New blue box processor – Region has awarded the contract to Canada Fibres. Plastic bags will now be accepted in April and all recyclables can be placed in clear or transparent bags. The Region is hoping that this will cut down on recyclables being blown away by wind. There are a lot more plastic materials in blue boxes compared to the past when it was more cans and bottles.
The Asian markets are putting limits on the amount of contamination that they will accept – 0.5%, which is extremely low. This results in some restrictions. For instance, plastic wrap that touches food will not be accepted, like milk bags. However produce bags and the outer milk bag will be accepted. Plastic over-wrap is also accepted (ie. wraps cases of bottles, etc.).
The new Waste Free Ontario Act supports the circular economy, taking into consideration the lifecycle of products – reduce, reuse and recycle. Focus is on producer responsibility. Those producing products will become responsible for it. This will also help to streamline the programs across Ontario, which causes confusion. In the future, there may be the potential that municipalities are no longer involved in processing recyclables.
Industry funding organizations like Tire Stewardship will wind up and will be replaced in the future.
Halton Region receives approximately $4.3 million to offset the cost of the bluebox program, about 58% of program costs.
Food & Organic Waste Framework – The province is very interested in supporting anaerobic digestion to create biofuels and energy, however, it results in leftover digestate which still needs to be disposed of, unlike the current compost facility in Hamilton.
Halton Region supports the review of the building code for apartment buildings to support proper waste management facilities. New buildings sometimes lack the space to deal with waste. Halton staff review site plans to ensure waste can be properly managed – want residents to be able to dispose of all type of waste efficiently. Halton Region already services about 50% of apartment buildings and is planning to expand.
Stewardship Ontario has created a wind up plan but it wasn’t supported by municipalities because it lacked a robust communication and community engagement strategy to support the changes to be implemented.
Halton’s Solid Waste Management Strategy includes initiaitives to help divert waste from the landfill. The Region has reached the limit where one new action can make a big change in the diversion rate. The new strategy will include short, medium and long term initiatives. A report is coming soon on the short term strategies. There will be a staff report on the medium and long term initiatives in 2019 with a public consultation component.
The residential diversion rate is currently 58.3% but can be affected by severe weather events – ie. increased waste following an ice storm and flood.
The Region has a contract with Hamilton to accept greencart waste for compost until 2020. Hamilton is considering anaerobic digestion options.
Some municipalities have adopted large carts for recycling (Toronto and Peel) but charge residents for waste containers (different sizes). People buy the cheaper/smaller garbage container and then hide waste in the larger recycling cart. Contamination has grown significantly in these areas – about 20%.
The Region is considering the potential for a mobile hazardous waste collection unit where they can move it from community to community. The County of Wellington has had success with this.
The Halton landfill opened in 1992 and was supposed to be full in 2012. But due to successful waste diversion programs, it is expected to stay open until 2045/46.
One new performance measures the Region may employ is the total amount of garbage that residents dispose of.
Action: Lynn to circulate copies of the presentations to SDC members.