Re: Metro Vancouver's Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan

Transcription

1 A genda FILE # OS$OO-ao.. s.,omp November 3,2010 Our File: /000/ Doc #: Vl Lois Jackson, Board Chair Metro Vancouver 4330 Kingsway Burnaby, BC V5H 4G8 TYPE: R...~~ +0 P. 0 b DEPT: e~j A.T. #: ltj,ah9 <J Comments: NQv~'8/' ~ Dea r Ms. Jackson: Re: Metro Vancouver's Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan Please be advised that at the November 1,2010 Regular Meeting of Council for the City of Coquitlam the following resolution was adopted: That Council: 1) Confirm support for the 70 % waste diversion target expressed in Goals 1 and 2 of the draft Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan (ISWRMP); 2) Endorse the specific municipal actions of Goals 1 & 2 of the ISWRMP subject to the following conditions: a) The degree to which each action is implemented will depend on f easibility and affordability at the local government level as determined by Council; b) This does not constitute endorsement of Eco-Centers, or any other similar regional waste depots unless or until further financial and operational details confirm cost-effectiveness is assured, and that Coquitlam retains its right to evaluate its options in this regard based on further discussion with Metro Vancouver and member Municipalities as to the need for Metro Vancouver to have any role at all in such an activity. 3) Authorise the Mayor to send a letter to the new Minister of Environment, reiterating Council's concern regarding the process and content of the draft IWRMP, and its request that consideration for future disposal options includes an open-market call for all feasible, site specific alternatives. 4) Direct staff to report back to Council with a detailed analysis of the municipal actions identified for Goals 1 and 2, including recommendations on a variety of options for implementing these within Coquitlam. City of Coquitlam 3000 Guilford Way, Coquitlam, BC V3B 7N2 Office: w ww.coquitlam.ca File #: Doc #: vl

2 Page 2 November 3, 2010 Please find enclosed the report of the General Manager Engineering and Public Works dated October 20, 2010 entitled "Metro Vancouver's Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan" and the report of the General Manager Engineering and Public Works dated October 28, 2010 entitled "Addendum report to City of Coquitlam's Endorsement of Metro Vancouver's Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan - October 2010".. Should you have any questions or require any further information with respect to this matter, please contact Mr. Bill Susak, General Manager Engineering and Public Works at c - All member municipalities in Metro Vancouver Peter Steblin, City Manager Bill Susak, General Manager Engineering and Public Works Steffanie Warriner, Manager Environmental Services File #: /000/ Doc #: V1

3 Coouitlam For Council October 28,2010 Our File: /000/ Doc #: v6 To: From: Subject: For: City Manager General Manager, Engineering & Public Works Addendum Report to City of Coquitlam's Endorsement of Metro Vancouver's Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan - Odober 2010 Council Recom mendation: That Council: 1) Confirm support for the 70 % waste diversion target expressed in Goals 1 and 2 ofthe draft Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan (ISWRMP); 2) Endorse the specific municipal actions of Goals 1 & 2 of the ISWRMP subject to the following conditions: a) The degree to which each action is implemented will depend on feasibility and affordability at the local government level as determined by Council; b) This does not constitute endorsement of Eco-Centers, or any other similar regional waste depots unless or until further financial and operational details confirm cost-effectiveness is assured, and that Coquitlam retains its right to evaluate its options in this regard based on further discussion with Metro Vancouver and member Municipalities regarding the establishment of such centers.

