweenincreasedP&Espendingandincreased recoveryinOntariorecyclingprograms.

SupportingthisconclusionisthattheUSCurbsideValuePartnershipused$1/per householdasageneralspendingguideforexistingrecyclingprograms,but recommendsspendinglevelsofupto$3or$4perhouseholdwhenimplementing newprogramsormajorprogramchanges.AlsointheU.S.,researchbySkumatz EconomicResearchAssociates(SERA)in2002foundthaturbancommunities generallyspendabout$1.00perhouseholdperyearonP&E,suburbancommunities spendabout$1.30perhouseholdperyear,andruralcommunitiesspendabout$0.90 perhouseholdperyear(inU.S.dollars).Allprogramswithdiversionratesgreater than30percentspentmorethan$1.00perhouseholdperyear.Thesamestudyalso foundthatincreasingtheP&Eexpenditureby$1.00perhouseholdperyearcould yieldanincreaseof1percentintherecyclingrateforcommunitieswithalreadyhigh P&Eexpenditures,whileitcouldyieldupto3percentadditionaldiversionin communitieswithrelativelylowcurrentP&Eexpenditures(Skumatz&Green, “EvaluationtheImpactsofRecycling/DiversionEducationPrograms–Effective MethodsandOptimizingExpenditures,”forIowaDNR,2002).

Inapplyingtheaboveconclusions,oneneedstotakeintoconsiderationthatP&E fundingmayandshouldvarysignificantlyfromoneyeartothenext,basedonthe introductionofnewservices,newmaterials,additionalprogrammingandseveral otherfactors.

MoredetailsonthecostanalysisareprovidedintheKeyObservationssectionof thisreport.Promotionandeducationfundingconsiderations,astheyrelatetothe NetSystemCostunderBestPractices,areoutlinedinVolumeIIofthisreport.

Deployment

P&Einitiativesthatcontributethesuccessofarecyclingprogramemployamixof media(e.g.,calendars,brochures,radiospotsandothers)overasustainedperiodof time.Thesevaryaccordingtotheaudience,availablebudget,andresources.

Mix of Media

TheuseofmediareportedbyP&Eleadersmaybegroupedinfivebroadcategories:

Print(paidads,brochures,calendars,newsletters) Broadcast(TV,radioads,PublicServiceAnnouncements) Electronic(websites,emails) Outreach(specialevents,in-schooleducation,communityeducationcentres,door todoorcampaigns,landfill/depotcontact,etc.)

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Icons&incentives(BlueBoxesorothercollectioncontainers,magnetsandother ‘gifts’,communitymascotsetc). ThestrongestandmosteffectiveP&Ecampaignsstrategicallycombinemediaand tactics.TheBlueBoxProgramP&EReviewreportsuggeststhatwhereverpossible, communitiesshouldtrytoimplementamulti-tieredapproach,withappropriate tacticsselectedfromeachofthreetiers:

Tier1-Radiocomponentsor,ifpossible,TV(vs.printads) Tier2-householderdropofcalendarsoruser-friendlytoolsshowcasingwebsite offerings;complementedby Tier3-publicrelationsorword-of-mouthstrategiestoanimatecommunities– highlyvisibleeventsandactivities,communityandcorporatepartnerships,role modelidentification,personaltestimonials Communitiesthatusethisapproachbenefitfromthemassmediaimpactthathelps buildawarenessandshiftattitudes,combinedwithoutreachthathelpsengage residentsandcontributestoskill-building.Wherelimitedbudgetsandmediaoutlets constrainP&Eprogramchoices,theBestPracticeP&EReviewsuggestsfocusingon alimitedrangeofTier2activities,deployedwithgreaterfrequencytoachieve greaterimpact.

Sustained & sustainable deployment: Campaignsthatincludeaprogramfor ongoingandsustainedcontactwithtargetedaudiencesgenerallyhavegreater impactthanaone-time“blitz.”Year-roundexposureisthetarget.

Communitiesthatlookforandimplementinnovativeandcosteffectivestrategiesto deploytheirmessagingexpandthereachoftheirmessagingandgetabetter‘bang fortheirbuck.’Therearemanywaystomaximizedeploymentordelivery mechanismsincluding:

Partneringwithothercommunitieswithsimilarmessagingtodesign/deliver tactics Sharingwithcommunitypartnerstodelivermessaging(e.g.,sendingprint materialswithutilitybills,insertingmessagingintopoliticians’newsletters, workingwithcommunitygroups) Enlistingaknowncommunityspokespersonto‘carrythemessage’ Combiningpublicrelations(earnedmediacoverage)withother‘cost-based’tactics (calendars,newslettersetc.) WorkingwithappropriatecommunitypartnerstodesignandordeliverP&E messaging Messaging: RecyclingP&Ecampaignsthattargetthosewhoarereceptiveto recyclingandskewtowardthefemaleheadofthehouseholdshowgreatersuccess.

Mostcommunityresidentsareawareofrecyclingandwhattorecycle,particularly withmaterialsthathavebeenrecycledforseveralyearsnow.Theycontinuetoneed

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informationtosupporttheadditionofnewmaterialstorecyclingcollectionprograms. Theyalsoneedtobemotivatedtotakeaction.

RecentfocusgroupfindingsinseveralGreaterTorontoAreamunicipalitiesindicate thatdespiteeffortstoprovideinformationaboutrecycling,manymulti-family residentsremainunaware.Effortstoreachouttomulti-familyresidentsrequire continuedpersistenceandcreativity,withrewards(e.g.,withindicationsthattheir effortspayoff,andbyprovidingclean,saferecyclingsitesfortheiruse)and attentiontoethnic/culturalissuesthatareoftenpervasiveinmulti-familybuildings.

Inmanycommunities,theneedfortraditionalinformationalmessagingisbecoming secondarytoinspirationalapproaches.Mostresidentsareawareofatleastthe‘first generation’materialsthatmayberecycled.

Themostcompellingmessagesalsospeaktotheemotions(again,ratherthan simplyprovidinginformation).

Linguisticissuesareavitalcomponent:tobesuccessfulandengaging,P&Emustbe producedinthelanguagesspokeninthecommunity.

Thefoundationforthemessagingliesintargetedcommunityresearchor,where resourcesareunavailable,considerationofthewealthofinformationthatexistsin availablereferencedocuments.

Allocation of financial resources: Formost,ifnotallOntariocommunities,P&Efor recyclingprogramsisconstrainedbylimitedfinancial(andstaff)resources.The majorityofrespondentsintheP&EReviewsurveyreportedthattheythoughtthey wouldneedtodoubletheirbudgetstobeabletoaccomplishthefullrangeoftasks toensure“successfulP&E.”

Despitethat,communitiesacrosstheprovincearedevelopingandsustainingP&E programsthatarecontributingtoprogrameffectivenesswith,insomecases,very limitedresources.ToachieveBestPractices,communitiesshouldconsiderplanning theirP&Estrategiestoincludesomeofthelowcost/highimpactcomponents(and others)identifiedabove.

Opportunity to increase efficiency: Forsomeelementsoftheirprograms, communitiesarealreadysharingresourceseitherwithothercommunitiesorwith otherprogramswithintheircommunitiesorexistingP&Evehicles.

OthersharedresourcesforP&Ethatexistorareindevelopmentinclude:

the WDOAdbank anewweb-basedresourceaboutallOntariorecyclingprograms (www.blueboxmore.ca ) P&Emodulecomingto“ Recyclers’KnowledgeNetwork ”(expectedinMay2007) ProjectreportsfromallE&EFund CommunicationandEducation studies Communitiesthatseekoutnewopportunitiestoshareresources(information, graphics,activitiesandothers)willincreasethecost-effectiveimpactoftheirP&E

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programsandinsomecases,beabletoemploytacticsthatwouldotherwisebe cost-prohibitive.

Monitoring and Evaluation

P&Eprogramsthatcontributetobestpracticescontainamonitoringandevaluation componentthatisbudgetedandmappedoutintheplanningphase.

Formanycommunities,theabilitytoimplementformalqualitativeandquantitative researchwillbeconstrainedbybudgetarylimitations.

Inamoreinformalway,evaluationmayalsobemonitoredbychangesin amounts/qualityofmaterialsmarketedoverayear.Becausetherearesomany factorsthatinfluenceprogramperformance,thisisalessprecisemeansof evaluatingaP&Ecampaignorprogram,butitdoesprovideanindicator.IntheBlue BoxProgramP&EProgramSurvey,London,DurhamandTorontoindicatedthatthey lookto‘spikes’inrecoveryoroverallannualtonnagesintheirconsiderationofP&E effectiveness.

CommunitiesthatusethesemeasuresasindicatorsofP&Eeffectivenessmaylink theirfindingswithexisting(andgrowing)researchabouttheimpactofspecifictools andcampaignsinOntarioandbeyond.

Source and Links

Reports

AMRC,CountyofOxfordetal; “Research Report: Identifying Best Practices in Municipal Blue Box Promotion and Education ”, 2005

CityofHamilton: “Blue Box Recycling Public Opinion Survey (March 2006) ”

CityofBarrie&CSR: “Master Recycler Program Report ”, 2000&“ Phase II Report ”, 2001

Coffman:“ Public Communication Campaign Evaluation ”, 2002

InformaResearchforMcConnellWeaverCommunicationManagement: “Communication & Benchmark Survey, Enhanced Blue Box Recovery Program, Focus Group Report ”; 2006

McConnellWeaverCommunicationManagement:EnhancedBlueBoxRecovery “Benchmark Survey & Focus Groups ”; 2006

McConnellWeaverCommunicationManagement:“ Enhanced Blue Box Recovery Strategic Communication Plan ”,2006

“Blue Box Residential Recycling Best practices – A Private Sector Perspective” ,A JointProjectofStewardshipOntarioandtheWasteManagementAssociation, GuilfordandAssociates,February2007

PraxisPR: “Best Practice P&E Review Final Report”, 2007

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Skumatz:”Policy and Program Options that Increase Recycling ”,2004

Skumatz&Green,“ Evaluation the Impacts of Recycling/Diversion Education Programs – Effective Methods and Optimizing Expenditures ,”forIowaDNR,2002

Presentations

AMRC: “2005 Promotion & Education Awards ”, 2006AMRCPolicy&Programs Committee: “2006 Municipal P&E Awards ”, February2007

“Industry Experts Speak about Advertising: Research Perspectives ”: Apresentation atAMRC’sSpringWorkshopbyInformaResearch,PraxisPRandMcConnellWeaver CommunicationsResearch;February,2007

Resources

StewardshipOntario’sEfficiencyandEffectivenessFund Communication& Educationprojects

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FundamentalBest Established and Enforced Policies that Induce Waste Practice Diversion

Overview

Municipalitiesneedtoutilizeacombinationofpolicymechanismsandincentivesto stimulaterecyclinganddiscourageexcessivegenerationofgarbage.Mostofthese policiesareaimedtowardcausingapermanentshiftinresidents’behaviourthrough theuseofeconomicandnon-monetarylevers.Economicincentivesworkby assigningatangiblevaluetotherecyclableportionoftherefusestream.Non- monetaryincentives,ontheotherhand,forceresidentstolimitundesiredbehaviours andstimulatedesiredones,usingpunitiveandrewardingpolicytools,respectively. Eachtypeofincentiveisdescribedinfurtherdetailinthissection,withpragmatic applicationguidance.

Key Benefits and Outcomes

Byusingamixofeconomicandnon-monetaryincentives,municipalitiescanchange residents’behavioursandgenerateprogramrevenues.Specificeffectiveness benefitsinclude:

Higherparticipationrates Increaseinmaterialsdivertedtorecycling Reductioninrecyclablematerialsloss Improvedqualityofmaterials RealizedsynergiesbetweenpoliciesandPromotionandEducation

Efficiencybenefitsinclude:

Decreaseingarbagecollectioncosts Increaseinprogramrevenues Highreturnoninvestment Lowcapitalrequirements

Description of Best Practice

Economic incentives

Economicincentivesareasdiverseandvariedasthemunicipalitiesandwaste authoritiesthatemploythem.Thebasicobjectiveofincentives,asrelatesto recyclingprograms,istoplaceacostondisposingofwasteatthecurbside,which willcausesystemuserstodivertappropriatematerialtodiversionprograms.The intendedresultisadecreaseinwastedisposedandanincreaseinrecyclingvolumes.

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Thereareanumberofapproachesemployed,thenamesforwhichareoftenused interchangeably:Pay-as-you-throw(PAYT),unitpricing,andvariableratestructures areoftencited.Generically,theseareoftenreferredtoas“userpay”systems. Incentiveprogramscanemployvariablefeestructures,andsimplebuteffective formsusebagsorstickers.Otherapproachesrequiresubscriptionbycontainer volume,ormaybeweight-based.Bagtagsandstickerprogramsareconsistentwith approachesusedinmanyOntariocommunities,inwhichsystemuserspayforbags ortagsthatqualifyforcurbsidegarbagecollection.Insomecases,partialsystems areusedinconjunctionwithbaglimits(seediscussiononnon-monetarypolicies), allowingusersamaximumnumberofbagsatthecurb(often2or3),afterwhich userpaidbagsortagsarerequiredtoqualifyforgarbagecollection.

Ingeneral,the“userpay”concepthasthepotentialtorecoverpartorallofwaste managementcostsfromsystemusers.Utility-basedorself-financingsystems recoveralloftheircosts,whiletheuserpaysystemsrecoverpartorallcosts. Potentialincreasesinnetrecyclingcostsmayresultinlowerunitcosts,whileother aspectsofthewastemanagementsystemmaybenefitfromreducedgarbage collectioncosts,reduceddisposalcostsandincreasedlandfilllifeexpectancy.Well- conceivedincentiveprogramsmayalsoimprovematerialquality,resultingin increasedprogramrevenuesandreducedsortingcosts.However,someprograms mayexperienceanincreaseintotalper-householdprogramcostsdependingonhow theprogramisadministered,andasaresultofchangesincustomerwaste generationbehaviourasaresultoftheeconomicincentive.

Non-monetary Incentives

Bag limits areacommonpracticeoflimitinghowmuchwaste,andspecificallythe numberofgarbagebagsfullofwaste,willbeacceptedforcollection.Theyareoften employedwith“userpay”systems,whichwillassignacostperbagforcollection forbagsoverthelimit.Baglimitsarearelativelysimplemeansofencouraging residentstobecomemoreconsciousoftheamountandtypeofwastetheygenerate toinitiateachangeinattitudeandbehaviourabouttheirwastegenerationhabits.

Typicalbaglimitdesignsinclude:

Strictbaglimitisimposedwithnootheroptionsprovidedforplacingadditional wasteatthecurb.Oncethebaglimitsetoutisreached,anyadditionalunitsof garbageareleftatthecurbbythecollectioncrew PartialBagLimitallowsresidentstopurchasespecialtagsorbagsforexcess garbage(alsoreferredasapartialuserpaysystem).Becauseresidentsare givenanalternativeapproachtodealwithexcessgarbage,itisnotascriticalto provideconvenientwastediversionalternatives.However,residentswillexpect somelevelofwastediversionservicestoenablethemtodiverttheirwasteand reducethefinancialburdenofpayingforexcessgarbage.Thisapproachis muchmorecommonamongcommunitiesimposingbaglimitsofthreebagsor less

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HybridSystemcombinesfeaturesofthestrictbaglimitandwithfeaturesofthe partialbaglimit.Typically,inahybridsystem,acommunitywillimposeastrict baglimitbutwilldistributeasetof“free”tagsforusebyresidentstoaugment thebaglimit Baglimitprogramssendaclearmessagetoresidentsthatitisnolongeracceptable toproduceunlimitedamountsofgarbage.However,theyareusuallycoupledwith significantconvenientopportunitiestodivertwaste.

Communitiesthatimposebaglimitsoflessthanthreeperweek,ingeneral, experienceanoticeablereductionintheamountofwastesentfordisposalandan increaseinrecyclingrates.Theretendstobeaninverserelationshipbetweenthe numberofbagspermittedatthecurbandthediversionandrecyclingratesachieved. Thelowerthebaglimitthehigherthediversionrateofwastefromlandfillandthe recyclingrate,aslongasresidentshaveaccesstoconvenientandcomprehensive wastediversionopportunities.Curbsiderecyclingisgenerallyconsideredessential ifabaglimitofthreeorlessistobecontemplated.Introductionofadditional diversionopportunities,suchascurbsidecollectionofkitchenorganics,further enhancesbaglimitimpacts.

Baglimitscangenerallybeadministeredwithoutcapitalexpensetothewaste authority,andthusaregenerallyregardedasalow-costinitiative.

Provision of blue boxes entailstheprovisiontohouseholdsoffreeblueboxesin ordertoensureamplehouseholdrecyclingcapacity.Thisisusuallydonewhen programsareinitiatedandwhenmaterialsareaddedand/ortheprogramisre- promoted.Additionalblueboxesrequireaninitialcapitaloutlay,however,theadded capacitymaynotonlyincreasecaptureandpotentiallylowerunitoperatingcosts,but theminimizationofhome-madecurbsidecontainersmayyieldlonger-term ergonomicbenefitstocollectioncrews.

Disposal bans canbeimplementedbythedisposalauthority,whichdetermines whatmaterialsitwillacceptfordisposal.Thisforcesthecollectionauthorityto redirectbannedmaterialsfromthewastestreamtoappropriatereceivers.Thispolicy isoftenappliedtobroadermaterialtypesandindustrialwastes,andnotspecificallya blueboxstrategy.

Curb side material bans entailsbanningofmaterialfromgarbagecollection,forcing thehouseholdtodisposeofthematerialthroughtheproperprogramchannels,such asrecycling,sourceseparatedorganics,householdspecialwastedepot,oranyother appropriatecollectionordepotsystem.Thisisenforcedatthecurb,anddisposal servicecanbewithdrawnifusersrefusetodivertbannedmaterialstotheproper streams.

Mandatory recycling isinstitutionofaby-lawthatdirectshouseholdstousethe recyclingprogramforrecyclablematerial.Thiscanbeenforcedatthecurb,and disposalservicecanbewithdrawnwhenuserscontinuallyplacerecyclablesinthe garbage.Thisapproachisalsocommonlyusedtodirectmanagersandproperty ownersofmulti-familyresidencestopromoterecycling,andisenforcedbymaking

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publicgarbagecollectionprogramsavailableonconditionthatthecomplexprovides arecyclingprogram.

Reduction in garbage collection frequency isastrategymadepossiblewhen diversionprogramsareabletodivertlargeamountsofmaterial,suchasrecycling andsourceseparatedorganicsprograms.Withsignificantdiversion,aminorportion ofmaterialleftforthegarbagestreammakesweeklycollectionobsolete,andthe conversiontolessfrequentgarbagecollection,inturn,makesdiversionprograms moreattractiveeventoprogramhold-outs.Reductioningarbagecollection frequencyhastheaddedbenefitofreducinggarbagecollectioncosts.

Drop-off depots foroverflowmaterials makerecyclingavailableatlocationsand facilitieswherepublictrafficispresent.Recyclingreceptaclesareanopportunityto collectmaterialwithoutcurbsidecollectioncosts,addingmaterialtotherevenue streamwithoutthesamelevelofcostforcollection.

Carefulprogramplanningisessentialtothesuccessofeconomicandnon-monetary policies.Anumberofcriticalconsiderationsarecitedwithinthebodyofliterature, studiesandexperienceassociatedwiththesepractices.

Implementation of Best Practice

Economic Incentives

Implementationofeconomicincentivesrequiresthoroughanalysisandplanning. Userpayincentivesworkbest:

Inconjunctionwithclear,well-consideredgoals Whenthereisastrongsenseofwhatbarrierstorecyclingarebeingtargeted throughtheincentives Wherethereisadequateinfrastructuretoobtainthedesiredresults,including strongprogramelements,suchasaccessiblerecyclingprograms,a commitmenttoeducational/promotionalsupport,activeenforcement(itshould benotedthatinsomeliterature,finesareconsideredtobeaformofeconomic incentive),andprovisionofadequaterecyclingcapacity Wherethereiscarefuldeterminationastowhattypeofprogramissuitableforthe community(bagtag,variablepricing,weightorvolumebased) Aspartofawastemanagementstrategy Throughproperplanning,minorconcernscanbeanticipatedandmitigated.With respecttolitterandillegaldumping,experienceshowsthatimplementationissues mayarise.Diminishedqualityofrecyclables,forexample,mayresultfromplacement ofover-the-limitgarbageinrecyclingbinsbyresidentsinordertoavoidgarbagecost. Roadsidegarbagedumpingmaytakeplaceinisolatedcases.However,theseissues canbeaddressedbysteppingupenforcementintheearlypost-implementation stagesanddevelopingtargetededucationalcampaigns.

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Administrationandcapitalrequirementswilldependonthetypeofprogramselected. Weight-basedsystemsrequireacapitaloutlaywithincreasedoperational expenditures,and,therefore,maybemoreexpensivetooperate.Bag-tagsystems areconsideredtobelessexpensivetooperate,withsomeprogramslookingtoretail outletstomanagedistributionofbags,tagsorstickers.

Someprogramsoffervariablerateplansbasedoneitherweightorvolume,allowing subscriberstoselectcontainersorbinsthatmatchtheirwasteproductionneedsand encouragea“downsizing”ofhouseholdwastegeneration.Thisprovidesadditional incentivetoreducewasteandincreaserecyclingbyplacingavalueonthebehaviour throughadditionalsavings.Considerationofsuchapproachesaresystemicinnature, accompaniedbyassessmentofweightorvolume-basedsubscriptionplans, automatedcollectionsystemsforcartsorbins,andimpactsonsystemcost.

Non-monetary Incentives

Aspreviouslynoted,benefitsattributedtoanyofthesestrategiesaredependenton theamountofassociatedpubliceducation,promotion,andenforcementsupport.

Inthecaseofthosestrategiesthat“direct”wastetotherecyclingstream,care mustbetakentoavoidnegativeimpactstothequalityofthecollectedmaterial. Wheninstitutingbans,baglimits,orgarbagecollectionfrequencyreduction, recyclingcollectorsneedtobediligentwithrespecttoqualitycontrol.Itispossible thatnon-recyclableswillbeplacedintheblueboxasareactiontoreducedgarbage serviceorcapacity.

Reductioningarbagecollectionfrequencyisoneofthefinalimplementationstepsin asuccessfulintegratedwastemanagementdiversionprogram,andisacompanion strategytotheeffectivediversionofhouseholdorganicsandblueboxrecycling.The needforweeklygarbagecollectioniseffectivelyeliminated.Thisparticularstrategy requiresarevisionofcollectionlogisticsthatmayresultinco-collectionscenariosfor waste,recyclingandorganics,inamannerthatcanleadtoefficientuseofcollection vehicles.

Theimplementationofabaglimitprogram(featuringthreebagsorless)requiresa plannedphase-intoaddresscommunicationwithresidents(citizensneedtoknow whythemunicipalityisdoingthis)andtheinfrastructurerequiredtosupportit.The followingissuggestedaseffectivebaglimitlevelsforvariousBlueBoxrecycling programs:

Recycling Collection Garbage Suggested Add Suggested System Frequency Bag Limit Kitchen Bag Limit Organics Multisort weekly weekly 3 weekly 2 bi-weekly weekly 4 weekly 3 Twostream weekly weekly 3 weekly 2 bi-weekly weekly 4 weekly 2 alternating weekly 3 weekly 2 weeks

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Single weekly weekly 3 weekly 2 stream bi-weekly weekly 4 weekly 2

Inmostcommunities,wherearecyclingcurbsideprogramisinplace,theaverage householdersetsoutthreebagsorlessofgarbageperweekandonlyhasexcess garbageafewtimesayear,typicallyaftertheholidayseasonandspringcleanup. Thesespecialtimescanbeeffectivelyaccommodatedwithamnestydays.

Sources and Links

AMRC “User Pay Implementation Guide” E&E Fund Project 126 (2005)“ http://www.stewardshipontario.ca/eefund/projects/innovative.htm#126

AMRC“AnalysisofUserPaySystemCosts ” E&E Fund Project 191 (2006) http://www.stewardshipontario.ca/eefund/projects/innovative.htm#191

UserPaylearningmodulesontheKnowledgeNetwork–accessiblevia www.vubiz.com/stewardship

ImplementationofaWasteManagementUtilityinOntarioMunicipalities(PN160)- SixDraftDiscussionPapersareavailableontheKnowledgeNetwork

AMRCBestPracticeConsultationSessions: “User Pay and combined user pay systems (bag tags)” www.amrc.ca

“The Waste Diversion Impacts of Bag Limits and PAYT Systems in North America” April2001,ENVIROSRISfortheCityofTorontowww.ris.ltd.com

USEPAPAYT: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/payt/index.htm .

“Nationwide Diversion Rate Study: Quantitative Effects of Program Choices on Recycling and Green Waste Diversion, Beyond Case Studies.” Skumatz& Associates(SERA),Seattle,USA,1996.

USEPA,MSWManagementjournalarticle “The Rise and...the rise of Pay-As-You- Throw” citingmorethan6,000communitiesinUS.

“Measuring Source Reduction: Pay as you Throw/Variable Rates as an Example.” SkumatzEconomicResearchAssociates(SERA),Seattle,WAUSA,2000.

UKDefra(DeptforEnvironment,FoodandRuralAffairs) “Evaluation of the Household Waste Incentives Pilot Scheme” www.defra.gov.uk

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ConditionalBestPractices UnlikeFundamentalBestPracticesthatapplytoallBlueBoxprograms,Conditional BestPracticesapplyonlytothoseprogramsthatexhibitacertainsetof characteristics.ADecisionTreemethod,discussedinasubsequentsectionofthis report,hasbeenusedtodefinemajorprogramcharacteristics.ProgramProfilesthat wereproducedbytheDecisionTreereferencetheFundamentalBestPracticesand identifyapplicableConditionalBestPracticesandthecircumstancesunderwhich theyapply.ConditionalBestPracticeswereintegratedintoProgramProfilesdueto thefactthattheyarenotmeaningfulwithoutthecontextofthecommunity characteristicsinwhichtheyapply.Thisisconsistentwiththeholisticapproachto programdesign,management,andoperationsthatwasusedtooriginallyidentify andformulateBestPractices.TherearetwotypesofConditionalBestPractices:1) thosethatapplytoeverycommunityinaspecifiedprogramprofilegroupasdefined bytheDecisionTree;2)thosethatapplytoprogramswithinaspecificprofilebut onlyunderspecificcircumstancesorconditions,asdiscussedintheProfile description. BestPracticeSpotlights InadditiontodelineatingFundamentalandConditionalBestPracticesforBlueBox programs,theProjectTeampreparedmore-detailedBestPracticesguidance pertainingtospecificprogramareas.These“spotlighted”areasinclude:

CurbsideCollectionofMaterials ProcessingofMaterials MarketingofMaterials Multi-FamilyRecycling DepotCollectionofMaterials RecyclingofChallengingPlasticMaterials DescribedbelowaretheseBestPracticeSpotlights.

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BestPractice Best Practices in Curbside Collection Spotlight Overview

InatypicalBlueBoxrecyclingprogram,thecurbsidecollectionfunctionisthemost expensiveprogramcomponent.Itis,therefore,essentialtounderstandandproperly managecostdriversandoperationalintricaciesassociatedwithcollectingrecyclables atthecurb.Thissectionprovidesguidanceformunicipalprogramoperatorsonthe availabilityofchoicesandresultingcostandrecoveryimplicationsofadoptingor changingcurbsidecollectionmethodsandparameters.

Key Benefits and Outcomes

Byeffectivelystructuringandoptimizingtheircollectionfunctions,BlueBox programscanobtainthefollowingeffectivenessbenefits:

Increasedrecoveryofmaterialsanddiversionfromlandfill ImprovedseparationofmaterialsinvehiclesandMRFs Increasedparticipationinrecycling Enhancedaestheticappealofcontainersatthecurb Improvedoperatorsafetyandergonomics Improvedcustomersatisfactionlevels Programscanbecomemoreefficientduetothefollowingfactors:

Lowercollectionandprocessingcosts Increasedrevenuesfromsaleofrecyclablescaptured Improvedutilizationofcapital(trucksandprocessingequipment) Description and Implementation of Best Practice

Relationship to Processing

Theappropriatenessofanyspecificcurbsidecollectionpracticeisdirectlyrelatedto theprocessingcapabilitiesoftheMRFthatwillbereceivingthecollectedmaterial. Somecollectionmethodslistedmaynotbeappropriateforallmunicipalitiesforthis reason,aswellasothers.Allcollectionmethodsshouldbereviewedwith considerationofprocessingcapabilitiesandfurtherfeasibilityanalysismaybe required.

Set Out Containers

Itisgoodpracticeformunicipalprogramstocompletesetoutstudies,wasteaudits, andcapacitystudiestoevaluatethecurrentprogram’srecoveryeffectiveness, remainingrecoverypotential,andsetoutcontainercapacityneeds.Ifsufficient

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containercapacityisnotprovidedtomatchthesetoutvolumeandfrequencyof collection,thenthereisthepotentialthatadditionalrecyclablesmightbeplacedinto thegarbage.Often,additionalcollectioncanhelpsolvethebincapacityissue.

Asaprogramcontinuestogrow,additionalorlargercontainersmaybecome increasinglyadvantageous.Someprogramsallowresidentstoaddblueboxesor allowresidentstoincludetheadditionalmaterialsinclearplasticorclearbluebags. Singlestreamcollectionprogramsusingcartsdonotusuallyhavecontainercapacity problems,providedthatresidentsfollowinstructionsonhowtopreparematerial (e.g.,flatteningcardboardsothatitwillfitintothecart,etc.).Thesizeandnumber ofrecyclingbinsorcartsshouldbeselectedtomatchthecollectionfrequencyand theprojectedvolumeofrecyclables.Containeroptionstypicallyinclude:

Recycling box: maybesuitableformostsmallprogramscollectingonlythe “mandatory”recyclablesweekly(18-68litre) Multiple boxes: asprogramsgrowinthenumberofdesignatedrecyclables collectedandintherecoveryofthosematerials,theyusuallymovetoproviding multipleboxestoresidents,oftenoneforfibresandoneforloosecontainers Roll-out cart: usedbyprogramswithawiderangeofmaterialswithreduced collectionfrequency(bi-weeklyormonthly)toenabletheuseofsemi-and/or fully-automatedcollectionvehicles(120–360litre). Translucent bags: provideflexiblecapacity,similartocarts,butincreasesorting problemsattheMRF.Allowidentificationofgrosscontamination,butnotthe opportunitytoprovidecurbsidecontaminationsort Degree of Sorting

Programsgeneratinglessthan10,000tonnesperyearcanbenefitfromcurbsidesort collectionswhennotwo-streamorsingle-streamMRFislocatedwithinareasonable drivingdistance.Smallerprogramstypicallydonotrecoversufficienttonnageto justifyestablishingtheirownMRF:however,suchprogramsmayfinditcost effectivetoimplementalow-techbulkingfacilitywheredensificationofcurbside sortedmaterialstakesplace.Oftenmaterialsrecoveredthroughcurbsidesort systemshaveverylowcontamination,thusresultinginaveryhighqualityproduct. OnlyafewOntariocommunitiesutilizethisapproach,however.Itmustbestressed thatthisisanoptionusedby,andsuitablefor,onlythesmallestcommunitiesthat provideblueboxrecyclingwherethereisnoMRFavailableformoreefficientsorting. IntheabsenceofaMRForasystemofregionalcooperation,alowtechnon-sorting facilitymaybethemostappropriatemethodofdensifyingmaterialsformarkets.

Asprogramsgrowinsizeandtonnage,thereismorepressuretoconsideradditional comminglingofrecyclables.Typically,programspreviouslyprovidingamulti-sort curbsideschemeevolveintoprovidingadualsortcollectionsystem,i.e.,separation offibreandcontainersintwovehiclecompartments.Anothervariationofthedual sortsystemisseparationofglassintoathirdcompartment.

Sortingglassatthecurbcanaddincrementalcoststocollection,andthesecostsare bornebytheentitythatfundsthecollectionprogram.Costsarisebothintheextra

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timeforsortingandintheextracompartmentrequiredonthetruck.Thesortedglass isusuallykeptoutoftheprocessingstreamattheMRF–depositedinanoutside bunker,forexample,beforethetruckdumpstheremainingcommingledmaterialson thetippingfloorinside.Threefairlysignificantbenefitsthenaccruetotheprocessing entity–thereductioninsortingequipmentneededforglass(andassociatedreduced maintenanceofotherequipmentthatmaybeaffectedbybrokenglass),thepossible increasedmarketvalueoftheglassitself,sinceithasnotbeencommingledwith othermaterials,andthepossibleincreasedmarketvalueofallothermaterialsthat havenotbeenincontactwithglassandthusarenotsubjecttopotentialdowngrades duetoglasscontamination.

Ifthesameentityoperatesandfundsboththecollectionandprocessingsystems, thesecostsandsavingsmaybalancepositively,leadingtoreducedoverallcostsfor theprogram.However,ifthecollectionentityandprocessingentityaredifferent, thesecostsandpotentialsavingsmustbebalancedinthetenderandcontracting processtoensurethattheyaresharedinamannerthatdoesnotbenefitoneentity attheexpenseoftheother.However,fewcommunitiesinOntariocontinuetorely onthisapproach.AsthenewLCBOreturnsystembecomesfullyintegratedintothe public’sbehaviour,theamountofglassinBlueBoxprogramsmaydecline,making thecurbsortoptionevenlessdesirable.

Two-streamcollection(fibresandcontainers)isgenerallythepreferredcollection methodforprogramsthatprocessbetweenabout10Kto40ktonnesofmaterialper year,again,dependingontheprocessingcapabilitiesattheMRF.Thistonnage throughputcansupporttwo-streamprocessing;butifasingle-streamMRFislocated withinanhour’sdrivingdistance,singlestreamcollectionshouldbeconsideredasa potentialcollectionoption.Two-streamcollectionscapitalizeontheinitiallabour providedfromtheresidentsatthecurb.Often,programswithhighparticipationcan benefitfromthistypeofcollectionasmaterialsarecollectedfairlyeasilyby collectionstaff.Inaddition,ifboxesareusedtosetoutrecyclables(asopposedto bagsorcarts),collectionstaffhaveanopportunitytoperformadegreeof contaminationscreeningatthecurbtoimprovethequalityoftheproductdelivered totheMRF.

Asprogramtonnagesapproachandexceed40,000tonnesperyear,singlestream collectionandprocessingmaybecomemorefeasible.Singlestreamrecyclingoffers thepotentialforincreasedcollectionsavingsandincreasedrecoveryofrecyclables, butalsoresultsinincreasedprocessingcostsand,dependingonthecontainertype used,increasedcontamination.Insimpleterms,thelargertheprogramtonnage,the greaterthepotentialforcollectioncostsavingsand,hence,thegreaterthepotential tooffsettheadditionalcostofsinglestreamprocessing.Inaddition,theuseoffully orsemi-automatedcollectionvehiclestotipcartsintoavehicleresultsinfewer injury-relatedstrains,therebyincreasingworkersafetyandloweringoperatingcosts associatedwithinjuries.

Itshouldbenotedthatifatwoboxsetoutismaintainedinasinglestreamprogram, mostofthepotentialsavingsinurbanareaswillbelost,sincetherewillbelittle

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reductioninstoptimes.Amore-detaileddiscussionofsinglestreamrecyclingis providedinthe“Processing”section.

Opportunitiesforincreasingrecyclablescollectionefficienciesandreducingcosts growwithincreasedcommingling.Collectingmaterialssinglestreamallowsfor controlledcompaction,whichmakescollectionmoreefficientbecausetruckscan stayonroutelongerbeforefilling.Compactioncanalsobeusedintwostream collection;however,theper-householdcostforcollectioninsinglestreamsystems istypicallylessthancomparabletwostreamsystemsbecausematerialscanbe loadedintoasinglestreamtruckinlesstime.Foreithertwo-streamorsinglestream collection,thecompactionneedstobecontrolledsothatthepressureissufficientto achieveareasonableamountofvolumereduction,withoutover-compactingthe materials.Over-compactionresultsinglassbreakageandflatteningofround containers,whichcancausetheautomatedsystemsinasinglestreamMRFtobe lesseffectiveinseparatingflatpaperproductsfromroundcontainers.

Collection Frequency

Municipalitiesneedtoassesstheirprogramperformancetoidentifythetypeof collectionthatisbestsuitedtotheirowncircumstances.Selectionofcollection frequencyneedstobemadewithconsiderationtothevarietyandvolumeof recyclablesrecovered,thetype,number,andvolumeofhouseholdcontainers suppliedtotheresident,thetypeofcollectionequipmentavailableforuse,andhow recyclablescollectionisintegratedwithothersolidwastecollectionservices(e.g., householdorganics,garbage,etc.).Team’sanalysisindicatesthatprogramsthat collectrecyclablesatleastasfrequentlyasgarbageexhibithigherrecoveryrates. Thispracticesendsanimportantmessagetoresidentsthatrecyclingisequallyas importantandasconvenientassettingoutgarbage,therebyboostingthetonnageof materialsdiverted.

Themosteffectiveprogramsintheprovincewithrespecttotonnagediversion provideweeklycollectionofrecyclablesandhouseholdorganics,withbi-weekly collectionofgarbage(andaneffectiverefusebaglimit).However,bi-weekly collectionofrecyclablesonitsowncanbemorecost-effectivethanweekly collection,providedthereisnoappreciablelossoftonnage,andprovidedthat householdersaregivensufficientcontainercapacitytomeetorexceedtheirtwo- weekmaterialstoragerequirements.Anotheroption,usedprimarilybyprograms thatdonothavespecializedcollectionvehiclesorareco-collectingrecyclableswith otherwastematerials(withrecyclablestakentoatwo-streamMRF),isthecollection offibresandcontainersonalternatingweeks.Whilenotabestpractice,incertain situations,whereefficiencymustbeweighedagainstdiversionbenefits,such programsmaybejustifiable.

Collectionfrequencyforrecyclablesshouldbereassessedwhenplanningfor collectionofkitchenorganics.Co-collectionopportunitiesshouldbeevaluatedand utilized,whenfeasible.Thisentailsusingthesamevehiclefortwoormoredifferent wastestreamsorfittingavehiclewithappropriateequipment(inlow-density,rural areas),sothatasinglepasscanbemadetocollectmultipletypesofmaterials.Co-

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collectionistypicallyonlyappropriatewhenmaterialscanbeunloadedatthesame oradjacentfacilities.

Co-collectionallowsforareductionintotalsystemcostbynotneedingtohavetwo trucksdrivedownthesameroadonthesameday.Theessenceofthecostsavings liesinreducingnon-productivetime,suchastimespentdrivingfromstoptostop.In ordertosuccessfullyimplementthispractice,thetwomaterialsthatareco-collected needtobedeliveredtoonelocation,suchasatransferstationortotwonearby facilities.Thispracticeworkswellwithsinglestreamrecyclingbutitcanbeadapted withtwostreamprogramswithanalternatingweekcollectionschedule,where wasteandfibresmaybecollectedoneweek,andwasteandcontainersarecollected thenextweek.CollectingonanalternatingweekbasisdoesnotmeanthattheMRF onlyprocessespaperproductsoneweekandcontainerstheotherweek;ratherit meansthathalftheroutescollectonematerialandtheotherhalfofroutescollect theothermaterialonanygivenday.ThisallowstheMRFtobeoptimallysized.

Regardlessofthenumberofstreamscollectedandthetypeofvehiclesused,other collectionpracticesmaybeaBestPracticeundercertainconditions.Anexampleis extendedcollectiondays,wherethenormalworkingdayforcollectioncrewsis lengthened,allowingoperatorstogetintheirweeklyhoursinfourdaysperweek insteadoffive.Theadvantageoflongercollectiondaysisthatfewerroutesneedto beoperatedtocollectfromtheprogrambecausetrucksstayonroutelongerand collectfrommorehomesbeforeendingtheday.Thereisacertainamountofnon- productivetimewitheachroute(i.e.,dailypreventativemaintenance,fuelling,fluid checks,breaks,etc.).Fewerroutesmeanlessnon-productivetimeandcostsavings. Drawbackstoextendedcollectiondaysincludedecliningproductivityneartheendof thedayandincreasingpotentialforinjuryoraccidents.Consideringextended collectiondaysisconditionalontruckshavingpayloadcapacityfortheadditional homestobecollected(usuallybecauseofcompaction).Iftrucksareusuallyfullat theendofthenormalworkday,itwillnotlikelybecosteffectivetogobackouton route.Extendedcollectiondaysshouldnormallyseektoemploytheequipmenton thesamenumberofworkingdaysperweek(fiveorsix)comparedtoregular collectiondaysthrougheffectiveuseoflabourandequipmentallocation.

