THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF YORKarchives.york.ca/councilcommitteearchives/pdf/rpt 1 cls 1... · 2013. 10. 9. · Report No. 1 of the Environmental Services Committee Regional Council

Report No. 1 of the Environmental Services Committee

Regional Council Meeting of February 21, 2013 1

INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT MASTER PLAN PHASE 2 WRAP UP

The Environmental Services Committee recommends:

1. Receipt of presentation by Dave Gordon, Manager, Sustainable Waste Management Program, Planning and Policy, Environmental Services Department, Ilmar Simanovskis, Director, Infrastructure and Environmental Services, Town of Aurora, and Christian Shelepuk, Waste Reduction Program Manager, Walmart; and

2. Adoption of the recommendation contained in the following report

dated January 31, 2013, from the Commissioner of Environmental Services.

1. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that Council receive this report for information.

2. PURPOSE The purpose of this report is to update Council on progress of the SM4RT Living Integrated Waste Management Master Plan with the completion of Phase 2 and the initiation of Phase 3.

3. BACKGROUND The Integrated Waste Management Master Plan, also known as the SM4RT Living Plan, has entered the last phase of a three phase process. The plan is developing leading edge integrated waste management solutions that will guide the next 25 to 40 years of waste management in the Region. Phase 1 – “Where We Are” On January 26, 2012, Council received Report No.1 of Environmental Services Committee detailing the completion of Phase 1. Phase 1 assessed waste management programs already in place in York Region, researched what other municipalities were doing and reviewed potential regulatory and program changes that could impact the future.


Regional Council Meeting of February 21, 2013

Phase 2 – “Where We Want To Go” On June 20, 2012, Council received Report No.6 of the Environmental Services Committee, which provided an update on the progress of the SM4RT Living Plan and some of the preliminary findings from Phase 2. Phase 2 was completed in the summer of 2012 and this report and Attachment 1 provide an update on the themes that will form the final phase of the SM4RT Living Plan for delivery in late 2013. Phase 3 – “How We Are Going To Get There” (Current phase) Phase 3 was initiated in Q4 2012 to develop implementation and strategic plans with metrics to measure success, budgetary and other resources required for implementation. Delivery of the final SM4RT Living Plan to Council is scheduled for Q3 2013.

4. ANALYSIS AND OPTIONS Results of work in Phase 2 place emphasis on waste reduction and reuse as the preferred route to bend the waste generation curve As a leader in waste diversion in Ontario, the Region has already taken steps to drive diversion in existing programs such as the blue box and green bin. These efforts have provided the Region with long-term processing and disposal capacity for the majority of current programs. Having had success with recycling and recovery, the SM4RT Living Plan is moving in the direction of zero waste with a focus on reduction and reuse opportunities in an effort to lower waste generation with an increasing population over the next 40 years. Many of the options being investigated focus on policy, advocacy, influencing behaviour change and partnership development in response to stakeholder feedback. Putting emphasis on these areas will attempt to drive lower per capita waste generation and decrease reliance on new/expanded waste processing and disposal infrastructure (Figure 1).



Figure 1 Bending the Waste Generation Curve

The first five years of the master plan will be used to pilot and test program recommendations developed as part of the Phase 3 implementation plan. Within this five year window, any success or advancement towards zero waste will be balanced with waste projections and impacts to long term costs and processing impacts. The master plan is intended to be an iterative process, with updates every five years to incorporate system and industry changes and recalibration as required. Improvement in environmental performance achieved by focusing efforts higher in the waste management hierarchy Table 1 displays data from a model developed for the United States Environmental Protection Agency illustrates the environmental benefits of focussing on waste reduction. Greenhouse gas reduction can be achieved for different materials with reduction and recycling versus landfill. Reduction and reuse approaches result in even further greenhouse gas reductions compared to recycling as the product’s lifecycle is even further extended and impacts from raw material extraction, refining, manufacturing, distribution and retailing are avoided.


Regional Council Meeting of February 21, 2013 Table 1

United States Environmental Protection Agency* Greenhouse Gas Reduction (eCO2/tonne**) for Source Reduction and Recycling versus Landfill

Material Greenhouse Gas Reduction for

Waste Avoidance (eCO2/tonne)

Greenhouse Gas Reduction for Recycling (eCO2/tonne)

Newsprint 4.85 2.78 Cardboard 5.59 3.54 Aluminum 4.94 3.11 Steel 3.18 1.8 Glass 0.53 0.28 PET 2.22 1.11

*Adopted from US EPA Waste Reduction Model (updated February 2012) **eCO2/tonne = metric equivalent tonnes of carbon dioxide

Extensive consultation reveals great opportunity for driving waste reduction across York Region Consultations conducted during each phase of the project engaged a wide range of stakeholders including residents, staff, members of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee and local municipal partners to explore the concept of SM4RT Living and identify ideas and opportunities for the future. A consistent theme from public consultation is awareness of the amount of resources consumed and discarded and a willingness for change, but uncertainty as to how and what to change. Also revealed was frustration with the lack of consistency in programs at homes, in schools and retail. Product packaging was identified as a challenge that needs to be addressed. Phase 3 will focus on strategies to encourage the public, as consumers, to help drive change by considering the full impact of a product in purchasing decisions. These strategies will focus on supporting consumers to consider packaging, product construction and whether an item can be reused or recycled in determining which product to buy. Based on the feedback received, work in Phase 3 will focus on ensuring consumers realize their ability to influence product and packaging design by selecting, demanding and purchasing in an informed manner. Targeted consumer campaign on food waste could have favourable impact on organics management for York Region Statistics Canada estimates that approximately 40 percent of all food produced and sold in Canada, representing 2 percent of Canada’s Gross Domestic Product, is wasted between the point of production and the point of discard by the consumer. Of this, slightly more than 50 per cent of food waste occurs in the home, followed by food wasted during packaging and processing at 18 per cent and food sold in retail stores at 11 percent (Figure 2).



