DATE: August 20, 2012 REPORT NO. PW CHAIR AND MEMBERS COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE OPERATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION

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1 PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION DATE: August 20, 2012 REPORT NO. PW TO: FROM: CHAIR AND MEMBERS COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE OPERATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION GEOFF RAE, MBA, P.ENG. GENERAL MANAGER, PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION 1.0 TYPE OF REPORT CONSENT ITEM [ ] ITEM FOR CONSIDERATION [ X ] 2.0 TOPIC Diversion of Construction and Demolition Materials Including Asphalt Shingle Wastes at the Mohawk Street Landfill Site 3.0 RECOMMENDATION A. THAT Report No. PW titled Diversion of Construction and Demolition Materials Including Asphalt Shingle Waste at the Mohawk Street Landfill Site, BE RECEIVED; and B. THAT staff, commencing February 2013, BE DIRECTED to undertake promotion and education activities to advise the public of the local option for diverting construction and demolition materials including asphalt shingle wastes from disposal at the Mohawk Street Landfill Site. 4.0 PURPOSE The purpose of this report is to outline the operational and financial impacts of diverting construction and demolition materials, including asphalt shingle waste, from disposal at the Mohawk Street Landfill Site. 5.0 BACKGROUND Table 1 below outlines (i) the estimated tonnages of construction and demolition materials including roofing wastes disposed of at the Mohawk Street Landfill Site for approximately the last five years from 2007 to 2012 (estimated) and (ii) the total tonnage of all other commercial and industrial waste materials received during the same time frame.

2 Date: August 20, 2012 Page 2 TABLE 1 ESTIMATED ANNUAL TONNAGES OF CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTES INCLUDING ROOFING MATERIALS The quantity of construction and demolition materials received is estimated as these wastes are not currently sub-categorized in the tipping fee software, except roofing wastes, when accepted for disposal. Also, materials such as brick, block, concrete, asphalt, etc. are not included in these estimated quantities as these materials are currently stockpiled, crushed and used on-site for road construction and other capital improvement projects. As shown in Table 1, construction and demolition materials including asphalt shingle waste account for approximately 14% of the annual total commercial and industrial waste received at the landfill site. Currently all materials are disposed of at the tipping face although small quantities may be unloaded at the public drop-off area. Materials are accepted at the General Tipping Fee Rate of $65 per metric tonne. The following report has been prepared in response to a resolution adopted by Council at the meeting held on April 23, 2012: Recycling of Roofing Shingles WHEREAS the Mohawk Street Landfill Site currently accepts, for disposal, asphalt roofing materials from residential and commercial sources from within the City of Brantford; and WHEREAS markets exist to recycle these waste materials into useful products; and

3 Date: August 20, 2012 Page 3 WHEREAS diverting recyclable and reusable waste materials from disposal will increase overall operating life span of the Mohawk Street Landfill Site; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Staff BE REQUESTED to prepare a report outlining the options and implications of diverting asphalt roofing shingles from disposal at the Mohawk Street Landfill Site. This resolution directed staff to outline the implementation of a diversion program for asphalt shingle waste and the potential impacts to operations at the Mohawk Street Landfill Site. Private facilities that process asphalt shingle waste also process other construction and demolition waste. To increase diversion, staff have included other construction and demolition wastes as part of the potential diversion program outlined in the report. A review by staff of the local diversion options for asphalt shingle waste and construction and demolition materials indicated that they are currently limited at this time. Although these facilities exist in other regions of southern Ontario, such as London and Hamilton, staff is only aware of one local facility which is properly licensed to accept and process these materials for redistribution to recycling markets. Transportation of construction and demolition materials to out-of-town facilities is not a viable option for most of the waste generators. Current tipping fee rates at the local private facility are $62.15 and $67.80 per metric tonne for asphalt shingle waste and for mixed construction/demolition materials, respectively. 6.0 CORPORATE POLICY CONTEXT The City s Strategic Plan identifies the development of a long-term sustainable waste management plan as one of the strategic actions for achieving managed growth and environmental leadership (Strategic Action 3.3). More specifically, the Strategic Plan also includes a Strategic Action which outlines Council s long term commitment to achieving a residential diversion rate of 60% or higher and which strives to maximize the remaining waste disposal capacity available at the Mohawk Street Landfill Site. 7.0 INPUT FROM OTHER SOURCES Public Works staff met with representatives from Green Step Recycling Inc., a local recycling firm, to review their operation and discuss the diversion of asphalt shingle and other construction and demolition materials. Staff from the Economic Department were also consulted to review the number of businesses in the City that were capable of processing and marketing asphalt shingle waste and other construction and demolition waste materials.