Regardlessofthecollectionfrequency,butparticularlyinprogramswithwastebag limitsorlowerfrequencyofcollection,itisbeneficialtoprovideconvenientand consistentoptionsforcapturingoverflowmaterials.Somecommunitieshavedepots forthispurpose,whileothersprovideclearplasticbagsforthecollectionofoverflow materials.

Routing

Regardlessofthetypeofcollectionprocedureused,itisaBestPracticethat collectionmethodsaredesignedtoensurethattheroutesareshortestindistance andreachalltheresidentiallocations.Routedesignshouldalsomaximizecollection vehicletimespentonrouteandminimizecollectionvehicletimespentoffroute. Onemeansofdoingthisistouselarge-capacitycollectionvehicles.Setout instructionscanalsobepreparedtoincreasecollectionefficiency.Forexample,

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whenstreetlayoutspermitandsafetyisnotanissue(andparticularlyinlow-density areas),householdscanbedirectedtosetoutmaterialononesideofthestreetonly. Anotheroptionistoencourage“twinning”ofrecyclingcontainersatthecurbside (residentsplacetheirbinsbesidetheirneighbour’sbins)tomaximizesetoutsper stop.Thiscanbeparticularlybeneficialwhenstreetsideparkingcaninterferein servicingsetouts,orwhenhousesareonlargelots.Thistechniqueismore commonlyusedforsolidwastecollectionprogramsusingroll-outcarts,butthe sametechniqueworksforrecyclablescollectionaswell.

Forlargerprogramsinparticular,andforprivatecollectionserviceproviders,theuse ofrouteoptimizationtoolsandmethodstobalanceroutesandpayloads,canbevery effectiveinreducingtimeperstop,timebetweenstops,off-routetime,andmiles driven.Optimizedroutesprovideefficientservicetoresidents,reducingcollection time,whichcantranslateintolowercollectioncosts.Somemunicipalstaffhave producedin-houserouteoptimizationmethodsandthereareanumberofroute optimizationsoftwareapplicationsavailableformunicipalstafftopurchase.Whether apurchasedprogramoraninhousemethodologyisused,optimizingroutesona regularbasiswillresultinsomebeneficialchange.

Transfer

Transferisanoptionthatshouldbeconsideredforprogramswithtonnagesof recyclablesconsideredtoosmalltosupporttheirownMRF,orforlargerprograms withouttheirownMRFwithdirecthaultimetoaMRFofgreaterthanaboutone hour.HowrecyclableswillbetransferredwilldependonthedestinationMRF.The degreeofcommingling,receivinghours,andpossiblythetypeoftransfervehicle thatcanbeusedaretypicallyitemsthattheMRFwilldictate.Transferofsingle streamrecyclablesusinglightcompactionwilllikelybesimplerandmoreeconomical thantransferoftwostreamrecyclables.

Thedesignofatransferstationcanvaryfromaverysimplesplit-elevation,direct unloadoperationintoanopentoptransfertrailer(forsmalltonnages)tomore sophisticatedenclosedstructureswithseveralloadingbays.ArecentWDOreport providesmoredetailedinformationabouttransfersystems.Thecostofprovidinga transferoptionmustbeweighedagainstthatofdirecthaul.Toassistinthis,anExcel modelhasbeendevelopedtoassessdifferenttransferoptionsonasitespecific basis(checkwithWDOonhowtoaccessmodel).

Sources and Links

E&EFundProjectNumber207. York Collection and Processing Optimization Study , 2006 http://www.stewardshipontario.ca/eefund/projects/benchmark.htm#207

EfficientRecyclingCollectionRoutinginPictouCounty,2001 http://www.cogs.ns.ca/planning/projects/plt20014/images/research.pdf

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USEnvironmentalProtectionAgency. Getting More for Less: Improving Collection Efficiency ,1999 www.epa.gov/garbage/coll-eff/r99038.pdf

Single Stream Best Practices Manual and Implementation Guide, SusanKinsella, Conservatree,2007 http://conservatree.com/learn/SolidWaste/bestpractices.shtml

“Assessment of Ontario Transfer Capabilities of Residential Blue Box Materials and Opportunities for Cost Savings”; JacquesWhitfordforWDO;December,2006

WasteDiversionOntario www.wdo.ca

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BestPractice Best Practices in Processing of Recyclable Materials Spotlight Overview

ProcessingofBlueBoxrecyclablesataMRFisanintermediatestepbetweenthe collectionoftherecyclablesandthemarketingofthosematerialstoselected materialmarkets.TheroleofaMRFistoreceive,sortandpreparetherecyclablesto meetmaterialspecificationsdictatedbytheselectedmarkets.Discussedhereinare selecteddesignandoperationalBestPracticesandassociatedconsiderations. PleaserefertotheFundamentalBestPracticeonOperationOptimization,aswellas thedescriptionofCurbsideRecyclingBestPracticesforadditionalrelevant information.

Key Benefits and Outcomes

Byimprovingandoptimizingprocessingfunctions,municipalitiescanobtainthe followingeffectivenessbenefits:

Increasedrecoveryofmaterialsanddiversionfromlandfill Improvedseparationofmaterials Lowerresiduelevels Consistentmaterialquality Improvedrelationshipswithend-markets Programscanbecomemoreefficientduetothefollowingfactors:

Reducedneedforstaff,reduceddowntime,reducedmaintenance Increasedrevenuesfromsaleofrecyclablescaptured Improvedemployeesafetyandergonomics Improvedutilizationofcapital Description and Implementation of Best Practice

ThedesignofaMRFisdependentonthematerialsdelivered,thecompositionof thosematerials,thedegreeofcommingling,theannualtonnagesdelivered,andthe proposedgradesandspecificationsofmaterialstobeproducedandmarketed.

Aspreviouslymentioned,smallercommunitiesthatemploycurbsidematerialsorting mayrelyonlow-techbulkingfacilitiestodensifymaterialsforshipping.These facilitiesgenerallyhavenosortingcapability,orfeaturearudimentarysortingsystem (i.e.sortingdirectlyfromthepileofmaterialdepositedonthefloorbythetruck)that isnotrecommendedforsafetyandhealthreasons.Medium-sizedprograms featuringdual-streamcollectionmayuseprocessingfacilitiesthatrelyheavilyon manualsortingbecausethematerialflow-throughdoesnotjustifythecapital expenseonautomatedsortingequipment.Theoperationofefficientmanual(labour-

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based)sortingsystemshasbeenrefinedovermanyyears,andsuchsystemsare availableonthemarketbyMRFtechnologycompanies.Althoughlabourcostscanbe high,thesesystemshaveaplaceinMRFdesignandwillcontinuetobeused.For manyprograms,theycanbeacost-effectivewayofsortingmaterialsifmanaged properly.Largerprogramswithhighertonnagesandanexpandeddegreeof comminglingofrecyclablesareabletosupportmoresophisticatedmechanical sortingattheMRF.Itisabestpracticetoconsideropportunitiesforregional cooperationwithrespecttocollectionandprocessing,toenhanceeconomiesof scaleandprogramefficiency.Similarly,considerationshouldalsobegivento handlingrecyclablescapturedthroughinstitutional,commercialandindustrial(ICI) recyclingprogramsasameanstoincreasethroughputandimproveprocessing facilityeconomiesofscale.

Theschematicbelowillustrateshowcollectionandprocessingsystemschangewith increasedtonnagerecovered.

Collection Annual Tonnes MRF

Multi-sort curbside and depot Dedicated MRF may not be Less than 10,000 programs well suited economically feasible

Dual stream curbside collection 10,000 to 40,000 Dual stream MRFs most suitable (with possible separation of glass)

Investigate feasibility of single stream processing and market Investigate feasibility of single impacts More than 40,000 stream curbside collection Investigate feasibility of plastics optical sort

RegardlessofthetypeofMRF,thereareanumberofconditionalBestPracticesthat shouldbeconsideredbyanyprogramlookingtoimproveprocessingeffectiveness, efficiencyandcosts.Theseinclude:

Provideatleast2day’sstoragecapacityforincomingrecyclables.Thispermitsa secondshiftoperationandprovidesastoragebufferduringunscheduled

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equipmentdowntime.Considerplanningforasecondshift,tomaximizethe useofprocessingequipmentandtoallowforprocessingofadditionalmaterials Buildinasmuchflexibilityaspossibleintothedesignandoperationalapproach; thisallowsrespondingtochangingneedsandcircumstances(e.g.,changesin materialmix,additionalmaterials,improvedtechnology,opticalsorting,changes inmarketspecifications,seasonalsurgesintonnage,etc.) Balancetheuseofmechanizationandlabour.Evaluatethebenefitsandcostof labourandcapitalineachprocessingsteptoidentifytheoptimumbalance Useappropriatetechnology–therighttoolforthejob.Thesemayincludeuseof balerssizedanddesignedtomatchthenatureofmaterialtobeprocessed, ergonomicallydesignedsortinglines,appropriately-sizedanddesignedloaders tohandleincomingmaterials,etc Provideadequatepre-sortcapability.Thispracticeprovidestheabilitytoremove oversizeandproblemmaterialssuchaslargecardboard,wire,plasticfilm,etc. beforereachingmechanicalsortingequipment,wheretheymayinterfereor causedamageorinterferewithsubsequentprocessing.Removalofthese materialsimprovestheefficiencyofsubsequentsortingoperations.Pre-sort capacityalsooffersanopportunityforsortingfutureadd-onmaterials,suchas baggedfilmplastic,textilesoroversizedplasticbottles.Lengthofpre-sort conveyorrequiredisdependentonthequantityandtypeofcontamination presentandthewidthofstoragebunkersorcagesrequiredbelowthesorting conveyor Usefluffers(atthebalerin-feed)orperforatorswithsinglerambalers,assome plasticbottlesaredifficulttobale(especiallybottleswiththelidsstillon).While singlerambalersaresuitableforsmallerMRFs,theytypicallydonothavethe abilityoflarger2-rambalerstoproducedenseplasticbales.Theuseoffluffers orperforatorsresultsinimprovedbaledensityofupto20%. InvestigatethefeasibilityofopticalsortingofplasticsifMRFthroughputtonnage is>40,000tonnes,oralternatively,if3ormoresortersarerequiredforsorting plasticcontainers.PETbottlesarethemosteconomicaltargetforautomatic sorting,asthenumberofbottlesperkilogramissignificantlyhigherthanfor HDPEandtheabsolutenumberofPETbottlesishigherinCanadaaswell.It shouldalsobenotedthatautomatedsystemsareprimarilydesignedforsorting plasticbottlesonlyandtheadditionoftubs/lids,clamshells,andpolystyrene maylimittheapplicabilityofthistechnologyinCanada,comparedtoother regions,suchastheUnitedStateswherecollectionandprocessingofthese otherplasticcontainersandcomponentsisnotwidespread.Theshapeoftubs andlidsisnotwellsuitedtothecapabilitiesoftheautomatedsortingequipment. However,iftheprogramhandlesalargevolumeofplastics,itmightbedesirable toleavespaceforopticalsortinginanewMRFdesign,intheeventthatthiswill beaddedlater.RetrofittingaMRFwithanautomatedplasticsortingsystem requiresasourceofcompressedairfortheejectionmechanism,whichmost MRFswillnotinstallasamatterofcourse.

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Makeanappropriatelevelofcapitalinvestmenttomaximizebenefitsoverthe longtermatareasonablepaybacklevel(adetailedfeasibilityanalysisisrequired). Pursuethe“lowhangingfruit”first–meaningthoseoptionsthatprovidethe greatestreturnoninvestmentwithrespecttomeetingspecifiedoperational performanceandefficiencytargets Buildintocontractsaclearunderstandingofpreventivemaintenanceand equipmentreplacementrequirementstomaximizeequipmentlifeandensure goodequipmentperformance Inadditiontotheabove,thefollowingisalistof“toolbox”itemsthatmightbe consideredinMRFdesignandoperation.ManyofthesewereobservedduringMRF sitevisitsinthisproject:

MunicipalownershipofMRFs–increasinglymoremunicipalitiesareelectingto owntheirownMRFandcontracttheoperation.Thisgivesthemmorecontrolof theirprocessingoperations(e.g.,abilitytotestandaddmaterials,abilityto retrofitasnecessarytoaccommodatenewtechnologiesandprocessing systems,etc.).Whileprivatesector-ownedMRFseasethecapitalfinancing requirementsofmunicipalities,theymayofferlessflexibilitytothemunicipality (e.g.,inwhatmaterialstheycanprocess,operatinghours,numberofstreams processed,willingnesstoinvestinadditionalequipmentorequipment maintenancetofurtherreduceoperatingcosts,etc.).Contractsforoperationof publicly-ownedMRFsbyprivatecontractorsshouldnotexceedtenyearsin length. Providefrequenttrainingofsorterstoidentifyrecyclables,improvesorting efficiency,reduceturnover Usevariablespeedconveyorswhereverpossibletoadjustformaterialchanges andstaffsortingvariability IncorporateergonomicconsiderationsindesignwithadherencetotheANSI Z245.41-2004FacilitiesfortheProcessingofCommingledRecyclableMaterials –SafetyRequirements Incorporatemethodstoencourageauniformflowofmaterialthroughtheprocess (evenflowatreducedburdendepth)(e.g.,levellingdrums,variablespeed conveyors,provide2to3-footdropatfibreconveyortransitions,etc.) Totheextentpossible,removelargeandbulkymaterial(suchasOCCanditems thatcanbemechanicallysorted)firstonsortlinestogetthesematerialsoutof thesorters’way Usenegativesortingintheappropriatecircumstancestosortcommoditiesto minimizehandling,especiallywhenmarketsforsuchacommodityaremore forgiving.Thispracticeismostlyapplicablewhenthematerialispredominant ontheconveyor,andpositivelysortingtheresidueasopposedtothematerialis abetteruseofthesorters’skills.Forexample,ifacommunityhasamarketfor newspaperwithasignificantallowanceforotherfibrematerials(i.e.#6ONP), thismaterialmaybealargepercentageofthefibrestreamontheconveyorand thusbestlefttonegativesortattheend.Intheabsenceofsuchcircumstances,

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residueshouldberemovedbynegativesorttominimizelabourrequirements andmaximizematerialquality Usetechnology(screens,airclassifier,magnets,etc.)earlyintheprocessto reducethevolumetobesortedandleaveanopportunityforsupplementary recovery(i.e.,qualitycontrol)afterthetechnologyhasbeenappliedtomaximize therecoveryofvaluablecommodities Totheextentpossible,usegravityandfreefalltomovematerialsfromprocessing tostorageandfurtherprocessingtosimplifytheoperation,reducemaintenance, reducefloorspace,requirements,andreduceoperatingcosts.Oneexampleof thisistouseverticalstoragehoppersthatreleasesortedmaterialswhenthey arescheduledtobefedintothebaler Optimizetrafficflowcontroltoreduceunloadingtimeandcongestion;and minimizedoublehandlingwherepossibleforexamplebyusingconveyorsto movematerialsasopposedtorepeatedloadingandunloading Provideworkerswithenvironmentallycomfortableandsafeworkingconditionsin accordancetoANSIZ245.41-2004Standard(heat/cool,ventilation,lighting, safetyandprotectiveequipment,etc.)Ensureknowledgeofhealthandsafety requirements,includingPre-StartHealthandSafetyReview,theprovisionof safetytraininginaccordancetoANSIZ245.41-2004,minimizationofnoiseand aircontamination,andthesafeuseofequipment,personalprotection equipment(PPE). Provideaqualitycontrolstationatthebalerpre-feed,inplaceofseveralquality controlstationsforindividualmaterials Considercompacting,orpossiblybalingresidue,tominimizeshippingcoststo landfill Monitorresidueratesandworktoimprovebothincomingandoutgoingproduct quality Conductperiodicefficiency/optimizationstudiesandprovidestructured opportunitiesforemployeeinputtoprovideforcontinuousimprovement Single Stream Recycling

WhilethediscussionaboverelatestoallMRFs,thereexistsparticularinterestinthe developmentofsinglestreamrecycling.Theterm“SingleStreamRecycling”refers toaprocessinwhichBlueBoxrecyclables,containerandfibrematerials,are collectedfromresidencesand/orbusinessesinasingle,fullycommingledformand subsequentlyseparatedandprocessedintomarketablesecondarymaterialsata materialsrecoveryfacility.Thefollowingdiscussionreviewsanumberofkeyissues relatedtosinglestreamrecycling,withparticularemphasisonsinglestreamMRFs. ThereaderisalsodirectedtotheBestPracticeSpotlightonCurbsideCollection discussionformoredetailonrelatedsinglestreamcollectionissues.

Asthedefinitionimplies,therearetwopartsofasinglestreamrecyclingsystemthat aregenerallyimplementedintandem:

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Single stream CollectionofRecyclables–Tofacilitateefficientcollection residentsaretoldthatthereisnoneedtosegregaterecyclablesintoseparate streams(e.g.,fibre,containers).Therecyclablescanthenbecollectedusing standardsinglecompartmentcollectionvehicles,insomeinstances,withsemi- automatedorautomatedloadingcapabilities.Theuseoflargercapacity containers(carts,bags)encouragesconsiderationofareductionincollection frequency(fromweeklytoeveryotherweek)withresultingcostsavings.The useofalargecontainerallowsforthecollectionofadditionalrecyclable materials(suchasafullrangeoffibresandrigidplasticcontainers),aswellas thereductionincollectionfrequencyduetotheadditionalstoragecapacity providedbythecontainer.Italsoprovidesconvenienceandeaseofusetothe residentand/orbusiness.Insomeprograms,residentsuseplasticbags,rather thanrigidcontainers,tosetoutthecommingledrecyclables Single stream Processing of Recyclables –Theimplementationofasingle streamrecyclingsystemalsorequirestheavailabilityofamaterialsrecovery facility(MRF)thatisabletoacceptandprocessrecyclablesthatarecollectedin asinglestreamform. Therehasbeenatremendousgrowthintheimplementationofthesinglestream recyclingapproachinthelastdecade.In1995,therewerefivesinglestreamMRFs intheUnitedStates.In2000,therewere64singlestreamMRFs.Thesefacilities representedmorethan20%oftheMRFprocessingcapacityintheU.S.intheyear 2000.AccordingtoGovernmentalAdvisoryAssociates,aWestport,Conn., consultingfirmthatmaintainsadatabaseonMRFs,therearepresentlyabout100 municipalandregionalsinglestreamprogramslocatedin22statesservingabout27 millionresidents.

Whilesinglestreamrecyclingmaynotbeappropriateforeverycommunity,thereisa definitetrendregardingtheimplementationofthisapproachforresidentialrecycling systems.ItisnoteworthythatanumberofthemostaggressiveanddedicatedU.S. recyclingcommunitieshaveconvertedtosinglestreamrecyclablescollection programs.Amongtheconvertsare:

Seattle,Washington Portland,Oregon SanJose,California LosAngeles,California Denver,Colorado Plano,Texas. TheCanadianexperienceissimilar,especiallyinOntario.In2004,approximately 20%ofBlueBoxtonnagewasprocessedthroughsinglestreamMRFs.In2006,this hadincreasedtoapproximately40%.ProgramssuchastheCityofToronto,York Region,PeelRegion,andSudburyhaveintroducedsinglestreamrecyclingoverthe pasttwoyears.

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Thefollowingfactorshavecontributedtotherapidgrowthofsinglestreamsystems inthelasttenyears:

Desire to Increase Number and Quantity of Recyclables –Theadoptionof higherrecyclinggoalshascausedcommunitiestotargetmorematerialsfor collection,exacerbatingtheproblemsassociatedwithcurb-sortcollection systems(e.g.,limitednumberandsizeofcompartments,limitedbincapacity, etc.) Householder Desire for Convenience and Ease of Use – Theincreaseinthe numberofmaterialstargetedforrecyclingincreasedthedifficultyofthe resident’sparticipationinsource-separatedrecyclablescollectionsystems, leadingfirsttothedevelopmentofthedual-streamconceptandlatertothe singlestreamapproach.Singlestreamrecyclinghasshowntobesuccessfulin increasingbothparticipationandcaptureratesevenincommunitiesthat previouslyhadgoodtwo-streamrecoveryrates Improvements in MRF Processing Technologies –Theheavyrelianceofearly MRFsonmanuallabourledtothedevelopmentand/orrefinementofmaterials handlingtechnologiestothepointwherescreeningsystemscannowreliably andeffectivelysortoutcontainersandfibrousmaterials.Inthelasttenyearsor so,improvementshavebeenmadeinMRFprocessingequipment-specifically, discscreensandopticalsortingequipment(forlargerfacilities)-thathave enabledMRFstocosteffectivelyprocesssinglestreamrecyclables Improvements in Automated Collection Technologies –Inthelast20years, therehasbeensignificantgrowthintheutilizationofautomatedrefuse collectionvehiclesforbothrefuseandrecyclablescollection,particularlyinthe U.S.ThistrendhasnotoccurredinOntario,althoughitmaybecomemore prevalentinfutureyearswhereweatherpermits.Thegrowthofthismarkethas resultedindesignimprovementsthathaveincreasedthereliabilityandreduced themaintenancecostsofautomatedcollectionequipment,aswellaslowered equipmentprices Pressure to Reduce Overall System Costs and Minimize Cost Increases Resulting from Addition of New Materials –InmanypartsofCanadaand theU.S.,differentgovernmentsareresponsibleforthecollectionand processingelementsofcurbsiderecyclingsystems(i.e.,citiesandtowns assumedorweregivenresponsibilityforrecyclablescollection,whilecounties orstatesimplementedMRFs).Forthisreason,therewaslittleopportunityor incentivetolookatsystem-wideefficiencies.Ittooklargemunicipalandprivate sectororganizationswithmajorresponsibilitiesforbothrecyclablescollection andprocessingservice,suchasthePeelRegion,theCityofToronto,Cityof Phoenix,WasteManagement,Inc.,etc.,torecognizethepotentialsystem efficienciesassociatedwiththesinglestreamapproach.Theseefficienciesare primarilyassociatedwiththecurbsidecollectionofrecyclablesinasinglestream form.Veryoften,singlestreamrecyclinghasbeenimplementedto accommodateotherwastemanagementpractices(e.g.,co-collection,addition ofhouseholdorganicscollection,etc.)

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Consolidation in the Waste and Recycling Industries –Withfewercompanies handlinggreaterquantitiesofmaterialsfromlargergeographicareas,larger, moreautomatedregionalMRFshavebecomeincreasinglyfeasible.Capital investmentinprocessingsystemshasincreased,andwithittheuseofsingle streamsystems Accordingtoitspromoters,singlestreamrecyclingisreportedtohavethefollowing benefits:

Easierandmoreconvenientforresidents Increasedrecyclablecaptureratesduetotheabilitytocollectmoretypesand volumesofmaterials Reductioninscavenging(materialsareusuallysetoutinonelargercontainer) Lesswindscatterandlitter Protectionofpaperfromrainifcartsorbagsareused Abilitytousehighcapacitycollectionvehicles,includingautomatedcollection vehiclesinsomeareas Improvedcollectionefficiencies(reducedsecondsperstop,morematerialsper stop) Reducedfatigueandriskstoworkers,especiallywhenthesystemisfullyorsemi- automated Reporteddisadvantagesincludethefollowing:

Lessqualitycontrolatcurb Lowrecoveryofglassbycolourduetomoreglassbreakage Recoveredmaterialscontamination,especiallypaperwithglassshardsandplastic film Lossofcollectedmaterialsduetocrossovercontamination(e.g.,plasticbottles endingupinpaperbales) Potentiallylowervalueofrecoveredmaterials Contaminationoffibrecausedbyfoodandliquidsoriginatingfromthecontainers; IncreaseinMRFresiduals HigherMRFcapitalandprocessingcosts Highervehiclemaintenancecosts(forautomatedvehicles) Increasedmarketingofminimallysortedpaperasmixedpaper–muchofit shippedoverseas–ratherthansortingpaperintogradesusedbydomesticmills, therebycreatingsupplyconcerns.(Alsoresultsinlowgrading,asopposedto highestandbestuse,andultimatedeteriorationofmaterialquality) Singlestreamrecyclingisacomplexissuethatimpactsvirtuallyallofthemajor componentsofasolidwastemanagementsystem.Specifically,singlestream recyclingprogramcomponentsarelistedbelow.

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Collection –Althoughcollectionefficienciescanbeachievedwithsinglestream recycling,thisisnotacertainty.Municipalitiesconsideringsinglestreamrecycling needtotakeasystem-wideapproachbecausecollectionsavingswillonlybe achievedundercertaincircumstances.Iffullyautomatedwastecollectionis franchisedorcontractedfortheentiremunicipality,thereisastrongincentiveto investigatesinglestreamrecyclingbecauseexistingtruckscanbeusedtocollect bothwasteandrecyclablesonseparateroutes.However,ifmostwastecollectionis performedviarear-loadmanualtrucks,singlestreamrecyclingwillrequireanentirely newcollectionfleet,andwillimposeacart-basedsystemonresidentswhomaybe accustomedtosettingoutbags,bins,orbundlesorrecyclables.Similarly,ifa municipalitydecidestomaintainatwoboxcollectionsystem,potentialsavingsin stoptimesatthecurbwillnotbefullyrealized.

Single-streamcollectionsystemstypicallyusecollectionequipmentwithonboard compactionthatisalsousedforwastecollectionforsimplicityofoperationsand maintenance.Althoughwastebenefitsfrommaximumcompaction,singlestream recyclingcollectioncanonlyacceptsomecompactionbeforeitsimpactwillseriously affecttheperformanceoftheprocessingsystem.Theprocessingsystemisbased ontheseparationof“flatsandrounds”ortwo-dimensionalobjectsfromthree- dimensionalobjects.Excessivecompactionduringcollectioncancompromisethis propertydifferential.

Reductionofthecollectionfrequencyfromweeklytoevery-other-weekcollection canleadtosignificantcostsavingsinsinglestreamsystems.Whilethisoptionhas beenidentifiedbyasapromisingstrategytoensurethelong-termeconomicviability ofresidentialcurbsiderecyclingsystems,thereappearstobenodocumentationin theliteratureofitscombinedeconomicimpacts.

Public Education –Forthepasttwodecades,mostresidentialcustomerswholive inareaswithcurbsiderecyclinghavebeenaskedtocarefullyprepareandoften separatefibrefromcontainers.Singlestreamrecyclingisasignificantchangein behaviourforresidents–theyarenowtoldthatthereisnoneedtosegregate recyclablesintoseparatecontainersandadistinctiverecyclingtruckisreplacedbya “garbagetruck”.Thiscancreatesignificantscepticismamongthemaboutwhether thematerialsareactuallyrecycled.

Processing – Thereisnoquestionthatprocessingsinglestreammaterialismore costly,requiresmorecapitalinvestment,andrequiresasignificantthroughputto assurefinancialsuccess.Additionally,residualsareknowntobesignificantlyhigher forsinglestreamMRFs.Thesehighresidueratespartiallyoffsetthehighercapture ratesofthesinglestreamprogram,soanyevaluationofsinglestreamshouldtake intoaccountbothimpacts.

Somematerialsarenotcompatiblewithsinglestreamsystemsbecauseoftheir physicalproperties.Forinstance,plasticfilmandtelephonedirectoriesaffectthe discscreenperformance.Polystyrenepiecesandshreddedpapertendtoflow throughthescreensandcontaminatemixedbrokenglass.Largerplasticcontainers (over8litres)havethepotentialtobemechanicallyseparatedintothecardboard

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stream,ifthepresortisinadequateandapostscreenqualitycontroloncardboardis notimplemented.

Marketing – Priortoconvertingtoasinglestreamprogram,itwillbeextremely importanttounderstandtheavailabilityofmarketsforsinglestreammaterial,andto evaluatethepotentialtoachievetargetspecificationsforsortedmaterials.The acceptabilityofmaterialscollectedthroughsinglestreamsystemsdependsonthe specificproductstobemade.Thefactthatsomepapermillsareabletoaccept singlestreammaterialsdoesnotmeanthatallwillbeabletodoso.Manymills requiringhighqualityrecoveredpaperfeedstockhavegrowingconcernsaboutthe ongoingavailabilityofsuitablesupply.

Althoughsinglestreamequipmentmanufacturersinsistthattheirconfigurationscan produce#8ONPifneeded,therehasbeenmixedfeedbackfrompapermills.Some indicatethatsinglestreammaterialishighlycontaminatedandincreasespotentialto damagemillequipment,whileotherspointtoexamplesofsinglestreamfeedstock thatisfarbetterqualitythanthatofdualstreamcustomers.Clearly,blanket statementsregardingthequalityoffibrecomingfromsinglestreamMRFsshouldbe avoided.TheMRFoperatorplaysakeyroleinproductquality.Therehavebeen exceptionallycleanloadsproducedfromsinglestreamMRFsandverydirtyloads fromdualstreamMRFs.

Whiletheissueoffibrecontaminationisamarketconcernforsinglestreamsystems, othermarketconcernsalsoexist.Theissueofglassbreakageinthecollectionand processingstepsandtheresultingreductioninglassrecoveryisanissuefacedin bothdual-stream,aswellassinglestreamsystems,butisagreaterissueincertain singlestreamsystems–particularlyincommunitieswithoutaccesstoglass beneficiationfacilitieswithopticalsortingtechnology.

Cost – Despitetherecentgrowthinsinglestreamsystems,itwouldbeamistaketo assumethatthesinglestreamrecyclingapproachrepresentsthemosteconomical alternativeforallcommunities.Insomecases,otherapproaches,suchasthedual- stream,two-binrecyclingapproach,mayprovetobemoreeconomical.This conclusionunderscorestheimportanceofusinglocaleconomicandmarketdatain assessingtheeconomicfeasibilityofsinglestreamrecyclingforalocalcommunity.

Sources and Links

Berenyi,EileenB.; “Single stream Ahead;” ResourceRecycling,August2002.pp 31-33.

EntecConsultingLtd.; “Report on Ontario Blue Box Material Recovery Facilities” ;for WDO;March2007

TimGoodman&Associates; “Single-Stream and Dual Stream Recycling: Comparative Impacts of Commingled Recyclables Processing” ;forMinnesota pollutioncontrolAgency;January,2006

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StewardshipOntarioKnowledgeNetwork

E&EFundProjectNumber207.YorkCollectionandProcessingOptimizationStudy, 2006 http://www.stewardshipontario.ca/eefund/projects/benchmark.htm#207

SingleStreamBestPracticesManualandImplementationGuide,SusanKinsella, Conservatree,2007 http://conservatree.com/learn/SolidWaste/bestpractices.shtml

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BestPractice Successful Marketing Strategy for Processed BestPractice Recyclables Spotlight Spotlight Overview

Marketingofprocessedrecyclablematerialsisthelaststepinthevaluechainof municipalBlueBoxrecycling.Asaresult,theeffectiveexecutionofthisprocessis largelyinfluencednotonlybytheend-marketdemandsandrelationships,butalsoby virtuallyallothervaluechainelementsthatprecedeit.Thissectiondescribesa rangeoffactorsthatleadtoimprovedmaterialqualityandhigherrevenuesand providesguidanceonhowtostructureasuccessfulmarketingstrategy

Key Benefits and Outcomes

Asuccessfulmarketingstrategy,whenproperlydesignedandexecuted,hasthe abilitytoimproveprogrameffectivenessby:

Ensuringhighqualityservicetospecifiedrequirements Improvingend-marketrelationships Improvingcontractorrelationships Allowingforflexibilityandinnovationtoaddresschangingconditions Positivelyaffectingsystem-wideprogramstrategies Allowingprocessortoproperlymanageinventory Aidingmarketdevelopment Raisingmunicipalprofile Engagingstaff Maintainingfocusoncontinuousimprovement Itcanimproveprogramefficiencyby:

Positivelyaffectingthenetcostoftheoverallrecyclingprogram Resultinginhigher,morepredictablerevenue Potentiallyoptimizingfunding Potentialmitigatingmunicipalrisk,ifdesired Improvingriskmanagementbywayofduediligence Identifyingpotentialrevenueenhancementsthroughmodifiedprocessing Description of Marketing Practices

Themarketingofrecoveredmaterialsisoneofthemostcriticalfactorsinthe successofanymunicipalrecyclingprogram,astherevenuerealizedfromthesaleof materialsdirectlyaffectsthenetcostoftheoverallrecyclingprogram.Municipal

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marketingstrategiesarewidelydiverseandvaried(asaconsequence,analysisof WDOdatadidnotconclusivelyidentifyaleadingpracticeinthisrealm).Therangeof strategiesincludes:

Marketingdonebymunicipalitywhoretainsrevenue Marketingdonebycontractorwhoretainsrevenue Marketingdonebycontractorwhorebatesmostoftherevenuetomunicipality Marketingdonebycontractorwhosharesrevenuewithmunicipality(e.g.,50/50) Marketingdonebymunicipalitywhosharesrevenuewithcontractor Municipalitysellscommoditiestocontractorbasedonaformula(contractorthen marketsandattemptstoreceiveapremium) Theuseofserviceagreementsorspotmarkets(oracombination) Theuseoftendersorotherbiddingsystemofvaryingterms PricingbasedonestablishedindexessuchastheOfficialBoardMarkets(OBM), YellowSheetPrice Theexclusiveuseofbrokersorendmarkets(orcombination) Collectioncontractthatdoesnotincludecontrolofmaterialoncecollected (collectioncontractorresponsibleforprocessingandmarketing) Cooperativemarketing(marketingrecyclablesfromdifferent,usuallysmaller, programs) Othercombinationsoftheabovestrategies Manyofthecontractor-controlledmarketingstrategieslistedabovearedesignedto mitigatemunicipalrisk.Arecentreport,titled“ Blue Box Residential Recycling Best Practices – A Private Sector Perspective” ,jointlypreparedbyStewardshipOntario andtheOntarioWasteManagementAssociation(OWMA),suggeststhatmarket risksshouldnotbeassignedtothecontractor withoutfullyconsideringtheoptions andpotentialimplications.Ifcontractorsacceptriskstheycannotcontrol,theywill makeappropriateprovisionsinpricing,forcingmunicipalitiestopayapremium.By doingthis,contractorsprotectthebottomlinewhenmarketrevenuesdecline,and makeexcessiveprofitsifrevenuesmeetorexceedexpectations.Because contractor-controlledmarketingstrategiesareoftentiedtovariedcontractualterms andpricing(e.g.,processingorcollectionfees),itisconsideredbestpractice,in caseswhereapotentialdecisionmaybetoassignallrevenuestothecontractor,to structureatenderthatpermitsthemunicipalitytoassesswhatexactlyisbeing chargedbythecontractortoassumemarketrisks.Thiscanbedone,forinstance,by requestingpricingoptionsthatincluderevenuesharingscenarios.

TheOWMAreportsuggeststhattheprivatesectorpreferredpracticeisforthe contractortoretainresponsibilityformarketingthematerialsinexchangeforasmall percentageofrevenue(5-10%).Theserevenuesharingarrangementsusuallyserve tobenefitbothparties,astheobjectivesofrevenuemaximizationandappropriate riskmanagementarealigned.Itshouldbenotedthatinthesecontractormarketing

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scenarios,municipalitiesneedtoemployknowledgeablestafftomanagethe contract,asthereislittleincentivetothecontactortorealizethebestrevenues.

Marketingbymunicipalstaff,whosemunicipalitiesretaintherevenue,canalsobea successfulstrategy.Thisstrategycanbeemployedinmunicipally-operatedMaterial RecoveryFacilities(MRFs),aswellasthosethatareoperatedonbehalfof municipalitiesbycontractors.

Successfulmarketingisinherentlytiedtoallaspectsofarecyclingprogram.For example,materialsareoftentargetedforrecyclingbymunicipalitiesforavarietyof reasonsnotrelatedtotheirmarketability(e.g.,wasteauditinformation,regulations, politicalmandate).Ifmaterialsincludedintheprogramdonothaveestablished marketswithconsistentrevenue,orcannotbeusedtodisplaceanothermaterial (e.g.,glassasanaggregatesubstitute),netrevenuepertonneisnegativelyaffected. IfPromotionandEducation(P&E)isnoteffectiveandcollectioncrewsdonotdeliver qualityfeedstocktotheMRF,thenthereispressureontheMRFtomeetrecyclable materialrecoveryandqualitytargets.Becauseofthis,themarketerneedsto communicatewiththoseresponsibleforProgramPlanning,P&EandCollections.

Themarketer’srelationshiptootherprogramelementsisparticularlyrelevantwhen itcomestoprocessing.Inordertosuccessfullymarketprocessedcommoditiesat thehighestpossiblerevenue,amarketerrequiresaconsistentsupplyofquality material(i.e.,meetsmarketspecificationsandpayloadminimums).Asmarketsfor recyclablecommoditiesaregenerallywellestablished,fluctuationinrevenueis primarilytheresultofindividualproductqualityandcurrentmarketconditions.Even ifstaffresponsibleformarketingisnotthesameasforprocessing(ormanagingthe processingcontract),itisimportantthatthemarketerhasakeenunderstandingof MRFoperations,contracts,andopportunities(e.g.,alternativeplasticsorts, densificationoptions,etc.)thatdeterminethequalityandcompositionofthematerial thatisbeingsold.Conductingroutineauditshelpstoensurethatopportunitiesthat improverevenuethroughtonnageincreaseormitigationofqualityconcernsarefully actedupon.Equally,themarketerneedstounderstandandestablishrelationships withmarkets(allend-users),andmutualunderstandingofthecompositionofthe marketedmaterialisimportanttothisrelationship.Themarkets,towhichrecyclable materialsaresoldforrevenue,arecriticallyimportanttounderstand,astheyspecify types,quantities,andqualityofmaterialsthatwillbepurchased.Theserequirements fundamentallyinfluenceprocessing,collectionandotheraspectsofarecycling program’soperation.

Implementation of a Good Marketing Strategy

Thereareanumberofleadingpractices,basedonthemarketingexperienceof developedprogramsthatcanbeemployedbymunicipalprogramoperators.These include:

Anunderstandingofbasicmarketrequirements Theperformanceofmarketing-relatedaudits

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Theprovisionofqualityfeedstocktoendmarkets Asystematicapproachtofindingandselectingendmarketoptions Thesepracticesandtheirbenefitsaredescribedbelowingreaterdetail.

Planning and Operating According to General Principles that Promote Service, Integrity and Sound Decision-making

Whereasawastemanagerisaserviceprovider,witharesponsibilitytocollectwaste andkeepcitizenssatisfiedwithservice,arecyclingmanagermustalsoprovide qualityfeedstocktoanindustrialprocess,ensuringclean,consistentvolumesof useablematerial.

Someindustryexpertsindicatethatthereiscurrentlyagapinquality,consistency, andreliabilitybetweenmaterialsproducedbythemunicipalrecyclingprocessand theexpectationsofbuyersofthesematerials.Higherdegreeofcommunications andinteractionsbetweenproducers(recyclers)andbuyers(end-markets)maybe neededtoclosethisgap.Progressinthisareamayshifttherelationshipfroma punitiveonethatcauseslossofrevenues(reductioninpricespaid,downgrades, etc.)toacollaborativeonethatresultsinhigherrevenuesfrombuyerexpectations beingmet(customizedmaterialcompositions,specialbailingmethods,convenient deliveryschedule,etc.).

Generalprinciplestoapplytorecyclablematerialsmarkets:

Marketsshouldbeassecureaspossible,eitherbyhavingmultipleoutletsorby establishingpurchaseagreements Marketrequirementsandlocationinfluenceprogramcollectionandprocessing. Materialwithlowmarketvaluegenerallybenefitwithnearbyoutlets,whereas productswithhighvaluemaybeeconomicallytransportedintruckloadorrailcar quantitiestomoredistantmarkets Marketsmayneedvaryingquality,consistencyandquantity.Materialsneedtobe processedtomeetthespecificmarketspecificationsofthebuyingentity. Marketfluctuationsmustbeconsideredinprogramplanning.Thiscanbegauged byreviewinghistoricalpricingtrendsavailablethroughtradeassociationsand publications,monitoringofthetradepress,personalcommunicationwithend markets,brokersandmunicipalmarketers,andbytrackingkeymarketindicators (refertotheSourcesandLinkssectionbelow) Theremustbeoneormoremarketsformaterialsmadefromrecycledproducts Traditionalrevenuegeneratingmarketsrequirethefollowing:

Highandpredictablequalityfeedstock(i.e.,uncontaminatedrecyclables) Sufficientvolumestobecosteffective Aconsistentsupply Thesemarketrequirementsdictatetheappropriaterecoverytechnique,equipment andrecyclablematerialrevenues.