Figure 2

Percentage of Food Waste from Field to Home in Canada

Based on audit results conducted by York Region, it is estimated that between 10 to 20 per cent of green bin material collected annually (approximately 9,000 to 20,000 tonnes) is food that is unconsumed or wasted. Wasted food costs a single family household an average of $800 to $1600 annually between purchase, collection and processing (Table 2).

Table 2 Annual Cost of Food Waste per Single Family Household in York Region

Component Cost

Annual Cost (10% of generated green

bin tonnes)*

Annual Cost (20% of generated green bin tonnes)*

Consumer costs (purchased food) $700 $1,400 Collection costs $38 $72 Processing costs $42 $84 Total Annual Cost $780 $1,556 * Waste audit data used to assume that unconsumed/wasted food is between 10-20 per cent of green bin material generated annually Phase 3 work focusses on developing a food waste strategy delivered with various partners from retail to the York Region Food Network in an effort to raise consumer awareness and decrease food waste in York Region. A successful food waste reduction strategy will result in cost savings to both homeowners and municipalities.



Building upon successful community partnerships and business models will help to deliver a strategy for ‘Repair/Reuse/Repurpose’ Reuse activities that target the residential waste stream have tended to focus on large, durable items such as appliances, furniture, clothing and other household goods. Based on curbside audit data, on average, a York Region household disposes of 109 kilograms of textiles (such as clothing) annually or about 39 kilograms per capita annually as garbage. It is estimated that 95 per cent of textiles thrown in the garbage can either be reused as second-hand clothing or recycled into other goods. Phase 3 will focus on new opportunities to drive repair/reuse/repurpose including: • Helping to further local community initiatives through communication and advocacy

around the growing trend of community based swapping, lending and bartering networks

• Encouraging partnerships such as the City of Markham’s identified potential to leverage existing charitable organizations and develop a pilot for curbside collection of textiles with this sector

• Investigating opportunities for repair/reuse/repurpose workshops and other online resources offered by community members similar to the Water Conservation Strategy workshops offered by York Region

Encouraging behaviour change requires a strong advocacy strategy and a focus on developing partnerships to achieve common goals Advocating for change through extended producer responsibility has decreased the financial burden on the Regional taxpayer for provision of waste management services in York Region, such as the blue box, municipal hazardous and special waste, waste electronics and tires recycling. Additional avenues for advocacy and partnerships beyond the traditional focus are being developed to work with residents, non-profits and industry to facilitate waste reduction and reuse initiatives. Examples of advocacy and partnerships include development of more composting opportunities for all households (including options for multi residential dwellings), addressing food waste issues and facilitating greater opportunities for repair/reuse/repurpose. Work will continue on current advocacy initiatives, such as the Stakeholder Advisory Committee and partnerships with organizations like Tim Hortons and Walmart, the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) Next Committee and other established non-government partnerships (Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity, Loblaw). The PAC Next Committee is an organization that unites leading organizations across the packaging value chain to collaboratively explore, evaluate and mobilize innovative packaging end-of-life solutions.



Increase in multi-residential growth and development requires better linkages between planning processes and solid waste management Historically the multi-residential sector has been challenging to both engage and service in comparison to single family housing because of issues like less convenient access to on-site recycling and organics collection facilities for residents and consequent lower capture rates. (Figure 3).

Figure 3 Estimated York Region Blue Box Capture Rates in Multi-Residential* and Single

Family Households in 2011

*Multi-family capture rate estimated for York Region using single family curbside audit data from 2011 and multi-family audits conducted in other GTA municipalities to determine an estimated capture rate in York Region The significant growth projected in multi-residential development in York Region over the next 40 years (Figure 4) offers a unique opportunity to build a successful waste management program with stakeholders before this development built-form is in place.

Figure 4 Projected Housing Growth in York Region from 2011 to 2031



Development standards project brought forward by Richmond Hill undethe Integrated Partne

r rship have potential for mutual benefits amongst

unicipal partners

ards that can be adopted Region-wide (at the discretion

f the local municipal partner).

ill

and

with lti-residential developments for on-site management and processing of

rganics.

d e Industrial, Commercial and

stitutional sector since the 1990s

ial, Commercial and Institutional diversion in Canada since the late

m Through the ‘Integrated Partnership’, Richmond Hill staff brought forward a project todevelop and deliver a common standard for waste management in new developments based on a review of best practices. Consequently, the ten municipal partners are workingon delivery of development stando Developing partnerships, cooperation and collaboration opportunities with multi-residential and mixed-use building owners and operators was initiated in Phase 2 and wcontinue throughout implementation. Putting in place supporting tools such as a multi-residential handbook and tool kit for developers, property managers, superintendentsresidents will provide support to this sector in achieving waste reduction and better capture of recyclables, regardless of whether a local municipality provides collection service to this sector. Markham is investigating the feasibility of pilot opportunities selected muo Diversion has increased by 70 per cent in the residential sector andecreased by about 15 per cent in thIn Diversion and reduction efforts have typically focused on the residential sector. Figure 5 from a 2012 study conducted by Paul van der Werf and Michael Cant shows the trend of residential and Industr1990s.