4 ,. Page 2 October 28, ) Authorise the Mayor to send a letter to the new Minster of Environment, reiterating Council's concern regarding the process and content ofthe draft IWRMP, and its request that consideration for future disposal options includes an open-market call for all feasible, site specific alternatives. 4) Direct staff to report back to Council with a detailed analysis of the municipal actions identified for Goals 1 and 2, including recommendations on a variety of options for implementingthese within Coquitlam. Report Pu rpose: To expand on the recommendations and information provided in the October 20, 2010, report to the Engineering, Utilities and Environmental Standing Committee regarding Council's endorsement ofthe specific Municipal Actions identified in Metro Vancouver's Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan (see attached for reference). Strategic Goal: The adoption ofthe municipal actions in the ISWRMP upholds the City's Strategic Goals of: Innovate to Meet Changing Needs; and Continually Improve Processes, Policies and Services. Background: At the last Committee meeting, concern was expressed about three issues: 1) The potential cost of the municipal actions of the new solid waste plan; 2) What is the implication should Coquitlam choose not to support the Municipal actions; and 3) General remaining concerns aboutthe overall direction and cost of the draft ISWRMP. File #: /000/ Doc #: v6

5 , ', Page 3 October 28, 2010 DiscussionJ Analysis: At this time, Metro Vancouver is seeking endorsement of the specific Municipal Actions identified for Goals 1 & 2 of the draft ISWRMP. These goals emphasise the 3 R's of waste management (reduce, reuse, recycle), and are primarily focused on working with Metro Vancouver to provide public outreach and education in support of achieving a 70 % waste diversion target for the Region. Achieving a 70 % diversion rate by 2015 is an aggressive goal, and one that can only be achieved with increased emphasis on reducing, reusing, and recycling, To this end, the ISWRMP requires municipalities to commit to numerous action items, which include, but are not limited to, the development and implementation of a plan to target the diversion of organics and recycling fr9m single-family (SF), multi-family (MF) and Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (ICI) sectors. Although implementation of the identified municipal actions will result in increased costs, the specific approach and level of implementation of these actions must be decided and determined by Council in consideration ofthe needs and interests unique to Coquitlam. The wording in the Plan does not specify the extent of municipal involvement in these actions, and instead, largely focuses on education and outreach. As such, it is difficult to accurately estimate costs to implement these actions as this will be dependent on the extent of service the City decides to provide to facilitate achieving these goals. At this time, it is anticipated that additional staff and financial resources will be needed, and might be in the order of several hundred thousands of dollars, which will be a balance of upfront capital costs coupled with 10ngE\r term operational costs. Based on a survey. of other member municipalities, this is consistent with anticipated resource implications being reported by local governments across the Region. Staff will report back on this issue with a variety of recommendations for Council to consider that include strategies for offsetting costs to the extent possible. Duringthe October 25,2010, regular meeting of the Engineering, Utilities and Environment Standing Committee, the Committee asked about the implication of not supporting the municipal actions at this time. Within the Provincial Environmental Protection Act (the Act), Metro Vancouver is Fi le #: / Doc #: v6

6 Page 4 October 28, 2010 required to prepare a Solid Waste Management Plan that benefits all member municipalities. It also states that Metro Vancouver has the authority to make bylaws and regulations that municipalities must abide by. The Province does not require Municipal endorsement on the ISWRMP but will consider a Municipality's lack of support as information when making the decision to approve the ISWRMP. A Municipality should be specific as to which action(s) it does not support and the Minister may take this in to consideration on its review. Once the Minister approves the ISWRMP, it becomes a regulatory document enforceable under the Act in which non-compliance would result in a violation of the Act. If a Municipality is not in agreement with the ISWRMP, or chooses to opt out of a Regional solid waste management plan, the Minister could mandate the Municipality to develop its own Solid Waste Management Plan. This could be extremely costly, and could eliminate the benefits that come with Regional collaboration on waste management and related issues. Although there are cost increases associated with the Municipal Actions for Goals 1 and 2, and the target of 70% waste diversion, these costs are almost insignificant in comparison to Metro Vancouver's cost projections for processing/disposal ofthe remaining waste stream. City of Coquitlam has previously expressed concern about the potential that this cost burden will be carried by the municipalities, and to this end, has requested there be an open-market call for all feasible site-specific disposal options. This is to ensure there is opportunity for flexible decision making that considers the best and most affordable options for the Region. In light of recent changes to the Provincial Cabinet structure, it is recommended the Mayor write directly to the new Minister of Environment to ensure he directly understands Coquitlam's concerns in this regard, and takes this into consideration when considering the draft ISWRMP. Conclusion: The ISWRMP was developed following a four-year public consultation process. It contains four principal goals that are based on the 5 R's of waste management, and includes an aggressive goal of 70% waste diversion for the Region. At this time, municipalities are asked by Metro Vancouver to endorse the specific actions associated with Goals 1 and 2, which emphasise reducing/ reusing / recycling. Although there will be both upfront and long-term File #: /000/ Doc #: v6