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Programmanagersneedtorecognizethatavarietyofmicroandmacroeconomic factorsinfluencetherevenuesreceivedfrommarketingprocessedrecyclable materials.Someoftheseinclude:

Businesscycle-theperiodicupanddownmovementsineconomicactivity(i.e., expansion,contraction,recessionetc.) Energyprices Transportationcosts Exportandimports Currencyexchange Sizeandproximitytomarket Supplyanddemandofaparticularmaterial Competition Labourissues Adevelopment/changeinenduse Supplyanddemandofvirginmaterials Innovationsinrawmaterialsupply Regulations,institutional,andgovernmentissues(domesticandinternational) Quality/quantityandconsistencyofsupplyofmaterial Landfillcosts(indirectly) Conducting Marketing-Related Audits

Materialauditsareinstrumentalinidentifyingissues,deducingcausesofproblems, andmakingprogramchanges.Theyallowprogrammanagerstoreinforceand leveragepositiveelementsoftheprogramandreduceoreliminateproblemareas.

Inboundauditsserveto:

IdentifyqualityoffeedstocktotheMRF Identifychangesincomposition Drawattentiontonewpackaging Aidinplanningprocesschanges AssistintargetingP&E Monitorcollectioncrewdiligence Aidineffectivelymanagingcollectionsandprocessingcontracts Residueauditsserveto:

Determinetheamountofrecyclablematerialthatislosttoresidue FurtheranalyzeeffectivenessofP&E Furtherdeterminecollectionconsistencyasitrelatestoacceptedmaterial

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Identifypotentialsortingopportunities(e.g.,TubsandLidsvs.3-7) Identifypotentialmechanical(ormanual)deficienciesinthesystem Determinemarketingoptionsforresidue(alternateprocessing) Aidsineffectivelymanagingcollectionandprocessingcontracts Commodityaudits(baleaudit)serveto:

Determineifprocessingismeetingmarketspecifications Communicatedatatoendmarkets Defendagainstdowngrades Determineifrevenueisbeinglost(e.g.,aluminiuminFibre) Identifysortingopportunities(e.g.,naturalvs.pigmentedHDPE) Identifypotentialmechanical(ormanual)deficienciesinthesystem Trainsorters Aidineffectivelymanagingprocessingcontracts Finding and Selecting Markets

Municipalmarketersneedtocontinuouslyevaluateend-marketoptionsfor transportationandmaterialhandling.Deliveryoptionsofprocessedmaterialstoend marketsareasfollows:

Haulrecyclablematerialdirectlytomaterialconsumer(themill)whereitis processedandusedinanindustrialprocess Haultoanintermediary(abrokerordealer)whoprocessesittospecificationand haulsittothemill Haveanintermediarypickuprecyclablematerial Adoptaregionalapproachwithsmallerfeederprogramsdecontaminatingand storingmaterialstofeedintolargerregionalprocessingcentresthatprocess materialsandhaultomarket.Moreinformationoncooperativemarketing experienceisavailablefromAMRCandCooperativeMarketingprojectreport (E&EFundProject#86) Factorstoconsiderinchoosingarecyclablematerialsmarket:

Distance to market: thegreaterthedistance,thehigherthehaulagecostsand thegreatertheneedtomaximizepayload Required specifications for material preparation: ingeneral,selectthemarket withtheminimumspecificationsandthehighestprice.Forastablesituation,it isimportanttobalancethetwoelements,andlookatpatternsandhistory(such asdowngrades) Tonnages: programswithlargertonnagescanoftenselldirectlytoamarket, ensuringahigherprice.Smallerprogramsmayrequireabroker/merchantor cooperativeagreementtoobtainfavourablepricing

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Revenue/cost ratio: maximumrevenueimpliesahigherprocessingcost, thereforethereisaneedtoselecttheoptimumrevenue/costratio.Itis importanttofindabalancebetweenthetwo Determiningthebestmarketforamaterialrequiresfoursteps:identifying, contacting,selectingandnegotiatingand/orcontractingwithbuyers.Tobeexecuted properly,thisprocessusuallyrequiresdedicatedtimeandresources.Evensmall programsshoulddedicateresourcestothistask,evenifitistemporary/periodicfor thepurposeofsettingupandmonitoringalonger-termstrategy.Itshouldbenoted thatitmaybeadvisabletousemorethanonebuyer,ifpossible,andtosellmaterial usingacombinationofagreementsandspotmarkets.

Step 1 - Identify potential buyers: Contactinformationcanoftenbefoundfrom talkingtootherrecyclingprogramoperators,orbycontactingnationaland provincialrecyclingand/orindustryorganizations.Numeroustradepublications andwebsitesalsoexist.Marketersalsooftenreceiveunsolicitedcallsfrom potentialbuyers. Step 2 – Contact potential buyers: Thisstepinvolvesrequestinginformation regardingthemarket.Somequestionsmightinclude: - Pricepaidformaterial - Materialspecifications(degreeofcontaminationacceptable,densification required) - Transportationoptionsandcosts - Minimum/maximumloads - References - Paymentterms Step 3 – Select a buyer: Thisstepmayinvolveinterviewingpotentialbuyersand assessingthembasedonasetofcriteria. Step 4 – Contract with a buyer: Awrittenagreementprotectsarelationshipwith abuyerascompetitionformarketsescalates.Contractscanbeusefulwhen marketstakeadownturnbecausebuyersmayonlyservicecustomerswith writtenagreements.Writtenagreementsmayincludelettersofintentto purchasematerialaswellasformalcontracts.Provisionsinawrittenagreement mayincludetonnageandvolumerequirements,materialqualityspecifications, andprovisionsfordeliveryorpickup,terminationprovisions,lengthof commitment,andthepricingbasisthatmayincludearelevantindex. Knowledgeablemarketerscontinuallyresearchpricingtrendstoensuretheyreceive fairvalueformaterial.Marketersshouldmonitorperformancebyanalyzingrelevant industrypublications(e.g.,CSRPriceSheet)andcommunicatingwithother municipalmarketers,markets,brokersandorganizations(e.g.,Associationof MunicipalRecyclingCoordinators,MarketsandOperationsCommittee).

Sources and Links

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OntarioWasteManagementAssociation: “Blue Box Residential Recycling Best practices – A Private Sector Perspective,” GuilfordandAssociates(February2007) http://www.owma.org/home.asp

FederationofCanadianMunicipalities:“ Solid Waste as a resource – Guide for Sustainable Communities” (March2004) http://www.fcm.ca/

MinnesotaOfficeofEnvironmentalAssistance: “Single-Stream and Dual-Stream Recycling – Comparative impacts of Commingled Recyclables Processing ”(January 2006) http://www.pca.state.mn.us/oea/lc/commingled.cfm

OfficialBoardMarketsYellowSheetPricing(OBM): http://www.packaging-online.com/paperboardpackaging/

CSRPriceSheet: http://csr.org/pricesheet/pricesheet.htm

AssociationofMunicipalRecyclingCoordinators(AMRC): http://www.amrc.ca/

StewardshipOntarioE&EFundApprovedProjects:

“ #86, Pre-Feasibility Study of Co-operative Marketing Programs for Blue Box Materials in Ontario” (April2006)

“#164, Markets Help Desk Report“ ( January2007) http://www.stewardshipontario.ca/eefund/projects.htm

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BestPractice BestPractice Best Practices in Multi-Family Recycling Spotlight Spotlight Overview StatisticsCanada2001Censusreportedthatapproximately26%ofOntario’s residentscurrentlyliveinmulti-familybuildingsandthenumberiscontinuingtogrow. Sincethecollectionofrecyclablematerialsfrommulti-familyhouseholdshas historicallybeenachallengingprocess,anewapproachthatincorporatesBest Practicesisneeded.Thissectionisdesignedtoprovideguidancetomunicipalities thatseektoenhanceparticipationlevels,recoverylevels,andmaterialqualitylevels, whileyieldingoperationalefficienciesinmulti-familycollection.

Key Benefits and Outcomes

ByemployingBestPracticesinmulti-familyrecycling,municipalitiescanobtainthe followingeffectivenessbenefits:

Increaseddiversionfromlandfill Decreasedcontaminationofmaterials Increasedcapturerates Increasedparticipationinrecycling Programscanbecomemoreefficientduetothefollowingfactors:

Collectionoffront-loadbinsorside-loadcartsatasinglecollectionpointaremore cost-effectivemethodswhencomparedtoindividualstopsateachhousehold fortheequivalentnumberofunits Front-loadbinsaremorecostefficientthancarts,cartsmoreefficientthanboxes Increasedrevenuesfromsaleofrecyclablescaptured Optimizationofcollectionandprocessingsystemsduetoincreasedtonnage Description and Implementation of Best Practice

OntarioRegulation103/94requirestheownerofabuildingthatcontainssixormore dwellingunitsandislocatedwithinamunicipalitythathasapopulationofatleast 5,000toimplementasourceseparationprogramforthewastegeneratedatthe building.

Municipalitiesarerequiredtocollectrecyclablematerialsfrommulti-familybuildings onlyifthepropertiesarereceivinggarbagecollectionservicesfromthemunicipality. However,ifgarbageserviceisnotprovidedbythemunicipality,allqualifyingmulti- familybuildingsarestillrequiredtorecyclealuminiumfoodorbeveragecans,glass bottlesandjarsforfoodorbeverages,newsprint,polyethyleneterephthalate(PET) bottlesforfoodorbeverages,steelfoodorbeveragecans,andanyothercategories ofwastethatarecollectedoracceptedintheblueboxprogramofthemunicipality

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wherethebuildingislocated.Despitethislawbeinginplaceforoveradecade,a recentE&E-fundedFocusGroup(seeSourcesandLinkssection)studyrevealedthat mostpropertymanagerswerenotawareofthisOntariogovernmentregulation.

Municipalitiesoftenregardmulti-familybuildingsasbeingpartofthecommercial sector.Therefore,financialandoperationinformationmaynotbereportedunderthe WDODatacallforthemunicipalBlueBoxprogram.Municipalitieswhodonotservice thecommercialsectormaybeunawareofthepotentialtoincludethemulti-family sectorintheirresidentialBlueBoxprogramasapossiblecost-effectivemethodof capturinglargeamountsofrecyclables.Assumingthechallengesassociatedwith multi-familyrecyclingareunderstoodandaddressed,thebenefitsofaddingthis sectortothemunicipalBlueBoxprogramincludeincreaseddiversionofmaterials fromlandfill,increasedrecyclingtonnage,optimizationofcollectionandprocessing systems,andincreasedrevenuesfromthesaleoftheadditionalrecyclingmaterials captured.

Itisrecommendedthatmunicipalitiesidentifyallexistingservicedandun-serviced multi-familybuildingswithintheirboundaries.Forthosecurrentlynotserviced, investigatethepossibilityofincorporatingthissectorwiththoseresidentsserved throughthemunicipalBlueBoxprogram.Factorstoconsiderincludewhethersome orallofthemulti-familybuildingscouldbeabsorbedintotheexistingcurbside programorifadefinedmulti-familyprogramwouldbewarranted.Therationalewill beaffectedbysuchthingsasthenumber,size,andlocationofthebuildings,aswell astheimpactontheoverallsystemtocollect,process,andmarkettheexpected increasedtonnage.Forcomplexesthatarecurrentlybeingservicedunderthe municipalBlueBoxprogram,itisimportantthattheperformancebemeasuredand monitored.

Waste Composition Audits

Itisrecommendedthatperiodicwastecompositionauditsbeconductedtoassist withprogramplanning,todeterminegenerationratesandcapturerates,andto obtainbenchmarkdatausedtocompareperformanceovertime.Stewardship Ontariohasdevelopedmultifamilywasteauditworksheets,tipsand,guidelinesfor wastesorting.

Generation and Capture Rates

Eachmulti-familyhouseholdinalargeurbanareageneratesapproximately264kgof recyclablesperyear(approximately92kglessthansinglefamilyhouseholds),but lessthan32%ofthisiscaptured.Incomparison,approximately60%ofthe availablerecyclablesgeneratedbysingle-familyhouseholdsarecaptured.

Acontributingfactortothelowergenerationrateforbothgarbageandrecyclable materialsisthatthereareusuallyfeweroccupantsineachhousehold.Onaverage, thereare2peopleperapartmentunit,asopposedto2.9inasinglefamilyhome.

Factorsthatadverselyaffectrecyclingatmulti-familybuildingsinclude:

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Recyclingisalmostalwayslessconvenientthangarbagedisposal Insufficientrecyclingbincapacity Residents’senseofdisconnectfromrecyclingprogram,leadingtosenseofdirect responsibility Anonymitylimitsrepercussionsfornotrecyclingproperlyoratall Transienceissues-apartmentsmaybeconsideredtemporaryaccommodation Multi-culturalandsocio-economicfactorsmayaffectrecyclingbehaviour Multi-lingualissuesmayhinderunderstandingoftherecyclingprogram Opinionthatmaintenancefeescoverwastemanagementservices Insufficientpromotionandeducationoftheprogram Multi-familybuildingsexistinavarietyofsizes,heights,anddesigns.Sincethe majorityofmulti-familyrecyclingprogramshavebeenaddedtoexistingapartment developmentsthatwerenotdesignedforrecyclingprograms,thereareoften challengeswithinsufficientspace,location,orcollectionsystemforrecyclingbins. Inaddition,multi-familybuildingsgenerallysharecommonbinsandhavetheir garbageandrecyclingcollectedatacentralcollectionpoint.Unlessclosely monitored,sharingcommonbinscancontributetothepotentialformisuse,causing contaminationandprematuretoppingout.However,giventhehighconcentrationof residentsusingcommonbins,thereisapotentialtocost-effectivelycapturelarge amountsofrecyclables.

Design Requirements for New Developments and Re-Developments

Althoughsomeexistingbuildingsmayhavelessthanoptimallayoutsforrecycling programs,thereisanopportunitytoensurethatanynewdevelopmentsare designedtomeettheindividualmunicipality’srecyclingsystemrequirementspriorto approval.Itisrecommendedthatmunicipalitiesdevelopmandatoryrequirements forneworre-developedmulti-familybuildingstobedesignedtoallowforintegrated wastemanagementpractices.

Thestandardsforthesedevelopmentsshouldworkinharmonywitheach municipality’sWasteManagementMasterPlan,andsuitthecollectionsystemand processingoperationsaccordingly.Thedesignplanssubmittedbythedeveloper shouldbereviewedbycompetentstaffwiththeSolidWasteknowledgetoassess thedrawingstodetermineifthedesignrequirementsforgarbageandrecycling collectionhavebeenmet.

Ifdevelopersproposeachangeincollectionpoints,methodofcollection,changeof use,oranexistingbuildingbeingexpandedbymorethan1/3itsoriginalsize,the plansshouldalsobereviewedbySolidWastestaff.Eachsiteandbuildingshouldbe inspectedpriortoapprovaltoensurethatthedevelopmenthascompliedwithall requirementsforsolidwasteandrecyclingprograms.

Inorderformulti-familybuildingstoqualifyforthemunicipalgarbageandrecyclables collectionservices,itisrecommendedthatmunicipalitiesonlyapprovethosenew

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developmentsorredevelopmentsthatadheretotheappropriatedesign requirements.Requirementsmaystipulateanappropriatetype,quantity,and locationofthegarbageandrecyclingbinstoaccommodatethevolumeofmaterial expectedtobegeneratedbythenumberofresidentialunitsatthecomplex, assumingfullparticipationinthemunicipalrecyclingprogram.

Theapplicationsubmittedtothemunicipalityshouldincludedetailsregardingthe numberofdwellingunitsinthedevelopment,thetotalgroundfloorarea,thenumber ofstories,accessroutes,loadingfacilities,garbagerooms,recyclingrooms,sizeand quantityofgarbageandrecyclingcontainerstobeused,and,ifdesignedforachute disposalsystem,thetypeandquantityofchutesforgarbageandrecycling.

The new or re-development should be designed to ensure that the recycling system is as convenient a system for the residents to use as the garbage system. Forexample,achutesystemoneachfloorwouldhavetoreceiveboth garbageandrecyclables,eitherasonechutewithmechanicalbafflesforresidentsto controlthedirectionoftheappropriatestream,orwithindividualchutesforgarbage andeachsteamofrecyclables.Ifnochuteisprovided,thenthereshouldbeacentral garbageandrecyclingfacilityonthegroundfloor.

Set a minimum recovery threshold for recycling. Itisrecommendedthatsites fullyparticipateinthemunicipalrecyclingprograminordertobeeligibletoreceive municipalgarbagecollection.Itwillbenecessarytodeterminewhatquantityof recyclablesshouldbeusedasabenchmarkinordertobeconsideredfully participatingintherecyclingprogram.Thiswilldependlargelyonthefrequencyof collection,theamountofmaterialsacceptedintheprogram,andthecollection systeminwhichtobasethemeasurement.Forexample,theCityofTorontohas usedthefollowingbenchmark:forevery100unitsatacomplex,avolumeof6cubic yards(or1212USgallons)ofrecyclablesshouldbecapturedperweekasaminimum. Themanagementandresidentsareinformedofthisminimumrequirement.Inmany cases,onceappropriatepromotionandeducationactivitiesareexecuted,thecapture rateexceedstheminimumrequirements.

Manyprogramsrequiremulti-familybuildingstopurchasetherecyclingbinsatfullor subsidizedcost.Arecentfocusgroupstudyrevealedthatalthoughsuperintendents identifiedtheneedandrepeatedlyrequestedthattheirpropertymanagementsupply morerecyclingbins,thisminimalinvestmentrequestwasrefused.Unlessthe buildingwasgoingtoincuradditionalgarbagechargesforexcessquantities,theydid notseethefinancialbenefittotheirbusiness.Ifthereweremaximumgarbagelimits andminimumrecyclinglimits,theywouldbemorelikelytocomplywithobtaining theappropriatenumberofbins.

Thefeedbackfromthecollectoriscrucialregardingcomplianceatthemulti-family buildings.Buildingsthatarenotmeetingtheirminimumshouldbenotifiedregarding theirperformanceandofferedguidancetowardachievingabettercaptureratein ordertobeeligibletoreceivemunicipalgarbagecollection.

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Thereshouldnotbeamaximumlimitplacedonrecycling.Insomeprograms,alimit hasbeenplacedonthequantityofcardboardsetoutintherecyclingcarts.The operationalproblemscreatedbybigquantitiesofcardboardcanberesolvedby changingcollectionmethod,bintype,orincreasingfrequencyratherthanlimitingthe quantityacceptedasrecycling.Onthefirstofthemonth,buildingsarelikelytohave anincreaseintheamountofcardboardduetonewresidentsunpacking.Thisshould betakenintoconsiderationwhenassessingthecollectionsystemandbintypes. Settingalimitonrecyclableswillonlyresultinginthedisposalofthematerialas garbage.Ifthequantityofrecyclablesisunmanageablewithinthecurrentsystem,it maybenecessarytoreassessthebinsizeandtypeusedatthesite,and/orconsider increasingthecollectionfrequencytomeettheneed.

Type of Collection Bin

Thetypeofcollectionbinsisdependentoncurrentoperationalpracticesforeach municipalprogram,aswellasthelocationanddesignofthemulti-familybuilding. Themethodofgarbagecollectionmaydeterminethemethodofrecyclingcollection. Forexample,multi-familybuildingsreceivingfront-endbulkgarbagewouldbean appropriatecandidatetoconsiderbulkrecycling,asthelayoutisalreadyconduciveto thistypeofbinsandcollectionvehicles.

Verysmallcomplexesthathavelessthan6units,maydistributeindividualblue boxesfortheirresidentstosetatthecurbforcollectionwiththesinglefamily homes.However,dependingoneachprogram’srecyclingsortstreams,andthe extentofrecyclingmaterialsacceptedbytheprogram,combinedwiththecollection frequencyofferedthroughthemunicipalprograms,eachunitmayrequiremorethan oneboxtosufficientlycontaintherecyclablesbetweencollections.Thiscancreate storageissueswithintheunits,potentialproblemsatthesetoutpoint,andan inefficientcollectionmethodatthecomplex.

Multi-familybuildingsorinfilltownhousecomplexesthathaveacommoncollection pointforupto30unitsshouldconsiderusing90or95gallon(340-360litre)roll-out cartsthatarecompatiblewiththecollectionvehicles.Eachrecyclingcartoffersthe equivalentvolumeof6to8curbsiderecyclingboxes.Theresidentswillnothavethe negativeaspectsassociatedwithstoringthematerialintheirownunitsbetween collections,andthecartcanbemechanicallyliftedandemptiedmoreefficiently.The cartsshouldbestoredinalocationthatisconvenientfortheresidentstouse(inside orshelteredfromrainandsnow),and,ifdifferentthanthecollectionpoint,moved outforthedayofcollectiononly.

Forcomplexesbetween30and100unitseithercartsorfront-endbulkbinscanbe effective,dependingonthenumberofrecyclingstreamsintheprogramandthe designofthecomplex.Programsofferingsinglestreamrecyclingmayseeabenefit byusingfrontloadrecyclingbinsinthismid-sizemulti-familybuildingcategory,as severalcartscanbereplacedbyonebulkbin,therebyreducingthenumberofcarts andliftsrequired.Forexample,one4-cubicyard(3-cubicm)bincouldreplace9carts containingthesamematerials.However,iftheexistingdesignisasprawlinginfill townhousecomplex,itmaybemoreappropriatetohaveseveralrecyclingstationsto

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enhanceconvenience,andhavethecartsbroughttooneormorecentrallocation pointsoncollectionday.

Forcomplexeswith100unitsorgreater,front-loadbulkbinsshouldbeconsidered thepreferredchoicetomaximizebothefficiencyandeffectiveness.Ifthebinsareto beaccesseddirectlybyresidents,itisrecommendedthatthebinsbemodifiedto limittheopeningtocontainonlythedesiredmaterialsandtherebyminimize opportunityforcontamination.Thetoplidshouldbekeptpadlockedbetween collections,withonlythebuilding’smaintenancestaffresponsibletoopenitdailyto removeanycontaminatingitems.Oncollectionday,thetoplidshouldbeunlocked, contaminatingitemsshouldhavebeenremoved,andthebinplacedinpositionfor collection.

Determine Suitable Recycling Bin Capacity

Bincapacityshouldbeconsideredinrelationtothenumberofresidentialunits sharingtherecyclingcontainers,thenumberofsortstreamsrequiredunderthe municipalprogram,andthedegreeofautomationbythecollectionsystem.

Asaguideline,theCityofTorontohasusedthebincapacityformulaofaminimum of6cubicyards(4.6cum)recyclingcapacityforevery100unitscollectedweekly. Thissamevolumeconvertsto1211.84USgallons(4587litres).Multi-family buildingsusing90or95USgallonrecyclingcartswould,therefore,requirea minimumof13cartsforevery100units.

Capacityconsiderationsforindividualcommunities,however,willbehighlyaffected bytherecyclingprograminplace.Forexample,somesemi-automatedprograms requirethecardboardtobeflattenedandtiedinbundlesofspecifieddimensions besidetherecyclingcarts.Inthiscase,thecollectorcouldmanuallysetthebundled cardboardinthehopperashe/shemustgetoutofthetruckanywaytoconnectthe cartstobemechanicallylifted.Thismethodmayreducethenumberofcarts required.

Automatedsystemsaredesignedforallrecyclingmaterialstobecontainedinthe carts,asthedrivercontrolstheliftingofthecartsfrominsideofthevehicle. Althoughthisisaconvenientmethodofcollection,considerablymorecartsmaybe required.Thisisparticularlythecasewithexcesscardboardgeneratedbynew residentsunpacking.

Frequency of Collection

Recyclablesfrommulti-familybuildingswith6ormoreunits,andthathavea commoncollectionpoint,shouldbecollectedweekly.Incasesofexistingstructures thatcandemonstratethereisinsufficientstoragespacetoproviderecyclingbin capacityforweeklycollection,morefrequentcollectionofrecyclablesmaybe requiredtoensuremaximumcaptureofrecyclingmaterials.

Storage and Collection Area

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Recyclingbinsshouldbestoredinside,wherepossible,providedthatallbuildingand firecodesarefollowed.Thisensuresbettercontrolovertheproperuseofthebins andminimizesopportunityforpubliccontamination.Therecyclingroomshouldbe largeenoughtocontainalltherecyclingbinstobeused,besafeandcleanfor residentstoaccess,permiteasymovementofthebins,andallowforadditional spaceforfutureprogramexpansion.

In-unit Storage and/or Transfer Containers

AminiBlueBox,basketorareusableBlueBagmaycontributetoahigherrecovery rate,particularlywhentheboxorbaghasprintedgraphicstoreinforcetheitemsthat areacceptedintherecyclingprogram.However,researchhasshowninconclusive resultsastothelong-termeffectsofthesetools,partlyduetotheongoingturnover ofnewresidents.

Dependingonanindividual’srecyclinghabits,suchtoolscanbeseenasa convenienceorasanuisance.Surveyshaveshownthatoftenresidentstaketheir recyclingtothebinsontheirwayouttowork,shopping,etc.Theydonotwantto taketheemptycontainerwiththemnorhavetocomebacktotheirunitwithit. However,eveniftheminiBlueBoxorBlueBagisusedonlyasstoragewithinthe unit,andnotfortransferringpurposes,itcanserveasaneffectivereminderthata programexistsforthecomplex,andthatcertainitemsshouldbeseparatedfromthe garbage.

Someprogramsrecommendthatresidentstransporttherecyclablesfromtheirunits tothebinsinplasticbagsanddepositthemateriallooseintotheappropriatebin. Althoughthiscanbepromotedasthesecond“R”(Reuse),thismethodcanposea contaminationproblemintherecyclingbinifresidentsdonotunderstandthe importanceofdepositingthemateriallooseintotheappropriatecategory.Ifplastic bagsarenotincludedinthemunicipalrecyclingprogram,itisimperativethatthere beasmallclearlylabelledwastereceptaclebesidetherecyclingbininstructing residentstodeposittheiremptyplasticbagsthere.

Promotion and Education

Owners, Property Managers, and Superintendents: Accordingtoarecentfocus groupstudy,“superintendentsinmostofthestudyareasreportedthattheyare workingmainlyinisolationandwithoutthehelpofthemunicipalwastemanagement experts”.(E&EFundProject#199,pg7)

Buildingstaffneedtobefullytrainedwithregardstotheresponsibilitiesand requirementsoftherecyclingprogram.Severalprogramshavedevelopeda “HandbookforOwners,PropertyManagersandSuperintendents”toeducatethem regardingtheresponsibilitiesandtotrouble-shootproblemswithsuggestionsofhow toresolvetheissues.Inaddition,italsomaybebeneficialtoofferalinktoawebsite thatallowsownersandpropertymanagerstodownloadliteratureregardingthe program,aswellasgraphicsortranslatededucationalmaterialforpostingand distributiontotheresidents.Alistofresources,includingcontactnamesand

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numbers,shouldbemadeavailabletothemulti-familybuildingstoassistwith concernsthatmayarise.

Writtenliterature,however,cannoteliminatetheneedforface-to-facecontactwith thesitestaff.Sitevisitswillberequiredtocheckonthebincontents,replace missingoroutdatededucationalmaterialsandfadedbinlabels,andofferguidance andsupporttothesitestaff.Dependingonthespecificbuilding,therecanbe considerablerotationofsitesuperintendentsandpropertymanagers.Staffchanges areusuallynotreportedtothemunicipalityandthenewstaffmaynotunderstand theprogramrequirementsthatwereexplainedtothepreviousstaff.

Residents :Asreportedinfocusgroupsandinterviews“Residentsareoperatingon thebasisofhabit,imitationandpartialinformation”.(E&EFundProject#199,pg3)

Appropriateliteratureisrequiredinordertoconveyprograminformationtoresidents. Themostcriticalinformationthatneedstobeunderstoodbyresidentsis:

Whatitemsaretobeincludedintherecyclingbins Howtheitemsaretobesortedorprepared(flattencardboard,rinseoutbottles) Wheretherecyclingbinsarelocatedtodeposittheitems(ifrequiredtotakethe materialtoadesignatedlocation) Itisrecommendedthatnewresidentsbegivenarecyclingpackage,shownthe recyclinglocation,andhavetherecyclingprogramexplainedaspartoftheirleaseor agreementtoliveinthecomplex.Havingaclauseintheleaseoragreementthat statesthatrecyclingismandatorycanhelptostimulateresidents’participationin recycling.

Itisimportanttoknowthedemographicswithinthebuildingtoensurethe promotionandeducationmaterialsandmethodsareappliedappropriately.

Multi-lingual,multi-cultural,andsocio-economicfactorscanaffectthesuccessofthe recyclingprogramifchallengesarenotacknowledgedandaddressed.Ifadditional languagesarerequired,itisrecommendedthatrecyclingliteraturebetranslatedas appropriate.Thesecanbepostedonawebsiteforsitestafftodownloadandpostor distributeasnecessary.

Inadditiontodistributingliteraturetoeachunit,itisrecommendedthatrecycling literaturebepostedinacommonarea(s)ofthebuildinginEnglish,aswellasinthe otherappropriatelanguagesidentifiedforthebuilding.Fordurability,thepostings canbecontainedinaprotectivecase,orcoveredwithplexi-glassorlaminated. Commonareasthatmaybesuitableforthepostingboardincludethelobby,mailbox room,laundryroom,chuterooms,andrecyclingrooms.Havingtherecycling literaturepostedensuresthatnewresidentshaveanopportunitytoseethe information,andoffersrepeatedpromotionandreinforcementoftheprogrameach timeresidents(orvisitors)areexposedtotheinformation.Theuseofpicturesand othergraphicstoillustratewhatcanandcannotberecycledisrecommended, particularlywhenresidentsspeakmultiplelanguages.

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Collectors :Itisimportantthatthecollectors,whethermunicipalforcesorcontracted, areadequatelytrainedandfullyunderstandtheirroleinthemulti-familyrecycling program.Thisincludesunderstandingtheacceptablerecyclingitems,what constitutescontamination,theminimumamountofrecyclingmaterialrequiredat eachsite,andproperdocumentation.

Itisrecommendedthatcollectorshavea“problemsheet”foreachcollectiondayon whichtorecordanyissueswiththesitethatwouldrequirefollowuppriortothe nextcollectionday.Theseissuesmayincludeconcernssuchascontamination,bins notintheproperpositionforcollection,binsnotout,notmeetingtheminimum quantitytobeconsideredfullyparticipating,binneedingrepair,etc.Itshouldalso statewhethertherecyclingbinwasemptiedbythecollectorornot.Thecompleted problemsheetshouldbesubmittedtoSolidWastestaffforfollowupattheendof eachcollectionday.

Feedback

Sitestaffandresidentsneedtohearhowtheyaredoingtostaymotivated.Periodic communicationwiththesiteisrecommendedtoupdatecontactinformation, replenishresourcematerials,andofferguidanceandsupport.

Training

Tomovebeyondthefeelingofdisconnectandlackofresponsibilityfortherecycling programsatmulti-familybuildings,itisimperativethatkeyplayersthataredirectly involvedwiththerecyclingprogram(PropertyManagers,Superintendents,residents, andcollectors)beadequatelytrainedinallaspectsoftheprogram.

Inthepast,theCityofBarrieofferedan8-hourMasterRecyclercoursetargetedat PropertyManagers,Superintendentsandapartmentresidentswhowerecommitted toactasrecyclingchampionswithintheirbuildings.TheMasterRecyclercoursewas organizedintofoursessions:

DayOne:IntroductiontoRecycling DayTwo:TheMRFandMarkets DayThree:Communications DayFour:PreparingtobeMasterRecyclers TheMasterRecyclercourseparticipantswereprovidedwithinformationaboutthe municipalrecyclingprogramasawhole,andhowtocommunicatewithmulti-family residentstopromoteeffectivewastediversionthroughrecycling.Uponsuccessful completionofthe4classesandatest,theparticipantswereissuedaMaster RecyclerCertificate.Theybecametheon-siterecyclingcontacts,educatingnewand existingresidents,whilepromotingtheprogramwithintheirbuildings.Subsequently, thereweresubstantialimprovementsinthequalityandquantityofthematerials captured,andlong-termbenefitsstemmingfromtheMasterRecyclercoursehave beenseenseveralyearslater.Itisrecommendedthatmunicipalitiesconsider

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offeringsimilarcomprehensivetrainingforkeyparticipantsinthemulti-family recyclingprogram.

Sources and Links

“Multi-Residential Recycling System Improvements, Residents, Superintendents & Property Managers Focus Groups & Interviews”, E&EFundProject#199,January 2007 http://www.stewardshipontario.ca/eefund/projects/mfamily.htm#199

“City of Toronto Requirements for Garbage and Recycling Collection from New Developments and Redevelopments ”,CityofToronto,lastRevisedNovember2006. http://www.toronto.ca/garbage/pdf/requirements_all.pdf

“Ontario Annual Generation of Blue Box Materials by Demographic Type (Based on Waste Composition Study Results)”, Stewardship Ontario, 2006

“Best Practice Guidelines for Curbside Recycling at Multi-Occupancy Residential Developments, Draft Guidelines”, SustainabilityVictoria,June2006.

“Enhanced Waste Diversion in Multi-Unit Residential Dwellings in the City of Toronto, Ontario”, Katherine Whitfield. August 2005.

“Best Practices in Multifamily (Apartment) Recycling”, Eureka Recycling. June 2004.

“Excerpts from Presentation to Toronto Waste Expo Featuring Master Recycler”. Margot Beverley, To The Point Communications. December 2, 2004.

StewardshipOntariomultifamilywasteauditworksheets,tips,andguidelinesfor wastesorting. http://www.stewardshipontario.ca/eefund/projects/audits/waste_audit_own.htm

“Report on Master Recycler: Phase II”, CityofBarrie,inconjunctionwith CorporationsSupportingRecycling,April2001

“Multifamily Recycling: A National Study”, UnitedStatesEnvironmentalProtection Agency.November2001.

“Multi-Residential Multilingual Pilot Project”, WDOOPT-R3-06,TheRegional MunicipalityofPeelinPartnershipwithWDO,October2001.

“Multi-Family Recycling Initiative”, WDOProjectOPT-R2-12,CityofGreaterSudbury, April2001.

“Waste Diversion Concept Testing: Qualitative & Quantitative Findings”, Northstar ResearchPartnersPreparedforTheCityofToronto,February2001

“Toronto Apartment Blue Bag Recycling Pilot”, EnvirosRISMcConnellWeaver, March2001.

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“City of Barrie Multi-Family Fibre Bag Project”, CityofBarrie,March2001.

“Report on Master Recycler: A Multi-family Recycling Initiative”, City of Barrie, in conjuction with Corporations Supporting Recycling, July 2000

“Assessment of Multi-Unit Recycling in Ontario ”,RecyclingCouncilofOntario, August 2000.

“Focus on Residential Multi-Unit Housing: Structural Building Factors and Recycling Success”, NYC Residential Waste Characterization Study. Prepared for New York City Department of Sanitation’s Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling by R.W. Beck, Inc., November, 2006.

“Private Households by Structural Type of Dwelling, by Province and Territory (2001 Census”), StatisticsCanada,CensusofPopulation. http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/famil55b.htm

“EnhancedDiversionFromApartmentsPilotProject”,MetroWorks,October1997.

EnvironmentalProtectionAct.OntarioRegulation103/94

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Regs/English/940103_e.htm

“SectorComplianceBranch:InspectionsIndustrial,Commercial&Institutional– RecyclinginMulti-unitResidentialBuildings”,GovernmentofOntarioMinistryofthe Environment http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/envision/scb/work/recycling.htm#results

“Recycling Handbook for Owners, Property Managers and Superintendents”, Cityof Toronto. http://www.toronto.ca/garbage/multi/pdf/recycling_handbook.pdf

“Toronto Recycles, Apartment Version ”,CityofToronto http://www.toronto.ca/garbage/multi/pdf/461apartment.pdf

Markhamwebsiteapartmentrecycling http://www.markham.ca/Markham/Channels/wastemgmt/aptrecycle/recycle_tools.ht m

BestPractice Spotlight

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BestPractice Best Practices in the Use of Recycling Depots BestPractice Spotlight Spotlight Overview Recyclingdepotsofferacost-effectivealternativetocurbsidecollectioninsmall municipalitiesandserveasasupplementalchannelformaterialoverflowinlarger communities.Whilethiscollectionmethodissimplertomanageandoperatethan curbsidecollection,thereareanumberofchallengesandbarriersthatprevent programsfromachievingoptimalperformance.Thissectionprovidesguidanceon BestPracticesthatneedtobeemployedacrossdepotsystemsifperformance improvementsaretobeachieved.

Key Benefits and Outcomes

ByemployingBestPracticesindepotcollectionprograms,municipalitiescanobtain thefollowingeffectivenessbenefits:

Improveddiversionratesforcommunitiesthatdonotcollectrecyclablescurbside, orsmallerruralprogramswithlowervolumes Increasedtonnageofrecyclablesduetoanavailableoverflowchannelfor residentsthathavelimitedstoragecapacity Increasedtonnageofrecyclablematerialsnotacceptedatthecurb,suchas expandedpolystyrenepackingmaterialsandfilm Programscanbecomemoreefficientduetothefollowingfactors:

Collectioncostsavings-communitiesthatarelargeinareabutsparselypopulated canachievecostsavingsbyutilizingdepotsasanalternativetocurbside collection Transportationcostsavings-depositedmaterialcanbetransferredwithlargeroll offorotherbulkcarriervehiclesfromfewerlocationsthanifcollectedfrom everyhouseholdinamunicipality

Description and Implementation of Best Practice

RecyclingDepots(depots)constituteaneffectivechannelformunicipalitiestooffer residentsalocationtobringtheirrecyclablesandhelpcapturerecyclablematerials thatwouldotherwiseendupinthelandfill.Theyareprimarilyusedinsmallrural municipalities,wherenocurbsidecollectionprogramexists.

Depotsarealsousedincommunitieswithhighparticipationratesasanalternate optionforresidents.Inthesecommunities,therationaleforhavingadepotisto providecapacityforoverflowmaterialsbetweenorinadditiontocurbsidecollections. Furthermore,depotsareeffectiveinmunicipalitieswithahighseasonalhousehold percentageandinareaswithsmallprivateroadswherecollectionisdifficultand costly.Depotsinhighparticipationmunicipalitiescanalsoprovideforcollectionof

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itemsnotacceptedatthecurb,suchasexpandedpolystyrenepackingmaterialsand film.Somematerialsthataretoolightorbulkymakecurbsidecollectiondifficult,as theyareeasilywindblownortaketoomuchroominrecyclingcontainers. Designateddropoffbinsinrecyclingdepotsgiveresidentsanoptiontorecycle theseitems.Largebulkyorlightmaterialsseparatedattherecyclingdepotmay sometimesbesentdirectlytoendmarketswithoutanyprocessing,providedquality controlenforcementisavailableatthedepot;however,transportationcostsmaybe prohibitiveifun-baledshippingweightsarelow.

Depotsareacommontoolforruralcommunitiesthatarelargeinareabutsparsely populated.Theyofferresidentsaplacetobringrecyclableswherecollectionservices wouldbeveryexpensivecomparedtotheamountofmaterialscollectedandwhere potentialrevenuesgeneratedfrommarketingrecyclingmaterialsarelow.

Depotsaregenerallyinexpensivetoinitiate,relativetocurbsidecollection.The primarycostsarethecontainersandtransfercosts.Oftenmunicipalitiescontractout therentalofcontainers,completewiththedeliveryservicetoemptythecontainers ataprocessingfacilityorendmarkets.Theothermajorcostsarethelabourto maintainthesite,assistparticipatingresidents,andofferrecyclingprogram information.Tocontaincosts,oftenmunicipalitiesuseanexistingmunicipally- ownedlocation,suchasaTransportationWorksfacilityorarecyclingdepotsetupat themunicipally-ownedlandfill.Municipalitiessometimeschoosetoopenadepot withoutstaff,however,thispracticeisnotpreferredassitemaintenanceand contaminationcontrolaremademoredifficult.

Keyattributesofeffectiveandefficientdepotsystemsare:

Situatedinasafeandaccessiblelocation Convenienttouse,ensuringsmoothtrafficflow Designedtolimitthepotentialforcontaminationandillegaldumpingby - employingtrainedandknowledgeablepersonnel - transferring/removingmaterialswithadequatefrequency Attractiveandwell-maintained Appropriatesignagewithclearinstructionstoresidents Adequatepromotionandeducationtoenhanceawarenessofresidents Robustrecordkeepingprocesses Optimizedcontainerdesignandtransportationsystem Situated in a safe and accessible location

Properplanningiscrucialinselectingadepotlocation.Depotssituatedon municipally-ownedpropertyconstituteagoodpractice,assucharrangements facilitateproperoversight,regularmaintenance,andimprovedriskmanagementwith respecttoliabilitiesandhazardousmaterials.Accessibilitytodepotsishighin locationsvisitedfrequentlyandregularlybyarearesidents.Thesemayinclude municipalcommunitycentres,sportsarenas,orlandfills.