Figure 5 Residential and Industrial, Commercial and Institutional Diversion (kg/capita) in Canada

from 1998 to 2008

The SM4RT Living plan places emphasis on working in a supporting role with the industrial, commercial and institutional and construction and demolition sectors to increase both waste diversion and reduction. Together with York Region’s Economic Strategy team, Phase 3 will scope opportunities for implementation such as: • Establishing a working group with the Industrial, Commercial and Institutional sector

and municipal waste management expertise to develop partnership and pilot opportunities

• Working collaboratively with the York Region school boards to drive diversion and build education campaigns based on SM4RT Living principles, including Markham’s ‘Zero Waste Schools’ initiative

• Advocacy with government in particular to address waste policy and regulation compliance issues

• Using site plan processes to encourage businesses in York Region to incorporate three stream waste management systems to mirror what residents use at home

Public feedback indicates that municipalities need to ‘lead by example’ Feedback received from various public engagement forums indicates that the Region and its local municipal partners need to ‘lead by example’ and showcase best practices to the public. Opportunities to improve waste management and waste reduction programs in municipal facilities will be examined and collaboration on waste minimization practices



at Regional and local municipal facilities and events will be explored. For example, Housing York Inc. has developed a number of waste diversion programs and initiatives including:

• Installation of three stream waste systems to increase residents' participation in waste

diversion and recycling • Preliminary analysis of Mackenzie Green construction waste shows 89 per cent of

materials diverted from landfill. • Mackenzie Green construction material with recycled content constitutes 15 per cent

of total value of building material • Increased resident education through web site re-design and distribution of literature

on recycling and the environment. Feasibility in existing Regional facilities and pilots with three stream collection and on-site composting are being considered during the plan implementation. Alternative cost recovery mechanism for solid waste management could help alleviate budgetary pressure while allowing for more innovation in program delivery Each year, a York Region household pays approximately $219 for waste management services. This system wide cost per household includes all waste management services from waste collection at the curb to processing, promotion, education and program administration. In relation to other utility costs such as gas (average of $1034 annually per household) and hydro (average of $1320 annually per household), waste management costs are very cost effective. Figure 6 shows the cost of delivering waste management in York Region compared to other similar GTA municipalities.



Figure 6 Cost of Annual Waste Management Service Delivery per Household in

York Region and Similar Greater Toronto Area Municipalities

York Region’s costs are within the range of those in other GTA municipalities. Some of the drivers behind York Region’s waste management system costs include: • Commitment to diversion from landfill – processing of residual waste for energy

recovery contribute to higher unit cost to manage compared to landfilling • Level of Service - greater range of acceptable organic materials in York and Toronto

result in higher processing costs • Facilities and ownership - some municipalities own landfills, York requires third-

party contract capacity • Ancillary infrastructure – Community Environmental Centres provide a higher level

of service and have a higher cost to manage than a smaller scale depot or transfer station

• Aging assets - some municipalities have a greater investment required to support maintenance of old/closed landfill sites

• Promotion and Education - each municipality has different approaches and/or level of involvement in promotion of their specific programs and services.

Factoring in the planned infrastructure investment over the coming years, particularly in the Durham York Energy Centre currently under construction, the cost of delivering waste management and balancing waste generation with population growth will continue to exert pressure on the tax levy funding.



Phase 3 recommendations will include additional study and exploration into the feasibility of developing a Regional rate for waste management services funded outside of the tax levy. Infrastructure continues to play a role in the future of waste management along with greater emphasis on partnerships and consumer education The emphasis on waste reduction and reuse coming out of the SM4RT Living Plan promotes ‘infra-stretching’, the premise that there may be a prolonged lifespan for key assets involved in waste processing because of reduced waste generation. Balancing the need for infrastructure with the ‘soft path’ approach of investing in consumers is presented in Figure 7 using the example of multi-residential waste diversion program options.

Figure 7 Combined Approach to Managing Multi-Residential Waste Reduction and

Diversion

Phase 3 is developing targeted strategies to manage each of the waste streams Over the long term, the role of the blue box, green bin and residual streams is being examined in relation to the current state of contracts and facility ownership, as well as future emerging trends in capacity, diminishing marginal returns with increasing diversion, technology and extended producer responsibility balanced with costs and



greatest gains. A series of principles for management of each stream, including the Community Environmental Centres will be determined as part of Phase 3. Consideration being given to augment diversion measures with other performance indicators to measure future success in waste management A new approach to measuring the success of waste management system performance will be developed that considers waste reduction. Reduction and reuse initiatives avoid waste entering the municipal system. A new system of ‘results based accountability’ metrics will augment exiting diversion measures and begin to address the value of waste management services to the community, waste reduction, waste avoidance, delivery of services through partnerships, and environmental impacts. This theme also has a strong advocacy role to go beyond traditional measures and help build a new definition of success for the waste management industry. Initiatives are already underway with other Ontario municipalities to expand the measurement of diversion success in Ontario. Phase 3 will develop a ‘balanced scorecard’ (Figure 8) comprised of a number of metrics on key elements of the waste management system. It will consider the system as a whole and areas for performance improvements. As part of the implementation phase of the master plan, extensive market research conducted with residents and industrial, commercial and institutional customers will also help to increase understanding of the value waste management services bring to the community. To ensure York and its local municipalities maintain their leadership position, work will continue to develop comparisons with other municipal programs based on publicly available information reported in Ontario.

