Report
to/Rapport au :
Planning
and Environment Committee
Comité de l’urbanisme et de
l’environnement
and Council / et au Conseil
5 April 2006 / le 5 avril 2006
Submitted by/Soumis par : R.G. Hewitt,
Acting Deputy City Manager /
Directeur municipal adjoint par interim
Public Works and Services/Services
et Travaux publics
Utility Services Branch/Services publics
(613) 580-2424 x 22609, ken.brothers@ottawa.ca
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SUBJECT: |
yellow bag program
for non-residential establisHments – solid waste services |
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OBJET: |
programme des sacs
jaunes aux « Établissements non rÉsidentiels » services de gestion
des dÉchets solides |
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That the Planning and Environment Committee
recommend Council approve the implementation of the Yellow Bag Pilot Program,
for non-residential establishments with an eight bag limit for residual garbage
collection, and a fifteen container limit for recycling collection per week,
per building, and that this Yellow Bag Pilot Program commence June 19, 2006.
Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement
recommande au Conseil d’approuver la mise en oeuvre du programme pilote des sacs
jaunes pour les établissements non résidentiels avec une limite de huit sacs
pour la collecte des déchets résiduels et de quinze conteneurs pour le
recyclage, par semaine et par édifice, et que le programme pilote des sacs
jaunes débute le 19 juin 2006.
As a result of 2004 Budget pressures, non-residential waste collection was discontinued on July 5, 2004. During the 2005 Budget Deliberations, and in response to public delegations, Council passed the following motion:
“Please provide information on alternative measures for business garbage and recycling pickup, including “tag-a-bag”. In addition, it was resolved that staff include in this update an assessment of commercial business service delivery options.”
On July 13, 2005, Council approved the “Integrated Waste Management Master Plan – Strategic Service Delivery Update” (ACS2005-PWS-UTL-0008) report which included the following recommendation:
The City provide solid waste collection services through a Yellow Bag Program to “non-residential establishments” that meet the eligibility criteria and service level outlined in this report with service to commence in January 2006;
The “Yellow Bag Program” was designed to provide waste collection services for small non-residential properties at the residential service level, at full cost recovery.
In November 2005, the Yellow Bag Program was introduced with a proposed
rollout for January 2006. Following
feedback from the business community, and a meeting with the Business Advisory
Committee, staff agreed to further consult with the community and other
organizations that had been impacted by service removal in 2004. This delayed the startup of the program.
This
report updates the consultation process and the redesign of the Yellow Bag
Program, and to seek approval of the Planning and Environment Committee and
Council.
CONSULTATION
At the request of the Business Advisory Committee, on January 12, 2006
staff hosted a focus group session comprised of urban and rural small business
owners, and other small non-residential establishments. The purpose of the focus group was to
receive feedback on the suitability of the current design of the waste
collection program for both rural and non-rural, non-residential establishments
such as small businesses, daycares, and community organizations; as well as the
suitability of the content and clarity of the program promotional
materials. The following comments were
received:
·
A four-bag limit
was too restrictive especially for multiple tenant buildings, given the
eligibility criteria of a separately assessed building;
·
The recycling
benefits were not well communicated;
·
A simple
registration and participation process is required;
·
Yellow bags
should be easy to purchase;
·
The first packet
of bags should be provided at no cost, as an incentive to participate in the
program; and
·
Consult openly
with the broader business community group, the Coalition for a Successful
Ottawa Economy (CSOE).
The feedback was constructive and solidified the need to further
emphasize the support for the City’s blue and black box recycling
programs. By doing so, participants
would not only benefit by the cost-effectiveness of the program, but enhance
the City’s waste diversion programs and save valuable landfill space. Some
businesses were so supportive of the recycling benefits that they were willing
to champion the program.
Staff met with CSOE on February 7, 2006 to share the results of the
targeted focus group feedback, communicate the criteria and details of a
proposed redesigned Yellow Bag Program, and to communicate that the commercial
tax subsidy of residential garbage collection would be removed from commercial
taxes. CSOE endorsed its support for
the program.
Subsequently, on February 14, 2006 the Business Advisory Committee
passed the following motion:
That the
Business Advisory Committee support City staff's proposed amendments and
commend the administration for the additional work and significantly improved
focus on the Program
Revised Yellow Bag Pilot Program Principles:
Staff has considered this feedback and now present the revised program
as follows:
1.
Bag limits have
increased from 4 to 8 per week per building;
2.
Recycling
container limits continue to be set at 15 per week in order to limit the amount
of garbage on the street
3.
Program promotion
will focus on the benefits of increased waste diversion, through recycling;
4.
The first packet
of yellow bags (4 bags per packet), will be provided as an incentive to the
registrant building at no cost;
5.
One-time
registration is required for the program;
6.
Any tenant may
register into the program on behalf of their building;
7.
Distribution of
yellow bags will not be limited to specific retailers.