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Municipalitiesshoulddeterminethelistofitemsthatwillbeincludedintherecycling programbyreferringtoOntarioRegulation101andbymarketavailability.Materials beyondtheregulatedlistshouldhavesufficientandstablemarkets.Otherwise, excessitemsoftenbecomeresidue,therebyloweringtheefficiencyoftheprogram.

Convenient to use, ensuring smooth traffic flow

Inthosemunicipalitieswherenocurbsidegarbagecollectionisprovided(residents bringhouseholdgarbagetoamunicipallandfill),depotssetupatlandfillsmakeit moreconvenientforresidentstoparticipateintherecyclingprogram.(Those municipalitiesthatdohaveacurbsidegarbageandrecyclingprogramsshouldalso considerprovidingdrop-offdepotsatthelandfillorotherstrategiclocationsinthe communitytoensuresufficientcapacityforoverflowmaterials.)Depotslocatedat landfillsalsohelppromoterecyclingofmaterialsthatcouldhaveendedupinthe landfill.Mostmunicipally-ownedlandfillsarestaffed;consequently,theadditionofa recyclingdepotmaybemanageableutilizingtheexistinglandfillstaff.Thestaffare necessarytohelpencouragerecyclingandtoreducethepotentialforillegaldumping andcontamination.Depotsarebestlocatedwherestaffareavailabletooverseethe siteandreportwhenbinsarefull.

Depotsshouldbesetupwithanadequatenumberofcontainers,orientedinsucha wayastominimizetheeffortassociatedwithtransferringmaterialsfromthecarto thebin.Thismaybeachievedbyusingaramporahigherplatformforvehicular traffic.Thenumberandcapacityofcontainerswilldependontheamountof materialscollectedatthedepotsandobserved/desiredresidentparticipationrates (anestimatecanbeobtainedthroughwasteaudits,whichshouldbedoneatvarious timesoftheyeartocaptureseasonalfluctuations).Depotsshouldenableresidents todropoffrecyclablesquicklyandenhancetheirwillingnesstorepeattheprocessin thefuture.

Thesiteshouldbedesignedforsafeoperationsbyresidentsandemployees.It shouldbeofadequatesize,allowingforgoodtrafficflow.Effectiveflowofvehicular trafficisimportant,asconvenienceisdiminishedifresidentsneedtowaitinqueue inordertoreachthebins.Vehiclesshouldgenerallydriveinonedirection, minimizingtheneedtobackup.Rampareasshouldhaverailingorothersafety precautionsasrequired.

Designed to limit the potential for contamination and illegal dumping

Depotsthathavebeendesignedtolimitthepotentialforcontaminationandillegal dumpingcontributetothesuccessoftheprogram.Binsequippedwithsize- restrictedopeningshelpdetercontamination.Anexampleisanopeningthatallows flattenedcardboardmaterialsonly.Flatteningcardboardincreasesbincapacityand helpsensureboxesareemptiedoutpriortothetransfer.Illegaldumpingsigns shouldbepostedinthedepotareacitingmunicipalby-laws.

Illegaldumpingiscommonatdepots,butisofteneliminatedwhendepotsare staffedandservicedwithtrainedpersonnel.Employeescanassistresidentsin placingrecyclablesintopropercontainersandprovidegeneralinformationaboutthe

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recyclingprogram.Furthermore,employeededicationandprogrambuy-iniscritical toreducingcontaminationandillegaldumpingissues.Asaconsequence,staff workingatthedepotshouldbefullytrainedandknowledgeableaboutthedetailsof theentiremunicipalwastemanagementprogram.

Depotswithoutstafftendtohavehighercontaminationandmoreillegaldumpingof materialsatgates,infrontof,oraroundrecyclingbins.Insomecommunities,un- staffeddepotsbecamesoexpensiveandtime-consumingtooperateandmaintain, thatprogrammanagerschosetoclosethedepotandstartacurbsidecollection service.Thus,programswithun-staffeddepotsshoulddevelopamaintenanceplan forthesitestoensureaestheticandfunctionalappeal.Theassistanceof enforcementstaffmayhelpeducateanddeteroffenders.

Binsneedtobeemptiedbeforeoverflowing.Overflowingbinscreateanimpression thatthemunicipalitydoesnotcaretoproperlymaintaintherecyclingprogram,which cannegativelyaffecttheattitudeoftheresidentsandtheirwillingnesstoparticipate. Front-loaderbinscanbeemptiedonanappropriateschedule,drivenbytherequired capacity.Cartsandrolloffbinsareusuallyusedwhenthedepotisclosetoa processingfacilityandpickupscanbedonemorefrequently.Appropriatefrontend containers,rolloffbinswithcompactionorevenhighwaytransferareusedwhenthe hauldistancesaresubstantial.

Attractive and well maintained

Adepotthatappearscleanandorderlygivesapositiveperceptiontoresidentsthat theprogramisoperatingsuccessfully.Pavedareasthatcanbemaintainedduring wintermonthshelpensurethatthesitecanbeaccessedbyresidentsallyear.Ifa depotisnotpaved,itshouldbegradedtoensurewaterdoesnotpondinthearea anddeterparticipation.Depotareasshouldbeclearedofsnowandsandedand/or salted,asrequired,inwintermonths;thispracticealsohelpstominimizepotential liabilities.

Anydebrisornon-recyclablesshouldberemovedpromptlytokeepthesite appearanceneatandtidy.Ifdepotsarenotcleanedregularlytheydevelopapoor reputationandresidentsmaystopusingthefacility,oftenresultinginincreased illegaldumping.

Appropriate signage with clear instructions to residents

Provisionsshouldbemadetodisplayinformationinamannerthatisunderstandable andheavilybiasedtowarduniversallyunderstoodgraphics,photosordisplaysof acceptableandunacceptableitems.Depotsignageshouldhavelargeletteringthatis clearandvisiblefromareasonabledistance.Thecoloursshouldbebrightand complementthedepotappearance.Standardgraphicsandsymbolsthatare informativeandeasytointerpretshouldbeused.Thegraphicsandsymbolsshould beconsistentwiththerecyclingprogramlogosandfontstyles.Eachbinshouldbe clearlylabelledtodefinethetypeofmaterialsitcanreceive.

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Largesignsmountednearthedepotentranceshouldindicateacceptableand unacceptablematerials.Illegaldumpingsignsshouldalsobepostedatdepotsat variouslocationsasrequired.Forcentresthatarenotvisiblefrommainroads, directionalsignsshouldbeusedtoaidusersinfindingthedepot.

TheKnowledgeNetworkcontainsanumberofdepotgraphicsandsignageexamples fordownload.

Provide adequate promotion and education to enhance awareness of residents

Residentsneedtobecomeawareofthedepotlocationandreceivefrequent remindersabouttherecyclingprogram.Aweather-proofinformationareaatthesite, withpamphletsavailableforresidentstotakeaway,canhelpinthepromotionofthe program.

Communitieswithhighpercentageofseasonalresidentsneedtotimetheir educationalandpromotionalcampaignswiththearrivaloftheseseasonalresidents. Someprogramsmaychoosetogiveafreeblueboxtoresidentsforstoringmaterials betweendepotdrop-offtrips.

Robust record keeping processes

Itisimportanttoaccuratelymeasureandrecordweightsofmaterialscollectedatthe depot.Regardlessofthehaulsystemused,materialsshouldbeweighedpriorto tippingattheprocessingfacility.ThesevolumetricsallowforaccurateDatacall submissionandprovidemeanstomanage,evaluate,andfine-tunetheprogram. Differentmaterialsshouldbeweighedseparatelyifmaterialsaresortedinto separatebinsatthedepot.

Optimized container design and transportation system

Municipalrecyclingprogramcoordinatorsneedtoselectaneffectivesystemof transportingrecyclablestoprocessingfacilitiesorend-markets.Oftenwasteaudits and/orparticipationstudiesareneededtodetermineapproximatematerialvolumes onweekly,monthly,andseasonalbasis.Onceanexpectedmaterialamounthas beendetermined,containerandtransportationselectionsneedtobeconsidered.

Containerscanrangefrom95-galloncarts,four-orsix-yardclosedbinsthatare materialspecificandrequirespecializedhaultrucks,four-orsix-yardfrontloaderbins, orroll-offcontainersranginginsizefrom12yardto40yards.Cautionshouldbe usedbeforecommittingtotheuseofspecializedhaultrucksfornon-standardbins, astherearelimitedoptionsavailableincaseoftruckbreakdownorotherequipment failure.Specializedtrucksarealsolikelytobeunusableforothermunicipal operations,whichwilltendtoincreaseoverallwastemanagementandrecycling costs.Forsomemunicipalities,contractingthetransportationofcontainerscanhelp offsetthecapitalinvestmentstart-upcostsforpurchasingtherequiredvehicles.

Containerselectionwilldependlargelyonprocessingcapabilities(whethermaterials canbeco-mingledfortwo-streamprocessingorsinglestreamprocessing,or materialsmustbecompletelysorted).Itwillalsodependoncapitalinvestment

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fundsavailable.Smallprogramsmayconsiderrentingcontainersorcontracting transportationservicesthatincludetheprovisionofcontainers.Contractor availabilityanddistancetoprocessingfacilitieswillalsodictatethetypeofcontainers used.Ifaprocessingfacilityisnearby,smallerand/orstandardcontainers,suchas cartsorrolloffcontainers,maybemoreeconomical.Incaseswherelongdistance haulsareneededitiscriticaltoincorporatecompactionwithinthesystemto minimizetransportationcosts.Thismaybeaccomplishedwiththeuseofstandard frontendcontainerthatutilizesthetruckcompactionsystemwhereservicesarenot availableatthedepotsite.Whenservicesareavailable,rolloffcompactorswitha rampcanbeused.Wherelargevolumesjustifyit,transfertrailerswithorwithout compactionmaybethebestoption.

Programmanagersshouldstrivetomaximizetheuseofcontainerstohelpensure onlyfullloadsarepickedup.Haulingfullanddenselypackedcontainerswillreduce transportationcostsonaperunitbasis.Depotstaffshouldtrytomovematerials aroundinthebintohelpensureallcornersandotherspaceisutilized.Staffcanuse loadersorhandtoolstofacilitatethisprocess.Itisnotrecommended,however,to askresidentsoremployeestoenterthebinsortrytomovematerialsbyhanddueto theriskofinjury.

Sources and Links

http://www.stewardshipontario.ca/eefund/projects/benchmark.htm#45

http://www.vubiz.com/stewardship/Welcome.asp Useloginandpasswordtoaccess theKnowledgeNetwork,whereanentiremoduleisdedicatedtodepots

http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/recycle/tech_rpts/Schuylkill.h tm

http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/recycle/tech_rpts/Blairsville.h tm

http://www.markham.ca/Markham/Channels/wastemgmt/recycledepots.htm

http://www.region.peel.on.ca/pw/waste/crc/

http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/recycle/tech_rpts/McKean.ht m

http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/recycle/tech_rpts/Cambria.ht m

http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/recycle/tech_rpts/Carbon.ht m

http://www.uog.edu/cals/PEOPLE/Pubs/WASTE/F-888.PDF

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BestPractice Best Practices in Collection and Processing of Challenging Plastics Spotlight

Overview

Inanefforttoincreasewastediversionratesandremovenon-biodegradable materialsfromthelandfill,someOntariomunicipalitiesarechoosingtoinclude auxiliaryplasticmaterialsintheirBlueBoxprograms.Chiefamongthesematerials arePolyethylene(PE)filmbags,polystyrenefoamandcontainers,andoversized PolyethyleneTerephthalate(PET)bottles.However,duetotheirphysicalproperties, theseplasticspresentavarietyofchallengesincollectionandprocessing,hindering operationalefficienciesanddrivingupthecosts.

Differencesofopinionremainaboutwhetherthecollectionofthesechallenging plasticmaterialsisitselfabestpracticeformunicipalprogramstoimplementto increasediversion,orwhichpracticesarebesttouseincollection,processingand marketingofthesematerials.Thereiscurrentlylittledataonthecostsand associatedrecoverylevelsspecificallyattributabletothesematerialsinOntario programsthatincludethem.Therearefewmodelprograms,aseachcommunity treatsthesematerialsdifferently(exceptforoversizePETbottles,whicharealleither excludedfromcollectionordiscardedearlyintheprocessingstep).However,some Ontarioprogramsarealreadycollectingfilmandpolystyrenematerialsandothers haveexpressedinterestindoingso.ObtainingthecostsofrecyclingfilmandPS fromOntariocommunitiescurrentlycollectingthesematerialswouldbeastartat definingbestpracticesforthesematerials,buttheobjectivesofthisparticular projectdidnotprovideforseparatedetailedconsiderationofthesematerialswithin theoriginalframework.Wedorecommendresearchfocusedonthesecommunities togathertheimportantdatathatcouldthenbeusedtomodeltheeffectivenessand efficiencyofsuchcollectionprograms.Thepracticespresentedhereprovidea hierarchyofoptionsforcommunitiesthatwishtoimplementcollectionofthese materials.Theinformationpresentedinthisreportisthemostcurrentandmost detailedtobefoundintheexistingliterature,inlistingsofresourcesavailable,andin conversationswithplasticindustryrepresentatives.

Thissectionisdesignedtoprovideguidanceinmakingthechoicetoincludethese materialsintotheprogramanddevelopingmethodstorecycletheminaneffective andefficientmanner.Thehandlingofeachmaterialisdescribedindetailbelow.

Key Benefits and Outcomes

Byincludingchallengingplasticstoarecyclingprogram,municipalitiesmay experiencethefollowingbenefits:

Increaseddiversionfromlandfill Enhancedcustomersatisfactionlevels

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However,thereareanumberofdrawbacksassociatedwithcollectingand processingtheseplastics:

Extremelyhighcostpertonne Decreasedoperationalefficienciesoftrucksandprocessingfacility IncreasedincidenceofmaintenanceissuesattheMRF DecreasedstoragespaceattheMRF Lowmarketingrevenuesduetolimitedmarkets Section A: Best Practices in Handling PE Film

Upto85percentofthePEfilmgeneratedbyhouseholdsisreadilymarketable, includinggrocerybags,retailshoppingbags,newspapersleeves,drycleaningbags, andanyotherclean,drybagmarkedwitha#2(HDPE)or#4(LDPE)resincode.In Canada,rinsedHDPEmilkpouchesandouterbags,breadbags,sandwichbagsand bulkfoodbags,diaperouterbags,frozenfoodbags,andover-wrapfortoilettissue andpapertowelsaredefinedasrecyclableundermarketspecifications.Thefilms aremostlymadeofLow-DensityPolyethylene(LDPE,#4),LinearLowDensity Polyethylene(LLDPE,#4),andHigh-DensityPolyethylene(HDPE,#2).

OtherPEfilmpertinentfactsinclude:

Recyclablefilmsintheresidentialwastestreamcompriseapproximately13%of theplastics.RecyclablePEhouseholdfilmcomprises85percentofall householdfilms,offeringanopportunityforincreasedrecoveryofhousehold materials. Eveninprogramsthatdon’taskforfilmandbags,thismaterialhasbeenknownto approachfourpercentbyweightofmaterialattheMRF. Theoreticalcalculationshaveshownthatonesortercanpositivelysort28kgper hourofhouseholdPEbagsataMRF,basedon70bagsperlb(4,325bagsper hour) AmaterialrecoveryfacilityinCaliforniawithanoverallcapacityof200tonnesper dayreportsathroughputof30-40tonnespermonthoffilm,with8sorters spendingatleastsomeoftheirtimepickingbags. ThevalueoftheCaliforniafacility’srecoveredfilmislow,atUS$20perton,due tolowquality.TheCaliforniafacilityalsoreportsthatevenwithsortershandling thematerial,atleastonehourperdayisspentremovingbagsandfilmthathave accumulatedonthestarscreens. InOntario,accordingtotheCSROnlinepricesheet,PEfilmsellsat$47pertonne inMarch,2007.Theaveragepricepertonnein2006was$137pertonneandin 2005reachedahighof$148pertonneaveragedovertheyear. Collectionofhouseholdbagsandfilmisachallenge,withitshighvolumeto weightratioandpotentialtoinstantlybecomeoffensivelitterifwind-borne.

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Onestudyestimatestheincrementalgrosscostofcollectingandprocessingfilm at$900/tonne. Collection

TherearethreemainstreammethodsofcollectingPEfilm.Eachoftheseis describedingreaterdetailbelow:

Retaildrop-offcollection Curbsidecollection,includingsinglestream,two-stream,andbluebag Depotcollection Retail drop-off collection

Retaildrop-offcollectionresidentsbringingplasticbagsbacktothepointofpurchase. ThetrendistowardthiscollectionpracticeintheUnitedStates.TheCalifornia IntegratedWasteManagementBoard(CIWMB)andtheProgressiveBagAlliance (PBA)launchedaretailtake-backrecyclingprograminCaliforniainresponseto California’sAB2449legislation.AB2449,effectiveJuly1,2007,requiresmostlarge grocerystoresanddrugstorestoofferin-storeplasticbagrecyclingprograms.Initial advertisingplaceonJune11 th wassponsoredbyadditionalprogrampartners–the CaliforniaRetailersAssociation,CaliforniaGrocersAssociation,andKeepCalifornia Beautiful.Consumerswillbeeducatedtobringbagsbacktoretaillocations,where theretailerswillbaleorotherwisepackagethematerialformarkets.Theroleofthe PBAistoworkwithstorestofindmarketsforthematerial.ThePBAintendsto connectthestoreswithmarketsthatwillpaythestoresforthematerial.IntheU.S., recyclingtrendsoftenbegininCaliforniaandspreadtootherareasofthecountry.

Withretailbagcollectionthecostsarebornebythestoreandnotthepublic recyclingagency.However,frequentlylocalrecyclingcoordinatorsarenotpartnersin establishingoroperatingtheseprograms,leadingtoalackofcommunication,gaps inpubliceducation,andnoaccountabilityforthematerialscollected.Thefollowing attributescanmakeadrop-offcollectionoptionasuccess:

Therecyclingbin(s)providedmustbeaccessible,clean,attractive,andserviced regularly Publiceducationmustbeapriority,withvariousmediaaswellasin-storedisplays usedtocommunicateinstructionsonwhatandhowtorecycleatthestore Thematerialcollectedmustbeproperlyhandled,processedandmarketedtoa reliableenduse,andthepublicmustbenotifiedofthisaspartofthe educationalprogram. ThelocalcommunitycouldprovidecollectionbinsandP&E,whilethestorecovers thehandling,processingandtransportationcoststoaprocessingcenter,eithertheir owndistributioncenterandfacilityorthelocalMRF.

Curbside collection: Two-stream scenario

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Inthisscenario(mainlyemployedinUS),residentsdeposittheirvarioushousehold bagsandacceptableplasticfilmsintoonelargeplasticbag,andplaceitbetweenthe containersblueboxandthefibresblueboxorbundle.Thelightweightbagmustbe wedgedfirmlyinplacetoavoidbeingdislodgedandwindblown.Thecollection vehicleoperatorpicksupthislargebag,simultaneouslyregisteringthatitisfeather- lightandsqueezingittoensurethatnorigidobjectsareenclosed.Ifcontamination seemsevident,thebagisleft.

Thesebagsofbagsarethenplacedinyetanotherplasticbagofalargesize, approximately60gallons(227litres),hanginginaconvenientplaceonthetruckbody. Fullbagsaretiedoffanddepositedinthenewspaperorcardboardcompartmentof thetruck.

Curbside collection: Single-stream scenario

Insingle-streamsystems,aggressivepubliceducationcampaignsareneededto ensurethatresidentsagainbagalltheirsmallbagsandfilmproductsintoonelarger bag,andplacethisbagintheirblueboxorcollectionbag.

Inprogramsthatuseanenclosedcartforsingle-streamcollection,apracticenotyet commoninOntario,residentsshouldbeeducatednottodepositindividualbagsthat canfallorblowoutofthecartduringthecollectiontip.Becauseofthecommingling withallothermaterials,bagscollectedthroughsingle-streamprogramsmaybemore costlytoretrieveandoflesserquality.

Curbside collection: Blue or clear bag scenario

Thelargercollectionbagforthesmallerbagscouldbeaseparateblueorclearbag, oranotherbagofbagscouldbestuffedintooneblue/clearbagwiththeother materials.Thisseparateblue/clearbagisthenpickedupandthrowninthetruckwith therestofthebags,andpossiblycompacted.Again,thecollectionoperatorwould checkforlightweightandthepresenceofrigidobjects.

Depot collection

Severalcontainers,suchas90-gallonrollcarts,canbesetupwithPElinersfordepot userstodepositbagsandfilm.Largedisplaysignscanbesetupadjacenttothese containersillustratingtheacceptableandnon-acceptablematerialsforimmediate, on-siteinstructionandreinforcement.

Asneeded,thesiteattendantcanvisitthecollectioncontainersanduseatoolto compactthebagsasmuchaspossibleinordertocontainthelargestnumberof bagsbeforetyingoffandreplacingthelinerbag.Theselarge,stuffedbagsmaythen bestoredinacovereddumpsteroracompactorforlaterremovaltotheMRF.

Processing

Thefirstpointofcaptureforbagsisthetipfloororapre-sortstation,beforethereis anypotentialforthebagstoopenandscatterindividualbags.Sortersoneach subsequentlineshouldbetrainedtocapture,bag,andthendepositanybagsmissed

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inthepre-sortintoastoragebunker.Sortersmayalsobetrainedtode-bagany containersandfibresfromplasticbags,buttherecoveryforrecyclingofthesebags whichmaycontainresidualproductsisquestionable.

Themostefficientwayofmovingbagsfromboththetipfloorandthesortlinesinto thestoragebunkermaybewithavacuumsystem.Thevacuumsystemcouldload anoverheadstoragebintosavespace,duetothelightweightofthematerial.The vacuumsystem,orgravity,couldalsopotentiallyloadthematerialintothebaler.

Automaticde-baggersthatmaybeusedinbluebagprocessingfacilitiescould potentiallyalsoopenthesmallerbaginsidethatcontainstheaccumulatedhousehold bagsandscatterthesmallerbags.Additionally,anybluebagsthatarestuffedfullof smallerbagsonlymustbedirectedawayfromthede-baggeranddirectlytothebaler. Bluebagsthatheldotherrecyclablesmayormaynotberecyclable,dependingon themarketspecificationforbluefilmandthedegreeofmoistureandcontamination inthesebags.

Balingfilmmaybemadeeasierandmorefrequentbyadoptingthe“SandwichBale ™”pioneeredbyWal-Martstores.Thisisabalewithlayersoffilmplasticalternating withlayersofcardboard.Whenthebaleisbrokenopen,thefilmandOCClayers naturallyandeasilyseparate.However,amarketmustbefoundthatwillacceptthis typeofbale,andthenseparatethematerialsforfurtherprocessing(Ontariomarket availabilityforthisproductsisunknownatthistime).

Promotion and Education

Residentsmustbeproperlytrainedaboutthecorrecttypesofbagsandfilmsto includeforrecycling,thetypesthatareprohibited,andtheacceptablewayto packagethebagsandfilm.Consistentandrepetitivemessagesdesignedtomotivate changetowardspecificbehavioursandhabitsmustbeappliedrigorouslyusingany andallappropriatemediachannels.

Themostimportantmessageisto“BagtheBags”.Additionallyresidentscanbe educatedabout“TyingtheKnot”beforestuffingbagsintothelargerbags.

Markets

TheAmericanChemistryCouncil’srecycledplasticsmarketsdatabaselistssix companiesinOntarioasbuyersofpost-consumerresidentialretailbagsandother films.Additionallyfourteencompaniesarelistedasbuyersof“post-consumer, industrial,commercial,institutional”bagsandfilm,whichmayindicatethatthey wouldpurchasematerialcollectedinretailstoresbutnotfromMRFs.Thelargest end-useforthismaterialiscompositeplasticlumberproducts.Largeamountsof bluebagsmayreducethequalityandpriceofthematerial.

Ontario Communities Recycling Bags and Film

FourteencommunitiesinOntariocollectbagsandfilmintheircurbsideprograms (someoftheseattheirdepotsaswell).Tenofthesemunicipalitiesinstructresidents toplacetheirbagsandfilminsideonebagandtieit,thenplacethisbageitherin,or

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beside,theirbluebox(orequivalent)forcontainers(onecommunityissingle-stream butstillusesblueboxes).Twocommunitiesinstructresidentstoplacetheirbagina second,grayboxwithfibreproducts.Onesinglestreamcommunityinstructs residentstoplacetheirbaginsidetheircart,andonebluebagcommunityinstructs residentstouseaseparateblueorclearbagforhouseholdbagsandfilm.

Eightcommunitiesthatcollectbagsandfilmallowthemostofthematerialsinthe completeEPIClistofgrocerybags,retailshoppingbags,newspapersleeves,dry cleaningbags,rinsedHDPEmilkpouchesandouterbags,breadbags,sandwich bagsandbulkfoodbags,diaperouterbags,frozenfoodbags,andover-wrapfor toilettissueandpapertowels.Fivecommunitiesrestrictthelisttogrocerybags and/orshoppingbagsonly.

Implementing PE film handling Best Practices

Retaildrop-offcollectionisthedesiredapproachforfilmrecycling,becausecostsare sharedbytheretailer.Merchantshaveabusinessinterestinprovidingrecycling serviceson-sitefortheirstorebrandbags,aswellascompetitors’bags,and residentswouldnothavetomakeaspecialtriptorecycletheirbags.Active partnershipbythemunicipalrecyclingcoordinatorisnecessarytopromotethe program,buildparticipation,andeducateusers.Thepreferredhandlingmethodis back-haulofthematerialtoaretailer’sdistributionfacilityforbaling.IfaMRFmust beused,thelocalrecyclingcoordinatorwouldberequiredtoworkwiththefacilityto minimizematerialhandlingissues.

Forcommunitiesthatdeclinetouseretailcollection,orwishtosupplementitwith anothermethod,depotcollectionisthenextpreferredmethod.Depotstake advantageofthe“free”labourandenergyexpendedbyresidentsinbringingthis lightweightmaterialtothelocation,asopposedtocaptureateveryindividual household.Siteattendants,wheretheyareused,canmonitorforcontaminationand provideadditionalpackagingandevencompactionofthebagspriortodeliverytothe MRF.Addingbagstoanexistingdepotwouldaddverylittleincrementalcostin termsofland,labour,andotherfactors.

Forthosecommunitiesthatprefertocollectbagsandfilmsatcurbside,thefollowing practicesshouldbefollowed:

Emphasizepubliceducation,specificallythe“BagYourBags”message Useaset-outmethodthatminimizesopportunitiesforbagstobecome windblownlitter Utilizevehicleoperatorstocheckforcontaminationandleavebagsthatare contaminatedasaneducationaltool Combinelargefullbagswiththefibreportionoftheloadinthetrucktofacilitate separationandremovalattheMRFandtominimizebagbreakageand contaminationduetocontactwithbroken,sharp-edgedorwetrecyclable containers.

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ForMRFprocessingofbags,effortshouldbemadetoremovebaggedbags immediatelyaftertippingoratapre-sortstation,beforethebagscanencounterMRF equipment.Handlingofbagsandcontactwithotherrecyclablesshouldbeminimized. Inbluebagsystems,careshouldbeusedwithautomaticbagbreakers.Vacuum equipmentmaybeaneffectivewayofmovingthematerial.

Thehighestvaluemarketsshouldbesoughtforthebagsandfilm.Toobtainthese markets,producinghighqualitymaterialmustbeaprioritythatbeginswithpublic educationandcontinuesthroughoutthehandlingandsortingprocess.Residents mustbetaughtwhattoincludeandwhatisprohibited;operatorsmustleavebehind contaminatedbags;contactwithothermaterialsattheMRFshouldbeminimized. Marketsshouldbeconsultedabouttheimpactofrecyclingplasticbagsinwhich otherrecyclablesweremistakenlypackagedbytheresidentsandofrecyclingblueor clearcollectionbags(specifically,theimpactofthebluebagsshouldbeassessed).

Ontariocommunitiesarealreadyrecyclingbagsandfilmsthroughcurbsideanddrop- offsystems.Ifsuchprogramsaretobeconsideredforwidespreadimplementation intheprovince,moredatashouldbegatheredfromthesecommunitiesaboutthe costsandoperationalimpactsofsuchprogramsinordertoaccuratelydocument bestpracticesandtoencouragecontinualimprovement.Programcostsshouldbe justifiedintheoverallrecyclingprogrambudget,takingintoconsiderationthe community’swastereductionandrecyclinggoalsandhowbagandfilmrecycling helpsthemmeetthosegoals.

Section B: Best Practices in Handling Polystyrene

Polystyreneresinisbotheffectiveandefficientinitsoriginaluse–aspackaging material.Itisinexpensivetomanufacture;thereforethecostsofitsoriginal productionandtransportationareconsideredareasonabletrade-offforitsmany benefits.However,acost-effectiveschemeforitspost-usemanagementiselusive because:

Itdiffusesintosocietyinitsmanyuses,andbringingitbacktogetherinquantities largeenoughtoprocessandmarketischallenging Itsmanyshapesandformsrenderitdifficulttoefficientlypackagefortransport, post-use Thecostsbecomelargerastheproduct’squalityisdegraded;thesecostscanno longerbecoveredintheprice Whilepolystyreneaccountsforlessthanonepercentofthemunicipalwastestream, atcertaintimesofyear,suchastheholidaysorconsumergoodssalesevents,it becomesasignificantandchallengingcomponentofthehousehold-generatedwaste. Inhandlingit,municipalitiesfaceanumberofobstacles.Chiefamongthemare:

Polystyrenefoamexhibitsaveryhighvolumetoweightratio,makingeconomical transportationachallenge

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PolystyrenefoambreakseasilywhenprocessedthroughMRFequipment,leading tocontaminationofmarketedmaterialsandaffectingthecleanlinessofthe facility Polystyrenefoamdoesnotcompressinthebalingprocess,andmaybreakinto smallerpieces FoamedPSmeatandproducetrayshavehighpotentialoffoodcontamination, possiblyleadingtosanitationissuesatMRFs Current Collection and Processing

AccordingtotheCanadianPolystyreneRecyclingAssociation(CPRA),11Canadian municipalitiesarecollectingpolystyreneintheircurbsideprograms,andanother threearecollectingthroughdepotorspecialcollectioneventsonly.However,some ofthesemunicipalitiesarelocatedinotherprovinces,andatleastsixOntario programs,whichtheCPRAdoesnotlist,areknowntocollectpolystyrene.These communitiesallprohibitloose-fillpolystyrenepackaging(“popcorn”or“peanuts”)in theirprograms.

SincetheCPRAstandardsrequirebaling,itisassumedthatmostofthefoamedPS isbaled.Somematerialfromdepotcollection,ifclosetotheCPRAplant,maybe deliveredloose.

Promotion and Education

ThereisnomodelforP&Eforpolystyreneproductsbecauseeachmunicipality’s programreflectstheiruniquecollectionandprocessingconstraints,asshownbythe followingexamples:

TheCityofKingstonallows“Plastic/Styrofoam”containersinthebluebox.Rigid andfoamedplasticcontainersareallowed,butnotloosefillpackagingand protectivefoammustmeasurelessthan36”x24”x8” TheCityofPeterboroughallowsrigidPSbakedgoodstrays“marked#6only”and foamedPSfoodcontainers(meattrays,eggcartons)inthebluebox;however, foamedpackingmaterialisacceptedonlyatdrop-off TheCountyofWellingtonpresumablyallowsrigidpolystyrenepackagesinthe bluebox,astheirguidelinesarebroadanddonotusetheresinidentification code.However,Styrofoamisspecificallyprohibited NorthumberlandCountycollectsfoamedpolystyrene“cushion”packagingat specialcollectioneventsaftertheholidayseason.Foodpackagingisprohibited. Thematerialisaccumulatedinroll-offcontainersatdrop-offdepots.TheCounty alsoacceptsPSfoodcontainersinitscurbsideprogramasacomponentof “PlasticJars,BottlesandContainers#1-7” Markets

ApolystyrenemarketcurrentlyexistsinOntario.CPRA,an82,000square-foot facilitylocatedinPeelRegion(Mississauga),isdesignedspecificallytorecycleand sellpolystyrenefromtheindustrial,commercialandconsumerwastestreams.The

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plantcapacityisabout5,000tonnesperyear. Polystyreneisrecycledintooffice desktopaccessories,nurserytrays,automotiveandhardwareaccessories,audioand videocassettecases,vacuumcleanerattachmentsandbuildingproducts.

CPRApurchasestwogradesofpolystyrenebales:TypeAcontainsbothrigidand foamPSandTypeBcontainsonlyfoamPS.TypeAbalesallow10percent contaminationwhileTypeBbalesallow15percentcontamination.TheCSRPrice SheetshowsthatCPRAiscurrentlypaying75CDN$/tonneformaterialdeliveredto theirfacility.Thispricehasnotchangedsince2001.

Implementation

Ontarioisfortunatetohaveamajorend-useprocessorforpolystyreneaccepting bothfoamedandrigidgrades,eitherseparatedormixed.Forpolystyrene,the constraintstorecyclingareissuesrelatedtohandlingandtransportation,notmarkets.

SomemunicipalitiesinOntarioarerecyclingpolystyrene,boththerigidandthe foamed,atdepots,atspecialcollectionevents,andthroughcurbside.However,a “model”programhasnotbeenidentified,andverylittleisknownaboutthehandling issues,processingissuesandcostsofsuchprograms

Communitiesthatwishtoaddpolystyrenetotheirrecyclingprogramsshouldbegin withspecialcollectioneventslimitedtofoamedPS,tiedtotheholidaysorperiodic salesonconsumergoodssuchasappliancesandelectronics.Theseeventscanbe heldatexistingrecyclingdepots,or,ifarrangementscanbemade,inpartnership withretailerssellingthesegoodsandpossiblyheldatmallsandshoppingcentres (similartoonemethodforcollectingend-of-lifeelectronicsandpossiblyintandem withsuchanevent).Thebenefitsofholdingtheseeventsare:

Thepublicwillprovidethe“free”transportationandsortinglabour Acontainerisnotdedicatedfull-timeatadepotwhileasufficientquantityto processandshipisaccumulated,withassociatedweather,storagespaceand contaminationissues Itmayofferanopportunityforincreasedpublicawarenessofthecommunity recyclingprogram.Thisisawaytokeepcostsundercontrolyetstilloffera servicethatmanyresidentsdeemvaluable. Communitiesthatwishtoprovideanongoingpolystyrenecollectionprogramfor citizensshouldlookfirsttodepotcollection.Aseparatecollectioncontainerfor foamedpolystyrenewouldaddonlyincrementalcoststothedepotoperation; however,itwouldmostlikelyneedtobeacoveredcontainer.Ongoingstorage spacewouldalsobeneeded.Therigidpolystyrenecontainerscouldbeaddedtoa “non-bottlerigid”plasticcollectionstream.Severalmarketingoptionsexistforthis material,includingbalingwiththeotherrigidcontainersforexport,orsortingto separatetheHDPE,PETandPPthenbalingwiththefoamedPS.Theadvantageof collectingnon-bottlerigidPSatdepotsisthatthepubliccouldbetrainedtosort thesefromtheplasticbottlesbyplacingtheminseparatecontainers.

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Thenextlevelofcollection,ifacommunitystronglydesiredtoprovidethisserviceor ifthecollectionatspecialeventsanddepotsprovedimpractical,wouldbecurbside collectionofpolystyrene.Again,collectingthePSrigidcontainersmixedwithother plasticswouldnotbedifficultatthecurb,butmarketresearchwouldneedtobe conductedtodeterminethedegreeofMRFsortingneeded.Thefoamedpolystyrene wouldposechallengesintheareasofpotentialblowinglitter,spaceinthecollection truck,andthenMRFstorageandbaling.Foamedloose-fillpackaging,called “peanuts”or“popcorn”shouldbeexcludedduetoseriouslitterconcerns.

Regardlessofthecollectionmethodchosen,communitiesneedtocalculatethe transportationcoststotheCPRAanddetermineifapolystyrenerecyclingprogram canfitintotheiroverallbudget,giventheimpactpolystyrenehasontheirrecovery ratesandwastereductiongoals.

Transportationandmaterialstoragewillbethemostcostlyelementsofa polystyrenecollectionprogram.Foodcontaminationcouldbecostlyintermsof downgradingmarketedloads,andpubliceducationmaterialsshouldstressthatfood containersmustberinsedbeforerecycling.

Additionalresearchisneededintothepracticesofcommunitiescurrentlycollecting andprocessingpolystyrene,todeterminemorespecificdetailsonoperationalissues, costs,andopportunitiesforimprovement.

Section C: Best Practices in Handling Oversized PET Bottles

LargesizePETwaterbottles,from8to15litres,arebeingmarketedinCanadabyat leasttwobottledwatercompanies.Thesebottles,designedforhomedispensing units,aredisplacingthe15to18litrepolycarbonate,multi-usewaterbottles capturedbyadeposit-returnsystem.Theyareincreasinglybeingfoundintheblue boxprogramasresidentscorrectlyinterpretthemasbeingrecyclable.Thesebottles aremandatedtoberecycledbyPart1ofSchedule1ofOntarioRegulation101/94by virtueofthenon-sizespecificdefinitionofthePETbeveragebottle.

RecyclingoversizedPETbottlesisfacilitatedby:

Theirlargersize.PETwaterbottlesweighupto50grams,capturinga significantamountofmaterialineachhandlingstep Packagingcontents.Sincetheyonlypackagewater,bottlesarenotcontaminated bycontents However,thesematerialspresentsomeissuesforprogramoperators.These include:

Thelargesizeofthebottlesmakesthemachallengetocollectintraditionalblue boxes,astheytakeupmorespaceintheboxandonthecollectiontruck MRFsmustremovethesebottlesearlyinthesortingprocessinthesamestepas removalofbucketsandlargecontaminants SomeMRFsmaynothavestoragespacefortheadditionalbottlestream

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Collection

TheselargesizePETbottlestakeupone-thirdofthevolumeofatypicalbluebox, andacorrespondinglylargeratioofspaceinasingle-streamorbluebagprogram. Theyalsotakeupmorespaceinthecollectiontrucks.Whilescenariosabouttrucks makingextratripstoMRFssolelybecausethelargePETbottleshavefilledthe compartmentshavebeenimagined,noevidenceexiststhatthisisariskwiththe currentmarketpenetration.Theimpactofbottlesizeislesssignificantatdepots, wherecontainersarelarger.Forcommunitiesdesiringtorecoverthesebottles,an additionalbindedicatedtotheselargersizecontainerscouldbeprovided. Distinguishingofthesebottlesbythepublicshouldberelativelyeasy.

Processing

ThefirstpointofcaptureforthelargePETbottlesisthetipfloor,wheretheyare pulledfromtheincomingcontainerstream,muchasbucketsandlargecontaminants areremoved.VirtuallyallofthePETbottlesseparatedonthetipflooratOntario MRFsarecurrentlybeingdiscarded.

Ifthebottlesareallowedtocontinueupthein-feedconveyor,inMRFsthathave shakerscreensforseparatingcontainersfromfibre,thesePETbottlesendupinthe fibrestreamduetotheirsize,weightandshape,andtheyarediscardedthere.In MRFswithoutscreens,thebottlesstillmaybetoolargetofitinthesortingchutes forthesmallerPETbottles.Furthermore,mostbalersarecapableofcompressing thesebottles,eitherinamixedPETbaleorasaspecialtybale.

Installingadedicated,PETbottle-onlygrinderatthepointoffirstremovalmaybethe mostefficientprocessingmethodforthesebottles.Thisalternativewouldrequire capitalinvestment,operatortraining,Gaylordboxesformaterialstorage,anda willingmarket.

Promotion and Education

ItisunknownhowmanycommunitiesinOntarioareprohibitingthesebottlesand clearlystatingtheprohibitionintheirpromotion/educationmaterial.Motivating residentstorecyclethesebottles,ifsuchactionisdesirable,wouldmostlikelybe relativelyeasy,asthebottlesareuniqueandeasilyidentified.

Markets

PETre-claimersmayrefusetoacceptanylargePETwaterbottlesmixedwiththe otherPETbecausetheirsizemakesthemproblematic.Theyaresimplytoobigfor theclearancebetweenthehigh-speedconveyorsandtheautomatedbottlesorting unitsthatmostre-claimersutilize.Thebottleshaveenough“memory”tospring backintoalargershapewhende-baled.Evenafewofthesebottlescancausepile- upsonthesortinglines,whichcanhappenveryquicklyandrequirelineshut-downto clear.

Ifmarketsarewillingtoacceptthesebottles,mostwouldpreferthesebottlestobe baledseparately,butmayacceptthesebalesonthesametruckwiththeotherPET

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bales.Marketsforgroundmaterialexist,butwouldhavetoagreetopurchase materialgroundinaMRF.