Figure 8 ‘Balanced Scorecard’ Concept to Annually Report York Region

Waste Management System Performance



Public consultation in Phase 2 launched the first Online Open House to provide an alternative venue for people to be updated and involved with the SM4RT Living Plan On October 15, 2012, the first online open house was launched as an innovative way to reach out to stakeholders to solicit project feedback. Instead of a traditional public meeting, the online open house provided a 24 hour a day, seven day per week access to a review of the project for a period of two weeks. Video clips were used to narrate the slides and provide a more interactive experience. Several members of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee provided reasons for being involved in the project. One of the families involved in the SM4RT Living Family Challenge was also interviewed. Over the three week period, the Online Open House had over 1,000 visits. A small number of visitors to the site provided feedback related to waste management and the project. Highlights from the feedback include: • Interest in provision of blue box and green bin in multi-residential buildings • Battery and hazardous waste program promotion • Advocacy for decreased packaging waste Staff are reviewing the success of the online open house platform and the opportunity to use this type of medium for other projects in the future. Ministry of the Environment staff have been briefed on the use of this tool and advocacy efforts continue to use this type of engagement for other large scale projects in the future. Family Challenge wrapped up in June 2012 and provided the first test of ‘SM4RT Living’ in action The SM4RT Living Family Challenge was conducted between April and June of 2012. Three families from York Region were selected to take part from a total of 27 applications. The chosen families represented a cross section of family sizes, age groups, professions, interests and communities. The challenge demonstrated that people want to reduce waste but have a difficult time determining specifically what to do and how to do it. A shift from a consumer lifestyle towards a SM4RT Living lifestyle will be a challenging one. The families received staff support to help them find examples of innovative products and with the activities and approaches designed to help them shop less and become more aware consumers. A number of activities were piloted to support waste reduction initiatives: • An inventory of food waste, household clutter, consumer patterns and waste

generation helped families identify opportunities for change • Families looked at consumer patterns and investigated opportunities for reuse, repair

and repurposing items



While there is appetite for a change, a shift from current consumption and waste generation rates to a heightened focus on waste reduction and reuse to will require time and on-going collaboration between various stakeholders to enable consumer choices that are readily available. Drawing attention to food waste revealed a new awareness that resulted in different choices when shopping for groceries. Trips to local farmers’ markets supported healthy choices, while shopping only for ‘what you need’ supported a reduction in waste. Link to Key Council-approved Plans The Integrated Waste Management Master Plan is linked to and consistent with other Regional strategies. As part of the process of developing this master plan, staff have identified linkages and are working closely with Regional staff from other departments who are co-ordinating Vision 2051 and Making Ends Meet (Human Services Planning Board). Staff are ensuring that recommendations coming forward are consistent across all strategies and have taken advantage of opportunities to promote other Regional programs. Specifically, the Plan supports the following goals from the Strategic Plan: • Reduction in solid waste generation per capita • Increased diversion from landfill

5. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS Sufficient funding available in the approved 2013 Budget for this Master Plan project Activities described in this report are consistent with and within the approved budget for this project. Sufficient funds for this project are currently available in the 2013 approved budget. The project schedule and scope are on track and within budget with final plan delivery in late Q3 2013 to Regional Council and presentations in Q4 2013 to local municipal councils. Integrated Partnership will enable collaborative business planning process for 2014 budget As part of the Integrated Partnership, the ten municipal partners agreed to jointly develop 2014 business planning to map out implementation of pilot initiatives and for partners interested in participating, forecast tonnages for processing and review resource opportunities. As part of Phase 3, a Terms of Reference for the Integrated Partnership will be developed that includes a format to discuss program planning and resource requirements for



continuous improvement in delivery of waste management across local and Regional portfolios.

6. LOCAL MUNICIPAL IMPACT Key stakeholders throughout the development of the SM4RT Living Plan have been the Project Team members. The Project Team is comprised of Regional staff, local municipal partners and the consultant team. Throughout Phase 2, members of the Project Team worked closely together to review and assess large amounts of technical material detailing opportunities to fill system gaps. This coordinated approach has cemented the Integrated Partnership. The partnership, when fully developed, will provide for the continued cooperation in holistic delivery of waste management services for residents. Work in Phase 3 will provide additional framework to the Integrated Partnership with coordinated decision making, development of system metrics, forecasting and collaborative business planning. York Region continues to work collaboratively with each of the nine local partners as the details of the SM4RT Living Plan develop into an actionable plan. Coordination, communication and common goals will help all ten municipal partners advance waste reduction efforts to achieve the vision of the master plan.

7. CONCLUSION The Integrated Waste Management Master Plan is establishing a planning and delivery framework for waste management within the Region for the next 40 years. Phase 1 developed a baseline and researched current and innovative practices in waste management across the globe. Phase 2 provided a gap analysis of the current system and identified opportunities to focus on ‘where we want to go’ based on consultation and best practices including: • Focusing on evaluating the benefits of Reduction and Reuse • Planning for Growth and Intensification • Supporting the Industrial, Commercial and Institutional sector to increase efficiencies

and drive program delivery consistency • Managing infrastructure and financing alternatives to drive towards greater program

sustainability • Performance monitoring and new measures of success



Phase 3 work will prioritize initiatives and develop implementation plans for the Region and its local municipal partners. The delivery of the final plan will be late Q3 2013 to Environmental Services Committee and presentations in Q4 2013 to local municipal councils. For more information on this report, please contact Laura McDowell, Director of Environmental Promotion and Protection at (905) 830-4444 Ext. 5077. The Senior Management Group has reviewed this report.