4 Date: August 20, 2012 Page ANALYSIS 8.1 Materials Targeted for Diversion Table 2 below outlines the various waste materials that are to be included as part of potential diversion program and which are accepted at the local recycling facility. TABLE 2 Surchargeable Constuction and Demolition Wastes Asphalt Shingles Roofing nails (mixed with shingles) Dressed Lumber Drywall Shingle Packaging Materials Materials which will not be included in the diversion program include brick, block, concrete, asphalt, etc. The reason for this is these materials are currently stockpiled, crushed and used on-site for road construction and other capital improvement projects. All other construction and demolition materials such as insulation, carpet, vinyl flooring, etc. will be accepted for disposal at the general tipping fee rate. 8.2 Promotion and Education Activities Table 3 below outlines the timing and promotion and education activities to be undertaken as part of the potential diversion program for construction and demolition materials including asphalt shingle waste. TABLE 3 Promotion and Education Activities Target Date Activity October December 2012 Preparation of promotion and education materials January - March 2013 Distribution of Information Update Memo to Mayor and Councillors (early January) Distribution of Notice to landfill account holders and users at the site (February)

5 Date: August 20, 2012 Page 5 Updating of City s Website (February) Launch of promotion and education activities (March) April December 2013 Issuance of Recycling Opportunity Notices to site users with construction and demolition waste materials at landfill site (April & May) Ongoing promotion and education activities (April & May) Respond to potential issues and concerns, as needed Monitor diversion activities of site users, report issues/concerns as needed Projection of revenue impact to 2014 Operating Budget (before end of August) As shown, notification to the public and landfill account holders is to be provided in advance of the 2013 construction season. This information will advise users of the local diversion option for these materials and the importance of increasing the operating life span of the landfill site. 8.3 Operational Implications Local diversion options for asphalt shingle waste and construction and demolition materials are currently limited at this time. Although these facilities exist in other regions of southern Ontario, such as London and Hamilton, staff is only aware of one local facility which is properly licensed to accept and process these materials for marketing to recycling markets. Transportation of construction and demolition materials to these regional facilities is not a viable option for most of the waste generators in the City. The promotion and education activities will encourage users to take waste materials directly to the local recycling facility. This process will avoid the City incurring any costs associated with the handling, sorting and transport of materials being diverted.

6 Date: August 20, 2012 Page FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS 9.1 Promotion and Education Expenditures As noted previously, various promotion and education activities are to be undertaken to advise users of the local recycling facility and encourage the diversion of construction and demolition materials. Promotion and education activities outlined in this report can be completed with no impact to existing budgets. 9.2 Impacts to Program Revenue Annual Revenue Impact Given the marginal difference between the current tipping fee rate charge at the local facility and that of the Mohawk Street Landfill Site, staff anticipates a limited response to the potential promotion and education activities. However, should 10% of the tonnages currently received at the landfill site be diverted to the local recycling facility, the annual reduction in tipping fee revenue from the diversion of construction and demolition materials including asphalt shingle waste would be approximately $45,000. It should be noted higher levels of diversion could be obtained, but only through the implementation of a tipping fee surcharge for the disposal of these materials and an additional staff person to provide continuous monitoring of materials disposed of at the landfill site (i.e. tipping face) Long Term Revenue Generation Diversion of construction and demolition materials will extend the overall operating life of the Mohawk Street Landfill Site. Extending the overall operating life span of the landfill site will provide a number of financial benefits to the City including the following; (i) deferring costs associated with an extensive and costly Environmental Assessment (EA) to replace or expand existing disposal capacity, (ii) deferring capital costs associated with replacing or expanding existing disposal capacity, (iii) avoiding future disposal and transportation costs for residential waste at private landfills. (iv) reducing annual capital expenditures required to develop future disposal stages within the approved capacity, (v) increasing the length of time over which the site will potentially generate tipping fee revenue,

7 Date: August 20, 2012 Page 7 (vi) delaying post closure and long term monitoring expenses for each of the future disposal stages, 10.0 CONCLUSION Diversion of asphalt shingle waste and other construction and demolition materials from disposal will extend the overall operating lifespan of the Mohawk Street Landfill Site. A local business is now operating and is properly licensed by the Ministry of the Environment to accept and process these materials for redistribution to recycling markets. The promotion and education activities could divert up to 10% of the annual tonnages of asphalt shingle waste and other construction/demolition materials received at the Mohawk Street Landfill Site. Diversion of these materials could therefore reduce non-taxable revenue to the Solid Waste Management Program by approximately $45,000. Higher levels of diversion could be obtained, but only through the implementation of a tipping fee surcharge for the disposal of these materials and an additional staff person to provide continuous monitoring of materials disposed of at the landfill site (i.e. tipping face). S. Kongara, P.Eng., Geoff Rae, MBA, P.Eng., Director of Environmental Services General Manager, Public Works. D. Hodgins, P.Eng., Manager, Solid Waste Operations. In adopting this report, is a by-law or agreement required? If so, it should be referenced in the recommendation section. By-law required [ ] yes [ X ] no Agreement(s) or other documents to be signed by Mayor and/or City Clerk [ ] yes [ X ] no Is the necessary by-law or agreement being sent concurrently to Council? [ ] yes [ X ] no