7 . '. Page 5 October 28, 2010 operating costs associated with these actions, the language within the Plan allows municipalities to retain flexibility to decide the extent to which these actions are implemented at the local Government level. To this end, it is recommended that Council support the 70% waste diversion target, and endorse the specific municipal actions associated with achieving this target subject to the conditions identified at the start ofthis report. Further, given Council's concerns regarding the substantial costs projected by Metro Vancouver for processing/disposal ofthe remaining waste stream, it is recommended the Mayor write directly to the new Minister of Environment to ensure he directly understands Coquitlam's request that consideration for future disposal options includes an open-market call for all feasible, site specific alternatives. ~ William J. Susak, P.Eng. Attachments: "Metro Vancouver's Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan" report to Engineering, Utilities and Environment Standing Committee dated October 20, This report was prepared by Steffanie Warriner, P. Eng., Manager Environmental Services, and Bridget Mitchell, Recycling and Waste Reduction Officer File #: / Doc #: v6

8 Coouitlam ~ For Committee THrs~-ePO~TWAS REFERRED TO COUNCIL VVlTHOUT A RECOMMENDATION October 20, 2010 Our File: /000/ Doc #: v2 To: From: Subject: For: Mayor and Council General Manager, Engineering & Public Works Metro Vancouver's Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan Engineering, Utilities and Environment Standing Committee Recommendation: That Council endorse the specific municipal actions identified in Metro Vancouver's Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan and forward a copy of Council's endorsement to Metro Vancouver. Report Purpose: To seek Mayor and Council's endorsement of the specific municipal actions contained in the Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan (ISWRMP), July Strategic Goal: The adoption of the I'!lunicipal actions in the ISWRMP upholds the City's Strategic Goals of: Innovate to Meet Changing Needs; and Continually Improve Processes, Policies and Services Executive Summary: In developing the ISWRMP, Metro Vancouver undertook an extensive consultation process which began in 2006 and concluded in July Metro Vancouver worked with its member municipalities to develop the ISWRMP with particular emphasis on development ofthe actions and associated costs for Goal 1 (minimize waste generation) and Goal 2 (maximize reuse, recycling, and material recovery). The ISWRMP was approved by the Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District Board on July 30, 2010, for submission to the Minister of Environment for approval, and for circulation to member municipalities for endorsement of the specific municipal actions identified in the Plan.

9 Page 2 October 20, 2010 One ofthe primary goals ofthe ISWRMP is to increase the Regional waste diversion rate from 55% in 2010 to 70% by Achieving a 70% diversion rate by 2015 is an aggressive goal, and one that can only be achieved with increased emphasis on reducing, reusing, and recycling. To this end, the ISWRMP requires municipalities to commit to numerous action items, which include, but are not limited to, the development and implementation of a work plan to target the diversion of organics and recycling from singlefamily (SF), multi-family (MF) and Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (ICI) sectors. These action items, along with a comprehensive education campaign, will have significant financial implications. Exact costs are difficult to estimate at this time, but could be in the order of several hundred thousands of dollars annually. Staff will be reporting back on this issue in greater detail in a future report. Background: Solid waste management is regulated by the Ministry of Environment under the Be Environmental Management Act (the Act). The Ministry of Environment requires solid waste management plans to be developed by local governments in consultation with the community, first nations and other stakeholders. Plans are submitted to the Minister of Environment for consideration and approval, and once approved, solid waste management plans become regulatory documents that are enforceable under the Act. The previous solid waste management plan for Metro Vancouver and member municipalities was approved by the Minister of Environment in 1995, and was subject to review and updating after ten years. Following a four year (2006 to 2010) consultation, review and updating process, the Greater Vancouver Sewer and Drainage District Board adopted the Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan (ISWRMP) on July 30, 2010, as the new regional Solid Waste Management Plan. File #: /000/ Doc #: v2