(The attachment referred to in this clause was included in the agenda for the February 13, 2013 Committee meeting.)

York RegionExecutive Summary

Integrated WasteManagementMaster Plan

Phase 2:Where We Want to GoWinter 2013

COUNCIL ATTACHMENT 1

2

THE MASTER PLAN PROCESS

The Regional Municipality of York has developed master plans to guide the Region’s long-term needs for water, wastewater, transportation and now waste management. These long-term plans are based on sustainability objectives, which preserve and enhance our natural environment, economic vitality and healthy communities while providing safe, affordable and efficient servicing for York Region’s residents, businesses and visitors.

In March 2011, the Region and its local municipal partners initiated the development of its first Integrated Waste Management Master Plan.

The Master Plan, also known as the SM4RT Living Plan, will establish a planning framework and long-term strategic direction for waste management within York Region. The Plan will allow the Region to maintain its position as a waste management leader, by focusing on driving waste reduction and reuse, while maximizing recycling and energy recovery. An integral component to a successful and collaborative Master Plan is engaging the public and stakeholders throughout the Region.

PHASE 1“Where We Are”(Q2 2011 - Q1 2012)

Baseline System AssessmentCurrent and Innovative Practices Review

Policy ReviewPublic Engagement

PHASE 2“Where We Want to Go”

(Q1 2012 - Q3 2012)

Vision and Guiding PrinciplesIntegrated Partnerships

Development of ProjectionsIdentification of System Gaps

Opportunities to Fill GapsPublic Engagement

PHASE 3“How We Are Going to Get There”

(Q4 2012 - Q4 2013)

Evaluation of OpportunitiesDevelopment of Strategic and

Implementation PlansPublic Engagement

Public Rollout

VISION AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES DEVELOPED THAT RESPECTS STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION AND PROVIDES DIRECTION FOR THE PLAN

Over the development of the SM4RT Living plan, the public has been engaged in a variety of ways to:

• Define the local context of the Integrated Waste Management Master Plan

• Create the SM4RT Living framework that will house possibilities and encourage new ways of living over the next 25 to 40 years

• Identify goals and actions to achieve those visions

It was clear from the beginning that waste is a complex issue. Current economic and social systems promote consumption. The concept of waste management needed to be re-framed into “resource management”

to recognize the inherent value of waste, the value we placed on resources and how they are used.

Throughout the engagement, themes emerged that began to describe a vibrant and innovative SM4RT Living future. Through public engagement, a snapshot of the future, 25 to 40 years from now has evolved into a Vision and Guiding Principles for the project.

Guiding Principles and a long-term Vision drafted collaboratively respecting the needs of various stakeholders.

SM4RT Studio, one of the public consultation sessions held at the Markham Museum, analyzed the importance placed on “stuff” and our consumer-driven values.

Waste as a Resource that

must be Conserved

Leadership, ConsciousLocal Economic Innovation Consumer

Growth and Choices and Entrepreneurism and Advocating for

Collaboration Change

Enhanced Community

Connections, Engagementand Sharing

3

INTEGRATED PARTNERSHIP

One of the greatest complexities of the SM4RT Living Plan development has been scoping the study to ensure needs of all stakeholders are addressed. It has been particularly important that the study address priorities of each of the 10 municipal partners, given waste management services are delivered as a partnership amongst the Region and its nine local municipalities.

The premise of the Integrated Partnership Model is to provide for more coordinated decisions and planning processes, greater consistency in programs where appropriate, and sharing of information and lessons learned to help continuously improve the overall waste resource management system in York Region. As part of the Integrated Partnership Model, each partner still retains autonomy to reflect community-specific needs and timelines, while working together to achieve a common vision.

In support of the Integrated Partnership, a decision-making framework has been developed to help structure the process of how to make decisions, who should be involved in decision-making and what criteria should be considered.

The premise is to ensure that although waste management is both a Regional and local municipal responsibility, ultimately, integrated decisions are made that reflect a single system user approach.

Members of the Integrated Waste Management Master Plan Committee consist of representatives from the local municipalities and York Region staff.

Overview of Decision Making Framework

Change Ident if ied

Not ification to Other Partners

Staf f Level Evaluat ion

Agreement Reached ?

Implementat ion Plan

Escalat ion for Evaluation

Resolut ion

YES NO

OPPORTUNITIES TO FILL IDENTIFIED SYSTEM GAPS

The extensive baseline review of the current system in Phase 1 identified a list of system gaps:

• Technical - Issues with the current waste management system identified by waste management system operators

• Public - Identified through public consultation• Industry - Areas where programs in other jurisdictions are performing to a higher standard under similar conditions• Long-term Vision - Current system requires modification, enhancement and/or change in order to realize the long-term visionOnce the gaps were identified, solutions to “fill the gap” were investigated. Research was conducted across several different venues including:• Role the consumer plays in addressing the current

waste management system issues

• Investigation of sustainable funding models for solid waste management may provide additional flexibility for program delivery and innovation

• Partnerships with various stakeholders are key to driving change and waste reduction

• Advocating for change by looking upstream in the waste management system

• While a major plan focus is on the “soft path” approach to encourage changing behaviours, waste management facilities and infrastructure continue to play a role in the future of waste management • York Region’s future growth in multi-residential development necessitates better linkages between waste management and the planning process • Innovative approaches to waste reduction

including an emphasis on community connections and “collaborative consumption” opportunities will be explored

4

EIGHT THEMES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED TO TAKE THE SYSTEM FROM “WHERE WE ARE” TOWARDS THE PHILOSOPHY OF ZERO WASTE, GUIDING THE WORK IN PHASE 3, “HOW WE ARE GOING TO GET THERE”

An initial list of “opportunities to fill the gaps” was screened qualitatively at a high level by the Project Team to focus on those opportunities that have the highest potential for success, considering: cost, impact, feasibility and implementation requirements. The relation of the opportunities to the SM4RT Living Vision and Guiding Principles were used to focus the concepts for further study.

