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11. RECYCLE CONTAINERS AT CITY LOCATIONS - BACS À RECYCLAGE SUR DES TERRAINS APPARTENANT À LA VILLE - |
Committee Recommendations as amended
That Council:
1. Receive this report for information, and
2. That staff
be directed to proceed with increased recycling at City Hall and other City
facilities to a limit of $80,500.
Recommandations modifiées du comité
Que le Conseil :
1. prenne connaissance
du présent rapport, et
2. demande au personnel d’aller de l’avant avec
l’augmentation du recyclage à l’hôtel de ville et dans les autres
établissements de la Ville jusqu’à un montant maximal de 80 500 $.
Documentation
1. Executive Director's (Business Transformation
Services) and Deputy City Manager's (Public Works and Services) joint report
dated 20 November 2007 (ACS2007-BTS-RPM-0044).
2. Extract of Draft Minute, 19 November 2007.
Report to/Rapport au :
Corporate Services and Economic Development
Committee
Comité des services organisationnels et du
développement économique
and Council/et au Conseil
20 November 2007/Le 20 novembre 2007
Submitted by/Soumis par :
Stephen A. Finnamore, Executive Director, Business Transformation
Services/
directeur exécutif, Services de transformation des activités
and/et
Richard Hewitt, Deputy City Manager, Public
Works and Services/
directeur municipal adjoint, Services et Travaux publics
Contact Person/Personne‑ressource :
Anne Robinson, Project Manager/gestionnaire
de projet
Real Property Asset Management/Gestion des biens immobiliers
Business Transformation Services/Services de transformation des activités
613‑580-2424, poste 12059,
anne.robinson@ottawa.ca
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SUBJECT: |
RECYCLE CONTAINERS
AT CITY LOCATIONS – |
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OBJET : |
BaCS à recyclage sur des TERRAINS
appartenant |
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That the Corporate Services and Economic
Development Committee recommend Council receive this report for information and provide direction on future actions, as
noted in the report.
RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique recommande au Conseil de prendre connaissance du présent rapport et de fournir des directives sur les prochaines mesures à prendre, comme il est écrit dans le rapport.
The goal of the City’s recently launched Rethink
Garbage Campaign is to have residents divert 40% of their waste from the
landfill, a 7% increase over the existing rate of 33%. Performance Measures indicate that the City is
currently achieving a 16% diversion rate at City facilities where
recycling occurs. While this is less than what households are achieving, it is
similar to the Industrial, Commercial, Institutional (ICI) sector where the
diversion rate is at an estimated 17%.
As noted in Council’s motion, recycling receptacles do not presently
exist outdoors at City Hall, in City parks, or in transit stations. While some
progress has been made within facilities, there is the potential to improve the
recycling program and therefore diversion rates, given adequate funding.
Evidence has shown that people are more apt to recycle in public areas
when there are multi-stream receptacles (including waste and recyclables),
thereby encouraging people to choose where their waste goes. The cost to locate
multi-stream, secure and durable containers in all parks, transit stations and
at special events is estimated to be approximately $4.1M, divided as follows:
City Hall $ 10,500
All City parks $3,915,000
Special events $ 40,000
It is therefore suggested that the City ‘grow’ its recycling program
over several years based on research, monitoring, and performance measures. The
preferred approach is to purchase some containers now, but continue doing
further audits and analysis prior to major purchasing of additional
receptacles. With the necessary funding, multi-stream receptacles would be
purchased for City Hall (outdoors) and for City facilities only at this time.
Feasibility assessments and further analysis are required for City parks,
transit stations, and special events in advance of receptacle purchases.
Based on the City’s recycling experience at City facilities over the
past year, appropriate solutions and ultimately higher diversion rates will
vary depending on a variety of factors such as usage or traffic, container type
and location, public education/ awareness, operational integration, signage and
public support. It is therefore suggested that some containers be purchased
immediately, pending funding approval, and further strategic analysis also be
done, prior to making a large investment in recycling containers.