10 Page 3 October 20, 2010 The new ISWRMP emphasizes the avoidance of waste through an aggressive waste reduction campaign, and recovery of materials and energy from the waste that remains, and includes a target of increasing the regional waste diversion rate from an average of 55% in 2010 to a minimum of 70% by For reference, a copy of the ISWRMP is included as Attachment #1 to this report. Council has been kept apprised ofthe ISWRMP process via previous staff reports and presentations. Discussion! Analysis: The ISWRMP identifies goals, strategies and actions for Metro Vancouver and municipalities that are critical in order to reach the primary goal of waste avoidance, through an aggressive waste reduction campaign and through the recovery of materials and energy from the waste that rema ins. The plan follows the principles of sustainability, integrated resource recovery and the 5R hierarchy, and includes the following four primary goals: Goal 1: Minimize waste generation Goal2: Maximize reuse, recycling, and material recovery Goal 3: Recover energy from the waste stream after material recycl ing Goal 4: Dispose of all remaining waste in the landfill, after material recycling and energy recovery The ISWRMP identifies various municipal actions that are necessary to reach the target of 70% waste diversion by 2015 and realigns local government solid waste services with recent provincial and federal initiatives. These in itiatives include the: BC Air Action Plan, BC Climate Action Plan, BC Energy Plan, BC Recycling Regulation, A Guide to Green Choices, BC Bioenergy Strategy, Landfill Gas Management Regulation and CCME Canada Wide Action Plan for Extended Producer Responsibility. File #: /000/ Doc #: v2

11 Page 4 October 20, 2010 The ISWRMP reaffirms the need for municipalities to align their waste reduction programs with the regional strategies in order to achieve the primary goals ofthe plan, with emphasis placed o,n Goals 1 and 2 for municipalities. To this end, the ISWRMP requires municipalities to commit to numerous action items, which include, but are not limited to, the development and implementation of a work plan to target the diversion of organics and recycling from single-family (SF), multi-family (MF) and Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (ICI) sectors. These action items, along with a comprehensive education campaign, will have significant financial implications. For reference, a list of all action items identified in the ISWRMP, and the associated costs to implement these, is provided as Attachment #2 to this report. The goals and actions identified in the ISWRMP are described in high level terms and do not contain specific information on how these will be achieved or implemented. Implementation strategies will be the responsibility of the member municipalities in consultation with, and supported by, Metro Vancouver through ongoing involvement of the Regional Engineers Advisory Committee, the Solid Waste Subcommittee, and other related groups and forums. In general, municipalities have been supportive of Goals 1 & 2, which emphasize expansion of waste reduction and diversion programs, including marketing, education, program design/implementation and enforcement. Many municipalities have already begun implementing strategies to achieve these goals, and the associated target of 70% waste diversion by At present, the City of Coquitlam achieves an approximate 50% diversion rate from SF residences, and anticipates increasing this rate to approximately 60% with the recent introduction of curbside organics collection. There is limited information available for the MF and ICI sectors in Coquitlam; although, it is anticipated that diversion rates for these sectors are much lower as Coquitlam does not coordinate collection services for these sectors and does not have any supporting bylaw requirements to encourage the separation of recyclables and organics from the mixed waste stream. In 2011, staff will evaluate these sectors more closely, and consider strategies for overall improved waste diversion for all sectors within Coquitlam. Options will be presented to Council in a future staff report. File #: /000/ Doc #: v2