The consumer plays a vital role in addressing current waste management system issues

Consumers have an opportunity to drive change by considering the full impact of a product when purchasing. Thinking about packaging, how it is constructed, whether it can be reused or recycled and whether it is made from recycled materials can play a role in determining which product to buy. By choosing durable recycled, recyclable or reusable products, consumers can extend the functional life of a product and divert it from landfill. Once a product has reached the end of its functional life, consumers decide how it will enter the waste stream. Reducing, reusing, recycling or composting waste materials is always the ideal option.

Investigation of sustainable funding models for solid waste management may provide additional flexibility for program delivery and innovationIn Ontario, solid waste management has traditionally been financed through the property tax base, which is the current case for York Region. However, in some

jurisdictions in North America, there is a movement towards flat and/or variable

fees/structures, which identify the true cost of providing

waste management services to the resident as well

as recovers the cost. In some cases, a fee structure is designed to promote diversion and many communities have significantly improved diversion through economic incentives aimed at households.

Each year, a York Region household

pays approximately $219 for waste

management services (fully burdened). This

cost includes everything from waste collection at the curbside to

processing, promotion and education as well as program administration. This also includes

costs related to investment in reduction and reuse initiatives to help reduce waste generation. Figure 1 shows the cost of delivering waste management in York Region compared to other similar GTA municipalities. York Region’s costs are in the mid-range of its peers. Some of the drivers for York Region’s system costs are the higher cost of diversion technologies such as the processing of waste to recover energy versus landfilling; and more intensive processing for Green Bin to allow the inclusion of pet waste, diapers and sanitary products. Factoring in the planned infrastructure over the coming years, the cost of delivering waste management and achieving increased diversion will continue to put pressure on competing services funded through the tax levy.

Leadership,Innovat ion

and Collaboration

Reduce Reuse

Recycle Recover

Performance Monitoring and Continuous Improvement

Facilities and

Infrastructure

Look

ing “U

pstre

am”

Res

ourc

ing

and

Par

tner

ship

s

Sustainable

Funding

New

App

roac

hes,

Inno

vatio

n an

d R

esea

rch

Focusing on theConsumer

Plannin

g For

Growth

Waste as a Resource that

must be Conserved

Conscious Consumer

Choices andAdvocatingfor Change

EnhancedCommunity

Connections,Engagementand Sharing

LocalEconomic Growth and

Entrepreneurism

“Consumers have an opportunity to drive change by considering the full impact of a product when purchasing.”

5

Partnerships with various stakeholders are key to driving change, waste reduction and minimize municipal costs

A partnership-based approach can reduce municipal capital and operating costs through a shared delivery model for education and program delivery. A number of potential program changes have been discussed that could be supported, in whole or in part, through alternative service delivery approaches. For example, opportunities for enhancing reuse programs in the Region could be delivered through partnerships with non-profit community agencies or with businesses.

2012 Solid Waste Budget (net) per Household

0

50

100

150

200

250

Dolla

rs

York*

Toronto**

Peel

Halton

Durham*

Niagara

* Based on Regional and Local Municipal Budgets** Based on Costs Allocated to Single Family HouseholdsAll values except Toronto calculated based on net reported budgets and total reported households.

Figure 1Cost of Annual Waste Management Service Delivery per Household in York Region and Similar Greater Toronto Area Municipalities

Advocating for change by looking upstream in the waste management system

The Region and its local municipal partners have limited ability to directly manage the consumption and design of products purchased by residents. Municipalities largely rely on provincial and federal authorities and regulations to influence these areas. However, there is a role for the Region to play that can both support and advocate for change beyond the traditional focus on regulatory or program change.

Advocating for change through extended producer responsibility has decreased the financial burden on York Region to provide waste management services such as the Blue Box, Municipal Hazardous and Special Waste, Waste Electronics and Tires recycling.

Work will continue on current advocacy initiatives such as the Stakeholder Advisory Committee and partnerships with organizations such as Tim Hortons and Walmart, the PAC Next Committee and other established non-government partnerships (Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity, Loblaw). The PAC Next Committee is an

organization that unites leading organizations across the packaging value chain to collaboratively explore, evaluate and mobilize innovative packaging end-of-life solutions.

Current performance measures focus on diversion. New metrics are needed to reflect complete system performance

Baseline research conducted in Phase 1 identified different mechanisms for data collection and measurement across the 10 municipal partners. As part of the Integrated Partnership model among the 10 municipal partners delivering the waste management service in York Region, staff have been able to compile better data to generate a total system cost and other measures to help better benchmark performance. However, more work is required to enable comparison with other municipal programs. Additionally, current performance measures based on Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO) and Financial Information Return (FIR) reporting address only some performance measures specific to diversion and do not address complete system performance.

A new system of measuring waste system performance will be developed, taking a systematic approach to service delivery by addressing the gap related to data tracking and common measurement amongst the 10 municipal partners. This “balanced scorecard” approach will address waste reduction and avoidance and environmental impacts (Fig. 2). This theme also has a strong advocacy role to go beyond traditional measures and help build a new definition of success for the waste management industry.