RÉSUMÉ
La campagne « Repenser les déchets », récemment lancée par la Ville, vise à atteindre un taux de réacheminement des déchets résidentiels de 40 p. 100, une hausse de 7 p. 100 par rapport au taux actuel de 33 p. 100. Les mesures de rendement révèlent qu’à l’heure actuelle le taux de réacheminement est de 16 p. 100 dans les installations municipales qui participent à un programme de recyclage. Ce taux est moins élevé que le taux résidentiel, mais il est similairdu secteur industriel, commercial et institutionnel (ICI), qui est estimé à 17 p. 100.
Tel qu’il est mentionné dans la motion du Conseil municipal, il n’y a pas de conteneur de recyclage aux abords de l’hôtel de ville, dans les parcs ou aux stations du réseau de transport en commun. Même si certains progrès ont été réalisés à cet égard à l’intérieur des installations, il est possible d’améliorer le programme de recyclage et, du coup, le taux de réacheminement, à condition que les fonds nécessaires soient disponibles.
Les faits démontrent que les gens sont plus susceptibles de recycler dans les lieux publics lorsque des bacs de tri sélectif sont mis à leur disposition pour les déchets et les articles recyclables. Le coût d’installation des bacs de tri sélectif fixés solidement et durables dans tous les parcs, à toutes les stations du réseau de transport en commun et aux sites d’événements spéciaux est évalué à environ 4,1 millions de dollars, répartis comme suit :
Hôtel de ville 10 500 $
Tous les parcs de la ville 3 915 000 $
Événements spéciaux
40 000 $
Il est donc suggéré que la Ville élargisse son programme de recyclage sur plusieurs années en se fondant sur les résultats de recherche, le contrôle et les mesures de rendement. La démarche préconisée consiste à se procurer quelques bacs maintenant, mais à poursuivre les vérifications et les analyses avant de faire l’acquisition d’autres bacs en grande quantité. Sous réserve de l’obtention des fonds suffisants, seuls les bacs destinés aux terrains situés aux abords de l’hôtel de ville et aux installations municipales seraient achetés pour le moment. Une étude de faisabilité et des analyses approfondies sont nécessaires avant de procéder à l’achat de bacs pour les parcs, les stations du réseau de transport en commun et les événements spéciaux.
Les données de la
Ville sur le recyclage au cours de la dernière année montrent que l’adoption de
solutions efficaces et, au bout du compte, l’atteinte de taux de réacheminement
plus élevés dépendent d’une série de facteurs, comme l’utilisation ou
l’achalandage, le type de conteneur et son emplacement, l’éducation et la
sensibilisation du public, l’intégration du fonctionnement, la signalisation et
le soutien de la population. Il est donc suggéré que certains bacs soient
achetés maintenant, sous réserve de l’approbation du financement, et que des
analyses plus approfondies soient réalisées avant d’investir un important
montant dans l’acquisition d’autres bacs de recyclage.
BACKGROUND
At the Council meeting of 27 June
2007, staff were directed to provide a report to Committee and Council
requiring the City of Ottawa to provide recycling receptacles and pick up
service at all transit stations, City of Ottawa parks, City of Ottawa events,
and special events taking place on City of Ottawa property, including costs and
the impact on any private contractual agreements presently standing.
The Motion read as follows:
MOTION Moved by Councillor C. Doucet Seconded
by Councillor M. McRae
WHEREAS the City of Ottawa is committed to reducing the amount of
garbage collected through redirection to recycling and composting; AND
WHEREAS the residents of the City of Ottawa require recycling
receptacles in order to do their part; AND
WHEREAS there are no receptacles available at
many transitway stations; AND
WHEREAS there are no such receptacles available
in many of the City of Ottawa parks; AND
WHEREAS there are no such receptacles on the
exterior property of Ottawa City hall; AND
WHEREAS residents of the City of Ottawa are
committed to doing their part; AND
WHEREAS the residents of the City of Ottawa cannot recycle if there are
no recycling receptacles available in order to do so;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that staff are directed to prepare a report
requiring the City of Ottawa to provide recycling receptacles and pick up
service at all transitway stations, City of Ottawa parks, City of Ottawa
events, and special events taking place on City of Ottawa property. This report will include costs and the
impact on any private contractual agreements presently standing.
