Planning and Implementation of a Curbside Organics Program

Planning and

Implementation

of a Curbside Organics

Program

Presentation Outline

• Background (City of Surrey)

• Surrey’s Program Development and Pilot Program

• City-Wide Roll-Out

• Next Steps

• Program Considerations

Background

• Located in Metro Vancouver

• 2nd largest City by population in Province

City of Vancouver

City of Surrey

Curbside Collection Program

• Over 100,000 single family households currently receive curbside collection from the City

• Prior to new program, weekly collection of: o Garbageo Single Stream Recyclingo Yard Waste

• Over 34,000 multi-family units

receive weekly cart collection of

recyclables (single stream)

Program Development

• City of Surrey Sustainability Charter

• Metro Vancouver Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan

Surrey’s Vision

“To fuel Surrey’s waste trucks with renewable biogas generated from

curbside organic waste”

Post Program and Target Rates

To landfill50%

To composting (yard

waste)20%

To recycling30%

Pre-Organics Program Diversion Rates

Baseline Waste Audits

Divertable Organic Material 65%

Non-Divertable Materials

35%

Initial Planning Consultation Pilot Program City-wide Roll Out

• Three audits completed:o Summer 2009

o Winter 2010

o Spring 2010

Public Consultation

• Undertaken to:o Gauge level of interest and

solicit opinions

o Assess public’s acceptability of collection options

o Increase public awareness of City’s diversion efforts

Initial Planning Consultation Pilot Program City-wide Roll Out

Surveys

Initial Planning Consultation Pilot Program City-wide Roll Out

• 3 Delivery Methods

Public / Community Events

Telephone

Online Webpage

Overall Results of Consultation

Yes88%

Organics Program Support Results

Initial Planning Consultation Pilot Program City-wide Roll Out

• Almost 1,400 responses received

• Many more residents made aware of proposed plans for organics management

• Majority of residents supportive of City’s plan

• Identified possible barriers

Pilot Program Design

• Designed and implemented in 5 neighbourhoods in November 2010

• 2,000 households in total pilot:o 1,000 receive weekly organics, recycling and garbage collection

o 1,000 receive weekly organics collection and alternating bi-weekly recycling and garbage collection

Initial Planning Consultation Pilot Program City-wide Roll Out

Pilot Program Waste Audits

To landfill50%

To composting (yard waste)

20%

To recycling30% To landfill

27%

To composting (yard waste

and food scraps)43%

To recycling30%

To landfill38%

To composting (yard waste

and food scraps)32%

To recycling30%

Pre Program Diversion Weekly Organics, Garbage and Recycling

Weekly Organics, Bi-weekly Alternating Garbage and Recycling

Initial Planning Consultation Pilot Program City-wide Roll Out

Pre City-Wide Roll-Out

• Door-to-door consultations to confirm default cart size

• Hotline to answer questions about SSO program

• Mail-out for customers to select preferred cart size

• Cart roll out commenced July 2012

Initial Planning Consultation Pilot Program City-wide Roll Out

City-Wide Roll-Out

• New waste services began October 1st, 2012 exclusively using CNG collection fleet

• Curbside visual audits/inspections for contamination

• Provided door-to-door education for households with contamination

Initial Planning Consultation Pilot Program City-wide Roll Out

City-Wide Roll-Out Results

81% increase

43% decrease

6% increase

Initial Planning Consultation Pilot Program City-wide Roll Out

Proposed Biofuels Facility

Next steps for Surrey:

• Overall vision is to create a closed loop system for SSO program with 80,000 tonnes per year

• P3 Canada Fund Approval in 2012

• $16.9 million from Canada

• Production of vehicle-grade biofuel

• Facility to be operational by mid 2015/early 2016

Initial Planning Consultation Pilot Program City-wide Roll Out

Program Considerations

• Hired local university students to assist with pilot consultations

• Students spoke many of the non-official languages common throughout Surrey

Program Considerations

• Provide sufficient planning time to develop a well thought out program

• Conduct multiple audits to confirm seasonality and variability in waste composition

• Careful consideration to customers preference to cart sizes

• Ensure appropriate level of public education and communication for implementing new waste collection services

Contact Information

Alida Kusch, Environmental ScientistDillon Consulting Limited

AKusch@dillon.ca  

Rob Costanzo, Deputy Manager, OperationsCity of Surrey

RACostanzo@surrey.ca