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SustainableFunding

WasteGeneration,Reduction

and Diversion

AdvocacyEffortsEnvironmental

Performance

ProgramParticipation

Partnershipsand Outreach

CustomerService

BALANCEDSCORECARD

Figure 2 “Balanced Scorecard” concept to Annually Report York Region Waste Management System Performance

Themes place a major focus on the ‘soft path’ approach, but facilities and infrastructure continue to play a role in the future of waste management

The Region has taken the initiative to develop waste management infrastructure to maintain its leadership in diversion. These efforts have provided long-term processing and disposal capacity for the majority of programs. With the SM4RT Living Plan emerging with a focus on a zero waste philosophy, many options focus on policy, advocacy, influencing behaviourial change and partnership development to drive waste reduction and reuse. Emphasizing waste reduction and reuse promotes the opportunity for a prolonged lifespan for waste processing assets because of reduced waste generation.

Projections for multi-residential development necessitate better linkages between waste management and the planning process

Increases to the Regional population and changes in the type of housing being constructed suggest a need to plan for increased waste and the unique programming needs of multi-residential and apartment housing. Historically the multi-residential sector has been challenging to service and drive participation in comparison to single family housing. Figure 3 demonstrates the capture rate of several blue box commodities from both the single family home and the multi-residential unit. It is clear that a different approach to multi-residential diversion programs is required for York Region. The plan will identify how the system will need to adapt in the future to manage these additional quantities as well as opportunities to look at the design of communities to support greater waste reduction, reuse and recycling.

Innovative approaches to waste reduction including an emphasis on community connections and “Collaborative Consumption” opportunities will be explored

“Collaborative Consumption,” is a movement where citizens go from buying everything they need to a more open society where sharing, bartering, lending, trading, renting, gifting and swapping become a part of daily life. Collaborative consumption results in a community that is more connected as residents are frequently interacting with one another. This new paradigm, developed by Rachel Botsman, is a reinvention of consumerism and old marketing behaviours. Identified by TIME magazine as one of “Ten Ideas that Will Change the World”, the rapid advancement of social marketing and the phenomenon of programs such as Zipcar and now familiar websites like eBay and craigslist have paved the way for this new mode of business. The possibilities of collaborative consumption will be explored by York Region and the potential impacts it could have on waste management needs in the future will be identified.

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tage

Paper Plastics Metals

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York Region Recycling Rates - Single Family vs Multi Family

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Figure 3Recycling Capture Rates in Single Family versus Multi Family Dwellings in York Region

“Collaborative Consumption,” is a movement where citizens go from buying everything they need to a more open society where sharing, bartering, lending, trading, renting, gifting and swapping become a part of daily life.”

7

FAMILY CHALLENGE WRAPPED UP IN JUNE 2012 AND PROVIDED THE FIRST TEST OF ‘SM4RT LIVING’ IN ACTION

The SM4RT Living Family Challenge was conducted between April and June of 2012. Three families from York Region were selected to take part from a total of 27 applications. The selected families represented a cross-section of family sizes, age groups, professions, interests and communities.

Objectives for the challenge were:

• Measure residents’ readiness for personal change with respect to a shift towards SM4RT Living

• Test the triggers that determine how, when and why people will change

• Raise residents’ awareness of their impacts and options, and what sustainable choices they can make

The following challenges were implemented over the three month period:

Uncover – the families took inventory of the areas that reflect SM4RT Living. They looked at food waste, household clutter, consumer patterns, waste generation and how they spent their time. The families then organized and got rid of their unwanted clutter and reflected on how they could break the clutter cycle.

Unwrap - after taking inventory of their “stuff,” they were asked to reflect on the family’s consumer patterns and track how the family was spending its time. The families explored alternatives and planned for the changes they wished to make in those area(s).

The Giatas’, The Pardatcher’s and the Dorney’s at the SM4RT Living Family Challenge wrap up held at Pine Farms Orchard.

Unlock - the final month required the families to take action on the plans they had previously created. The intent of this challenge was to unlock new potential for the families by utilizing their local resources.

Some of the findings that were learned from this challenge included the following:

• There is an appetite for SM4RT Living; people want to do the right thing

• The shift from a consumer lifestyle towards a SM4RT Living lifestyle will be a challenging one; for some, shopping can be seen as a social activity or a form of therapy.

• Attention to food waste revealed a new awareness that resulted in different choices when grocery shopping

• Consumer values and habits were deeply engrained in all of the families

PHASE 3 WORK PLAN INCLUDES DEVELOPING STRATEGIC AND IMPLEMENTATION PLANS WITH SHORT AND LONGER TERM WORK PLANS, REQUIRED RESOURCES AND METRICS TO MEASURE SUCCESS

With all of the information collected on the “opportunities to fill gaps,”system costs, waste projections, and stakeholder consultation and feedback, Phase 3 will distil the research into strategic and implementation plans. Plans will focus on each of the eight themes, including phased approaches to implementation (short and long-term), costs, potential impacts to the waste stream, resourcing and budgetary requirements.

Additional work will be completed with the local municipal partners on the project team to better define the integrated partnership and decision making framework processes.

A complete SM4RT Living plan, comprised of all the elements from Phases 1 through 3 will be delivered in

Q3 2013 (Table 3). Presentations on the final plan will be presented to Regional Council and local municipal councils in the fall of 2013.