DISCUSSION
City of Ottawa
residents currently recycle 33% of their waste[1]. The goal of the City’s recently launched Rethink
Garbage Campaign is to have residents divert 40% of their waste from the
landfill, a 7% increase. This awareness campaign, coordinated through the
Public Works and Services Department’s Solid Waste Services Division,
encourages residents to re-think their waste by making better use of the City's
recycling programs such as: blue and black-box recycling, Take it Back!,
composting programs, and household hazardous waste depots. The second phase of
the campaign, scheduled to begin in 2008, will announce and promote the launch
of a city-wide organics collection and composting program, which is expected to
increase Ottawa's residential waste diversion from 40% to 60%.
Previous reports[2]
indicate that the Industrial, Commercial Institutional (ICI) sector produces a
large quantity of waste, but only diverts an estimated 17%. In comparison with other cities, Ottawa’s
residential diversion rates are illustrated in the chart below:
The Rethink Garbage campaign was initiated for the following
reasons:
Cost: The net cost of
recycling is only half the cost of garbage collection;
Environment: Recycling cuts pollution and
conserves natural resources and energy;
Economics: Producers can now buy most
recycled material cheaper than virgin material; and
Landfill: Municipalities are running out of land suitable for landfill
and expansion is costly.
In previous Planning and Environment Committee and Council
deliberations, several strategic directions have been established including:
·
Recognition of
the value of conserving landfill capacity[3];
·
Reservation of
landfill disposal capacity for locally generated solid waste;
·
Endorsement of a
40% diversion target by 2007 and a 60% diversion target by the end of 2008 for
Ottawa residents[4];
·
City-wide implementation
of a Source Separated Organics program to commence 1 March 2009[5];
·
City leadership
by example with respect to waste disposal[6].
The City of Ottawa
spends an estimated $1.9M each year on-street litter clean up and has both a
spring and fall, community-based Clean the Capital program. The City’s Litter
Bug program notes the negative impact of litter - garbage-strewn
neighbourhoods depress real estate prices, hinder economic development, and
inhibit visitors and tourists. Specific to on-street recycling, Council
received a series of unsolicited proposals to expand the current on-street
recycling program and directed staff to propose a comprehensive, integrated
on-street furniture program (bus benches, advertising, litter bins, shelters
etc.) for 2010 when all current contracts expire.
The City does not currently have recycling containers at City parks or
transit stations. However, the
recycling efforts have been increased within some City facilities in the last
year. The quantity of recycled material
grew from 32,692 kg in September 2006 to 50,624 kg in August 2007. This experience has afforded some learning
discoveries.
The Real Property Asset Management (RPAM) Branch, in collaboration with
the Public Works and Services Department’s Solid Waste Services Division,
recently completed a Waste Audit for the Nepean Sportsplex and will be
undertaking another Audit at Lansdowne Park in December 2007. From the
Sportsplex final report, it is clear that:
·
A public
awareness campaign including signage, posters, program announcements etc. is
integral to reducing cross-contamination rates;
·
Developing
simple, city-wide, uniform container signage that reflects contractor waste
recycling streams is required;
·
Multi-stream
units are required as aligning waste and recycle receptacles adjacent to each
other encourages the public to decide how to most appropriately dispose of
their waste;
·
Multiple
containers at strategic locations are required;
·
Performance
measures (monitoring diversion rates) are in place, but subsequent audits are
needed to continue to measure the progress being made.
The following situation exists with respect to
recycling at City Hall, transit stations, City parks, special events and City
facilities.