The increased upper container (8 bag) limit was judged by staff, to fit
into the current level of service expected from our collection
contractors. Increasing the number of
containers at the curb will enable buildings with more than one or two tenants
to participate. This will address the
concern that a building with three or more tenants could not participate
because they would generate five or more bags of residual garbage per
week. It is still incumbent on the
building tenants to distribute the eight bag weekly allotment amongst
themselves. The increased bag limits
requires a by-law amendment to implement.
The proposed amendment is attached as Annex A to this report
The promotion of the Yellow Bag Program will now focus on the recycling
benefits. Small business owners had indicated that they were unaware of the
amount of recycling collection provided with the service. Each participating building can set out the
equivalent of 15 blue or black boxes for alternating collection each week. The
more a participant recycles, the fewer garbage bags they will have to use. This
effectively reduces their waste collection costs for diligent recyclers,
promotes recycling, and save valuable landfill space.
The City will allow any tenant to register on behalf of their building.
The City will provide the first packet of 4 bags to each building as an incentive
at no cost in order to encourage small businesses or non-residential buildings
to try the program.
Registration requirements have been reduced from annually to one time
only. Additionally, any tenant may now
register on behalf of the building. This
enables tenants with absentee landlords to participate in the program.
The City will also entertain inquiries and offers of distribution of
yellow bags from all retailers throughout Ottawa to ensure widespread
availability and diversification of participation. Bags will be available a minimum of two weeks prior to rollout at
all Client Service Centres and participating Home hardware stores. A full list of participating retail outlets
will be posted in the Yellow Bag Program on the City website.
In terms of waste diversion, it is difficult to estimate the amount of
non-residential waste that will be collected and recycled through the revised
program. Staff expects that the program
registration will be limited to small stand-alone businesses, a very small
portion of the entire industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) sector.
Certainly some non-residential establishments may be able to divert up to 45%
of their waste stream through participation in the program. After the program has been established and
running for a period of time, staff will be better positioned to report on the
amount of waste collected, recycled, and diverted from landfill disposal.
Program Implementation
On June 5, 2006, the City’s new Solid Waste collection contracts will begin,
with new contractors in many of the collection zones. In order to ensure the smooth implementation of the “Yellow Bag
Program” it is recommended that the program collection commence on June 19,
2006 shortly after the new collection contracts.
It is recommended that the Planning and Environment Committee accept
these changes to the Yellow Bag Program so that it better meets the needs of
the non-residential establishments it is intended to serve. The program is being proposed as a pilot at
this time with staff bringing forward a report after one year.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The “Yellow Bag Pilot Program for non-residential establishments” is a
cost recovery program that will see the revenue from the sale of City of Ottawa
Yellow Bags, at a cost of $3.00 each, to cover the cost of providing the
service.
Funds are available in the 2006 Solid Waste Services Operating Budget
for the costs of providing this service.
If there is little or no response from the non-residential community,
financial exposure for the City is limited to $23,000 for the initial order of
100,000 yellow bags.
DISPOSITION
That staff proceed with the implementation of the “Yellow Bag Pilot Program” effective June 19, 2006.
That Legal Services include the proposed Yellow Bag amendments, in the revised Solid Waste Management By-law, to be approved by Planning and Environment Committee on May 23, 2006.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 – Yellow Bag Program By-law Excerpts
Document 1
YELLOW BAG PROGRAM - BY-LAW
EXCERPTS
Definition:
“Yellow Bag Program” is a curbside
collection program for small eligible Non-residential Establishments that use
specially designed yellow garbage bags.
PART II: LEVELS OF SERVICE
The City shall provide collection service for Non-residential
Establishments as set out in Schedule C.
Once-per-week
curbside collection of Non-residential Waste through the Yellow Bag Program,
alternating weekly collection of recyclable materials, once-per-week collection
of Bulky Items, and Seasonal Bi-weekly and Weekly collection of Leaf and Yard
Waste. In order for a Non-residential
Establishment to participate, the following eligibility requirements must be
met:
·
The
establishment must be separately assessed for the purpose of property taxes;
·
The sum total
of garbage generated per building does not exceed the Non-residential Waste,
Recyclable Material and Leaf and Yard Waste limits as set out in Schedule D;
·
Must be
registered with the Yellow Bag Program through the City; and
·
Garbage must be
placed in the specially designed City of Ottawa yellow garbage bags.
SCHEDULE “D” - WASTE LIMITS
Non-residential
Establishments
·
Eight (8) Approved Containers of
Non-Residential Waste or eight (8) Bulky Items or any combination, which does
not exceed eight (8) in number per week.
·
Fifteen (15) Approved Containers of Recyclable
Material, and
·
Fifteen (15) Approved Containers of Leaf and
Yard Waste.
SCHEDULE “E” - APPROVED CONTAINERS:
Non-residential Establishment
Curbside Garbage Bag:
1. Specially
designed “official” City of Ottawa yellow garbage bag;
2. Be
securely closed and weigh no more than fifteen (15) kg when full.
3. Be non-returnable.