Current Project Milestones for Phase 2 and Phase 3

Deliverable Completion Date

Opportunities Evaluation and Report Q1 2013

Short list of priority policies, programs and initiatives Q2 2013

Implementation Plan and Schedule Q2 2013

Public Consultation Q2 2013

Final Plan Completion Q3 2013

Regional Council and Local Municipal Council Report and Presentations Q3/Q4 2013

For more information about this document please contact:The Regional Municipality of York - Environmental Services Department(P) 905.895.1207, Ext. 3000 or (TF) 1.877.449.9675, Ext. 3000www.york.ca

SM4RT Living Plan Completion of Phase 2

Environmental Services CommitteeFebruary 13, 2013Dave Gordon, York Region

Ilmar Simanovskis, Town of AuroraChristian Shelepuk, Walmart

Environmental Services Committee – February 13, 2013 Slide 2

SM4RT Living Plan Timeline

Current

Phase 1 and 2 completed and Phase 3 is well under way

Slide 3Environmental Services Committee – February 13, 2013

Phase 2: “Where We Want To Go”Phase 1 Reviewed current and innovative practices Phase 2 initiated road map for where we want goPhase 2 activities included:

Vision and Guiding Principles for the PlanIntegrated Partnership and decision-making frameworkGaps and Opportunities analysisDetailed waste management projections

Key finding of Phase 2: waste reduction opportunities rely heavily on partnership development and less on infrastructure


Overview of SM4RT LIVING

Slide 5Environmental Services CommitteeFebruary 13, 2013

Reducing waste generation over the long-term

Extending the life of our infrastructure by maximizing efforts on reduction and reuse


Program Performance Measurement

Moving beyond the measure of diversion to accurately represent reduction and reuse Exploring use of a “Balanced Scorecard” with metrics to evaluate system performance across all aspects of service delivery

Balanced scorecard will deliver a holistic view of system-wide performance on an annual basis beyond the measure of diversion


Focusing on the Consumer

The plan is looking at ways to educate and

empower the consumer and provide people with

the knowledge to be “SM4RT” consumers

“At the Centre of the Region and it’s Economy lies the Consumer”

The consumer is simultaneously a citizen, a participant, a producer, a customer and a member of the community

Slide 8

Where does food waste happen?

Audits demonstrate that between 10-20 % of green bin material collected and processed annually in York is unconsumed or wasted food


Cost of food waste in York Region

Annual Cost Per Household

(10% of generated green bin tonnes)*

Annual CostPer Household

(20% of generated green bin tonnes)*

Consumer costs(purchased food)

$700 $1,400

Collection costs $38 $72

Processing costs $42 $84

TOTAL ANNUAL COST $780 $1,556

*waste audit data used to assume that unconsumed/wasted food is between 10-20% of green bin material generated annually

Focus on food waste reduction could save $700 - $1500 annually per household

“Balancing use of infrastructure with increased focus on reductionand reuse is core to financially sustainable SM4RT Living”


Shifting Focus to Reduction and Reuse

Opportunities being evaluated place emphasis on 4R’s hierarchy – in particular on Reduce and ReuseConcepts of ‘Infra-stretching’and ‘waste avoidance’Fostering support through other levels of government, brand owners and retailers

Adopted from US EPA Waste Reduction Model (updated February 2012)eCO2 /tonne = metric equivalent tonnes of carbon dioxide

Reduction and reuse direction supported by recent work in provincial and federal initiatives through the CCME


High Density Growth Presents both Challenge and Opportunity

Significant Multi-Residential and Mixed-Use Growth projected over next two decades

Multi-residential capture rates much lower than single family

Opportunity exists to shape multi-residential programs during planning stages to address challenging service delivery


Supporting Other SectorsDiversion has increased by 70 per cent in the residential sector and decreased by about 15 per cent in the IC&I sector since the 1990sFocus on IC&I (including C&D) wastes, and properly incentivize organizations and support changes

Leveraging municipal waste management expertise to support industrial, commercial and institutional diversion programs


Alternative Funding Possibilities

Full system cost to deliver waste management services in York Region is $219/serviced household annually

Waste management currently funded through tax levy

Alternative financing opportunities (user fees, rate, etc) could alleviate pressure on tax levy and allow for program innovation and more sustainable financing options

Opportunity being explored for innovative program delivery, reducing pressure on tax levy


Advocating for changeComprehensive, coordinated and targeted advocacy strategyMoving beyond traditional approaches to advocacyWork directly with brand-owners and retailers through memberships on PAC Next and the Packaging Association Building on external partnerships and leveraging power of the consumer

PAC Next Members

Combining efforts to leverage greater influence when advocating for change


Building Partnerships for SuccessConsiderable interest and support from community, businesses, industry and institutions to partner on delivery of waste services and promote SM4RT Living

Establish community connections and ownership by empowering program delivery at local level

Partnerships in service delivery could reduce overall financial investment and promote ownership of SM4RT Living Plan by the community


Going beyond traditional approach

SM4RT Living Master plan recommendations combine both traditional approach to waste management with partnership building to achieve success


Christian ShelepukWaste Reduction Program Manager


Moving into Phase 3

Phase 3 will deliver a final SM4RT Living plan for waste management including timelines for implementation, expected outcomes and metrics for tracking

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q3/Q42013

Documents

THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF YORKarchives.york.ca/councilcommitteearchives/pdf/rpt 1 cls 1... · 2013. 10. 9. · Report No. 1 of the Environmental Services Committee Regional Council