110
Laurier (City Hall grounds)
There are currently waste receptacles outdoors at City Hall, but these
containers do not accommodate recycling. To provide centralized,
multi-stream waste units to service the exterior of 110 Laurier the cost is
estimated at $10.5K. It is anticipated
that the current waste removal contract would not be affected significantly by
the addition of these multi-stream receptacles at the exterior of City Hall.
With respect to festivals at 110 Laurier, the City has been working with
organizers to encourage recycling during major events. However, in the past,
some groups found the cost prohibitive; and others, who offered recycling,
experienced considerable cross-contamination. Please refer to the section
pertaining to special events for further details.
City Transit Stations
The City has 34 transit stations and 5 light
rail stations. These stations do not currently have recycling containers - with
the exception of Orleans, St.
Laurent, and Blair Stations, where there are containers for paper only. The
capital cost to provide composite, multi-stream containers at all 39 locations
is $175.5K.
A 1994 OC Transpo Waste Audit found that the majority of waste generated
within OC Transpo was from the Administration buildings and garages. Only 13% of the waste came from the transit
stations. That 13% waste was comprised of: 53% glass, 23% paper, 12% other, 6%
organics, and 6% metal or plastics. This information is dated and some habits
and environmental sensitivities have changed – as an example, the prolific use
of bottled water today compared to more than a decade ago.
RPAM’s Corporate Security Division has security concerns regarding the
placement of recycling containers in transit stations. As the nation’s capital, Ottawa has unique
security threats and risk levels. Such containers can be utilized in bomb
attacks, and used to dump chemicals, biological weapons, explosives, narcotics,
etc.
In addition, from an efficiency perspective,
and based on previous recycling pilots at transit stations where there was
little return and considerable cross-contamination, staff question the value of
the expenditure in relation to the amount of collected recyclables.
Finally, the PWS, SOPS Branch is to prepare a
report for Council regarding harmonized street furniture and recycling services
at the conclusion of the current contracts.
This review may afford an opportunity for greater harmonization and a
more consistent approach across transportation amenities regarding recycling
containers and potential revenues.
For the above
reasons staff are suggesting that Waste Audits and Security Assessments be done
in 2008 at two pilot transit stations, pending funding approval of
$40,000. The results and
recommendations would be reported to Council in October 2008.
City Parks
Presently, there are approximately 3,200
litter containers at the City’s approximate 870 park sites. The number of containers varies from one
unit in small neighbourhood parks to about 100 units in major parks like
Mooney’s Bay, Britannia or Andrew Haydon Park. However, there are no
multi-stream containers in any City parks. The cost to provide three
multi-stream, outdoor containers at each park site is estimated at $3.9M.
The Surface Operations Branch of PWS favours recycling in parks where it
makes sense and that the implementation of a program is successful. Given the
significant capital requirements, the Branch is suggesting that a Feasibility
Study be conducted prior to service implementation. PWS has estimated a comprehensive Feasibility Assessment at
$100K.
Pending the results of this Assessment, PWS would report back to Council
in October 2008 with details on:
a)
Park Waste Audit
results;
b)
Recommended park
locations for multi-stream waste containers;
c)
Criteria for
recycling at specific sites;
d)
Container costs;
e)
Contract costs;
and
f)
Implementation
strategy.
Special Events
There are more than 80 festivals involved in
the City’s Festival Network and an unknown number of neighbourhood special
events and many other community events held at City facilities or in City
parks. Community groups or non-profit agencies often organize these events.
There is currently no monitoring mechanism in place that assesses which special
events offer recycling and/or their success in diverting recyclables during
events.
Some preliminary discussions between City staff
and event organizers have occurred regarding recycling at special events. As these events differ in size, scope, and
waste needs, the requirements for an event such as Bluesfest would be very different
than a marathon - there is not a ‘one size fits all solution’.