12 Page 5 October 20, 2010 Financial Implications: The ISWRMP contains significant financial commitments for waste reduction and recycling initiatives. Direct expenditures by Metro Vancouver a nd member municipalities for Goals 1 & 2 (getting to 70% diversion) of the ISWRMP are estimated to cost $170 million in one-time capital cost and $40 million in annual operating costs. These expenditures must be funded through tipping fees from disposal ofthe remaining waste. Tipping fees are funded by residents and businesses either directly at disposal facilities, through service fees paid to collection contractors, or through municipal taxes/utilities when serviced by municipal collection. It is currently estimated that tipping fees will increase from $82/tonne in 2010 to $96/tonne in 2011 to $152/tonne by In addition, implementation of the ISWRMP will require a significant amount of education, outreach and enforcement to achieve the goal of 70% diversion by For reference, a breakdown of all costs associated with implementation ofthe ISWRMP is included in Attachment #2 of this report. It is difficult at this time to accurately estimate the cost implications for implementing the municipal actions identified in Attachment #2. It is anticipated the incremental cost increase could be in the order of $30pk to $sook annually. The majority ofthese costs would be associated with the staffing and resources needed for the development of new programs, education, outreach, customer service and enforcement. The City currently employs two full-time staff who oversee the City's SF residential waste collection and MF recycling collection services (a Recycling & Waste Reduction Officer and a Clerk II). It is likely that during the term of the new ISWRMP, more resources will be needed to support the City's commitments to this regional plan. File #: /000/ Doc #: v2

13 , Page 6 October 20, 2010 There will also be impacts from the updated ISWRMP that impact the City, but which are outside ofthe Solid Waste Utility. These impacts include, but are not limited to the following: Develop a Zero Waste tool kit for festivals and events (Strategy 2.2, Action Review changes to the Zoning and Development Bylaw to encourage recycling and organics collection for businesses and neighbourhoods (Strategy 2.3, Action Develop a policy and associated bylaw for recycling of demolition and land clearing (Strategy 2.4, Action 2.4.4). Develop bylaws to require recycling in all multi-family and commercial building complexes (Strategy 2.9, Action Al l of the above will require broad inter-departmental integrated efforts with specific actions led by appropriate departments. Increased costs for waste disposal and diversion are a certainty during the life of this plan. staff will be working with Metro Vancouver, member municipalities, and internally to further evaluate and refine the identified municipal actions. Staff will report back to Council in a future report with recommendations on how to most effectively carry the additional solid waste burden, minimise cost increases, and expand the diversion rates within the MF and ICI sectors. Conclusion: The ISWRMP was developed following a four year extensive public consultation process. It contains 4 principal goals that are based on the 5Rs hierarchy of waste management, and includes an aggressive target of 70% waste diversion by Goals 1 & 2 of the ISWRMP emphasize minimizing waste generation and maximizing reusing/recycling/material recovery. In adhering to Goals 1 & 2 of the ISWRMP, waste reduction and diversion programs will need to be researched, developed and implemented for all sectors (SF, MF and ICI), along with a more aggressive communications and outreach plan. There will be costs associated with these actions that will need to be considered in future budget discussions during the life span of this regional plan. A high-level overview anticipates that additional costs File #: /000/ Doc #: v2

14 Page 7 October 20, 2010 could be several hundred thousand dollars; however, costs, staffing needs and funding options need further detailed analysis, and will be dependent on the extent and timing in which Council desires to implement these programs. Staff will continue to work with Metro Vancouver and member municipalities to further evaluate and refine implementation strategies for the ISWRMP, and will present options for the City of Coquitlam in a future staff report to Council. William J. Susak, P. Attachments: This report was prepared by Steffanie Warriner, P. Eng., Manager Environmental Services and Bridget Mitchell, Recycling and Waste Reduction Officer. 1. Metro Vancouver's Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan 2. Metro Vancouver's Strategy and Action Items for the implementation of the Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan File #: /000/ Doc #: v2