Ifthebottlesaremadefromastandardbottleresinwithanintrinsicviscosity(I.V.)in the8.4range,andaremadeinatwo-stage,injection-stretchblowmouldedprocess, theyarefullycompatiblewithexistingPETmarkets.Somebottlesmaybemade fromahigher-I.V.materialinaone-stageprocess.Thereisconcernthatthese bottlesarenotcompatibleinexistingPETbottlemarkets.

Implementation

VirtuallyallcommunitiesinOntariothatreceivethesebottlesforrecyclingare currentlydiscardingthem.Giventheuncertainties,andthecurrentlysmallmarket penetrationofthisproduct,theimpactofdisposalbytheMRFsonthesolidwaste streamisnotyetsignificant.

Currentlymuchisunknownaboutthemarketpenetration,recyclingmarketdemand, orresincompositionofthese8to15-litrePETwaterbottles.PETmarketshave indicatedpubliclyadesireformorerecoveredpost-consumerPETofthecurrent, typicalcomposition;itisnotknowntowhatextenttheywouldacceptthelarger bottlesduetoequipmentconstraints.

Communitieswishingtorecoverthesebottles,eitherthroughdepotorcurbside collection,shouldfirstfindoutwhetherthebottlessoldintheirregionwereallofthe sameresincomposition.Iftheywere,andthelikelihoodofthischangingwassmall, thecommunitywouldthenseekmarketsforthematerial,eitherbaledseparatelyor ground.Ifmarketswerefound,asystemofhandlingthematerialtofacilitate recoveryattheappropriatepointwouldbeneeded.

Aretailstoretake-backprogramcouldbeexploredforthesebottles,withthe recoveredbottlesdeliveredtotheMRFinlargeloadsandhandled,baledand marketedseparately.Forcommunitiesthatchoosetorecyclethesebottlescurbside, asecondblueboxcouldbeprovidedforresidents.

Sources and Links

PE Film

RecycledProductsandMarketsDatabases,AmericanChemistryCouncil: http://www.plasticsresource.com/s_plasticsresource/sec.asp?TRACKID=&CID=86& DID=127

TheOnlineResourceforFilmRecoveryinCalifornia: http://www.plasticbagrecycling.info/coord.php

CaliforniaIntegratedWasteManagementBoard,AB2449–RecyclingPlastic CarryoutBags

www.ciwmb.ca.gov/lgcentral/basics/plasticbag.htm

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CanadianPlasticsIndustryAssociation(CPIA),EnvironmentandPlasticsIndustry Council(EPIC): “Best Practices Guide for the Collection and Handling of Polyethylene Plastic Bags and Film in Municipal Curbside Recycling Programs” .

CSROnline:“ThePriceSheet”, http://www.csr.org/pricesheet/pricesheet.htm

“It’s in the Bag: The Direction of Residential Film Recycling” ,PattyMoore,Moore RecyclingAssociatesandKimHolmes,PlasticsRecyclingUpdate; Plastics Recycling 2007 ,February13-14,Dallas,Texas.

“Blue Box Residential Recycling Best Practices – A Private Sector Perspective” , GuilfordandAssociatesforStewardshipOntarioandtheOntarioWaste ManagementAssociation,February1,2007.

“County of Santa Cruz – Film Plastic Recycling” ,DanDeGrassi,SantaCruzCounty; Plastics Recycling 2007 ,February13-14,Dallas,Texas.

Polystyrene

EPICPolystyreneFactSheet: http://www.cpia.ca/files/files/files_Fact_Sheet_on_Polystyrene.doc

CSROnline:ThePriceSheet: http://www.csr.org/pdf/pricesheet/2007/03_2007ps.pdf

FactSheet: “Polystyrene and the Environment” ,AmericanChemistryCouncil’s PlasticsFoodservicePackagingGroup : http://www.polystyrene.org/environment/environment.html

Oversized PET Bottles

“Improving the Efficiency of the Blue Box Program” , anAMO/AMRCPositionPaper, July2006: http://www.amrc.ca/policy/Improving

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OtherPracticesMeritingConsideration

BestPractice Otherpracticesthatcouldnotbevalidatedthroughtheuseofthefact-based Spotlight evidenceframeworkorwhichevokeddisagreementamongprojectteammembers thatcouldnotberesolvedarelistedinthissection.Theseshouldnotbeconstrued asguidance;instead,municipalitiescanusethislistaspoolofideasthatmaybeof benefittothelocalBlueBoxprogram.Infact,duetotheisolatedcircumstances underwhichtheyareemployed,somepracticepolaroppositesofeachother. Therefore,additionalanalysisandfeasibilitystudiesneedtobeconductedinorderto determinetheapplicabilityofthesepracticestoanygivenprogram.Mostofthese werenotdiscussedinthisreport.However,theProjectTeamdidelecttodiscuss theprosandconsofvariouscollectionfrequencyoptions,includingco-collection, giventhevarietyofcollectionpatternsprevalentinOntariotoday.Itisimportantto notethatthereasonwhythesevariousoptionsarelistedbelowisthatwecouldnot documentanyofthemasbeing“best.”

Practice Benefits Municipalities Observed Employing the Practice

General

Governancestructurewheretheentity Abilitytomakedecisionsthatarebestforthe Bluewater,Peel,Wellington thatservesasprogramcoordinatoris program County,CochraneTemiskaming empoweredtoactonbehalfof CoordinatedP&E,policiesandincentives WasteManagementBoard, jurisdictionsintheregiontoprovide Moreagile,responsiveprogram OVWRC,Muskoka,Simcoe,County BlueBoxservices Politicalinfluenceisreduced ofPeterborough

Shiftingcapitalexpensessuchas Programdoesn’thavetocompetewithother Halton,Orillia,Russell,Muskoka, collectionvehiclesontocontractors municipalservicesforcapitalfunds Carling,Simcoe,Ottawa,Cornwall, Contractormakescapitaldecisionsthatare OVWRC,Waterloo bestforitsoperation Noneedtoaccumulateandmanagecapital reservefunds

Promotionofotherwastereduction, Improvesenvironmentalethicresultingin Hamilton,CityofPeterborough, diversion,andenvironmentalquality increasedBlueBoxparticipationanddiversion Russell,Muskoka,Carling,Simcoe, programs Ottawa,Cornwall,OVWRC, Waterloo,York,

Collection

Bag-basedcollection Reducedcollectioncost ThunderBay,Northumberland Abilitytocompactrecyclablesandminimize County,Peel(binoverflow) glassbreakage Surgecapacityforbinoverflow

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Weeklycollection Highertonnesrecovered(SERAstudyfound Russell,Cornwall,Waterloo,York, thatweeklycollectionincreasesrecyclingrate Simcoe,Muskoka,Countyof by2to4percentagepoints). Peterborough

Alternatingweeklycollectionoffibres 20percentcontractorbidsavings Kingston,OVWRC,Ottawa andcontainers(twoboxes) Lesssecondsperstop Cubeoutcollectionvehicles Itemsarepre-sorted,savingoncollectionand processing Sufficientcapacityinrecyclingcontainers needed

Bi-weeklycollection Reducecollectiontimeandtransportation Windsor,Southgate,Halton, costs Timmins,Toronto RequiresprovisionofsufficientBlueBox capacity Positiveimpactsnotedinruralareasand singlestreamprogramswithcarts(Toronto foundthatcartsallowrecyclingfrequencyat onceeverytwoweeks/improvesrecycling capturebyatleast10%/facilitatesautomated collection)

Co-collectionofrecyclableswithother Reducetransportationcosts Toronto,Southgate,Bluewater, wastestreams Needtotraveldowntheroadlessfrequently Peel

Collectionononesideofthestreetina Reducecollectiontime Quinte,Bluewater ruralsetting Reducetransportationcosts Increasesafetyliability Difficultinwinterconditions Mayresultinsafetyissues MaynotbecompatiblewithPAYT

Frontendcontainersfordepotservice Lowercollectioncosts,butlimitedto Bluewater programswithseveraldepotlocations

Developmentofincentives/penalties Providesincentiveforcollectorstobemore Ottawa,Waterloo,OVWRC,York forcollectorsbasedoncontamination discriminateinincludingitemsobviouslynot rates recyclable

Processing

MunicipallyownedMRFfacilityand Flexibilityonadjustingrecoveryof Northumberland,Kingston(MRF equipment materials/grades/residuelevels maintenance),Quinte,Essex Preservationofcapitalinvestment Windsor,Toronto(DufferinMRF), Waterloo,Simcoe(Onlysome processedthere),York,Cornwall, OVWRC

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Useoftechnologyandearlyinthe Greaterrecoveryofvaluablecommodities Bluewater,Cornwall process. Lessdependencyonlabourforce Cleanercommodities Lessrejections

Compactionofresiduefordisposal Reduceddisposalcosts Kingston Potentialtomarketresidueforresorting Peel Someprogramshavefoundbalingresidueto NorthumberlandCounty becost-effective

Usenegativesortingtechnique Maximizeworkforceusage Quinte,Windsor,Bluewater, wheneverpossible Lowerlabourcost Simcoe,

KnowledgeandapplicationofANSI Lessinjury York,Peel,Toronto,Bluewater, Z245.41-2004Standard Moreproductiveandhappieremployees OVWRC, Cleanercommodities

Ergonomicallydesignedequipment Lessinjury Bluewater,OVWRC,York,Peel, Moreproductiveandhappieremployees Cleanercommodities

StronglyEnforcedSafetyrules Increasedsafety OVWRC,York, Increasedproductivityandmorale

CentralMRFLocation Reducedtransittime Northumberland,Cityof Moreproductivetimeonroute Peterborough,Timmins,Muskoka, Waterloo,Simcoe

Useofconveyortimedelaydevices Accommodatesvariablecontaminationlevels Windsor,Peel,Bluewater,York withoutstopping Cleanercommodities

Qualitycontrolatthepre-baler Higherrevenuesanddecreasednumberof Essex-Windsor,Bluewater,York, downgradesduetohigherqualityofmaterial Simcoe,Waterloo,

Developmentofincentives/penalties Minimizesresiduerates Toronto,Peel forprocessorsbasedoncapturerates

Marketing

Marketingdonebymunicipality Municipalitieskeeprevenues Durham Municipalitiesmanagemarketriskinsteadof Kingston paycontractorstotakeonrisk Peel(containers) Toronto(containers),Waterloo, OVWRC

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Marketingdonebycontractor Betterknowledgeofmarkets Timmins, Largevolumepricingifalargecontractorwith Peel(fibres) multiplelocations Toronto(fibres),Simcoe,Muskoka, Revenuesharingneededforcontractor Carling,York,Ottawa,Cornwall, incentives Russell

Contractorkeepspredominantportionof Lessriskanduncertaintyfortheprogram Orillia,Amaranth,Timmins, marketrevenues Wellington,Carling,Russell,

Municipalitykeepspredominantportion Morenetrevenue Most,York,Ottawa,Simcoe, ofmarketrevenues Lessriskforcontractor Cornwall,OVWRC,Waterloo Budgetislesspredictable

EstablishedRelationshipswithend Consistentmovementofmaterials Quinte,Niagara,Bluewater, markets Betterpricingoverall Ottawa,Simcoe,Muskoka, Cornwall,OVWRC,Waterloo

Useofmorethanonebuyerfor Keepspricescompetitive Bluewater,Windsor,Ottawa, marketedcommodities Morenetrevenue Simcoe,Cornwall,OVWRC, Optionsduringdifficultperiods Waterloo,

MarketnaturalHDPEbottles $200pertonnepricepremiumgenerally Peel,Timmins outweighsadditionalsortingcost

Wherelargevolumesexist,splitsales Consistentmovementofmaterials Toronto,Windsor,Simcoe, betweenfixedcontractsandspot Betterpricingoverall Waterloo,York,Ottawa,Cornwall, marketing Distributionofrisk OVWRC

Knowledgeofthemarketplaceandprice Keepspricescompetitive Quinte,Simcoe,Waterloo,York, indexes Morenetrevenue Muskoka,Ottawa,Cornwall, Optionsduringdifficultperiods OVWRC

Administration and Tendering

Paycollectiononperhouseholdbasis Paycontractorforlevelofservice,notrisk Durham,WellingtonCounty,Orillia

Municipality-ownedweightscales Ensurestransparencyandaccountabilityon Windsor,Niagara,Quinte,Toronto thepartofthecontractorandstaff (DufferinMRF),Waterloo,Cornwall, Simcoe,York,OVWRC

Reasonable,notoverburdeningbonding Lowercostdueforcontractors (e.g.,upto50percentofannualcontract Morecompetitivepricingduetogreater value) numberofbidders

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Customerserviceline,withdatabaseof Answerscustomerquestions Hamilton,Waterloo,Simcoe, customercomplaintswithfollow-up Increasescustomersatisfactionand Ottawa participation/recovery Reducescontamination

Promotion and Education

Providedirectmailpromotionalmaterial, Increasesdiversion Windsor,Halton,Simcoe,Waterloo, i.e.,calendars,newsletter,etc.bybulk Raisecommunityawareness Muskoka,Cornwall,Ottawa, mail(CanadaPost) OVWRC,Russell,Carling,Countyof Peterborough Communityoutreachandeducation Increasesprogramawareness Halton,Essex-Windsor,Bluewater, throughseminarsanddemonstrationsat Pressureontheparentstorecyclefromkids CityofPeterborough,Peel,Simcoe, schoolsandcommunityevents Consistentmessageonprogramdetails Waterloo,Muskoka,York,Ottawa, Cornwall,OVWRC,Countyof Peterborough

Photo-BasedMaterials RelianceonBrands,ratherthanpackaging Windsor,Bluewater,Ottawa, Moreappealingtoresidents OVWRC,Waterloo,York,Peel Clearermessagetoresidents Increasesrecovery

Useofmultiplechannels,i.e.,special Consistentandcontinuousmessaging Windsor-Essex,Quinte,Toronto, events,website,homeshows,truck reinforcingtheprogram Waterloo,OVWRC,Ottawa, sales,print,TV,radio,etc. Abilitytoreachmultiplesegmentsthrough Muskoka,York,Peel diversificationofmedia

Useofvehiclesthatarelikelytobe Residentshaveaguidetosetoutitemsand Waterloo,Muskoka,Ottawa, retained,suchasusefulcalendars,or dates Cornwall,Simcoe,York,OVWRC, phonebookprintedinformation Increasesdiversion Russell,PeterboroughCounty

P&Eavailableatdepotsanddepots Reducescontamination OVWRC,Simcoe,Waterloo, wellsigned Increasesdiversion Cornwall

Lottery,giveaways,andrewardsfor Increasesprogramawareness Hamilton participation

Policies and Incentives

ProvisionoffreeBlueBoxesonlyto Increaseddiversion EssexWindsor,London,Russell, newresidentsorasareplacementfora Lowerlikelihoodofmisuseandabuse Ottawa,Toronto,Peel,Simcoe, brokenone York

Newmulti-familyconstructionmust Eliminatesfacilitiesissuesasadisincentiveto Peel,Toronto providespaceforrecyclingcontainers. recycle

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Inordertobeeligibleformunicipal Increasesdiversion Toronto,Orillia garbagecollection,themulti-family Raisecommunityawareness buildingmustbefullyparticipatinginthe municipalrecyclingprogram.

Setamaximumamountofgarbage Increasesdiversion Toronto allowedatmulti-familybuildingsbased Raisecommunityawareness onunitcount

Setaminimumamountofrecyclingthat Increasesdiversion Toronto mustbecollectedfromeachmulti- Raisecommunityawareness familybuildingoncollectiondayinorder tobeconsideredfullyparticipatingin recycling.

WasteManagementbylaws Increasesdiversion Hamilton,Toronto,Muskoka, Raisecommunityawareness Simcoe,Waterloo,York,Ottawa, Cornwall,OVWRC,Russell,Carling, CountyofPeterborough

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DecisionTreeforConditional BestPractices

Not all Best Practices apply universally to all Blue Box programs. A Decision Tree accounts for three major factors of program variability and allows for alignment of Conditional Best Practices with specific program characteristics.

OverviewofDecisionTree

Purpose ThepurposeoftheDecisionTreeistoguideBlueBoxprogrammanagersinterested inenhancingtheirprogramsthroughaseriesofchoicesthatcharacterizetheir programsandthatnarrowthelistofBestPracticespertainingtoeachoftheirBlue Boxprograms.Thedecisiontreemethodologywaschosenbecause:

FewBestPracticesareuniversallyapplicable Itallowsfordefiningunderwhatconditionscertainpracticesare“best” Itprovidesaholistic,systemsapproachinvolvingcombinationsofpracticesthat collectivelyresultinoptimalrecyclingprogramunderspecifiedconditions AworkinggroupoftheProjectTeamwasconvenedtostructuretheDecisionTree. SeveralTreeiterationsweredevelopedeachhavingvariousadvantagesand disadvantages.ThefinalversionoftheTreewasrefinedbythefullProjectTeam.

Intended Use TheDecisionTreeanditsoutputshavebeencreatedwithaverynarrowandspecific purpose–toprovideinitialguidancetomunicipalprogramoperatorsindesigning, managing,andoperatingtheirmunicipalBlueBoxprogram.TheTreeintendsto describe,ingeneralterms,thedesiredstateforagivenprogramtype,whichmayor maynotbedifferentfromthecurrentstateofoperations.Thegap,ifoneexists,may beattributedtoanumberoffactors,including,butnotlimitedto:

InherentcommunitycharacteristicsthatarenotcapturedbytheDecisionTree Conditionsthatarenotwithinmunicipality’sspanofcontrol Historicalbarriersaffectingprogramevolution Lackofskills,knowledge,andmanagementfocus Regardlessofthecauseofthegap,municipalprogramcoordinatorsareadvisedto becomefamiliarwiththeFundamentalandConditionalBestPracticesapplicableto

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theircommunityprofileandevaluatethefeasibilityandappropriatenessofadopting thesepracticestoenhancetheirprogramefficiencyandeffectiveness.Inaddition, eachcommunitywillneedtodeterminethespecificmeansbywhicheachpractice shouldbeimplementedbasedonitsownuniqueconditionsandcircumstances.Itis onlythroughsuchcarefuldesignandimplementationthatthatthepractices identifiedinthisreportwilltrulybeemployedinabestpracticesfashion.TheProject TeamenvisionsthatStewardshipOntarioandotherstakeholderorganizationswillbe developingmoredetailedguidanceandofferingtechnicalassistancetoaid communitiesinmakingthistransition.

Geography Breakpoints: DecisionTreeStructure

The basis for delineation between Foundational “Roots” Northern and Southern communities is TheDecisionTreeisfoundedupontheBestPracticesdefinitionandprinciples,with Blue Box Program Plan legislation, which defines physical boundaries of theunderstandingthatFundamentalBestPracticesapplytoallprograms,regardless Northern and Southern parts of the ofcommunitycharacteristics. province. Inaddition,theTreeisrootedintheBlueBoxprogramlegislation,whichdefines geographyandpopulationthresholdsforoperatingamunicipalrecyclingprogramin Program Size Breakpoints: Ontario.Italsotakesintoconsiderationtheprovincialguidanceaimedatachieving

60%diversionofBlueBoxmaterials. Program size is defined by the annual Blue Box material tonnes marketed by Alsoconsideredfoundationalisthatallprogramsneedtoprovideforworkerand the program. publicsafetywithrespecttofacilitydesignandprogramoperations.

Small: less than 10,000 tonnes Medium: 10,000 - 40,000 tonnes Nodes or “Branches” Large: more than 40,000 tonnes Thedegreeofprogramvariance,describedearlierinthisreport,necessitatesa frameworktologicallygroupandclusterprogramsthatexhibitsimilarcharacteristics.

However,byaccountingforalargenumberofobservedprogramvariations,the Household Density Breakpoints: numberofpotentialgroupscanbecomeextremelylargeandnonsensical.For Household density is defined by the example,asetofonlytenvariationswithtwochoiceseachwillproduce1024 number of households per kilometre of possiblecombinations(2 10 ),farexceedingthenumberofexistingOntarioprograms road in the municipalities: (lessthan200).Therefore,theTeamchosetoaccountforthreemainprogram

variablesconsideredtohavesignificantimpactonprogramdesignandoperations. Rural: less than 10 households/km Suburban: 10-70 households/km Asaresult,theDecisionTreehasthreenodesor“branches”,delineatedasfollows Urban: more than 70 households/km andillustratedinthethreefiguresbelow.

Geography: NorthorSouth(2choices) Program size: definedbyannualtonnagehandledthroughtheprogram:Small, Medium,Large(3choices) Household density: definedbynumberofhouseholdsperkilometre:Rural, Suburban,Urban(3choices) Theimplicationofthisframeworkisthatdependingonthecommunity’sgeographic location,size,anddensity,adifferentsetofBestPracticeswillapply.Conditional BestPracticestakeintoaccounttheseprogramdifferences.

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IllustrativeExampleoftheDecisionTreeStructure

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Southern Small Density Density Assessment Assessment

Is your Proceed to household density less than 10 Yes Southern Small homes per kilometer Rural Profile of roads?

Is your Proceed to household density between 10 Yes Southern Small and 70 homes per kilometer Suburban Profile of roads?

Your Proceed to household density is more Yes Southern Small than 70 homes per kilometer Urban Profile of roads?

A Different Approach The questions on this page require you to know how many kilometers of roads within the service area exist to calculate the number of households per kilometer of road. You should be able to get the kilometers from your roads or planning department as they are used to report your performance under the Municipal Performance Measures Program managed by Municipal Affairs.

Nevertheless, if you are unsure of the number of kilometers of roads in your community or how to proceed before you have the data, you can use the following rule of thumb approach. 1) If you are a predominantly rural community (at least 80% of households are rural) then you are likely classified as having less than 10 households per kilometer of road. 2) If you are a predominantly urban community (at least 80% of households are urban) with at least 20% of your households in multi residential dwellings then you are likely classified as having more than 70 households per kilometer of road. 3) If you fall in either previous category and are mostly suburban then you are likely classified as having between 10 and 70 households per kilometer of roads.

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Program Profiles TheDecisionTreeframeworkproducesatotalof18theoreticalprogramtypes,of which12actuallyexistinOntario.TheProjectTeamprepareddescriptionsofthe BestPracticesuseforeachofthese12programtypes.Termed“ProgramProfiles”, thesedescriptionsprovideguidanceonthedesiredstateofmunicipalrecycling programsforagivenprogramtype.ConditionalBestPracticesarediscussedineach ProgramProfile,augmentedbyreferencestoFundamentalBestPracticesand relevantBestPracticeSpotlights.PleaserefertotheTableofContentsatthe beginningofthisdocumentforthepagenumberoftheappropriateProgramProfile foryourcommunity.Fortheprogramsvisitedinthisproject,AppendixAliststhe applicableprogramprofiles.

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ProgramProfile Small Rural Southern Blue Box Program

Overview

UseofProgramProfile ThisProgramProfile,pairedwiththeFundamentalBestPracticeandSpotlight summaries,isdesignedtoprovidegeneralguidancetomunicipalitiesonhowto Thisdocumentisintendedtoprovide design,manage,andoperatetheirBlueBoxprogramsunderBestPractices.Itis generalguidance,notdetailed specificallytailoredtoprogramsofdefinedsize,density,andgeographyinorderto prescriptiverecommendations,on enhanceapplicabilityofBestPracticesandincreasethelikelihoodoftheiradoption. howanygivenprogramshouldbe structured. TheProjectTeambelievesthatby Program Characteristics adoptingBestPracticesoutlinedin thisdocument,recyclingcoordinators ThefollowingcharacteristicswereusedtodefinethisProgramProfile: willimprovetheperformanceoftheir BlueBoxprogram.However,the GeographicalRegion :Southerncommunity degreeofimprovementwillvary acrossmunicipalities,asmultiple SizeofProgram :Generatinglessthan10,000tonnesperyear factorscontributetooverallprogram performance.Furthermore,more- ResidentialDensity :Lessthan10homesperkilometreofroad(morethan detailedguidancemaybeneededby 80%rural) somecommunitiestoensurethat practicesaretrulyimplementedina BestPracticesfashion. Programsinthisprofileareruralinnature,withonlyasmallportionofhouseholds locatedinurbanareas.TheseprogramsmaybemanagedbyaTownshipora County,withverylittleurbandevelopment.Thechallengeinthisgroupistoachieve diversiongoalsandprovideefficient,cost-effectivecurbsideanddepotserviceto ruralhouseholds.

Applicable Best Practices

EachoftheFundamentalBestPracticeslistedinthetablebelowappliestoallBlue Boxprograms.Thesepracticesareintroducedinthetextbelow,anddescribedin greaterdetailintheseparateFundamentalBestPracticesummaries.

ConditionalBestPracticesthatapplytoeveryprograminthisprofilearealsolistedin thetable.SeveralotherConditionalPracticesarebestforsome,butnotallprograms inthisprofile.Thesepracticesandthespecificconditionsunderwhichtheyapply arediscussedbelow.Leadingpracticesarepresentedinboldtype,foreaseof reference.Additionalguidanceregardingpracticesthatmaybebestundercertain circumstancesisalsoprovidedforconsideration.Lastly,supplementarybest practicesguidanceforspecificprogramareas(e.g.,collection,processing,depotand multi-residentialrecycling)canbefoundinthe“Spotlight”summaries.

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FUNDAMENTALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoallprogramsinallprofiles

Developmentandimplementationofanup-to-dateplanforrecycling,aspartof anintegratedwastemanagementsystem Multi-municipalplanningapproachtocollectionandprocessingrecyclables Establishingdefinedperformancemeasuresincludingdiversiontargetsand monitoringandacontinuousimprovementprogram Optimizationofoperationsincollectionsandprocessing Trainingofkeyprogramstaffincorecompetenciesrequired Followinggenerallyacceptedprinciplesforeffectiveprocurementandcontract management Appropriatelyplanned,designed,andfundedpromotionandeducationprogram Establishedandenforcedpoliciesthatinducewastediversion

CONDITIONALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoprogramsfittingthisprofile

ExpandedlistofBlueBoxmaterialsaccepted

Program Planning and Design

Limitedresources,lackoflandfillspace,andtheneedtofocusonprioritiesandbe resourcefularethemainreasonsfor maintaining and implementing an up-to- date plan for recycling as part of an integrated waste management system . Suchaplanwillensureastrategicmanagementfocusthat,whencombinedwith complementarywastereduction,organics,reuse,energyfromwaste,andwaste diversionincentives(baglimits,userpay),willresultinarobustBlueBoxprogram. Additionalelementsofaplanforrecyclingaspartofanintegratedwaste managementsystemcanbefoundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBestPractices section.

Thisprofilegroupoffersconsiderablepotentialformulti-municipalcooperation.A multi-municipal planning approach enablesparticipatingjurisdictionstoevaluate opportunitiestoworktogetherinmakingthemostefficientuseoflimitedpersonnel andequipmentresources,togenerateeconomiesofscale,andtoimprovemarket leveragewhencontractingandmovingrecyclablematerialsintothemarketplace.In addition,communitiescanworktogetherinaregiontoestablishacommonlistof targetmaterialsandsimilarcollectionprograms.Thiswillcreateconsistencyamong neighbouringmunicipalities,whichfacilitatespublicunderstandingregardingwhat andhowtorecycle.Afurtherbenefitistheabilitytodevelopcontingencyplanswith neighbouringjurisdictions.Aggregationofblueboxtonnagethroughshareduseof processingfacilitieswillresultinhigherthroughput,therebyloweringper-tonnenet costsforallparticipatingcommunities.Additionaldiscussionofthedetailsofamulti-

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municipalplanningapproachcanbefoundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBest Practicessection.

Havingaplanisofonlylimitedbenefitifthereareno defined diversion targets and performance measures, supported by data collection and analysis that measure the effectiveness of the plan and its implementation .Performance measuresanddatatobeobtainedincludemonitoringofdiversionamounts, conductingwasteaudits,andconductingparticipationstudies.Itiswithsuch programmonitoringthatsounddecisionscanbemadebasedonlocalprogramdata, withinaframeworkofacontinuouslyimprovingtheprogram.Additionaldiscussion ofperformancemeasuresandprogrammonitoringcanbefoundinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Performancedata,onceobtainedandanalyzed,willallowforthe optimization of operations .Thebenefitsofoptimizationincludebalancedroutesandpayloads, reducedcollectiontime(andthereforereducedcollectioncosts),andlesscostly processing.Specificopportunitiesthatapplytoprogramsofthisprofilearefurther discussedintheCollectionandProcessingsectionsofthisProgramProfileandin thecorrespondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Forcommunitieswithinthisprofile,programsdesignedtoachieve60%diversionof BlueBoxmaterialswouldneedto collect the five mandatory Blue Box materials as well as some of the “supplementary” Blue Box materials that:comprisea significantportionofthewastestream(asdeterminedbywasteaudits),havereliable markets,andcanbepracticallyrecoveredforrecycling.Forprogramswithinthis groupingthatdonotpresentlyhavetheirownMRF,choicesregardingdesignated materialstobeincludedincollectionandthedegreeofcomminglingofthese materialswillbedeterminedbythecharacteristicsoftheMRFwheretheirmaterials arecurrently,orpotentially,processed.

Collection

Useof drop-off depots for recovering recyclables is a Best Practice in low- density rural areas ,wherecurbsiderecyclingiscostprohibitive.Itismorecost- effectivetoemploytheuseofdepotsinareaswherecurbsidecollectioncosts exceed$50perhouseholdperyear. This is almost always the case for rural communities generating less than 2000 tonnes per year .(Seethetextboxatthe endofthedocumentforspecificinformationoncollectionandprocessingbest practicesforprogramsofthissize.)

Evenwhencurbsidecollectionisprovided, drop-off depots aretheBestPractice to collect overflow Blue Box materials and additional recyclable materials, for which curbside collection is not practical or cost-effective .SupportingBest Practicesrelatedtodrop-offdepotsarediscussedinthecorrespondingBestPractice Spotlight . Where feasible, if anywhere, curbside collection of recyclables should be used to service all available curbside-eligible households in the community . BestPracticesforcurbsiderecyclinginjurisdictionsofthisprofiletypearediscussed

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intheCollectionsectionbelow,withmoreinformationoncurbsidecollection providedinthecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Communitiesofthisprofilewilllikelyhaveaminimalmulti-familypopulation. Multi- family recyclables collection, if performed, should be incorporated into curbside collection service routes wherever possible to minimize collection costs. Becauseoftheuniquechallengesofmulti-familyrecycling,associatedBest PracticesarefurtherdiscussedinthecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Toincreasetheeconomicfeasibilityofcurbsiderecycling,itisaBestPracticeto employ measures that increase the amount of material collected per stop and maximize collection efficiency .Thisisparticularlyimportantinareasoflow- densitypopulation,asitismorechallengingtoperformcurbsiderecyclingatan annualper-householdcostbelow$50.

For curbside programs, providing sufficient rigid collection containers free of charge toresidentswillensurethatoverflowmaterialsarenotdisposed.Selection ofthesizeand/ornumberofcontainersneedstotakeintoconsiderationestimated setoutvolumeofrecyclables,basedonthefrequencyofcollection.Mostprograms willprovideweeklyorbi-weeklycollectionofrecyclables. When curbside collection service is provided, collection of Blue Box materials should be at least as frequent as waste collection.

Thenumberofstreamscollectedwillbedictatedbytheprocessingoptionsavailable totheprogram,asdiscussedinthenextsection.Singlestreamcollectioncan benefitsmallruralprogramsbecauseofthereducedcollectionandtransfercosts whenasinglestreamMRFislocatedwithinaone-hour’sdrive.Furthermore, becausetransferofrecyclablesmaybecost-effectivefortransportingmaterials, handlingBlueBoxmaterialsinasinglestreamcanminimizeglassbreakagedueto thecushioningpropertiesofpaperandplasticproductsasmaterialsaretipped, loadedintoatransfertrailer,andtippedagain.

Otheropportunitiesforimprovingcollectionefficienciesandreducingcoststhat applytoprogramsmatchingthisprofileincludetheuseofincreasedcommingling andcontrolledcompaction,whereapplicableandreducingnon-productiveoperator time..TheseandotherBestPracticesareexpandeduponinthecorrespondingBest PracticeSpotlight.

Processing

Ourresearchandvariousstudieshavecometothesameconclusionwithrespectto operatingamaterialrecoveryfacility(MRF)withlessthan10,000tonnesperyear. Theresultsshowthatitisextremelydifficulttojustifythecapitalexpensetobuild thefacilityandkeepitoperatedonafull-timebasis,typicallyresultinginoperating costsinexcessof$100pertonneprocessed.

Wheneverpossible,allprogramswiththisprofileshould explore partnership opportunities and/or use larger MRFs available in neighbouring jurisdictions,

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located within an hour’s drive. Sucharrangementscanprovideforefficient processingofrecyclablesandusuallyofferabroaderrangeofmaterials.

IfaneighbouringlargerMRFisnotavailablewithinreach,partnershipopportunities shouldbeexploredforallprograms,especiallythoseinthelowertonnagerange. TheaggregationofblueboxtonnagewillresultinalargerMRF’srequirementof higherthroughput,therebyloweringper-tonneprocessingcostsforallparticipating communities.Withenoughcooperation,itmaybepossibletobreakthroughthe 10,000tonnes“barrier”and/or$100pertonnethresholdandmaximizeeconomies ofscale.

Intheabsenceofmulti-municipalcooperation,theprogram’snextbestoptionmay betotransferandshipmaterialstoamoredistantMRF.Anycommunitywithmore thanaonehourhauldistancetoaMRFshouldconsidertheuseoftransferfacilities topotentiallyreducesystemcosts. Preference should be given to MRFs that can handle single stream materials tomaximizecollectionandtransfersavings.

Asalastoption,someprogramshavebeensuccessfulatkeepingcostslowby sortingmostorallthematerialsatthecurbandperformingrudimentaryprocessing, usuallylimitedtomonitoringforcontaminantsandbalingformaterialshipment.This typicallyresultsinhighercollectioncostsandasomewhatlimitedtargetmaterial range.Oneadditionalalternativeistoprovidealternatingweekcollection,combined withabasicmanualsortinglinethatcanbeusedforbothfibresandcontainers,as needed.OtheroptimizationstrategiesforMRFsaremorefullydiscussedinthe correspondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Training

BestPracticesinclude ensuring key program staff are adequately trained inthe corecompetenciesrequiredforeachduty.Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Procurement and Contract Management

BestPracticesincludefollowing generally accepted principles for effective procurement and contract management .Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Promotion and Education

An effective promotion and education (P&E) program leadstohigherresident participationrates,improvedmaterialquality,lowerresiduerates,andincreased customersatisfaction.AvarietyofP&Estrategiescanbeemployedbymunicipal programstoachievedesiredprogramgoals,asdescribedinthecorresponding FundamentalBestPracticessection.

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availabilityofmassmediaforprogramsofthisprofile,amulti-municipalmassmedia campaigncanbeemployedthatallowsforconsistentpromotionofmessages,as residentscontinuallyrelocatebetweenneighbouringjurisdictions.

Policies and Incentives

Inordertoachievethe60%diversiontargetsetbytheProvince,programsinthis categorywillneedto use incentives and policies that promote waste diversion . Suchtoolsmayincludesolidwastebaglimits,userpayprogramforwaste,and/or enforcedmandatoryrecyclingbylaws.Eachcommunityneedstoevaluateitswaste diversionplansandinitiativestodeterminetherightbalanceofeconomicandnon- monetaryincentives.Adetaileddiscussionofpoliciesandincentivesthat,when establishedandenforced,servetoinducewastediversioncanbefoundinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Spotlight: Rural Communities with less than 10 homes per km of roads (80% Rural) where curbside collection is cost prohibitive

Collection

ForsomeruralcommunitiesinOntario,curbsiderecyclingserviceiscostprohibitive,meaningitislikelytoexceed$50per householdperyear.Itisoftenlogisticallyimpractical,giventhelimitedresourcesofcommunitiesofthatsize.TheBestPractice forcollectionofrecyclablesinthesesmallcommunitiesis use of drop-off depots to collect Blue Box materials .

Wheneverpossible(meaningifthereisasuitableMRFwithinareasonablehauldistance), collection should be conducted with the greatest degree of commingling in order to result in significant savings in transfer costs .Furthermore, controlled compaction canbeusedtomaximizepayloads.Compactionatadepotcantakeplaceintheformofaroll-off compactorunit,wherepowerandarampisavailableorwiththeuseoffront-endcontainersanditsassociatedcollectionvehicle tocollectoneormorestreamscompacted.Thecompactionneedstobecontrolledsothatthepressureissufficienttoachievea reasonableamountofvolumereduction,withoutover-compactingthematerials.SupportingBestPracticesrelatedto establishmentandoperationofdrop-offdepotsarediscussedfurtherin thecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Processing

Partnership and transfer opportunities should be explored forsuchsmallruralprograms.Operatingamaterialrecovery facilityinthisvolumerangeisnotfeasible.Wheneverpossible,programshandlinglessthan2,000tonnesshould use a larger MRF available in neighbouring jurisdictions .

IntheabsenceofaneighbouringMRF,theprogram’snextbestoptionistotransferandshiptoamoredistantMRF.Any communitywithmorethanaonehourhauldistancetoaMRFshouldconsidertheuseoftransferfacilitiestopotentiallyreduce systemcosts. Preference should be given to MRFs that can handle single stream materials tominimizetransfercosts. SupportingBestPracticesrelatedtotransferofrecyclablematerialsarediscussedfurtherin thecorrespondingBestPractice Spotlight.

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ProgramProfile Small Suburban Southern Blue Box Program

Overview

UseofProgramProfile ThisProgramProfile,pairedwiththeFundamentalBestPracticeandSpotlight summaries,isdesignedtoprovidegeneralguidancetomunicipalitiesonhowto Itisimportanttonotethatthis design,manage,andoperatetheirBlueBoxprogramsunderBestPractices.Itis documentisintendedtoprovide specificallytailoredtoprogramsofdefinedsize,density,andgeographyinorderto generalguidance,notdetailed, enhanceapplicabilityofBestPracticesandincreasethelikelihoodoftheiradoption. prescriptiverecommendations,on howanygivenprogramshouldbe structured. Program Characteristics TheProjectTeambelievesthatby adoptingBestPracticesoutlinedin ThefollowingcharacteristicswereusedtodefinethisProgramProfile: thisdocument,recyclingcoordinators willimprov etheperformanceoftheir GeographicalRegion :Southerncommunity BlueBoxprogram.However,the degreeofimprovementwillvary SizeofProgram :Generatinglessthan10,000tonnesperyear acrossmunicipalities,asmultiple factorscontributetooverallprogram ResidentialDensity :Between10and70homesperkilometreofroads performance.Furthermore,more- (mixedurbanandrural,orsuburban) detailedguidancemaybeneededby somecommunitiestoensurethat Programshavingthisprofilemayhaveamixofruralandurbanareas,witha practicesaretrulyimplementedina reasonableportionofhouseholdslocatedinurbansettings(between20%and80%). BestPracticesfashion. TheseprogramsmaybebetterknownasasmallVillageorTown,orperhapsevena relativelyruralCounty.Landfillspaceiseitherexceptionallycostlyorisalreadylost todevelopment.Thechallengeinthisgroupistoachievediversiongoalsand provideefficient,costeffectiverecyclingservicestopotentiallybothruralandurban residentswithlimitedmulti-familyunits.

Applicable Best Practices

EachoftheFundamentalBestPracticeslistedinthetablebelowappliestoallBlue Boxprograms.Thesepracticesareintroducedinthetextbelow,anddescribedin greaterdetailintheseparateFundamentalBestPracticesummaries.

FUNDAMENTALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoallprogramsinallprofiles

Developmentandimplementationofanup-to-dateplanforrecycling,aspartof anintegratedwastemanagementsystem

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Multi-municipalplanningapproachtocollectionandprocessingrecyclables Establishingdefinedperformancemeasuresincludingdiversiontargetsand monitoringandacontinuousimprovementprogram Optimizationofoperationsincollectionsandprocessing Trainingofkeyprogramstaffincorecompetenciesrequired Followinggenerallyacceptedprinciplesforeffectiveprocurementandcontract management Appropriatelyplanned,designed,andfundedpromotionandeducationprogram Establishedandenforcedpoliciesthatinducewastediversion

CONDITIONALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoallprogramsfittingthisprofile

ExpandedlistofBlueBoxmaterialsaccepted

Program Planning and Design

Itisimportantto maintain and implement an up-to-date plan for recycling as part of an integrated waste management system .Suchaplanwillensurea strategicmanagementfocusthat,whencombinedwithcomplementarywaste reduction,organics,reuse,energyfromwaste,andwastediversionincentives(bag limits,userpay),willresultinarobustBlueBoxprogram.Additionalelementsofa planforrecycling,aspartofanintegratedwastemanagementsystem,canbefound inthecorrespondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

A multi-municipal planning approach enablesparticipatingjurisdictionsthe opportunitytoevaluateopportunitiestoworktogetherinmakingthemostefficient useoflimitedpersonnelandequipmentresources,togenerateeconomiesofscale, andtoimprovemarketleveragewhencontractingandmovingrecyclablematerials intothemarketplace.Inaddition,communitiescanworktogetherinaregionto establishacommonlistoftargetmaterialsandsimilarcollectionprograms.Thiswill createconsistencyamongneighbouringmunicipalities,whichfacilitatespublic understandingregardingwhatandhowtorecycle.Thisisparticularlyimportant,as residentsoftenrelocatebetweenneighbouringjurisdictions.Afurtherbenefitisthe abilitytodevelopcontingencyplanswithneighbouringjurisdictions.Thiscommunity groupalsooffersconsiderablepotentialformulti-municipalcooperationbeyond planningforcollection,processing,andmarketing.Aggregationofblueboxtonnage willresultinhigherthroughput,therebyloweringper-tonnenetcostsforall participatingcommunities.Additionaldiscussionofthedetailsofamulti-municipal planningapproachcanbefoundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBestPractices section.

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audits,andconductingparticipationstudies.Itiswithsuchprogrammonitoringthat sounddecisionscanbemadebasedonlocalprogramdata,withinaframeworkofa continuouslyimprovingtheprogram.Additionaldiscussionofperformancemeasures andprogrammonitoringcanbefoundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBest Practicessection.

Collection

Havingamixofruralandurbanareas,asisthecaseforprogramshavingthisprofile, resultsin curbside recycling being cost-justified in some areas and drop-off depots being more cost-effective in others .Inareaswherecurbsidecollection costsexceed$50perhouseholdperyear,itismorecost-effectivetoprovide recyclingserviceusingresidentialdrop-offdepots.Evenwhencurbsidecollectionis provided, drop-off depots aretheBestPractice to collect overflow Blue Box materials and additional types of recyclable materials, for which curbside collection is not practical or cost-effective .SupportingBestPracticesrelatedto drop-offdepotsarediscussedinthecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight. Where feasible, curbside collection of recyclables should be used to service all available curbside-eligible households. BestPracticesforcurbsiderecyclingin jurisdictionsofthisprofiletypearediscussedintheCollectionsectionbelow,with moreinformationoncurbsiderecyclingprovidedinthecorrespondingBestPractice Spotlight.

Programsofthisprofilearelikelytohavesome,butnotalargenumberofmulti- familyhousingunits. Multi-family recyclables collection should be incorporated into curbside collection service routes wherever possible to minimize collection costs .Becauseoftheuniquechallengesofmulti-familyrecycling, associatedBestPracticesarefurtherdiscussedinthecorrespondingBestPractice Spotlight.

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Toincreasetheeconomicfeasibilityofcurbsiderecycling,itisaBestPracticeto employ measures that increase the amount of material collected per stop and maximize collection efficiency .

For curbside collection programs, providing sufficient rigid collection containers free of charge toresidentswillensurethatoverflowmaterialsarenot disposed.Selectionofthesizeand/ornumberofcontainersneedstotakeinto considerationestimatedsetoutvolumeofrecyclables,basedonthefrequencyof collection.Mostprogramswillprovideweeklyorbi-weeklycollectionofrecyclables. Collection of Blue Box materials should be at least as frequent as waste collection when curbside collection service is provided.

Thenumberofstreamscollectedwillbedictatedbytheprocessingoptionsavailable totheprogramasdiscussedinthenextsection.Singlestreamcollectioncanbenefit theremoteportionsoftheregionduetoreducedcollectioncostswhenasingle streamMRFislocatedwithinaone-hour’sdrive.Furthermore,becausetransferof recyclablesmaybecost-effectivefortransportingmaterials,handlingBlueBox materialsinasinglestreamcanminimizeglassbreakageduetothecushioning propertiesofpaperandplasticproductsasmaterialsaretipped,loadedintoa transfertrailer,andtippedagain.

Furthermore,becausetransferofrecyclablesmaybecost-effectivefortransporting materialsfromremotepartsoftheregion,handlingBlueBoxmaterialsinasingle streamcanminimizeglassbreakageduetothecushioningpropertiesofpaperand plasticproductsasmaterialsaretipped,loadedintoatransfertrailer,andtipped again.

Collectingmaterialssinglestreamallowsothercollectionpracticestobe implementedthatcansignificantlyreducethecollectioncost.Oneofthese practicesis controlled compaction thatallowscollectiontobemoreproductive becausetruckscanstayonroutelongerbeforefilling.Thecompactionneedstobe controlledsothatthepressureissufficienttoachieveareasonableamountof volumereduction,withoutover-compactingthematerials.Over-compactionresults inglassbreakageandflatteningofroundcontainers,whichcancausetheautomated systemsinasinglestreamMRFtobelesseffectiveinseparatingflatpaperproducts fromroundcontainers.Compactioncanalsobeusedintwostreamcollection; however,theper-householdcostforcollectioninsinglestreamsystemsistypically lessthancomparabletwostreamsystemsbecausematerialscanbeloadedintoa singlestreamtruckinlesstime.

Otheropportunitiesforimprovingcollectionefficienciesandreducingcoststhat applytoprogramsmatchingthisprofileinclude:the use of route optimization software and providing carts or dumpsters at multi-family buildings. Theseand othercollectionoptimizationpracticesaremorefullydiscussedinthecorresponding BestPracticeSpotlight.

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Processing

Wheneverpossible,allprogramswiththisprofileshould explore partnership opportunities and/or use larger MRFs available in neighbouring jurisdictions, located within an hour’s drive .Sucharrangementscanprovideforefficient processingofrecyclablesandusuallyofferabroaderrangeofmaterials.

Training

BestPracticesinclude ensuring key program staff are adequately trained inthe corecompetenciesrequiredforeachduty.Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Procurement and Contract Management

BestPracticesincludefollowing generally accepted principles for effective procurement and contract management .Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

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Promotion and Education

Furthermore,toincreaseprogrameffectiveness,municipalitiesmayneedto coordinateP&Eactivitieswiththeirneighbours.Multi-municipalP&Eenables participatingcommunitiestohaveacommonlistoftargetmaterialsandsimilar collectionprogramsinneighbouringjurisdictions.Whencombinedwiththe availabilityofmassmediaforprogramsofthisprofile,amulti-municipalmassmedia campaigncanbeemployedthatallowsforconsistentpromotionofmessages,as residentscontinuallyrelocatebetweenneighbouringjurisdictions.

Policies and Incentives

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ProgramProfile Small Urban Southern Blue Box Program

Overview

UseofProgramProfile ThisProgramProfile,pairedwiththeFundamentalBestPracticeandSpotlight summaries,isdesignedtoprovidegeneralguidancetomunicipalitiesonhowto design,manage,andoperatetheirBlueBoxprogramsunderBestPractices.Itis Thisdocumentisintendedtoprovide generalguidance,notdetailed specificallytailoredtoprogramsofdefinedsize,density,andgeographyinorderto prescriptiverecommendations,on enhanceapplicabilityofBestPracticesandincreasethelikelihoodoftheiradoption. howanygivenprogramshouldbe structured. TheProjectTeambelievesthatby Program Characteristics adoptingBestPracticesoutlinedin thisdocument,recyclingcoordinators ThefollowingcharacteristicswereusedtodefinethisProgramProfile: willimprovetheperformanceoftheir BlueBoxprogram.However,the GeographicalRegion :Southerncommunity degreeofimprovementwillvary SizeofProgram :Generatinglessthan10,000tonnesperyear acrossmunicipalities,asmultiple factorscontributetooverallprogram ResidentialDensity :Morethan70homesperkmofroads(80%Urban) performance.Furthermore,more- detailedguidancemaybeneededby somecommunitiestoensurethat practicesaretrulyimplementedina Programshavingthisprofileareurbaninnature.Thesemunicipalitiesmaybebetter BestPracticesfashion. knownasalargeTownorasmallormediumCity,andarelikelytobeasignificant populationcenteroftheirarea.Landfillspaceiseitherexceptionallycostlyoris alreadylosttodevelopment.Thechallengeinthisgroupistoachievediversion goalsandmaximizeefficient,cost-effectiverecyclingservicestoallurbanresidents withanumberofmulti-familyunits.

Applicable Best Practices

EachoftheFundamentalBestPracticeslistedinthetablebelowappliestoallBlue Boxprograms.Thesepracticesareintroducedinthetextbelow,anddescribedin greaterdetailintheseparateFundamentalBestPracticesummaries.

FUNDAMENTALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoallprogramsinallprofiles

Developmentandimplementationofanup-to-dateplanforrecycling,aspartof anintegratedwastemanagementsystem

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CONDITIONALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoallprogramsfittingthisprofile

ExpandedlistofBlueBoxmaterialsaccepted

Program Planning and Design

A multi-municipal planning approach enablesparticipatingjurisdictionsthe opportunitytoestablishacommonlistoftargetmaterialsandsimilarcollection programs.Thiswillcreateconsistencyamongneighbouringmunicipalities,which facilitatespublicunderstandingregardingwhatandhowtorecycle.Thisis particularlyimportant,asresidentsoftenrelocatebetweenneighbouringjurisdictions. Afurtherbenefitistheabilitytodevelopcontingencyplanswithneighbouring jurisdictions.Thiscommunitygroupalsooffersconsiderablepotentialformulti- municipalcooperationbeyondplanningforcollection,processing,andmarketing. Aggregationofblueboxtonnagewillresultinhigherthroughput,therebylowering per-tonnenetcostsforallparticipatingcommunities.Additionaldiscussionofthe detailsofamulti-municipalplanningapproachcanbefoundinthecorresponding FundamentalBestPracticessection.

Havingaplanisofonlylimitedbenefitiftherearenodefined diversion targets and performance measures, supported by data collection and analysis thatmeasure theeffectivenessoftheplananditsimplementation.Performancemeasuresand datatobeobtainedincludemonitoringofdiversionamounts,conductingwaste audits,andconductingparticipationstudies.Itiswithsuchprogrammonitoringthat sounddecisionscanbemadebasedonlocalprogramdata,withinaframeworkofa continuouslyimprovingtheprogram.Additionaldiscussionofperformancemeasures

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andprogrammonitoringcanbefoundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBest Practicessection.

Forcommunitieswithinthisprofile,programsdesignedtoachieve60%diversionof BlueBoxmaterialswouldneedto collect the five mandatory Blue Box materials, as well as some of the “supplementary” Blue Box materials that:comprisea significantportionofthewastestream(asdeterminedbywasteaudits),havereliable markets,andcanbepracticallyrecoveredforrecycling.Forprogramswithinthis groupingthatdonotpresentlyhavetheirownMRF,choicesregardingdesignated materialstobeincludedincollectionandthedegreeofcomminglingofthese materialswillbedeterminedbythecharacteristicsoftheMRFwheretheirmaterials arecurrently,orpotentially,areprocessed.

Collection

Giventhehigh-densitynatureofhousingincommunitiesofthisprofile, curbside recycling is likely to be cost-effective and the primary means by which Blue Box materials should be collected .Curbsidecollectionisdiscussedfurtherbelow, aswellasinthecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight. Drop-off depots should be utilized to collect overflow Blue Box materials and additional recyclable materials for which curbside collection is not practical or cost-effective . SupportingBestPracticesrelatedtodrop-offdepotsarediscussedinthe correspondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Programsinthisprofilewilllikelyhaveasizablemulti-familypopulation. Multi- family recyclables collection needs to be a substantial part of this program, and should be integrated with curbside collection service wherever possible in ordertoensureprogramsuccess.Becauseoftheuniquechallengesofmulti-family recycling,associatedBestPracticesarefurtherdiscussedinthecorrespondingBest PracticeSpotlight.

Tominimizecurbsiderecyclingcosts,itisaBestPracticetoemploymeasuresthat increasetheamountofmaterialcollectedperstopandmaximizecollectionefficiency.

Providing sufficient rigid collection containers free of charge toresidentswill ensurethatoverflowmaterialsarenotdisposed.Selectionofthesizeand/ornumber ofcontainersneedstotakeintoconsiderationestimatedsetoutvolumeof recyclables,basedonthefrequencyofcollection.Mostprogramswillprovide weeklyorbi-weeklycollectionofrecyclables. Collection of Blue Box materials should be at least as frequent as waste collection.

Forprogramsinthisprofile,thenumberofstreamscollectedwillbedictatedbythe processingoptionsavailabletotheprogram,asdiscussedinthenextsection.Single

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streamcollectioncanbenefittheprogramduetoreducedcollectioncostswhena singlestreamMRFislocatedwithinaone-hour’sdrive.Furthermore,because transferofrecyclablesmaybecost-effectivefortransportingmaterials,handlingBlue Boxmaterialsinasinglestreamcanminimizeglassbreakageduetothecushioning propertiesofpaperandplasticproductsasmaterialsaretipped,loadedintoa transfertrailer,andtippedagain.

Otheropportunitiesforimprovingcollectionefficienciesandreducingcoststhat applytoprogramsmatchingthisprofileincludethe use of route optimization software and providing carts or dumpsters at multi-family complexes .These andothercollectionoptimizationpracticesaremorefullydiscussedinthe correspondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Processing

Wheneverpossible,allprogramswiththisprofileshould explore partnership opportunities and/or use larger MRFs available in neighbouring jurisdictions, located within an hour’s drive. Sucharrangementscanprovideforefficient processingofrecyclablesandusuallyofferabroaderrangeofmaterials.

Intheabsenceofmulti-municipalcooperation,theprogram’snextbestoptionmay betotransferandshipmaterialstoamoredistantMRF.Anycommunitywithmore thanaonehourhauldistancetoaMRFshouldconsidertheuseoftransferfacilities topotentiallyreducesystemcosts.PreferencesshouldbegiventoMRFsthatcan handlesinglestreammaterialstomaximizecollectionandtransfersavings.

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Training

BestPracticesinclude ensuring key program staff are adequately trained inthe corecompetenciesrequiredforeachduty.Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Procurement and Contract Management

BestPracticesincludefollowing generally accepted principles for effective procurement and contract management .Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Promotion and Education

Policies and Incentives

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ProgramProfileProgramProfile Medium Rural Southern Blue Box Program

Overview

UseofProgramProfile ThisProgramProfile,pairedwiththeFundamentalBestPracticeandSpotlight summaries,isdesignedtoprovidegeneralguidancetomunicipalitiesonhowto Thisdocu mentisintendedtoprovide design,manage,andoperatetheirBlueBoxprogramsunderBestPractices.Itis generalguidance,notdetailed specificallytailoredtoprogramsofdefinedsize,density,andgeographyinorderto prescriptiverecommendations,on enhanceapplicabilityofBestPracticesandincreasethelikelihoodoftheiradoption. howanygivenprogramshouldbe structured. TheProjectTeambelievesthatby Program Characteristics adoptingBestPracticesoutlinedin thisdocument,recyclingcoordinators ThefollowingcharacteristicswereusedtodefinethisProgramProfile: willimpro vetheperformanceoftheir BlueBoxprogram.However,the GeographicalRegion :Southerncommunity degreeofimprovementwillvary acrossmunicipalities,asmultiple SizeofProgram :Generatingbetween10,000and40,000tonnesperyear factorscontributetooverallprogram performance.Furthermore,more- ResidentialDensity :Lessthan10homesperkmofroads(morethan80% detailedguidancemaybeneededby rural) somecommunitiestoensurethat practicesaretrulyimplementedina Programshavingthisprofileareruralandregionalinnature,comprisedofanumber BestPracticesfashion. ofsmallcities,towns,andtownships,withonlyasmallportionofhouseholds locatedinurbanareas.Thechallengeinthisgroupistoachievediversiongoalsand provideefficient,cost-effectivecurbsideserviceandtotransportrecyclablestoa MRF.

Applicable Best Practices

EachoftheFundamentalBestPracticeslistedinthetablebelowappliestoallBlue Boxprograms.Thesepracticesareintroducedinthetextbelow,anddescribedin greaterdetailintheseparateFundamentalBestPracticesummaries.

FUNDAMENTALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoallprogramsinallprofiles

Developmentandimplementationofanup-to-dateplanforrecycling,aspartof anintegratedwastemanagementsystem Multi-municipalplanningapproachtocollectionandprocessingrecyclables

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Establishingdefinedperformancemeasuresincludingdiversiontargetsand monitoringandacontinuousimprovementprogram Optimizationofoperationsincollectionsandprocessing Trainingofkeyprogramstaffincorecompetenciesrequired Followinggenerallyacceptedprinciplesforeffectiveprocurementandcontract management Appropriatelyplanned,designed,andfundedpromotionandeducationprogram Establishedandenforcedpoliciesthatinducewastediversion

CONDITIONALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoallprogramsfittingthisprofile

ExpandedlistofBlueBoxmaterialsaccepted TwostreamcollectionandprocessingofBlueBoxmaterials

Program Planning and Design

Itisimportantto maintain and implement an up-to-date plan for recycling as part of an integrated waste management system .Suchaplanwillensurea strategicmanagementfocus,that,whencombinedwithcomplementarywaste reduction,organics,reuse,andwastediversionincentives(baglimits,userpay);will resultinarobustBlueBoxprogram.Additionalelementsofaplanforrecyclingas partofanintegratedwastemanagementsystemcanbefoundinthecorresponding FundamentalBestPracticessection.

AlthoughaprogramwithinthisgroupingwillbeabletosupportitsownMRF,some programdecisionswillhaveadirectimpactontheprogramsinsurroundingcounties, towns,andtownships.A multi-municipal planning approach willallow surroundingjurisdictionstoworktogethertomakethemostefficientuseoflimited personnel,improveeconomiesofscale,andimprovemarketleveragewhen contractingforservicesandmarketingrecoveredmaterials.Amulti-municipal planningapproachalsooffersparticipatingjurisdictionstheopportunitytoestablisha commonlistoftargetmaterialsandsimilarcollectionprograms.Thiswillcreate consistencyamongneighbouringmunicipalities,whichfacilitatespublic understandingregardingwhatandhowtorecycle.Additionaldiscussionofthe detailsofamulti-municipalplanningapproachcanbefoundinthecorresponding FundamentalBestPracticessection.

Havingaplanisofonlylimitedbenefitiftherearenodefined diversion targets and performance measures, supported by data collection and analysis thatmeasure theeffectivenessoftheplananditsimplementation.Performancemeasuresand datatobeobtainedincludemonitoringofdiversionamounts,conductingwaste audits,andconductingparticipationstudies.Itiswithsuchprogrammonitoringthat sounddecisionscanbemadebasedonlocalprogramdata,withinaframeworkofa continuouslyimprovingtheprogram.Additionaldiscussionofperformancemeasures

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andprogrammonitoringcanbefoundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBest Practicessection.

Performancedata,onceobtainedandanalyzed,willallowforthe optimization of operations .Thebenefitsofoptimizationincludebalancedroutesandpayloads, reducedcollectiontime(andthereforereducedcollectioncosts),andlesscostly processing.Duetothesizeofprogramsinthisgroupthereareopportunitiesto investincapitalequipmenttoautomatetherecyclingprocessandincreasetherate atwhichBlueBoxmaterialsarecollectedandprocessed.Specificopportunitiesthat applytoprogramsofthisprofilearefurtherdiscussedintheCollectionand ProcessingsectionsofthisProgramProfile.

Collection

Curbside collection of recyclables should be used to service all available curbside-eligible households in the community, supported by drop-off depots to provide access to recycling for residents in areas where density may not support curbside and/or to collect additional recyclable materials that are not collected curbside. Itismorecost-effectivetoemploytheuseofdepotsinareas wherecurbsidecollectioncostsexceed$50perhouseholdperyear.SupportingBest Practicesrelatedtodrop-offdepotsarediscussedinthecorrespondingBestPractice Spotlight.

Multi-familyhouseholderswilllikelycompriseaverysmallportionofthepopulation. Ifoffered, multi-residential recyclables collection should be integrated with curbside collection service wherever possible .

Providingsufficient rigid collection containers free of charge toresidentswill ensurethatoverflowmaterialsarenotdisposed.Selectionofthesizeand/ornumber ofcontainersneedstotakeintoconsiderationestimatedsetoutvolumeof recyclables,basedonthefrequencyofcollection .Mostprogramswillprovide weeklyorbi-weeklycollectionofrecyclables. Collection of Blue Box materials should be at least as frequent as waste collection .

Programs within this profile should be collecting recyclables in two streams (i.e.,fibresandcontainers),withthepossibleexceptionofkeepingglassseparateas athirdstream.Single-streamrecyclingislikelynotwarrantedforprogramsofthis profile,unlessaregionalsinglestreamMRFexistsorcanbeconstructedthatwould processtonnagesnearorabove40,000tonnesperyear(otherwisecapitalcosts couldnegativelyimpactcost-effectiveness).Thecostofadditionalcurbsidesorting beyonda2streamrecyclablessystemshouldbeweighedagainstthemeritsofany reducedprocessingrequiredandthepotentialofadditionalrevenue.

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Opportunitiesforincreasingrecyclablescollectionefficienciesandreducingcosts growwithincreasedcommingling.Two-streamcollectionenablesthe implementationofpractices,suchas controlled compaction .Compactionneedsto becontrolledsothatthepressureissufficienttoachieveareasonableamountof volumereduction,resultinginmoreproductivetimespendonroute,without resultinginexcessiveglassbreakage.

Transferofrecyclablesshouldbeconsideredifthedirecthaultimeofcollection vehiclestoaMRFexceedsonehour.TransfermayalsoprovidemoreMRF alternativestoprogramsthanavailablelocally.

Otheropportunitiesforimprovingcollectionefficienciesandreducingcoststhat applytoprogramsmatchingthisprofileincludethe use of route optimization software, and providing carts or dumpsters at multi-family complexes. These andothercollectionoptimizationpracticesaremorefullydiscussedinthe correspondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Processing

Partnership and transfer opportunities should be seriously explored for all programs with this profile in order to maximize processing efficiencies and allow surrounding jurisdictions the benefits of delivering materials to the program’s MRF. Two-stream processing (fibresandcontainers)ismost appropriateinthistonnagerange.Thecostofsinglestreamprocessingisgreater thanthatoftwostreamprocessingatthesamecapacity,andanticipatedsavingsin collectionareabletooffsettheseprocessingcostsonlyathighthroughputtonnages. OtheroptimizationstrategiesforMRFsaremorefullydiscussedinthe correspondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Training

BestPracticesinclude ensuring key program staff are adequately trained inthe corecompetenciesrequiredforeachduty.Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Procurement and Contract Management

BestPracticesinclude following generally accepted principles for effective procurement and contract management .Thisisdiscussed,indetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

AnotherBestPracticethatspecificallyappliestothisprofileisthe alignment of service contract lengths with equipment depreciation terms .Thispracticeis conditionalontheprogram:(1)contractingwithaserviceproviderratherthanusing municipalstaff;and(2)specifyingthattheserviceproviderprovidenewcollection equipmentordesignandbuildanewMRF.Thereasonforaligningthecontract lengthswithequipmentdepreciationtermsistoensurethattheprogramdoesn’t fullypayforequipmentthatmayhaveadditionallifeattheendofthecontract.In thecaseofMRFs,thetermshouldbealignedwiththefirstscheduledmajor

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overhauloftheplant’sequipment.Asuitablylongtermalsoensuresthatequipment isinstalledthathasalifecyclecostadvantagethatmaynotberealizedbythe contractoroverashorteroperatingperiod.

Whencontractingforprivatesectorcollectionandprocessingservices,consideration shouldbegiventotheadvantagesanddisadvantagesofseparateversuscombined contractsand,inbothcases,itisimportanttoidentifyseparatecostsforcollection andprocessing.WhencontractingwithaprivatesectorMRFoperator,the municipalityshouldkeepthepredominantproportionofmaterialsalesrevenue.

Promotion and Education

Policies and Incentives

Inordertoachievethe60%diversiontargetsetbytheProvince,programsinthis categorywillneedto use incentives and policies that promote waste diversion . Suchtoolsmayincludesolidwastebaglimits,userpayprogramonwaste,and/or enforcedmandatoryrecyclingbylaws.Eachcommunityneedstoevaluateitswaste diversionplansandinitiativestodeterminetherightbalanceofeconomicandnon- monetaryincentives.Adetaileddiscussionofpoliciesandincentivesthat,when establishedandenforced,servetoinducewastediversioncanbefoundinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

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ProgramProfile Medium Suburban Southern Blue Box Program

Overview

UseofProgramProfile ThisProgramProfile,pairedwiththeFundamentalBestPracticeandSpotlight summaries,isdesignedtoprovidegeneralguidancetomunicipalitiesonhowto design,manage,andoperatetheirBlueBoxprogramsunderBestPractices.Itis Thisdocumentisintendedtoprovide generalguidance,notdetailed specificallytailoredtoprogramsofdefinedsize,density,andgeographyinorderto prescriptiverecommendations,on enhanceapplicabilityofBestPracticesandincreasethelikelihoodoftheiradoption. howanygivenprogramshouldbe structured. TheProjectTeambelievesthatby Program Characteristics adoptingBestPracticesoutlinedin thisdocument,recyclingcoordinators ThefollowingcharacteristicswereusedtodefinethisProgramProfile: willimprovetheperformanceoftheir BlueBoxprogram.However,the GeographicalRegion :Southerncommunity degreeofimprovementwillvary acrossmunicipalities,asmultiple SizeofProgram :Generatingbetween10,000and40,000tonnesperyear factorscontributetooverallprogram ResidentialDensity :Between10and70homesperkmofroads(mixed performance.Furthermore,more- detailedguidancemaybeneededby urbanandrural,orsuburban) somecommunitiestoensurethat practicesaretrulyimplementedina Programshavingthisprofileareregional,withamixofurbanandruralareas, BestPracticesfashion. includingcities,towns,andtownships.Thechallengeinthisgroupistoachieve diversiongoalsandprovideefficient,cost-effectiverecyclingservicestoallresidents, includingthoselivinginmulti-familyunits.

Applicable Best Practices

EachoftheFundamentalBestPracticeslistedinthetablebelowappliestoallBlue Boxprograms.Thesepracticesareintroducedinthetextbelow,anddescribedin greaterdetailintheseparateFundamentalBestPracticesummaries.

FUNDAMENTALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoallprogramsinallprofiles

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Optimizationofoperationsincollectionsandprocessing Trainingofkeyprogramstaffincorecompetenciesrequired Followinggenerallyacceptedprinciplesforeffectiveprocurementandcontract management Appropriatelyplanned,designed,andfundedpromotionandeducationprogram Establishedandenforcedpoliciesthatinducewastediversion

CONDITIONALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoallprogramsfittingthisprofile

ExpandedlistofBlueBoxmaterialsaccepted Two-streamcollectionandprocessingofBlueBoxmaterials

Program Planning and Design

AlthoughaprogramwithinthisgroupingwillbeabletosupportitsownMRF,some programdecisionswillhaveadirectimpactontheprogramsinsurroundingcounties, towns,andtownships.A multi-municipal planning approach willallow surroundingjurisdictionstoworktogethertomakethemostefficientuseoflimited personnel,improveeconomiesofscale,andimprovemarketleveragewhen contractingforservicesandmarketingrecoveredmaterials.Thisapproachalso offersparticipatingjurisdictionstheopportunitytoestablishacommonlistoftarget materialsandsimilarcollectionprograms.Thiswillcreateconsistencyamong neighbouringmunicipalities,whichfacilitatespublicunderstandingregardingwhat andhowtorecycle.Additionaldiscussionofthedetailsofamulti-municipalplanning approachcanbefoundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Havingaplanisofonlylimitedbenefitiftherearenodefined diversion targets and performance measures, supported by data collection and analysis thatmeasure theeffectivenessoftheplananditsimplementation.Performancemeasuresand datatobeobtainedincludemonitoringofdiversionamounts,conductingwaste audits,andconductingparticipationstudies.Itiswithsuchprogrammonitoringthat sounddecisionscanbemadebasedonlocalprogramdata,withinaframeworkofa continuouslyimprovingtheprogram.Additionaldiscussionofperformancemeasures andprogrammonitoringcanbefoundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBest Practicessection.

Performancedata,onceobtainedandanalyzed,willallowforthe optimization of operations .Thebenefitsofoptimizationincludebalancedcollectionroutesand

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payloads,reducedcollectiontime(andthereforereducedcollectioncosts),andless costlyprocessing.Becauseofthesizeofprogramsinthisgroupthereare opportunitiestoinvestincapitalequipmenttoautomatetherecyclingprocessand increasetherateatwhichBlueBoxmaterialsarecollectedandprocessed.Specific opportunitiesthatapplytoprogramsofthisprofilearefurtherdiscussedinthe CollectionandProcessingsectionsbelow.

Collection

Curbside collection of recyclables should be used to service all available curbside-eligible households in the community. Drop-off depots should be utilized to collect overflow Blue Box materials and additional recyclable materials for which curbside collection is not practical or cost-effective . SupportingBestPracticesrelatedtodrop-offdepotsarediscussedinthe correspondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Multi-familyhomeswilllikelymakeupamoderateportionofallhomesand,thus, cannotbeignoredasasourceofsubstantialquantitiesofBlueBoxmaterials. Collection of multi-family recyclables should be integrated with curbside collection of recyclables wherever possible, for cost and efficiency reasons. Becauseoftheuniquechallengesofmulti-familyrecycling,associatedBestPractices arefurtherdiscussedinthecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Providingsufficient rigid collection containers free of charge toresidentswill ensurethatoverflowmaterialsarenotdisposed.Selectionofthesizeand/ornumber ofcontainersneedstotakeintoconsiderationestimatedsetoutvolumeof recyclables,basedonthefrequencyofcollection.Mostprogramswillprovide weeklyorbi-weeklycollectionofrecyclables.Collection of Blue Box materials should be at least as frequent as waste collection.

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efficienciesandreducingcoststhatapplytoprogramsmatchingthisprofileinclude the use of route optimization software and providing carts or dumpsters at multi-family complexes .ThesearemorefullydiscussedinthecorrespondingBest PracticeSpotlight.

Processing

Partnership and transfer opportunities should be seriously explored forall programswiththisprofileinordertomaximizeprocessingefficienciesandallow surroundingjurisdictionsthebenefitsofdeliveringmaterialstotheprogram’sMRF. Two-stream processing (fibresandcontainers)ismostappropriateinthistonnage range.Thecostofsinglestreamprocessingisgreaterthanthatoftwo-stream processingatthesamecapacity,andanticipatedsavingsincollectionareableto offsettheseprocessingcostsonlyathighthroughputtonnages.Otheroptimization strategiesforMRFsaremorefullydiscussedinthecorrespondingBestPractice Spotlight.

Training

BestPracticesinclude ensuring key program staff are adequately trained inthe corecompetenciesrequiredforeachduty.Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Procurement and Contract Management

BestPracticesinclude following generally accepted principles for effective procurement and contract management .Thisisdiscussed,indetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

ABestPracticethatspecificallyappliestothisprofileisthe alignment of service contract lengths with equipment depreciation terms .Thispracticeisconditional ontheprogram:(1)contractingwithaserviceproviderratherthanusingmunicipal staff;and(2)specifyingthattheserviceproviderprovidenewcollectionequipment ordesignandbuildanewMRF.Thereasonforaligningthecontractlengthswith equipmentdepreciationtermsistoensurethattheprogramdoesn’tfullypayfor equipmentthatmayhaveadditionallifeattheendofthecontract.Inthecaseof MRFs,thetermshouldbealignedwiththefirstscheduledmajoroverhaulofthe plant’sequipment.Asuitablylongtermalsoensuresthatequipmentisinstalledthat hasalifecyclecostadvantagethatmaynotberealizedbythecontractorovera shorteroperatingperiod.

Promotion and Education

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Policies and Incentives

Inordertoachievethe60%diversiontargetsetbytheProvince,programsinthis categorywillneedto use incentives and policies that promote waste diversion . Suchtoolsmayincludesolidwastebaglimits,userpayprogramonwaste,and/or enforcedmandatoryrecyclingbylaws.Eachcommunityneedstoevaluateitswaste diversionplansandinitiativestodeterminetherightbalanceofeconomicandnon- monetaryincentives.Adetaileddiscussionofpoliciesandincentivesthat,when establishedandenforced,servetoinducewastediversioncanbefoundinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

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ProgramProfile Medium Urban Southern Blue Box Program

Overview

UseofProgramProfile ThisProgramProfile,pairedwiththeFundamentalBestPracticeandSpotlight summaries,isdesignedtoprovidegeneralguidancetomunicipalitiesonhowto design,manage,andoperatetheirBlueBoxprogramsunderBestPractices.Itis Thisdocumentisintended toprovide generalguidance,notdetailed specificallytailoredtoprogramsofdefinedsize,density,andgeographyinorderto prescriptiverecommendations,on enhanceapplicabilityofBestPracticesandincreasethelikelihoodoftheiradoption. howanygivenprogramshouldbe structured. TheProjectTeambelievesthatby Program Characteristics adoptingBestPracticesoutlinedin thisdocument,recyclingcoordinators ThefollowingcharacteristicswereusedtodefinethisProgramProfile: willimprovetheperforman ceoftheir BlueBoxprogram.However,the GeographicalRegion :Southerncommunity degreeofimprovementwillvary acrossmunicipalities,asmultiple SizeofProgram :Generatingbetween10,000and40,000tonnesperyear factorscontributetooverallprogram ResidentialDensity :Greaterthan70homesperkilometreofroads(over performance.Furthermore,more- detailedguidancemaybeneededby 80%urban) somecommunitiestoensurethat practicesaretrulyimplementedina Programshavingthisprofileareurbancities.Thechallengeinthisgroupistoachieve BestPracticesfashion. diversiongoalswhileprovidingefficient,cost-effectiverecyclingservicestoallurban residents,includingthoselivinginmulti-familybuildings.

Applicable Best Practices

EachoftheFundamentalBestPracticeslistedinthetablebelowappliestoallBlue Boxprograms.Thesepracticesareintroducedinthetextbelow,anddescribedin greaterdetailintheseparateFundamentalBestPracticesummaries.

FUNDAMENTALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoallprogramsinallprofiles

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Trainingofkeyprogramstaffincorecompetenciesrequired Followinggenerallyacceptedprinciplesforeffectiveprocurementandcontract management Appropriatelyplanned,designed,andfundedpromotionandeducationprogram Establishedandenforcedpoliciesthatinducewastediversion

CONDITIONALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoallprogramsfittingthisprofile

ExpandedlistofBlueBoxmaterialsaccepted TwostreamcollectionandprocessingofBlueBoxmaterials

Program Planning and Design

Itisimportantto maintain and implement an up-to-date plan for recycling as part of an integrated waste management system .Suchaplanwillensurea strategicmanagementfocusthat,whencombinedwithcomplementarywaste reduction,organics,reuse,andwastediversionincentives(baglimits,userpay),will resultinarobustBlueBoxprogram.Additionalelementsofaplanforrecyclingas partofanintegratedwastemanagementsystemcanbefoundinthecorresponding FundamentalBestPracticessection.

Programsmatchingthisprofilearethebusinessandpopulationcenteroftheirarea. AlthoughaprogramwithinthisgroupingwillbeabletosupportitsownMRF, programdecisionsthataremadewillahavedirectimpactontheprogramsin surroundingcounties,townsandtownships.A multi-municipal planning approach willenableneighbouringjurisdictionstoworktogethertomakethemost efficientuseoflimitedpersonnel,improveeconomiesofscale,andimprovemarket leveragewhencontractingforservicesandmarketingrecoveredmaterials.Amulti- municipalplanningapproachalsooffersparticipatingjurisdictionstheopportunityto establishacommonlistoftargetmaterialsandsimilarcollectionprograms.Thiswill createconsistencyamongneighbouringmunicipalities,whichfacilitatespublic understandingregardingwhatandhowtorecycle.Afurtherbenefitistheabilityto developcontingencyplanswithneighbouringjurisdictions.Additionaldiscussionof thedetailsofamulti-municipal planningapproachcanbefoundinthecorresponding FundamentalBestPracticessection.

Havingaplanisofonlylimitedbenefitiftherearenodefined diversion targets and performance measures, supported by data collection and analysis thatmeasure theeffectivenessoftheplananditsimplementation.Performancemeasuresand datatobeobtainedincludemonitoringofdiversionamounts,conductingwaste audits,andconductingparticipationstudies.Itiswithsuchprogrammonitoringthat sounddecisionscanbemadebasedonlocalprogramdata,withinaframeworkofa continuouslyimprovingtheprogram.Additionaldiscussionofperformancemeasures andprogrammonitoringcanbefoundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBest Practicessection.

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Performancedata,onceobtainedandanalyzed,willallowforthe optimization of operations .Thebenefitsofoptimizationincludebalancedroutesandpayloads, reducedcollectiontime(andthereforereducedcollectioncosts),andlesscostly processing.Duetothesizeofprogramsinthisgroup,thereareopportunitiesto investincapitalequipmenttoautomatetherecyclingprocessandincreasetherate atwhichBlueBoxmaterialsarecollectedandprocessed.Specificopportunitiesthat applytoprogramsofthisprofilearefurtherdiscussedintheCollectionand ProcessingsectionsofthisProgramProfile.

Forcommunitieswithinthisprofile,programsdesignedtoachieve60%diversionof BlueBoxmaterialswould need to collect the five mandatory Blue Box materials as well as several of the “supplementary” Blue Box materials that:comprisea significantportionofthewastestream(asdeterminedbywasteaudits),havereliable markets,andcanbepracticallyrecoveredforrecycling.

Collection

Curbside collection of recyclables should be used to service all available curbside-eligible households in the community. Drop-off depots should be utilized to collect overflow Blue Box materials and additional recyclable materials for which curbside collection is not practical or cost-effective. SupportingBestPracticesrelatedtodrop-offdepotsarediscussedinthe correspondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Theurbannatureofprogramsofthisprofilemeansthatthemulti-familypopulation willlikelybesizeable.Collectionofmulti-familyrecyclablesneedstobeasubstantial partofthisprogram.On-site collection of recyclables should be used to service all available multi-family households in the community, and service should be integrated with curbside collection of recyclables wherever possible. Because oftheuniquechallengesofmulti-familyrecycling,associatedbestpracticesare furtherdiscussedinthecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Providing sufficient rigid collection containers free of charge toresidentswill ensurethatoverflowmaterialsarenotdisposed.Selectionofthesizeand/ornumber ofcontainersneedstotakeintoconsiderationestimatedsetoutvolumeof recyclables , basedonthefrequencyofcollection.Mostprogramswillprovide weeklyorbi-weeklycollectionofrecyclables. Collection of Blue Box materials should be at least as frequent as waste collection.

Programs within this profile should be collecting recyclables in two streams (i.e.,fibresandcontainers),withthepossibleexceptionofkeepingglassseparateas athirdstream.Atthehightonnagerange,thefeasibilityofsinglestreamcollection ofrecyclablesshouldbeweighedagainsttheincreasedprocessingrequiredandthe potentialofdecreasedrevenue.Itmaybepossibletoattracttonnagefromother jurisdictionstosupportasinglestreamprogram.

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becontrolledsothatthepressureissufficienttoachieveareasonableamountof volumereduction,resultinginmoreproductivetimespendonroute,without resultinginexcessiveglassbreakage.Otheropportunitiesforimprovingcollection efficienciesandreducingcoststhatapplytoprogramsmatchingthisprofileinclude the use of route optimization software, and providing carts or dumpsters at multi-family complexes .Theseandothercollectionoptimizationpracticesaremore fullydiscussedinthecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Processing

Partnership and transfer opportunities should still be explored for all programs with this profile inordertomaximizeprocessingefficiencies. Two-stream processing (fibres and containers) is most appropriate in this tonnage range . Thecostofsinglestreamprocessingisgreaterthanthatoftwo-streamprocessing atthesamecapacity,andanticipatedsavingsincollectionareabletooffsetthese processingcostsonlyathighthroughputtonnages.Howeveraspreviouslystated,it maybepossibletoattracttonnagefromotherjurisdictionstosupportasingle streamprogram.