The City could explore a variety of
tools/methods to foster recycling at special events, which vary considerably as
to service level and cost. Some examples are:
- City requires a vendor or contractor to provide the recycling
service through contract or lease negotiations (responsibility and cost
left to organizers);
- City provides a fee-for-service to event organizers (the City
provides the recycling service at a direct cost to the organizer);
- City provides a free cart drop-off/ pick-up service but volunteers
provide on-site waste administration (costs co-shared);
- City provides full service such as carts, on-site service, event
staffing and pick-up (costs born by City).
The type of service option might also change
with the type or size of event, interest by organizers to recycle, budget,
location, profile, volunteer base and competing event challenges. Some events
such as Bluesfest or the Folk Festival are already endeavouring to integrate
recycling into their respective festivals, but assistance with carts,
containers, and uniform signage might improve the ultimate results to divert
more material from the landfill. However, the business case for various options
needs to be assessed.
Before committing to a multi-year capital program,
it is suggested that in 2008 the Solid Waste Division (PWS), Licensing &
Program Division (Community & Protective Services), and Parks and
Recreation Branch work with some external event organizers to assess and cost
the various options to foster a culture of recycling at special events on City
property, and that staff bring forward a report in October 2008. To consult
with the community, audit some special events, and conduct some preliminary
pilot projects, a budget (including the purchase of some mobile containers) of
$40K in 2008 is required.
City Facilities
To further improve diversion rates, additional
funding for containers for facilities is required. RPAM suggests that $70K be allocated in 2008 for the purchase of
additional multi-stream containers for City facilities, a public education
program, and appropriate signage. It is
anticipated that this is a multi-year, phased approach with additional funding
required in 2009, pending performance measures and monitoring.
Implementation Strategy
As directed by Council in its motion of 27 June
2007, the estimated cost to supply multi-stream containers at City Hall,
transit stations, City parks and special events is:
City Hall $ 10,500
All City Parks $3,915,000
Special Events $ 40,000
Total $4,141,000
At this time, it is suggested that Council
consider a multi-year, phased approach to recycling at City sites. Audits can
provide valuable insight on the appropriate container types, criteria for
locations, potential diversion rates, costing, signage, public awareness
strategy and implementation plan. The result is a wiser investment of limited
funds. The following table reflects this approach.
|
Location |
Date |
Units/ Cost |
Total |
City Hall |
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2008 |
$10,500 |
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Transit Stations
|
|||
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2008 |
$40,000 |
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Location |
Date |
Units/ Cost |
Total |
City Parks |
|||
|
Feasibility Study |
2008 |
$100,000 |
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Special
Event Support
|
|||
|
2008 |
$40,000 |
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City Facilities |
|||
|
2008 |
$70,000 |
||
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Total |
2008 |
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$260,500 |
Through the above work plan, containers would
be purchased and located at City Hall (110 Laurier exterior) and at a variety
of City facilities and a report would be brought to Corporate Services and
Economic Development Committee in October 2008, specifying the recycling needs,
potential diversion rates, projected costs, and implementation strategy for
recycling at City parks, transit stations, and special events.
The proposed work plan is consistent with:
·
The Official Plan
and Ottawa 20/20, which call for ‘Building a Green and Environmentally Sensitive
City’ and the policy requirement is an Integrated Waste Management Master Plan;
and
·
Council’s
2007-2010 strategic directions with respect to waste management including:
-
“Update the Integrated
Waste Management Plan by 2008”; and
-
“Reduce residential dependence on landfill/dumps by 30% within 1000 days.”
By improving its own recycling efforts and diversion rates, the City can
lead by example within the Ottawa community.
CONSULTATION
Consultation was undertaken with key stakeholders including PWS, Parks
Division; PWS Solid Waste Division; CPS, Parks and Recreation Branch and CPS,
Licensing and Programs Division.
No public consultation was undertaken at this time.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The estimated cost of the suggestions is
$260,500 and has not been incorporated in the 2008 draft operating estimates.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
None
DISPOSITION
Upon Council direction and funding approval, staff will proceed
accordingly.