OtheroptimizationstrategiesforMRFsaremorefullydiscussedinthe correspondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Training

BestPracticesinclude ensuring key program staff are adequately trained inthe corecompetenciesrequiredforeachduty.Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Procurement and Contract Management

BestPracticesincludefollowinggenerally accepted principles for effective procurement and contract management .Thisisdiscussed,indetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Abestpracticethatappliestothisprofileisthe alignment of service contract lengths with equipment depreciation terms .Thispracticeisconditionalonthe program:(1)contractingwithaserviceproviderratherthanusingmunicipalstaff;and (2)specifyingthattheserviceproviderprovidenewcollectionequipmentordesign andbuildanewMRF.Thereasonforaligningthecontractlengthswithequipment depreciationtermsistoensurethattheprogramdoesn’tfullypayforequipmentthat mayhaveadditionallifeattheendofthecontract.InthecaseofMRFs,theterm shouldbealignedwiththefirstscheduledmajoroverhauloftheplant’sequipment. Asuitablylongtermalsoensuresthatequipmentisinstalledthathasalifecyclecost advantagethatmaynotberealizedbythecontractoroverashorteroperatingperiod.

Whencontractingforprivatesectorcollectionandprocessingservices,consideration shouldbegiventotheadvantagesanddisadvantagesofseparateversuscombined contracts,and,inbothcases,itisimportanttoidentifyseparatecostsforcollection andprocessing.WhencontractingwithaprivatesectorMRFoperator,the

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municipalityshouldkeepthepredominantproportionofmaterialsalesrevenue. Additionalitemstobeconsideredwhencontractingfortheseservicesarediscussed inthecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Promotion and Education

Policies and Incentives

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ProgramProfile Large Suburban Southern Blue Box Program

Overview

UseofProgramProfile ThisProgramProfile,pairedwiththeFundamentalBestPracticeandSpotlight summaries,isdesignedtoprovidegeneralguidancetomunicipalitiesonhowto design,manage,andoperatetheirBlueBoxprogramsunderBestPractices.Itis Thisdocumentisintendedtoprovide generalguidance,notdetailed specificallytailoredtoprogramsofdefinedsize,density,andgeographyinorderto prescriptiverecommendations,on enhanceapplicabilityofBestPracticesandincreasethelikelihoodoftheiradoption. howanygivenprogramshouldbe structured. TheProjectTeambelievesthatby Program Characteristics adoptingBestPracticesoutlinedin thisdocument,recyclingcoordinators ThefollowingcharacteristicswereusedtodefinethisProgramProfile: willimprovetheperformanceoftheir BlueBoxprogram.However,the GeographicalRegion :Southerncommunity degreeofimprovementwillvary acrossmunicipalities,asmultiple SizeofProgram :Generatingover40,000tonnesperyear factorscontributetooverallprogram ResidentialDensity :Between10and70homesperkmofroads(mixed performance.Furthermore,more- detailedguidancemaybeneededby urbanandrural,orsuburban) somecommunitiestoensurethat practicesaretrulyimplementedina BestPracticesfashion. Applicable Best Practices

EachoftheFundamentalBestPracticeslistedinthetablebelowappliestoallBlue Boxprograms.Thesepracticesareintroducedinthetextbelow,anddescribedin greaterdetailintheseparateFundamentalBestPracticesummaries.

FUNDAMENTALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoallprogramsinallprofiles

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Followinggenerallyacceptedprinciplesforeffectiveprocurementandcontract management Appropriatelyplanned,designed,andfundedpromotionandeducationprogram Establishedandenforcedpoliciesthatinducewastediversion

CONDITIONALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoallprogramsfittingthisprofile

ExpandedlistofBlueBoxmaterialsaccepted

Program Planning and Design

Programshavingthisprofilearelarge,complex,andurban/regionalinnature.The challengeinthisgroupistoachievediversiongoalsandmaximizeefficient,cost- effectiverecyclingservicestoallresidents.

Programsinthisgroupareeitheramajorregionalpopulationcenterorarapidly growingregionattheedgeofamajorurbancenterthatstillhasruralportionsatits outskirts.Landfillspaceiseitherexceptionallycostlyorisalreadylostto development.Itisimportantto maintain and implement an up-to-date plan for recycling, as part of an integrated waste management system .Suchaplanwill ensureastrategicmanagementfocusthat,whencombinedwithcomplementary wastereduction,organics,reuse,energyfromwaste,andwastediversionincentives (baglimits,userpay),willresultinarobustBlueBoxprogram.Additionalelements ofaplanforrecyclingaspartofanintegratedwastemanagementsystemcanbe foundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

AlthoughaprogramwithinthisgroupingwillbeabletosupportitsownMRF,all suchprogramswillbenefitfroma multi-municipal planning approach tocollection andprocessingofrecyclables.Thisisespeciallythecaseforprogramshandling closeto40,000tonnesperyear,whocouldhostaregionalMRF,sothataggregation ofblueboxtonnagewillresultinlargerMRFsofhigherthroughput,therebylowering per-tonneprocessingcostsforallparticipatingcommunities.Amulti-municipal planningapproachalsooffersparticipatingjurisdictionstheopportunitytoestablisha commonlistoftargetmaterialsandsimilarcollectionprograms.Thiswillcreate consistencyamongneighbouringmunicipalities,whichfacilitatespublic understandingregardingwhatandhowtorecycle.Thisisparticularlyimportant,as residentsoftenrelocatebetweenneighbouringjurisdictions.Afurtherbenefitisthe abilitytodevelopcontingencyplanswithneighbouringjurisdictions.Additional discussionofthedetailsofamulti-municipal planningapproachcanbefoundinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Havingaplanisofonlylimitedbenefitiftherearenodefined diversion targets and performance measures, supported by data collection and analysis thatmeasure theeffectivenessoftheplananditsimplementation.Performancemeasuresand datatobeobtainedincludemonitoringofdiversionamounts,conductingwaste audits,andconductingparticipationstudies.Itiswithsuchprogrammonitoringthat sounddecisionscanbemadebasedonlocalprogramdata,withinaframeworkofa

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continuouslyimprovingtheprogram.Additionaldiscussionofperformancemeasures andprogrammonitoringcanbefoundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBest Practicessection.

Performancedata,onceobtainedandanalyzed,willallowforthe optimization of operations .Thebenefitsofoptimizationincludebalancedroutesandpayloads, reducedcollectiontime(andthereforereducedcollectioncosts),andlesscostly processing.Duetothesizeofprogramsinthisgroup,thereareopportunitiesto investincapitalequipmenttoautomatetherecyclingprocessandincreasetherate atwhichBlueBoxmaterialsarecollectedandprocessed.Specificopportunitiesthat applytoprogramsofthisprofilearefurtherdiscussedintheCollectionand ProcessingsectionsofthisProgramProfile.

Forprogramsover40,000tonnesperyear,singlestreamcollectionandprocessingis feasible.Singlestreamrecyclingoffersthepotentialforincreasedcollectionsavings andincreasedrecoveryofrecyclables,butalsoresultsinincreasedprocessingcosts and,dependingonthecontainertypeused,increasedcontamination.Despitethe recentgrowthinsinglestreamsystems,itwouldbeamistaketoassumethatthe singlestreamrecyclingapproachrepresentsthemosteconomicalalternativeforall communities.Insomecases,otherapproaches,suchasthedual-stream,two-bin recyclingapproach,mayprovetobemoreeconomical.Thisconclusionunderscores theimportanceofusinglocaleconomicandmarketdatainassessingtheeconomic feasibilityofsinglestreamrecyclingforalocalcommunity.Refertothe correspondingBestPracticeSpotlightsformoreinformationonCollectionand Processingconsiderationsrelatingtosinglestream.

Collection

Curbside collection of recyclables should be used to service all available curbside-eligible households in the community. Drop-off depots should be utilized to collect overflow Blue Box materials and additional recyclable materials for which curbside collection is not practical or cost-effective. Depots mayalsobewarrantedinoutlyingvillagesintheremainingruralportionsofthe region.SupportingBestPracticesrelatedtodrop-offdepotsarediscussedinthe correspondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Theurbanportionsofprogramsofthisprofilewilllikelyhaveasizablemulti-family population. Collection of multi-family recyclables needs to be a substantial part of this program. On-site collection of recyclables should be used to service all available multi-family households in the community, and should be integrated with curbside collection of recyclables wherever possible inordertoensure programsuccess.Becauseoftheuniquechallengesofmulti-familyrecycling,

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associatedbestpracticesarefurtherdiscussedinthecorrespondingBestPractice Spotlight.

ThesizeofprogramswithinthisprofileallowsfortheconstructionofaMRFthatis capableofprocessingrecyclablesthathavebeencollectedsinglestream.Froma processingperspective,singlestreamcollectionofrecyclablesisnotpreferredover twostreamcollection,becausetheprocessingcostpertonneandprocessresidue rateswillbehigheratasinglestreamMRFcomparedtoanequivalenttwostream MRF.Singlestreamcollectioncosts,however,canbesignificantlyreduced, comparedtotwostreamcollection(assuminguseofcartsandbi-weeklyservice), andthepointatwhichthecombinedcollectionandprocessingcostfavourssingle streamisapproximately40,000tonnesperyear.

Singlestreamcollectioncanbenefittheremoteportionsoftheregiondueto reducedcollectioncosts.Furthermore,becausetransferofrecyclablesmaybecost- effectivefortransportingmaterialsfromremotepartsoftheregion,handlingBlue Boxmaterialsinasinglestreamcanminimizeglassbreakageduetothecushioning propertiesofpaperandplasticproductsasmaterialsaretipped,loadedintoa transfertrailer,andtippedagain.

Anothercollectionpracticethatisenabledbysinglestreamcollectionisproviding programparticipantswithcartsfortheirBlueBoxmaterialsinsteadofbins.The significantlygreaterstoragevolumeofcartscomparedtobinsmeansthatoverflow BlueBoxmaterialsaretypicallynotdiscarded,althoughsomeexceptionsmayoccur. Thecartsalsoallowforevery-other-weekcollectionofBlueBoxmaterials,with reducedcollectioncost,comparedtoweeklycollection.Theuseofcartsalsoallows forfullyautomatedcollection,inwhichamechanicalarmpicksupanddumpsthe cartwithoutthedriverhavingtogetoutofthetruckforthemajorityofstops.This

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canallowforcollectingmorestopsperhour,yieldingfurthercostsavings.Because machineryisdoingtheheavylifting,amoreageandgender-balancedworkforcecan beusedandWSIBclaimsaretypicallyreduced.Inareaswherefullyautomated collectionisimpractical(e.g.,duetoobstaclesimpedingcollection),semi-automated collectionofrecyclablesincartsmaybeanoption.

Itshouldbenotedthatmanyofthepracticesthatareenabledbysinglestream collectioncanbeachievedbytwostreamsystemsthatcollectpaperproductsand containersonanalternatingweekbasis,includingcompactionanddualcollection. CollectingonanalternatingweekbasisdoesnotmeanthattheMRFonlyprocesses paperproductsoneweekandcontainerstheotherweek;ratheritmeansthathalf theroutescollectonematerialandtheotherhalfofroutescollecttheothermaterial onanygivenday.ThisallowstheMRFtobeoptimallysized.Becausesolidwaste plannersseektooptimizeanentireintegratedsolidwastesystem,atwostream BlueBoxsystemmaybepreferredoversinglestreamiftotalsystemcostsare reduced.Plannersofprogramssimilartothisprofileshouldcarefullydeveloptheir businesscasesupportingtwostreamcollectionoversinglestreamcollection.

Additionalopportunitiesforimprovingcollectionefficienciesandreducingcoststhat applytoprogramsmatchingthisprofileincludethe use of route optimization software and providing carts or dumpsters at multi-family complexes .These andothercollectionoptimizationpracticesaremorefullydiscussedinthe correspondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Processing

Partnership and transfer opportunities should still be explored for all programs with this profile. Anycommunitywithaonetotwo-hourhauldistancetoaMRF shouldconsidertheuseoftransfertopotentiallyreducesystemcoststhrough economiesofscaleduetoincreasedthroughputresultingfrommulti-municipal cooperation.

Additionally,MRFsinthisprofileshouldinvestigatethesuitabilityofprocessing paperandplasticswithopticalsortingequipment,asutilizationofthatequipment maybeaBestPracticeundercertainconditions.Typically,theuseofopticalsorting equipmentisfeasibleinonlythehighestthroughputfacilities.Inthecaseofoptical sortingofplastics,theequipmentisdesignedforsortingplasticbottlesonlyand thereforeisgenerallynotsuitabletosortingamixedplasticsstreamthatincludes tubsandlidsandpolystyrene.Opticalsortingofpaperisstillsomewhat developmentalandautomatedsortingofpapermaybelimitedtoonlycertain facilities,basedonhowmaterialsaresortedintosub-streams.Otheroptimization strategiesforMRFsaremorefullydiscussedinthecorrespondingBestPractice Spotlight.

Training

BestPracticesinclude ensuring key program staff are adequately trained inthe corecompetenciesrequiredforeachduty.Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

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Procurement and Contract Management

BestPracticesincludefollowing generally accepted principles for effective procurement and contract management .Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Abestpracticethatappliestothisprofileisthealignmentofservicecontractlengths withequipmentdepreciationterms.Thispracticeisconditionalontheprogram:(1) contractingwithaserviceproviderratherthanusingmunicipalstaff;and(2) specifyingthattheserviceproviderprovidenewcollectionequipmentordesignand buildanewMRF.Thereasonforaligningthecontractlengthswithequipment depreciationtermsistoensurethattheprogramdoesn’tfullypayforequipmentthat mayhaveadditionallifeattheendofthecontract.InthecaseofMRFs,theterm shouldbealignedwiththefirstscheduledmajoroverhauloftheplant’sequipment. Asuitablylongtermalsoensuresthatequipmentisinstalledthathasalifecyclecost advantagethatmaynotberealizedbythecontractoroverashorteroperatingperiod.

Promotion and Education

Policies and Incentives

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ProgramProfile Large Urban Southern Blue Box Program

Overview

UseofProgramProfile ThisProgramProfile,pairedwiththeFundamentalBestPracticeandSpotlight summaries,isdesignedtoprovidegeneralguidancetomunicipalitiesonhowto design,manage,andoperatetheirBlueBoxprogramsunderBestPractices.Itis Thisdocumentisintendedtoprovide generalguidance,notdetailed specificallytailoredtoprogramsofdefinedsize,density,andgeographyinorderto prescriptiverecommendations,on enhanceapplicabilityofBestPracticesandincreasethelikelihoodoftheiradoption. howanygivenprogramshouldbe structured. TheProjectTeambelievesthatby Program Characteristics adoptingBestPracticesoutlinedin thisdocument,recyclingcoordinators ThefollowingcharacteristicswereusedtodefinethisProgramProfile: willimprovetheperformanceoftheir BlueBoxprogram.However,the GeographicalRegion :Southerncommunity degreeofimprovementwillvary acrossmunicipalities,asmultiple SizeofProgram :Generatingover40,000tonnesperyear factorscontributetooverallprogram ResidentialDensity :Greaterthan70homesperkilometreofroads(over performance.Furthermore,more- detailedguidancemaybeneededby 80%urban) somecommunitiestoensurethat practicesaretrulyimplementedina Programshavingthisprofilearelarge,complex,andurban/regionalinnature.The BestPracticesfashion. urbannatureofprogramsinthisgroupgenerallymeansthatlandfillspaceislimited. Theseprogramsarealsolikelyexperiencingrapidpopulationgrowthorfrequent relocationofresidentsbetweenneighbouringjurisdictionsthatsurroundamajor urbancenter.Thechallengeinthisgroupistoachievediversiongoalsandmaximize efficient,cost-effectiverecyclingservicestoallresidents.

Applicable Best Practices

EachoftheFundamentalBestPracticeslistedinthetablebelowappliestoallBlue Boxprograms.Thesepracticesareintroducedinthetextbelow,anddescribedin greaterdetailintheseparateFundamentalBestPracticesummaries.

FUNDAMENTALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoallprograms

Developmentandimplementationofanup-to-dateplanforrecycling,aspartof anintegratedwastemanagementsystem Multi-municipalplanningapproachtocollectionandprocessingrecyclables

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CONDITIONALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoprogramsfittingthisprofile

ExpandedlistofBlueBoxmaterialsaccepted

Program Planning and Design

Itisimportantto maintain and implement an up-to-date plan for recycling as part of an integrated waste management system .Suchaplanwillensurea strategicmanagementfocusthat,whencombinedwithcomplementarywaste reduction,organics,reuse,energyfromwaste,andwastediversionincentives(bag limits,userpay),willresultinarobustBlueBoxprogram.Additionalelementsofa planforrecyclingaspartofanintegratedwastemanagementsystemcanbefound inthecorrespondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Havingaplanisofonlylimitedbenefitiftherearenodefined diversion targets and performance measures, supported by data collection and analysis thatmeasure theeffectivenessoftheplananditsimplementation.Performancemeasuresand datatobeobtainedincludemonitoringofdiversionamounts,conductingwaste audits,andconductingparticipationstudies.Itiswithsuchprogrammonitoringthat sounddecisionscanbemadebasedonlocalprogramdata,withinaframeworkofa continuouslyimprovingtheprogram.Additionaldiscussionofperformancemeasures

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andprogrammonitoringcanbefoundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBest Practicessection.

Performancedata,onceobtainedandanalyzed,willallowforthe optimization of operations .Thebenefitsofoptimizationincludebalancedroutesandpayloads, reducedcollectiontime(andthereforereducedcollectioncosts),andlesscostly processing.Duetothesizeofprogramsinthisgroup,thereareopportunitiesto investincapitalequipmenttoautomatetherecyclingprocessandincreasetherate atwhichBlueBoxmaterialsarecollectedandprocessed.Specificopportunitiesthat applytoprogramsofthisprofilearefurtherdiscussedintheCollectionand ProcessingsectionsofthisProgramProfile.

Collection

Curbside collection of recyclables should be used to service all available curbside-eligible households in the community. Drop-off depots should be utilized to collect overflow Blue Box materials and additional recyclable materials for which curbside collection is not practical or cost-effective. SupportingBestPracticesrelatedtodrop-offdepotsarediscussedinthe correspondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Theurbannatureofprogramsofthisprofilemeansthatthemulti-familypopulation willlikelybesizeable.Collectionofmulti-familyrecyclablesneedstobeasubstantial partofthisprogram. On-site collection of recyclables should be used to service all available multi-family households in the community, and should be integrated with curbside collection of recyclables wherever possible inorderto ensureprogramsuccess.Becauseoftheuniquechallengesofmulti-familyrecycling, associatedbestpracticesarefurtherdiscussedinthecorrespondingBestPractice Spotlight.

Providing sufficient rigid collection containers free of charge toresidentswill ensurethatoverflowmaterialsarenotdisposed.Selectionofthesizeand/ornumber ofcontainersneedstotakeintoconsiderationestimatedsetoutvolumeof recyclables,basedonthefrequencyofcollection.Mostprogramswillprovide weeklyorbi-weeklycollectionofrecyclables.CollectionofBlueBoxmaterials shouldbeatleastasfrequentaswastecollection.

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comparedtotwostreamcollection(assuminguseofcartsandbi-weeklyservice), andthepointatwhichthecombinedcollectionandprocessingcostfavourssingle streamisapproximately40,000tonnesperyear.

Asecondcollectionpracticethatisenabledbysinglestreamcollectionisproviding programparticipantswithcartsfortheirBlueBoxmaterialsinsteadofbins.The significantlygreaterstoragevolumeofcartscomparedtobinsmeansthatoverflow BlueBoxmaterialsaretypicallynotdiscarded,althoughsomeexceptionsmayoccur. Thecartsalsoallowforevery-other-weekcollectionofBlueBoxmaterials,with reducedcollectioncost,comparedtoweeklycollection.Theuseofcartsalsoallows forfullyautomatedcollection,inwhichamechanicalarmpicksupanddumpsthe cartwithoutthedriverhavingtogetoutofthetruckforthemajorityofstops.This canallowforcollectingmorestopsperhour,yieldingfurthercostsavings.Because machineryisdoingtheheavylifting,amoreageandgender-balancedworkforcecan beusedandWSIBclaimsaretypicallyreduced.Inareaswherefullyautomated collectionisimpractical(e.g.,duetoobstaclesimpedingcollection),semi-automated collectionofrecyclablesincartsmaybeanoption.

Itshouldbenotedthatmanyofthepracticesthatareenabledbysinglestream collectioncanbeachievedbytwostreamsystemsthatcollectpaperproductsand containersonanalternatingweekbasis,includingcompactionandco-collection. CollectingonanalternatingweekbasisdoesnotmeanthattheMRFonlyprocesses paperproductsoneweekandcontainerstheotherweek;ratheritmeansthathalf theroutescollectonematerialandtheotherhalfofroutescollecttheothermaterial onanygivenday.ThisallowstheMRFtobeoptimallysized.Becausesolidwaste plannersseektooptimizeanentireintegratedsolidwastesystem,atwostream BlueBoxsystemmaybepreferredoversinglestreamiftotalsystemcostsare reduced.Plannersofprogramssimilartothisprofileshouldcarefullydeveloptheir businesscasesupportingtwostreamcollectionoversinglestreamcollection.

Additionalopportunitiesforimprovingcollectionefficienciesandreducingcoststhat applytoprogramsmatchingthisprofileincludethe use of route optimization software and providing carts or dumpsters at multi-family complexes .These aremorefullydiscussedinthecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

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Processing

Partnership and transfer opportunities should still be explored forallprograms withthisprofile.Anycommunitywithaonetotwo-hourhauldistancetoaMRF shouldconsidertheuseoftransfertopotentiallyreducesystemcoststhrough economiesofscaleduetoincreasedthroughputresultingfrommulti-municipal cooperation.

Additionally,MRFsinthisprofileshouldinvestigatethesuitabilityofprocessing paperandplasticswithopticalsortingequipment,asutilizationofthatequipment maybeaBestPracticeundercertainconditions.Typically,theuseofopticalsorting equipmentisfeasibleinonlythehighestthroughputfacilities.Inthecaseofoptical sortingofplastics,theequipmentisdesignedforsortingplasticbottlesonlyandmay notsuitabletosortingamixedplasticsstreamthatincludestubsandlidsand polystyrene.Opticalsortingofpaperisstillsomewhatdevelopmentaland automatedsortingofpapermaybelimitedtoonlycertainfacilities,basedonhow materialsaresortedintosub-streams.OtheroptimizationstrategiesforMRFsare morefullydiscussedinthecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Training

BestPracticesinclude ensuring key program staff are adequately trained inthe corecompetenciesrequiredforeachduty.Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Procurement and Contract Management

BestPracticesincludefollowing generally accepted principles for effective procurement and contract management .Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Abestpracticethatspecificallyappliestothisprofileisthe alignment of service contract lengths with equipment depreciation terms .Thispracticeisconditional ontheprogram:(1)contractingwithaserviceproviderratherthanusingmunicipal staff;and(2)specifyingthattheserviceproviderprovidenewcollectionequipment ordesignandbuildanewMRF.Thereasonforaligningthecontractlengthswith equipmentdepreciationtermsistoensurethattheprogramdoesn’tfullypayfor equipmentthatmayhaveadditionallifeattheendofthecontract.Inthecaseof MRFs,thetermshouldbealignedwiththefirstscheduledmajoroverhaulofthe plant’sequipment.Asuitablylongtermalsoensuresthatequipmentisinstalledthat hasalifecyclecostadvantagethatmaynotberealizedbythecontractorovera shorteroperatingperiod.

Promotion and Education

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programstoachievedesiredprogramgoals,asdescribedinthecorresponding FundamentalBestPracticessection.

Policies and Incentives

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ProgramProfile Small Rural Northern Blue Box Program

Overview

UseofProgramProfile ThisProgramProfile,pairedwiththeFundamentalBestPracticeandSpotlight summaries,isdesignedtoprovidegeneralguidancetomunicipalitiesonhowto Thisdocumentisintendedtoprovide design,manage,andoperatetheirBlueBoxprogramsunderBestPractices.Itis generalguidance,notdetailed specificallytailoredtoprogramsofdefinedsize,density,andgeographyinorderto prescriptiverecommendations,on enhanceapplicabilityofBestPracticesandincreasethelikelihoodoftheiradoption. howanygivenprogramshouldbe structured. TheProjectTeambelievesthatby Program Characteristics adoptingBestPracticesoutlinedin thisdocument,recyclingcoordinators ThefollowingcharacteristicswereusedtodefinethisProgramProfile: willimprovetheperformanceoftheir BlueBoxprogram.However,the GeographicalRegion :Northerncommunity degreeofimprovementwillvary acrossmunicipalities,asmultiple SizeofProgram :Generatinglessthan10,000tonnesperyear factorscontributetooverallprogram performance.Furthermore,more- ResidentialDensity :Lessthan10homesperkilometreofroad(morethan detailedguidancemaybeneededby 80%rural) somecommunitiestoensurethat practicesaretrulyimplementedina Programshavingthisprofileareruralinnature,withonlyasmallportionof BestPracticesfashion. householdslocatedinurbanareas.Theyaretypicallytownships,withverylittle urbandevelopment.Thechallengeinthisgroupistoachievediversiongoalsand provideefficient,cost-effectivecurbsideanddepotservicetoruralhouseholds.

Applicable Best Practices

EachoftheFundamentalBestPracticeslistedinthetablebelowappliestoallBlue Boxprograms.Thesepracticesareintroducedinthetextbelow,anddescribedin greaterdetailintheseparateFundamentalBestPracticesummaries.

TherearenoConditionalBestPracticesthatapplytoeveryprograminthisprofile. SeveralConditionalPracticesarebestforsome,butnotallprogramsinthisprofile. Thesepracticesandthespecificconditionsunderwhichtheyapplyarediscussed below.Leadingpracticesarepresentedinboldtype,foreaseofreference. Additionalguidanceregardingpracticesthatmaybebestundercertain circumstancesisalsoprovidedforconsideration.Lastly,supplementarybest practicesguidanceforspecificprogramareas(e.g.,collection,processing,depotand multi-residentialrecycling)canbefoundinthe“Spotlight”summaries.

FUNDAMENTALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoallprograms

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Program Planning and Design

Programsmatchingthisprofilecanexperienceconsiderablebenefitsfrommulti- municipalcooperation.A multi-municipal planning approach enablesparticipating jurisdictionstheopportunitytoevaluateopportunitiestoworktogetherinmakingthe mostefficientuseoflimitedpersonnelandequipmentresources,togenerate economiesofscale,andtoimprovemarketleveragewhencontractingandmoving recyclablematerialsintothemarketplace.Inaddition,communitiescanwork togetherinaregiontoestablishacommonlistoftargetmaterialsandsimilar collectionprograms.Thiswillcreateconsistencyamongneighbouringmunicipalities, whichfacilitatespublicunderstandingregardingwhatandhowtorecycle.Afurther benefitistheabilitytodevelopcontingencyplanswithneighbouringjurisdictions. Aggregationofblueboxtonnagethroughshareduseofprocessingfacilitieswill resultinhigherthroughput,therebyloweringper-tonnenetcostsforallparticipating communities.Additionaldiscussionofthedetailsofamulti-municipalplanning approachcanbefoundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Havingaplanisofonlylimitedbenefitiftherearenodefined diversion targets and performance measures, supported by data collection and analysis thatmeasure theeffectivenessoftheplananditsimplementation.Performancemeasuresand datatobeobtainedincludemonitoringofdiversionamounts,conductingwaste audits,andconductingparticipationstudies.Itiswithsuchprogrammonitoringthat sounddecisionscanbemadebasedonlocalprogramdata,withinaframeworkofa continuouslyimprovingtheprogram.Additionaldiscussionofperformancemeasures andprogrammonitoringcanbefoundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBest Practicessection.

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Collection

RuralprogramsintheNortharelikelytohavehightransportationcostsassociated withgettingrecyclablematerialstomarket.This,coupledwiththelowtonnageof materialsavailableforrecovery,warrantsfocusingrecyclingeffortsoncapturingBlue Boxmaterialsthataremarketableandofferthegreatesttonnagediversion opportunity.

Use of drop-off depots for recovering the target recyclables isaBestPractice in low-density rural areas ,wherecurbsiderecyclingiscostprohibitive.Itismore cost-effectivetoemploytheuseofdepotsinareaswherecurbsidecollectioncosts exceed$50perhouseholdperyear.Thisisalmostalwaysthecaseforrural communitiesgeneratinglessthan2000tonnesperyear.(Seethetextboxattheend ofthedocumentforspecificinformationoncollectionandprocessingbestpractices forprogramsofthissize.)

Curbside collection of recyclables should be provided to households where such service can be provided for $50 per household per-year or less. Even whencurbsidecollectionisprovided, drop-off depots aretheBestPractice to collect overflow Blue Box materials and additional recyclable materials for which curbside collection is not practical or cost-effective. SupportingBest Practicesrelatedtodrop-offdepotsarediscussedinthecorrespondingBestPractice Spotlight.BestPracticesforcurbsiderecyclinginjurisdictionsofthisprofiletypeare discussedintheCollectionsectionbelow,withmoreinformationoncurbside collectionprovidedinthecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Communitiesofthisprofilewilllikelyhaveaminimalmulti-familypopulation. Multi- family recyclables collection, if needed, should be incorporated into curbside collection service routes wherever possible to minimize collection costs. Becauseoftheuniquechallengesofmulti-familyrecycling,associatedBestPractices arefurtherdiscussedinthecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Toincreasetheeconomicfeasibilityofcurbsiderecycling,itisaBestPracticeto employmeasuresthatincreasetheamountofmaterialcollectedperstopand maximizecollectionefficiency.Thisisparticularlyimportantinareasoflow-density population,asitismorechallengingtoperformcurbsiderecyclingatanannualper- householdcostbelow$50.

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materials should be at least as frequent as waste collection when curbside recycling service is provided.

Thenumberofstreamscollectedwillbedictatedbytheprocessingoptionsavailable totheprogram,asdiscussedinthisandthefollowingsection.Singlestream collectionisanoptionthatshouldonlybeconsideredbyprogramsofthisprofilethat arewithinaboutatwohourtransferdistanceofasinglestreamMRF(e.g.,Greater Sudbury,Winnipeg).Collectingmaterialssinglestreamallowsothercollection practicestobeimplementedthatcansignificantlyreducethecollectioncost.Oneof thesepracticesis controlled compaction thatallowscollectiontobemore productivebecausetruckscanstayonroutelongerbeforefilling.Thecompaction needstobecontrolled,sothatthepressureissufficienttoachieveareasonable amountofvolumereduction,withoutover-compactingthematerials.Over- compactionresultsinglassbreakageandflatteningofroundcontainers,whichcan causetheautomatedsystemsinasinglestreamMRFtobelesseffectivein separatingflatpaperproductsfromroundcontainers.

Programsthatarewithinaboutatwo-hourtransferdistanceofatwo-streamMRF shouldconsidercollectingmaterialsastwostreamssothatcollectioncostscanbe reduced.Aswithsinglestreamcollection,compactioncanalsobeusedintwo streamcollection.Co-collectionofwasteandrecyclablescanalsobeadaptedtotwo streamprogramswhenhomesareprovidedwithanalternatingcollectionschedule ofBlueBoxmaterials,wherewasteandfibresarecollectedoneweek,andwaste andcontainersarecollectedthenextweek.

Additionalopportunitiesforimprovingcollectionefficienciesandreducingcoststhat applytoprogramsmatchingthisprofileinclude:the use of increased commingling, where applicable; and reducing non-productive operator time .Theseandother BestPracticesareexpandeduponinthecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Processing

Facilitiesthatprocesslessthan10,000tonnesperyeararenotascost-effectiveas largerfacilities,andallprogramswiththisprofileshould explore partnership opportunities to maximize the tonnes processed by existing MRFs ,astheyare wellbelowthatthreshold.

ProgramsthatareremotemayhavetoprocesstheirownBlueBoxmaterials. ProcessingcostscanbemanagedbylimitingthecategoriesofBlueBoxmaterials collectedandsortingmostmaterialsatthecurb.Processingequipmentcan thereforebelow-costandlimitedtoarudimentarysortingline(ifrequired),materials handlingequipment,andaninexpensivebaler.Becausethebalerwillnotberobust, PETplasticbottleswillnotbeabletobebaledtoasufficientdensitytoavoid additionalfreightcostsorpenalties.Therefore,aBestPracticeistopurchaseand usedensifyingequipment,suchasaperforator,orbalerfluffertoperforatePET bottles,ratherthanremovecapsbyhand.OtheroptimizationstrategiesforMRFs aremorefullydiscussedinthecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

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Training

BestPracticesinclude ensuring key program staff are adequately trained inthe corecompetenciesrequiredforeachduty.Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Procurement and Contract Management

BestPracticesincludefollowing generally accepted principles for effective procurement and contract management .Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Promotion and Education

Policies and Incentives

Spotlight: Rural Communities with less than 10 homes per km of roads (80% Rural) where curbside collection is cost prohibitive

Collection

ForsomeruralcommunitiesinOntario,curbsiderecyclingserviceiscostprohibitive,meaningexceedingorlikelytoexceed$50 perhouseholdperyearandoftenlogisticallyimpracticalgiventhelimitedresourcesofcommunitiesofthatsize.Thebest practiceforcollectionofrecyclablesinthesesmallcommunitiesis use of drop-off depots to collect Blue Box materials .

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Whenever possible (meaning if there is a suitable MRF within a reasonable haul distance), collection should be conducted with the greatest degree of commingling in order to result in significant savings in transfer costs . Furthermore, controlled compaction canbeusedtomaximizepayloads.Compactionatadepotcantakeplaceintheformofa roll-offcompactorunitwherepowerandarampisavailableorwiththeuseoffrontendcontainersanditsassociatedcollection vehicletocollectoneormorestreamscompacted.Thecompactionneedstobecontrolledsothatthepressureissufficientto achieveareasonableamountofvolumereduction,withoutover-compactingthematerials.

SupportingBestPracticesrelatedtoestablishmentandoperationofdrop-offdepotsarediscussedfurtherin thecorresponding BestPracticeSpotlight.

Processing

Partnership and transfer opportunities should be explored for such small rural programs .Operatingamaterialrecovery facilityinthisvolumerangeisnotfeasible.Wheneverpossible,programshandlinglessthan2,000tonnesshould use a larger MRF available in neighbouring jurisdictions.

SupportingBestPracticesrelatedtotransferofrecyclablematerialsarediscussedfurtherin thecorrespondingBestPractice Spotlight.

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ProgramProfile Small Suburban Northern Blue Box Program

Overview

UseofProgramProfile ThisProgramProfile,pairedwiththeFundamentalBestPracticeandSpotlight summaries,isdesignedtoprovidegeneralguidancetomunicipalitiesonhowto Thisdocumentisintendedtoprovide design,manage,andoperatetheirBlueBoxprogramsunderBestPractices.Itis generalguidance,notdetailed specificallytailoredtoprogramsofdefinedsize,density,andgeographyinorderto prescriptiverecommendations,on enhanceapplicabilityofBestPracticesandincreasethelikelihoodoftheiradoption. howanygivenprogramshouldbe structured. TheProjectTeambelievesthatby Program Characteristics adoptingBestPracticesoutlinedin thisdocument,recyclingcoordinators ThefollowingcharacteristicswereusedtodefinethisProgramProfile: willimprovetheperformanceoftheir BlueBoxprogram.However,the GeographicalRegion :Northerncommunity degreeofimprovementwillvary acrossmunicipalities,asmultiple SizeofProgram :Generatinglessthan10,000tonnesperyear factorscontributetooverallprogram performance.Furthermore,more- ResidentialDensity :Between10and70homesperkilometreofroads detailedguidancemaybeneededby (mixedurbanandrural,orsuburban) somecommunitiestoensurethat practicesaretrulyimplementedina Programshavingthisprofilemayhaveamixofruralandurbanareas,witha BestPracticesfashion. reasonableportionofhouseholdslocatedinurbansettings(between20%and80%). Theyaretypicallysmallormediumtowns.Thechallengeinthisgroupistoachieve diversiongoalsandprovideefficient,costeffectiverecyclingservicestobothrural andurbanhouseholds.

Applicable Best Practices

EachoftheFundamentalBestPracticeslistedinthetablebelowappliestoallBlue Boxprograms.Thesepracticesareintroducedinthetextbelow,anddescribedin greaterdetailintheseparateFundamentalBestPracticesummaries.

TherearenoConditionalBestPracticesthatapplytoeveryprograminthisprofile. ConditionalPracticesarebestforsome,butnotallprogramsinthisprofile.These practicesandthespecificconditionsunderwhichtheyapplyarediscussedbelow. Leadingpracticesarepresentedinboldtype,foreaseofreference.Additional guidanceregardingpracticesthatmaybebestundercertaincircumstancesisalso providedforconsideration.Lastly,supplementarybestpracticesguidancefor specificprogramareas(e.g.,collection,processing,depotandmulti-residential recycling)canbefoundinthe“Spotlight”summaries.

FUNDAMENTALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoallprograms

Developmentandimplementationofanup-to-dateplanforrecycling,aspartof anintegratedwastemanagementsystem Multi-municipalplanningapproachtocollectionandprocessingrecyclables

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Program Planning and Design

Limitedresourcesandtheneedtofocusonprioritiesandberesourcefularemain reasonsto maintain and implement an up-to-date plan for recycling as part of an integrated waste management system .Suchaplanwillensureastrategic managementfocusthat,whencombinedwithcomplementarywastereduction, organics,reuse,energyfromwaste,andwastediversionincentives(baglimits,user pay),willresultinarobustBlueBoxprogram.Additionalelementsofaplanfor recycling,aspartofanintegratedwastemanagementsystemcanbefoundinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Programsmatchingthisprofilecanexperienceconsiderablebenefitsfrommulti- municipalcooperation.A multi-municipal planning approach willenable participatingjurisdictionstoevaluateopportunitiestoworktogetherinmakingthe mostefficientuseoflimitedpersonnelandequipmentresources,togenerate economiesofscale,andtoimprovemarketleveragewhencontractingandmoving recyclablematerialsintothemarketplace.Inaddition,communitiescancollaborateto establishacommonlistoftargetmaterialsandsimilarcollectionprograms.Thiswill createconsistencyamongneighbouringmunicipalities,whichfacilitatespublic understandingregardingwhatandhowtorecycle.Thisisparticularlyimportant,as residentsoftenrelocatebetweenneighbouringjurisdictions.Afurtherbenefitisthe abilitytodevelopcontingencyplanswithneighbouringjurisdictions.Thiscommunity groupalsooffersconsiderablepotentialformulti-municipalcooperationbeyond planningforcollection,processing,andmarketing.Aggregationofblueboxtonnage willresultinhigherthroughput,therebyloweringper-tonnenetcostsforall participatingcommunities.Additionaldiscussionofthedetailsofamulti-municipal planningapproachcanbefoundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBestPractices section.

Havingaplanisofonlylimitedbenefitiftherearenodefined diversion targets and performance measures, supported by data collection and analysis thatmeasure theeffectivenessoftheplananditsimplementation.Performancemeasuresand datatobeobtainedincludemonitoringofdiversionamounts,conductingwaste audits,andconductingparticipationstudies.Itiswithsuchprogrammonitoringthat sounddecisionscanbemadebasedonlocalprogramdata,withinaframeworkofa

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continuouslyimprovingtheprogram.Additionaldiscussionofperformancemeasures andprogrammonitoringcanbefoundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBest Practicessection.

Collection

ProgramsintheNortharelikelytohavehightransportationcostsassociatedwith gettingrecyclablematerialstomarket.This,coupledwiththelowtonnageof materialsavailableforrecovery,warrantsfocusingrecyclingeffortsoncapturingBlue Boxmaterialsthataremarketableandofferthegreatesttonnagediversion opportunity.

Use of drop-off depots for recovering recyclables isaBestPractice in low- density rural areas ,wherecurbsiderecyclingisoftencostprohibitive.Itismore cost-effectivetoemploytheuseofdepotsinareaswherecurbsidecollectioncosts exceed$50per-householdper-year. Curbside collection of recyclables should be provided to households in more urbanized areas ,wheresuchservicecanbe providedfor$50perhouseholdper-yearorless.Evenwhencurbsidecollectionis provided,drop-offdepotsaretheBestPracticetocollectoverflowBlueBox materialsandadditionalrecyclablesforwhichcurbsidecollectionisnotpracticalor cost-effective.SupportingBestPracticesrelatedtodrop-offdepotsarediscussedin thecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.BestPracticesforcurbsiderecyclingin jurisdictionsofthisprofiletypearediscussedintheCollectionsectionbelow. Additionalinformationoncurbsidecollectionofamoregeneralnatureisprovidedin thecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Communitiesofthisprofilewilllikelyhaveasmallnumberofmulti-familyhomes. Recyclables collection should be provided to multi-family homes, andthe collection should be incorporated into curbside collection service routes, wherever possible ,tominimizecollectioncosts.Becauseoftheuniquechallenges ofmulti-familyrecycling,associatedbestpracticesarefurtherdiscussedinthe correspondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Toimprovetheeconomicsofcurbsiderecyclingcollection,itisaBestPracticeto employmeasuresthatincreasetheamountofmaterialcollectedperstopand maximizecollectionefficiency.Thisisparticularlyimportantinareasoflow-density population,asitischallengingtoperformcurbsiderecyclingatanannualper- householdcostbelow$50.

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weeklyorbi-weeklycollectionofrecyclables.CollectionofBlueBoxmaterials shouldbeatleastasfrequentaswastecollection.

Thenumberofstreamsinwhichrecyclablesarecollectedwillbedictatedbythe processingoptionsavailabletotheprogramasdiscussedinthisandthefollowing section.Singlestreamcollectionisanoptionthatshouldonlybeconsideredby programsofthisprofilethatarewithinaboutatwohourtransferdistanceofasingle streamMRF(e.g.,GreaterSudbury,Winnipeg).Collectingmaterialssinglestream allowsothercollectionpracticestobeimplementedthatcansignificantlyreducethe collectioncost.Oneofthesepracticesis controlled compaction thatallows collectiontobemoreproductivebecausetruckscanstayonroutelongerbefore filling.Thecompactionneedstobecontrolledsothatthepressureissufficientto achieveareasonableamountofvolumereduction,withoutover-compactingthe materials.Over-compactionresultsinglassbreakageandflatteningofround containers,whichcancausetheautomatedsystemsinasinglestreamMRFtobe lesseffectiveinseparatingflatpaperproductsfromroundcontainers.

Programsthatarewithinaboutatwo-hourtransferdistanceofatwo-streamMRF shouldconsidercollectingmaterialsintwostreamsascollectioncostscanbe reduced.Aswithsinglestreamcollection,compactioncanalsobeusedintwo streamcollection.Co-collectionofwasteandrecyclablescanalsobeadaptedtotwo streamprogramswhenhomesareprovidedwithanalternatingcollectionschedule ofBlueBoxmaterials,wherewasteandfibresarecollectedoneweek,andwaste andcontainersarecollectedthenextweek.

Opportunitiesforimprovingcollectionefficienciesandreducingcoststhatapplyto programsmatchingthisprofileinclude:the use of increased commingling where applicableandreducing non-productive operator time .TheseandotherBest PracticesareexpandeduponinthecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Processing

Facilitiesthatprocesslessthan10,000tonnesperyeararenotascost-effectiveas largerfacilities,andallprogramswiththisprofileshouldexplorepartnership opportunitiestomaximizethetonnesprocessedbyexistingMRFs,astheyarewell belowthatthreshold.

ProgramsthatareremotemayhavetoprocesstheirownBlueBoxmaterials. ProcessingcostscanbemanagedbylimitingthecategoriesofBlueBoxmaterials collectedandsortingmostmaterialsatthecurb.Processingequipmentcan thereforebelow-costandlimitedtoarudimentarysortingline(ifrequired),materials handlingequipment,andaninexpensivebaler.Becausethebalerwillnotberobust, PETplasticbottleswillnotbeabletobebaledtoasufficientdensitytoavoid additionalfreightcostsorpenalties.Therefore,aBestPracticeistopurchaseand usedensifyingequipment,suchasaperforatororbalerfluffertoperforatePET bottles,ratherthanremovecapsbyhand.OtheroptimizationstrategiesforMRFs aremorefullydiscussedinthecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

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Training

BestPracticesinclude ensuring key program staff are adequately trained inthe corecompetenciesrequiredforeachduty.Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Procurement and Contract Management

BestPracticesincludefollowing generally accepted principles for effective procurement and contract management .Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Promotion and Education

Policies and Incentives

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ProgramProfile Small Urban Northern Blue Box Program

Overview

UseofProgramProfile ThisProgramProfile,pairedwiththeFundamentalBestPracticeandSpotlight summaries,isdesignedtoprovidegeneralguidancetomunicipalitiesonhowto design,manage,andoperatetheirBlueBoxprogramsunderBestPractices.Itis Thisdocumentisintendedtoprovide generalguidance,notdetailed specificallytailoredtoprogramsofdefinedsize,density,andgeographyinorderto prescriptiverecommendations,on enhanceapplicabilityofBestPracticesandincreasethelikelihoodoftheiradoption. howanygivenprogramshouldbe structured. TheProjectTeambelievesthatby Program Characteristics adoptingBestPracticesoutlinedin thisdocument,recyclingcoordinators ThefollowingcharacteristicswereusedtodefinethisProgramProfile: willimprovetheperformanceoftheir BlueBoxprogram.However,the GeographicalRegion:Northerncommunity degreeofimprovementwillvary acrossmunicipalities,asmultiple SizeofProgram :Generatinglessthan10,000tonnesperyear factorscontributetooverallprogram ResidentialDensity :Morethan70homesperkmofroads(80%Urban) performance.Furthermore,more- detailedguidancemaybeneededby Programswithinthisprofileareurbancities.Thechallengeinthisgroupisto somecommunitiestoensurethat practicesaretrulyimplementedina maximizerecovery,whileprovidingefficient,cost-effectiveBlueBoxservicetoall BestPracticesfashion. households,includingthoseresidinginmulti-familyunits.

Applicable Best Practices

EachoftheFundamentalBestPracticeslistedinthetablebelowappliestoallBlue Boxprograms.Thesepracticesareintroducedinthetextbelow,anddescribedin greaterdetailintheseparateFundamentalBestPracticesummaries.

FUNDAMENTALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoallprograms

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Limitedresourcesandtheneedtofocusonprioritiesandberesourcefularethe mainreasonsto maintain and implement an up-to-date plan for recycling as part of an integrated waste management system .Suchaplanwillensurea strategicmanagementfocusthat,whencombinedwithcomplementarywaste reduction,organics,reuse,energyfromwaste,andwastediversionincentives(bag limits,userpay),willresultinarobustBlueBoxprogram.Additionalelementsofa planforrecycling,aspartofanintegratedwastemanagementsystem,canbefound inthecorrespondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Inmanycases,programsmatchingthisprofilearelikelytobebusinessand populationcentresoftheirarea.Therefore,programdecisionswillhaveadirect impactontheprogramsinsurroundingtownsandtownships.A multi-municipal planning approach enablesparticipatingjurisdictionstheopportunitytoevaluate opportunitiestoworktogethertomakemostefficientuseoflimitedpersonnel, improveeconomiesofscale,andimprovemarketleveragewhencontractingfor servicesandmarketingrecoveredmaterials.Inaddition,communitiesinaregioncan collaboratetoestablishacommonlistoftargetmaterialsandsimilarcollection programs.Thiswillcreateconsistencyamongneighbouringmunicipalities,which facilitatespublicunderstandingregardingwhatandhowtorecycle.Aggregationof blueboxtonnagethroughshareduseofoneMRFwillallowfortheuseofmore effectiveandefficientprocessingequipment,andwillresultinhigherthroughput, therebyloweringper-tonnenetcostsforallparticipatingcommunities.Additional discussionofthedetailsofamulti-municipalplanningapproachcanbefoundinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Havingaplanisofonlylimitedbenefitiftherearenodefined diversion targets and performance measures, supported by data collection and analysis thatmeasure theeffectivenessoftheplananditsimplementation.Performancemeasuresand datatobeobtainedincludemonitoringofdiversionamounts,conductingwaste audits,andconductingparticipationstudies.Itiswithsuchprogrammonitoringthat sounddecisionscanbemadebasedonlocalprogramdata,withinaframeworkofa continuouslyimprovingtheprogram.Additionaldiscussionofperformancemeasures andprogrammonitoringcanbefoundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBest Practicessection.

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processing.Specificopportunitiesthatapplytoprogramsofthisprofilearefurther discussedintheCollectionandProcessingsectionsofthisProgramProfile.

Collection

Giventhehighdensityofhousingincommunitieshavingthisprofile curbside collection is the best practice means of providing recycling service. Drop-off depots should be utilized to collect overflow Blue Box materials and additional types of recyclables, for which curbside collection is not practical or cost- effective. SupportingBestPracticesrelatedtodrop-offdepotsarediscussedinthe correspondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Communitiesofthisprofilewilllikelyhaveasizablenumberofmulti-familyhomes. Recyclablescollectionneedstobeprovidedtomulti-familyhomestoachievethe province’sgoalof60percentdiversionofBlueBoxmaterials. Recyclables collection should be provided to multi-family homes, andthe collection should be incorporated into curbside collection service routes, wherever possible ,to minimizecollectioncosts.Becauseoftheuniquechallengesofmulti-family recycling,associatedbestpracticesarefurtherdiscussedinthecorrespondingBest PracticeSpotlight.

Tominimizecurbsiderecyclingcollectioncosts,itisaBestPracticeto employ measures that increase the amount of material collected per stop and maximize collection efficiency . Providing sufficient rigid collection containers free of charge toresidentswillensurethatoverflowmaterialsarenotdisposed. Selectionofthesizeand/ornumberofcontainersneedstotakeintoconsideration estimatedsetoutvolumeofrecyclables,basedonthefrequencyofcollection.Most programswillprovideweeklyorbi-weeklycollectionofrecyclables. Collection of Blue Box materials should be at least as frequent as waste collection.

Thenumberofstreamsinwhichrecyclablesshouldbecollectedisdiscussedinthis andthefollowingsection.Singlestreamcollectionrequiressignificantcapital investmentsinprocessingequipment.Programsofthisprofiledonotrecover sufficienttonnestoallowforsuchlargecapitalinvestments,and,therefore,single streamcollectionisnotaBestPracticeforprogramsofthisprofile.Anexceptionto thisisprogramsthatarewithinaboutatwo-hourtransferdistanceofasinglestream MRF(e.g.,GreaterSudbury,Winnipeg).Forthoseprograms,collectingmaterials singlestreamallowsothercollectionpracticestobeimplementedthatcan significantlyreducethecollectioncost.Oneofthesepracticesis controlled compaction thatallowscollectiontobemoreproductivebecausetruckscanstayon routelongerbeforefilling.Thecompactionneedstobecontrolledsothatthe pressureissufficienttoachieveareasonableamountofvolumereduction,without

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over-compactingthematerials.Over-compactionresultsinglassbreakageand flatteningofroundcontainers,whichcancausetheautomatedsystemsinasingle streamMRFtobelesseffectiveinseparatingflatpaperproductsfromround containers.

ProgramsthatarenotnearGreaterSudburyshouldconsidercollectingmaterialsin twostreamsifthecombinedregionaltonnagewouldbeapproximately10,000 tonnesperyear(enablingconstructionofaregionaltwo-streamMRF).Collecting materialstwo-streamallowscollectioncoststobereducedcomparedtocurbside sortingofmaterials.Aswithsinglestreamcollection,compactioncanalsobeused intwostreamcollection.Cocollectionofwasteandrecyclablescanalsobeadapted totwostreamprogramswhenhomesareprovidedwithanalternatingcollection scheduleofBlueBoxmaterials,wherewasteandfibresarecollectedoneweek,and wasteandcontainersarecollectedthenextweek.

Ifitisnotfeasibletoconstructaregionaltwo-streamMRF,thepreferredcollection methodwouldbetosortBlueBoxmaterialsatthecurb.

Additionalopportunitiesforimprovingcollectionefficienciesandreducingcoststhat applytoprogramsmatchingthisprofileinclude:the use of increased commingling , whereapplicableandreducing non-productive operator time .Theseandother BestPracticesareexpandeduponinthecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Processing

Facilitiesthatprocesslessthan10,000tonnesperyeararenotascost-effectiveas largerfacilitiesandallprogramswiththisprofileshould explore partnership opportunities to maximize the tonnes processed by existing MRFs ,astheyare wellbelowthatthreshold.

Training

BestPracticesinclude ensuring key program staff are adequately trained inthe corecompetenciesrequiredforeachduty.Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

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Procurement and Contract Management

BestPracticesincludefollowing generally accepted principles for effective procurement and contract management .Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Promotion and Education

Policies and Incentives

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ProgramProfile Medium Suburban Northern Blue Box Program

Overview

UseofProgramProfile ThisProgramProfile,pairedwiththeFundamentalBestPracticeandSpotlight summaries,isdesignedtoprovidegeneralguidancetomunicipalitiesonhowto Thisdocumentisintendedtoprovide design,manage,andoperatetheirBlueBoxprogramsunderBestPractices.Itis generalguidance,notdetailed specificallytailoredtoprogramsofdefinedsize,density,andgeographyinorderto prescriptiverecommendations,on enhanceapplicabilityofBestPracticesandincreasethelikelihoodoftheiradoption. howanygivenprogramshouldbe structured. TheProjectTeambelievesthatby Program Characteristics adoptingBestPracticesoutlinedin thisdocument,recyclingcoordinators ThefollowingcharacteristicswereusedtodefinethisProgramProfile: willimprovetheperformanceoftheir BlueBoxprogram.However,the GeographicalRegion :Northerncommunity degreeofimprovementwillvary acrossmunicipalities,asmultiple SizeofProgram :Generatingbetween10,000and40,000tonnesperyear factorscontributetooverallprogram performance.Furthermore,more- ResidentialDensity :Between10and70homesperkilometreofroads detailedguidancemaybeneededby (mixedurbanandrural,orsuburban) somecommunitiestoensurethat practicesaretrulyimplementedina Programshavingthisprofilearemajorregionalpopulationcentersthathaveamixof BestPracticesfashion. urban,suburban,andruralhomes.Thediversityofhousingdensitiesanddistribution ofhouseholdsoveralargelandareamakeitmakeitdifficulttoprovideBlueBox recyclingtoallresidentsinastandardizedandcosteffectivemanner.Thechallenge inthisgroupistoachievediversiongoalsandmaximizeefficient,cost-effective recyclingservicestoallresidents,includingthoselivinginmulti-familyunits.

Applicable Best Practices

EachoftheFundamentalBestPracticeslistedinthetablebelowappliestoallBlue Boxprograms.Thesepracticesareintroducedinthetextbelow,anddescribedin greaterdetailintheseparateFundamentalBestPracticesummaries.

FUNDAMENTALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoallprograms

Developmentandimplementationofanup-to-dateplanforrecycling,aspartof anintegratedwastemanagementsystem Multi-municipalplanningapproachtocollectionandprocessingrecyclables

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CONDITIONALBESTPRACTICES–applicabletoprogramsfittingthisprofile

TwostreamcollectionandprocessingofBlueBoxmaterials

Program Planning and Design

Limitedresourcesandtheneedtofocusonprioritiesandberesourcefularethe mainreasonsto maintain and implement an up-to-date plan for recycling as part of an integrated waste management system .Suchaplanwillensurea strategicmanagementfocusthat,whencombinedwithcomplementarywaste reduction,organics,reuse,energyfromwaste,andwastediversionincentives(bag limits,userpay),willresultinarobustBlueBoxprogram.Additionalelementsofa planforrecycling,aspartofanintegratedwastemanagementsystemcanbefound inthecorrespondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Programsmatchingthisprofilearelikelytobebusinessandpopulationcentreof theirarea.Therefore,programdecisionswillhaveadirectimpactontheprogramsin surroundingtownsandtownships.A multi-municipal planning approach will allowsurroundingjurisdictionstoworktogethertomakethemostefficientuseof limitedpersonnel,improveeconomiesofscale,andimprovemarketleveragewhen contractingforservicesandmarketingrecoveredmaterials.Inaddition, communitiesinaregioncancollaboratetoestablishacommonlistoftarget materialsandsimilarcollectionprograms.Thiswillcreateconsistencyamong neighbouringmunicipalities,whichfacilitatespublicunderstandingregardingwhat andhowtorecycle.Additionaldiscussionofthedetailsofamulti-municipalplanning approachcanbefoundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Havingaplanisofonlylimitedbenefitiftherearenodefined diversion targets and performance measures, supported by data collection and analysis thatmeasure theeffectivenessoftheplananditsimplementation.Performancemeasuresand datatobeobtainedincludemonitoringofdiversionamounts,conductingwaste audits,andconductingparticipationstudies.Itiswithsuchprogrammonitoringthat sounddecisionscanbemadebasedonlocalprogramdata,withinaframeworkofa continuouslyimprovingtheprogram.Additionaldiscussionofperformancemeasures andprogrammonitoringcanbefoundinthecorrespondingFundamentalBest Practicessection.

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Collection

Theurbanportionsofprogramsofthisprofilewilllikelyhaveasizablemulti-family population.Multi-residential recyclables collection should be integrated with curbside collection service wherever possible .Becauseoftheuniquechallenges ofmulti-familyrecycling,associatedBestPracticesarefurtherdiscussedinthe correspondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

.Providing sufficient rigid collection containers free of charge toresidentswill ensurethatoverflowmaterialsarenotdisposed.Selectionofthesizeand/ornumber ofcontainersneedstotakeintoconsiderationestimatedsetoutvolumeof recyclables,basedonthefrequencyofcollection.Mostprogramswillprovide weeklyorbi-weeklycollectionofrecyclables. Collection of Blue Box materials should be at least as frequent as waste collection.

Programswithinthisprofileshould collect recyclables in two streams (i.e.,fibres andcontainers),withthepossibleexceptionofkeepingglassseparateasathird stream.Single-streamrecyclingislikelynotwarrantedforprogramsofthisprofile, unlessaregionalMRFistobeconstructedthatwouldprocesstonnagesnearor above40,000tonnesperyear(otherwisecapitalcostscouldnegativelyimpact combinedcollectionandprocessingcost-effectiveness).

Althoughahighly-capitalizedsinglestreamMRFnormallyrequiresagreatertonnage thanisrepresentedbythisprofile,singlestreamprocessingcanbefeasibleifsorting isprimarilymanualand/orifsingle-streamcollectionprovidessignificantcostsavings overtwostreamcollection(e.g.,usingcartsandtransitioningtobi-weeklyservice). Fromaprocessingperspective,singlestreamcollectionofrecyclablesisnot preferredovertwostreamcollection,becausetheprocessingcostpertonneand processresiduerateswillbehigheratasinglestreamMRFcomparedtoan equivalenttwo-streamMRF.

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truckscanstayonroutelongerbeforefilling.Thecompactionneedstobecontrolled sothatthepressureissufficienttoachieveareasonableamountofvolume reduction,withoutover-compactingthematerials.Over-compactionresultsinglass breakageandflatteningofroundcontainers,whichcancausetheautomated systemsinasinglestreamMRFtobelesseffectiveinseparatingflatpaperproducts fromroundcontainers.Compactioncanalsobeusedintwostreamcollection; however,theper-householdcostforcollectioninsinglestreamsystemsistypically lessthancomparabletwostreamsystemsbecausematerialscanbeloadedintoa singlestreamtruckinlesstime.

Asecondcollectionpracticethatisenabledbysinglestreamcollectionisproviding programparticipantswithcartsfortheirBlueBoxmaterialsinsteadofbins.The significantlygreaterstoragevolumeofcartscomparedtobinsmeansthatoverflow BlueBoxmaterialsaretypicallynotdiscarded,althoughsomeexceptionsmayoccur. Thecartsalsoallowforevery-other-weekcollectionofBlueBoxmaterials,with reducedcollectioncostcomparedtoweeklycollection.Theuseofcartsalsoallows forfullyautomatedcollection,inwhichamechanicalarmpicksupanddumpsthe cartwithoutthedriverhavingtogetoutofthetruckforthemajorityofstops.This canallowforcollectingmorestopsperhour,yieldingfurthercostsavings.Because machineryisdoingtheheavylifting,amoreageandgender-balancedworkforcecan beusedandWSIBclaimsaretypicallyreduced.Inareaswherefullyautomated collectionisimpractical(e.g.,duetoobstaclesimpedingcollection),semi-automated collectionofrecyclablesincartsmaybeanoption.

Itshouldbenotedthatmanyofthepracticesthatareenabledbysinglestream collectioncanbeachievedbytwostreamsystemsthatcollectpaperproductsand containersonanalternatingweekbasis,includingcompactionandco-collection. CollectingonanalternatingweekbasisdoesnotmeanthattheMRFonlyprocesses paperproductsoneweekandcontainerstheotherweek;ratheritmeansthathalf theroutescollectonematerialandtheotherhalfofroutescollecttheothermaterial onanygivenday.ThisallowstheMRFtobeoptimallysized.Becausesolidwaste plannersseektooptimizeanentireintegratedsolidwastesystem,asinglestream BlueBoxsystemmaybepreferredovertwostreamiftotalsystemcostsare reduced.Plannersofprogramssimilartothisprofileshouldcarefullydeveloptheir businesscasetoevaluatewhichsystembestmeetsoverallintegratedsystem objectives.

Opportunitiesforimprovingcollectionefficienciesandreducingcoststhatapplyto programsmatchingthisprofileincludethe use of route optimization software and providing carts or dumpsters at multi-family complexes .Theseandother collectionoptimizationpracticesaremorefullydiscussedinthecorrespondingBest PracticeSpotlight.

Processing

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Two-stream processing (fibresandcontainers)ismostappropriateinthistonnage range.ThesizeofprogramswithinthisprofileallowsfortheconstructionofaMRF thatisdedicatedtotheprogramandiscapableofprocessingrecyclablesthathave beencollectedintwostreams:containersandfibres.Thecostofsinglestream processingisgreaterthanthatoftwo-streamprocessingatthesamecapacity,and anticipatedsavingsincollectionareabletooffsettheseprocessingcostsonlyathigh throughputtonnages.OtheroptimizationstrategiesforMRFsaremorefully discussedinthecorrespondingBestPracticeSpotlight.

Training

BestPracticesinclude ensuring key program staff are adequately trained inthe corecompetenciesrequiredforeachduty.Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Procurement and Contract Management

BestPracticesincludefollowing generally accepted principles for effective procurement and contract management .Thisisdiscussedindetailinthe correspondingFundamentalBestPracticessection.

Promotion and Education

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Policies and Incentives

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DiffusionofBestPractices

This section outlines suggested next steps and the use of E&E Fund in promoting and diffusing Best Practices province-wide.

NextStepsforBestPracticeDiffusion TohelpcontinuetheadoptionanddiffusionofBestPractices,theTeamdevelopeda numberofsuggestionsrelatedtotheimplementationandcontinuousimprovement ofpracticesoutlinedinthisdocumentandindividualcommunityreports.

Implementation Plan For municipalities that received a customized report withopportunitiesfor improvement,followupactivitiesneedtobeconductedinordertotrackprogress andfacilitateimplementationofBestPractices.First,adebriefwithprogramstaff maybenecessarytounderstandwhether:

Timelinesarereasonable Opportunitiesareprioritizedcorrectly Sufficientimplementationresourcesexist Thisfollowupprocessneedstotakeplaceoverthefirstsixmonthsafterthereceipt oftheopportunitiesforimprovementreport.Apost-reportsurveymayalsobe helpfulingaugingthereceptivityofthemunicipalitytothecontentsofthereport.

Then,anongoingdialogueprocessmayberequiredtohelpidentifybarriersto implementation,resolveissues,andprovidefeedbackondirectionandprogress.

Forthose municipalities that didn’t receive an individual report ,theresultsof thisprojectneedtobeconveyedinaclearandaccessibleway.Thismayentailthe creationofinteractivetools,suchasaDecisionTreeandProgramProfiles,onthe Internet(e.g.,KnowledgeNetwork,WDOwebsite,StewardshipOntariowebsite). Postingofbackgrounddocuments,gatheredbytheprojectteam,mayalsobe helpfulininformingmunicipalitiesofthecontentthatledtoformulationofBest Practices.Aguideontheuseofthesetoolswouldberequired.

For smaller resource-constrained communities ,aBestPracticestoolkitmayneed tobecreatedtoassistinunderstanding,embracing,andimplementingBest Practices.Thistoolkitwouldcontain:

ABestPracticesChecklist,withdetaileddescriptionsofBestPracticesand directiononhowtoimplementthem Templatesforkeyprogramdocuments,suchastheMasterPlan

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Examplesofgoodpracticesinaction,includingmaterialauditdocuments, continuousimprovementprocesses,effectiveprocurementmaterials,etc. OpportunitiesforImprovementreportsfromsimilarcommunities,ifprograms electtomakethemavailableforsharing RegionalworkshopsonBestPractices,explainingtheresultsofthisprojectandthe applicabilitytoprograms,mayhelpallOntariocommunities.

The audience forthisdocumentandotherworkproductsofthisprojectisdiverse. Duetothevastarrayofstakeholders,theexpectationsofandperspectivesonthis reportmaydifferdrasticallyamongdifferentaudiences.Thefollowingstakeholders needtobeconsideredindevelopingcommunicationmaterials:

Senior,mid-level,andjuniormunicipalprogramstaff Municipalelectedofficials Stewards MinistryoftheEnvironment PrivateContractors Residents Mediaoutlets The messaging surroundingthedistributionofworkproductsofthisprojectmay needtodiffer,dependingontheaudiencereceivingthem.SimilarlytothewayVolvo instantlyconnotes“safety”,thepositioningofthisandotherdocumentsneedstobe defined,andmaybealteredfordifferentstakeholders.Positioningmayhighlightthe followingelements:

EnvironmentalFocus ProgramOptimization IndustryInsight WasteDiversion CostReduction ContinuousImprovement HelpfulGuidance Thesechangemanagementtechniquesmayneedtobeaugmentedbydevelopinga clearrelationshipbetweentheadoptionofBestPracticesandfundingreceivedby theprogram.Team’sobservationsindicatethatfundingisapowerfuldriverof changeintheindustry;therefore,diffusionofBestPracticesmay,toalargedegree, dependonthemunicipalities’understandingthatfundingwillbeaffected(positively ornegatively)bytheprogressmadeinimplementingBestPractices.

Continuous Improvement Mechanisms TohelpsustainthemomentumofBestPracticeimplementationanduse, municipalitiesneedtoemployContinuousImprovementprocessesintheirrecycling

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programs.AcultureofContinuousImprovementwillhelpprogramsreachtheir operational,financial,anddiversiongoalsfasterandmorecost-effectively. LeveragingexistingContinuousImprovementprogramsfromtheirownmunicipality orfromprogramsthathaveeffectiveContinuousImprovementprocesseswilllikely yieldgoodresults.

Opportunitiesforcriticallyassessingprogramstructureandperformancearisequite frequently.Theseincludeannualeventsorsignificantmilestones,suchas:

Contractrenewalandtendering Programbudgeting Datacallsubmission Programaudits–financialandoperational Inevaluatingprogramperformanceandconsideringchanges,municipalitiesneedto askthefollowingquestions:

Haveprogramcostgoneupordown? Havediversionrateschanged? Whatotherchangestookplace? Whatarethecausesofthesechanges? WhatnewBestPracticeshavebeenidentifiedandpublished ArecurrentBestPracticesstillrelevant? Whatarethenewtechnologiesenteringtheindustry? HastheProgramProfile(asdefinedbytheDecisionTree)changedduetotonnage anddensitychanges? Haspoliticalwillordirectionchanged,andhowwilltheprogrambeinfluenced? Whatchangesmyneighbourshavemade? Doestheprogramhavesufficientskillsandresourcestocontinueachievingset targets? Areprogramtargetsstillrelevant? ContinuousImprovementalsoentailsthesearchfornewBestPractices.TheTeam estimatesthattheimplementationofBestPracticesdetailedinthisreportmaytake uptothreetofiveyearsonanindustry-widebasis.Duringthattime,ongoing monitoringandevaluationofBestPracticediffusionmaybenecessary.Afterthree tofiveyears,areviewofchangesinindustryandchangesinpracticesemployedby municipalprogramsmayberequiredinordertoidentifynewBestPracticesin OntarioBlueBoxRecycling.

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E&EFundOptionsforDiffusingBestPractices

Approach to Identify E&E Fund Options TheProjectTeamreviewedtheexistingE&EFundprogramstructureandhistory, andqueriedthefullprojectteamtoobtaintheirinputonhowtobestuseE&Efunds todiffuseBestPractices.Inaddition,aworkshopwithmunicipalleadersinrecycling washeldtogatherfeedbackonprojectdeliverablesanddiscusspotentialusesofthe E&Efund.Duringeachworksession,fundingneedswereidentified,followedbya discussiononactionstobetakeninaddressingtheidentifiedneeds.Findingswith respecttoprogramneedsandspecificideasontheuseofE&Efundsresultingfrom theseworkshopsarepresentedbelow.

Program Needs Thefollowingisasummaryofneedsidentifiedinthetwosessions:

Training–province-widetrainingexistedinthepast,butitisnolongeroffered Coordinationbetweenprograms-thereappearstoalackofanoverarchingvision acrosstheprovinceforprogramcoordination Northernsupport–networkingandcommunicationsarecrucialtoimproving programperformanceandmulti-municipalcollaboration Standardizationofprograms–currentimprovementeffortsappeartobefocused ontweakingexistingprogramsasopposedtoaimingtostandardizeprogramsto acommonsetofmaterials,processes,andpolicies Leadership–greaterleadershipmaymotivateandsustainchange Additionalresources–someprogramsmaylackstafforfundingtoimplement BestPractices Marketingknowledgeandexpertise–informationonmarketingprices,contacts, companiesappearstobefragmented SharingofinformationamongprogramsProvince-wide–industryandprogram specificinformationappearstobescatteredandisolated AdditionalDatacalltraining–someprogramcoordinatorsmaynothavethe adequatedegreeofknowledgetoaccuratelycompletetheWDODatacall

E&E Fund Options Basedontheidentifiedneeds,theTeamformulatedanumberofoptionsonhowto useE&EFundresources.Theseareideasonpotentialprojectsandactivities;further evaluationsshouldbeconductedtoassessthepracticalityandcost-effectivenessof theseprojects/activities.Optionsarepresentedbelow,innoparticularorder:

1 Training workshops on Best Practices

TrainingworkshopsontheresultsofthisprojectandadoptionofBestPractices couldbeheldatvariouslocationsacrosstheProvince.Acertificationprogramcould becreatedforrecyclingcoordinatorstoensureprogramsareoperatedbyskilledand

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knowledgeablestaff.WDODatacalltrainingcouldbeintegratedintothesesessions orcouldbeprovidedforinseparateworkshops.

2 Northern support resource

Northernmunicipalitiesmaybenefitfromadedicatedrecyclingspecialistwhowould provideguidanceandsupporttolocalprograms.

3 Workshops by program profile to promote results of this project

TrainingsessionsorientedaroundBestPracticesProgramProfilescouldbeheldin variousregions,tocommunicatespecificandrelevantinformationtoprograms matchingagivenprofile.Municipalandstewardteammemberscouldhelpfacilitate thesesessions,aimedatprogramcoordinators,politicians,andprivatecontractors, amongothers.Developmentofanelectronic,web-basedversionoftheDecision Treeandresourcelibrarywillhelpguidemunicipalitiestotheirrespectiveprofile.

4 Development of a tool to gather, maintain, and share recyclable materials and marketing information

Adatabasecontaininginformationoncommodities,marketprices,andbuyerscould bedevelopedtoenablemunicipalitiestomaximizetheirrevenues.Thiswould providetransparencyandefficiencytoanotherwisesegmentedandsiloedindustry. Informationonmarginal,non-mainstreamproductsmaybeofgreatestvalueto programoperators.

5 Overcoming Supply/Market Barriers

E&Eresourcescouldbeusedtoanalyzethesupplyanddemandofvarious commodities,identifybarrierstoenhancingtheenduseofcommodities,and developstrategiestoovercometheidentifiedbarriers.Regional,provincial,and macroeconomicissueswillneedtobeconsideredaspartofthebarriers identification,assessmentandstrategydevelopmentprocess.

6 Centralized Province-wide procurement portal

Aweb-basedprocurementportalcouldbecreatedtolistupcomingandcurrent tendersandRFPsissuedbymunicipalprograms.Theportalcouldincludeservice levelsandclauses,winningbidsandnon-winningbids,andactualpubliccontracts,if available.Theportalwouldbeaimedatincreasingcompetitionandmakingthe marketmoretransparentandefficient.

7 Standardized P&E content

AfullyaccessiblerepositoryofstandardizedPromotionandEducationmaterials couldbedevelopedforusebyprogramoperators.ThecollectionofP&Ematerials couldinclude:

GraphicsandImages Wording

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Formats Messaging Branding Inaddition,acentralizedP&EcampaignscouldbelaunchedtosupplementP&E performedatthelocallevel.

8 Centralized route optimization

WDOcouldprocurerouteoptimizationsoftwarecentrally,forshareduseofmultiple municipalities.Acentralizedapproachmayreducecostsassociatedwithprocuring thesoftwaresolutionbyindividualmunicipalities.

9 Regional resources for Southern Ontario municipalities

AdoptionofBestPracticesbySouthernOntariomunicipalitiesmaybefacilitatedby employingfullorpart-timeregionalresources.Theseindividualswillhaveabroader perspectiveonanumberofneighbouringmunicipalprograms,allowingforsynergies tobeobtainedthoughservicestandardizationandjointprocessing,marketing,and P&Eefforts.

10 Ongoing program run by a centralized information management entity

Developmentofacentralizedinformationmanagemententitywouldensurethat informationonBlueBoxrecyclinginOntarioisrelevant,updated,andeasily accessed.Informationcouldincludeindustrybenchmarks,studies,links,contacts, andotherhelpfulresources.

E&E Fund Strategy Recommendations Subsequenttotheteamandmunicipalstakeholderworkshops,andinresponseto MIPCfeedback,theProjectTeamsupplementedtheabovefindingswiththe followingadditionalideasandrecommendations.

ThestatedpurposeoftheE&EFundistoreducethecostofBlueBoxprograms (enhanceprogramefficiency)andincreasethetonnesrecovered(enhanceprogram effectiveness).Morespecifically,theconsultingteamrecommendsthatE&Efunds beutilizedtoinduceimprovementsinnetsystemefficiencyandincreasingcost- effectiveBlueBoxmaterialsdiversion.Fundingshouldbeallocated/appliedinareas wherethegreatestopportunitytoboostrecoveryandlowercostsexists.However, insupportoftheBlueBoxProgramPlan,itisalsoimportanttoprovideinformation andassistancetoaidsmallerOntariocommunitiesincomplyingwiththeWaste DiversionActandmeetingBlueBoxprogramtonnagediversiongoals.Furthermore, thereisbenefitinhavingabalanceofproactiveandreactively-determinedprojects, tofosterinnovationandcontinuousimprovement.

GiventhelimitednatureofE&Efunding,careshouldbetakentousetheavailable fundsstrategically.Providedbelowarespecificrecommendationsofthisnature:

Focusfundsonovercomingprimarybarriersorconstraintsimpedingmaterials recoveryandrecyclingorcontributingtohigherprogramcosts,where

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interventioninthemarketplaceisdeemedbothappropriateandabletoproduce measurableresults.Thiswill,ofcourse,requiredeterminationofthekey barriersandconstraintsandwhatisanappropriatemarketinterventionstrategy. AvoidfundingactivitiesthatwouldoccurwithoutuseofanyE&Edollars. Seekopportunitiesthatarecross-commodityinnature,therebyboostingrecovery andloweringsystemcostsformultiplecommodities,asopposedtoonly specificcommodities. SeekopportunitiesthathaveProvince-wideorregionalbenefits,asopposedto thosethatonlybenefitindividualjurisdictions. Choosetheleast-costmethodofovercomingthetargetedbarrierorconstraint. Oftenthisentailsprovisionoftechnicalorfacilitationassistance,asdirect allocationofmoneyistypicallythemostexpensiveoption. UseE&Efundstoserveasacatalysttospurfurtherinvestmentbyotherparties. Thisisparticularlyimportantwhencashistobeallocateddirectly. UseE&Efundsasacontinuousimprovementtoolassistingintheevaluationof technologiesandprocessesthathavethepotentialforoverallsystem improvements. Thismayincludepartialcapitalfundingforspecifictechnologies withmoreofthefundsallocatedtowardstheresearch/demonstrationportion. Withrespecttothisuseoffunding,itwillbeimportanttodiscernbetween R&Drelatedtonewtechnology(notrecommended)versus testing/demonstratingnewapplicationsofexistingproventechnology(amore appropriateuseofE&Efunds).Forexample,E&Efundingcouldbeusedto researchand/ortesttheapplicabilityofusingopticalsortingequipmenttohandle differentplasticsmixes.Thistechnologyisprovenwithrespecttohandling bottles,butinformationiscurrentlylackingregardingitseffectivenessin handlingawidervarietyofplasticpackaging. TheconsultingteamseesmeritintheuseofE&EfundsforMRFrationalization purposes.Individuallocalgovernmentsaregenerallynotinclinedtospendlocal dollarstobuildmorecostlyinfrastructuresothatregionalbenefitscanbe achieved.Inaddition,programsarereluctanttobecomedependentontheuse offacilitiesthatareownedandoperatedbyotherjurisdictions.Giventhis, interventioninthemarketplacetospurregionalprocessingcapacity developmentand/orenhancement(withoutduplicatingexistinginfrastructure andinwaysthatwouldgeneratemeasurableresults)couldbebeneficialand appropriate,assumingsufficientfundingwereavailable.Theconsultingteam wasunabletodeterminewhatamountoffundingthatwouldbeappropriateand effectiveinimplementingtheabove,underthescopeofthisproject Again,astrategicapproachtousingE&Efundsentailstheuseofappropriate,least- costmechanismstoovercomethekeybarriersandconstraintslimitingBlueBox programeffectivenessandefficiency.Manymechanisms,suchasprocurement assistanceandtraining,donotinvolvedirectprovisionoffunding.

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AppendixA:VisitedMunicipal Programs

MUNICIPAL Applicable Decision Tree Profile PROGRAM TITLE GROUP HAMILTON,CITYOF LargeUrban SuburbanMediumSouth LONDON,CITYOF LargeUrban CityMediumSouth PEEL,REGIONALMUNICIPALITYOF LargeUrban SuburbanLargeSouth TORONTO,CITYOF LargeUrban CityLargeSouth YORK,REGIONALMUNICIPALITYOF LargeUrban SuburbanLargeSouth DURHAM,REGIONALMUNICIPALITYOF UrbanRegional SuburbanLargeSouth ESSEX-WINDSORSOLIDWASTEAUTHORITY UrbanRegional SuburbanMediumSouth HALTON,REGIONALMUNICIPALITYOF UrbanRegional SuburbanMediumSouth NIAGARA,REGIONALMUNICIPALITYOF UrbanRegional SuburbanMediumSouth OTTAWA,CITYOF UrbanRegional SuburbanLargeSouth WATERLOO,REGIONALMUNICIPALITYOF UrbanRegional SuburbanMediumSouth PETERBOROUGH,CITYOF MediumUrban CitySmallSouth THUNDERBAY,CITYOF MediumUrban CitySmallNorth CORNWALL,CITYOF SmallUrban CitySmallSouth ORILLIA,CITYOF SmallUrban CitySmallSouth BLUEWATERRECYCLINGASSOCIATION RuralRegional RuralMediumSouth CHATHAM-KENT,MUNICIPALITYOF RuralRegional SuburbanSmallSouth KINGSTON,CITYOF RuralRegional SuburbanMediumSouth MUSKOKA,DISTRICTMUNICIPALITYOF RuralRegional SuburbanSmallSouth NORTHUMBERLAND,COUNTYOF RuralRegional RuralSmallSouth PETERBOROUGH,COUNTYOF RuralRegional SuburbanSmallSouth QUINTEWASTESOLUTIONS RuralRegional SuburbanMediumSouth SIMCOE,COUNTYOF RuralRegional SuburbanMediumSouth WELLINGTON,COUNTYOF RuralRegional SuburbanSmallSouth RuralCollection- RuralSmallSouth OTTAWAVALLEYWASTERECOVERYCENTRE South RuralCollection- SuburbanSmallSouth RUSSELL,TOWNSHIPOF South RuralCollection- RuralSmallSouth SOUTHGATE,TOWNSHIPOF South RuralCollection- SuburbanSmallNorth KIRKLANDLAKE,TOWNOF North RuralCollection- CitySmallNorth TIMMINS,CITYOF North AMARANTH,TOWNSHIPOF RuralDepot-South RuralDepot CARLING,TOWNSHIPOF RuralDepot-North RuralDepot COCHRANETEMISKAMINGWASTE RuralDepot MANAGEMENTBOARD RuralDepot-North

KPMGandtheKPMGlogoareregisteredtrademarksofKPMGInternational,aSwisscooperative. ©2007KPMGLLP,aCanadianlimitedliabilitypartnershipandamemberfirmoftheKPMGnetworkofindependent memberfirmsaffiliatedwithKPMGInternational,aSwisscooperative.Allrightsreserved.PrintedinCanada. BlueBoxProgramEnhancementandBestPracticesAssessmentProject 211 Final Report

AppendixB:TableofContents ofaSampleProgramReport

Executive Summary Current State of Your Blue Box Program ProgramDescription DataCallInformationandQuantitativeAnalysis ObservationsandQualitativeAnalysis ProcessMap–Collection ProcessMap–Processing Future State ApplicableBestPractices OpportunitiesforImprovement Implementation Roadmap ImplementationTimelines ImplementationRequirements Appendix CurrentCollectionArea MRFCentralization

TotalContent:15-25pages