Subject: Alternative Waste Management Technologies Update

Transcription

1 Subject: Alternative Waste Management Technologies Update Report To: Waste Management Planning Steering Committee Meeting Date: Monday WMPSC-C Page 1 Recommendations That this report be received for information. Key Facts Niagara s Comparative Assessment of alternative waste and biosolid management technologies was terminated in July 2015 and will subsequently be included as part of a future long-term waste management strategic plan, when initiated by the Region. Staff are providing Waste Management Planning Steering Committee (WMPSC) with updates on alternative waste management technologies at least annually or when there are significant updates. Staff will continue to engage other neighbouring municipalities in discussions related to available capacity at their current/future alternative waste management technology facilities and/or future needs that could be addressed by partnering with Niagara Region on alternative technologies. Regional staff continues to participate in the Intermunicipal Waste Management Working Group which has the objective to identify collaboration opportunities and specific information needs, actions and timelines in order to determine if the feasibility of jointly implementing waste management policies, programs and/or facilities, which includes alternative technology facilities. Considerations Financial There are no financial implications associated with this report as it is for information purposes only. Corporate Staff were providing Waste Management Planning Steering Committee (WMPSC) with quarterly updates on alternative waste management technologies until May 30, 2016 and as per a Councillor Information Request, annually unless there is a significant update. This is the fourth report. The first three reports, WMPSC-C , WMPSC-C and WMPSC-C were received by WMPSC on October 26, 2015, February 1, 2016 and May 30, 2016, respectively.

2 Page 2 Governmental Partners Staff will continue to engage other neighbouring municipalities in discussions related to available capacity at their current/future alternative waste management technology facilities and/or future needs that could be addressed by partnering with Niagara Region on alternative technologies. Regional staff are participating in the Intermunicipal Waste Management Working Group which has the objective to identify collaboration opportunities and specific information needs, actions and timelines in order to determine the feasibility of jointly implementing - waste management policies, programs and/or facilities, which includes alternative technology facilities. The last meeting was held on November 23, 2015 and the next meeting has yet to be scheduled. Public and/or Service Users There are no implications to the public and/or service users as a result of this report. Analysis As per PW , and the May 30, 2016 WMPSC Councillor Information Request, staff is reporting back on the status of alternative waste management technology projects and related initiatives. Tables 1 and 2 below contain municipal and private facility status summaries that have an update from what was previously reported to WMPSC. Table 1 Summary of Current and Proposed Municipal EFW Facilities Municipality / Project Type of Technology Status Update Current Municipal Facilities (owned by municipality and operated by a third party) Durham-York Energy Centre Technology: Mass burn March 2016 Update: According to a Durham Region News Release, Covanta activated the dispute resolution processes after the December 2015 decision not to issue the Acceptance Test Certificate because of marginal exceedances in (ash) Residue Quantity. Convanta adds cement, pozzolan and water to the fly ash to create a fly ash which has demonstrated to be non-hazardous and decreases the environmental impact. In recognition of the environmental benefits of the above process and the additional weight these materials add to the residue quantity calculations, the Residue Quantity limits were revised from 30 to 35 per cent in the Project Agreement with Covanta.

3 Page 3 Municipality / Project Type of Technology Status Update The project was a year behind schedule and $21 million over budget. November 2016 Update: In May 2016, the results of a source test demonstrated that all emissions with the exception of Dioxins and Furans in Boiler #1, met emissions limits in the facilities Environmental Compliance Approval. The Dioxin and Furans limits were exceeded by almost 12 times. As a result of the exceedance, Boiler #1 was shut down and Durham and York Region were required to submit an Abatement Plan to the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) that addressed the cause of the exceedance and details of corrective action(s) to prevent a reoccurrence. The Abatement Plan was approved by the MOECC and is being implemented. Boiler #1 was not operational from May 26 to August 5, During this time some of the waste (Boiler #2 was still operational) was sent to the Energy for Waste Facility in Niagara Falls, New York and to Walker Industries Inc. Landfill in Thorold. On November 23, 2016, Durham and York Region issued the Acceptance Certificate for the DYEC after Convanta, the facility operator, completed the requirements for the Acceptance Certificate.

4 Page 4 Table 2 Summary of Proposed P3 Facilities (owned and operated by private company but agreements with municipalities to supply waste) Municipality / Type of Status Update Project Technology Proposed P3 Facilities Orion Eco Solutions Inc. Technology: Thermal treatment (gasification) November 2016 Update: Orion Eco Solutions Inc. is proposing a thermal treatment (gasification) facility that will produce syn gas and bio-diesel for power and heat from non-hazardous municipal waste. The proposed facility is to be built at one of the Municipality of Neebing s two landfill sites, Sandhill landfill in Crooks Township. As per the Environmental Registry posting, the maximum waste received daily at the site will be 100 tonnes and the service area will be the Province of Ontario. As per an article in The Chronicle Journal, dated November 8, 2016, Orion Eco Solutions Inc. is funding the project and the municipality is providing the land. Table 3 Summary of Proposed Private Facilities Municipality / Type of Status Update Project Technology Ontario Inc. operating Grove Energy and Education Centre (formally known as Allanburg Energy from Waste Centre) Technology: Combustion technology March 2016 Update: A resolution was approved by Niagara Region Council on February 25, 2016 and City of Thorold Council on February 16, 2016 in support of the project for the sole purpose of the proponent s application for a power purchase agreement with Independent Electricity System Operator for their Energy-from-Waste Standard Offer Program (EFWSOP). Additional information on the project was provided via a presentation to Public Works Committee on February 16, 2016 and in subsequent Council Correspondence (CL-C 16, 2016 dated February 19, 2016 and CL-C dated February 23, 2016). November 2016 Update: As noted in WMPSC-C (dated October

5 Page 5 Municipality / Project Type of Technology Status Update 31, 2016), on September 6, 2016, the City of Thorold rescinded support of the proposed project and requested that Niagara Region also rescind its February 2016 support for the same. In addition, the City of Thorold adopted a resolution that the City not support Energy-from- Waste, as a viable method for municipal waste management. On September 27, 2016, the Ministry of Energy issued a media release announcing that the provincial government has suspended the second round of its Large Renewable Procurement process and the EFWSOP. Grove Energy and Education Centre indicated that in light of the recent announcement by the Ontario Energy Minister, they are not in a position to apply to IESO for the Power Purchase Agreement at this time. As noted in PW , staff continue to monitor several initiatives/projects. Those that have new information are noted below along with the new updates: i) Waterloo Region is completing a Thermal Treatment Feasibility Study. Update: On June 14, 2016, a report was taken to Waterloo Region s Planning and Works Committee presenting the results and recommendations of the Feasibility study. The report recommends that the Region: a) Take no further action related to pursuing Energy from Waste (EFW) for residual waste management at this time; b) Direct staff to continue discussions regarding residual waste management and waste diversion programs with the Intermunicipal Working Group (IMWG); and c) Direct staff to report back to Planning and Works Committee regarding the remaining site life at the Waterloo Landfill and the state of the EFW industry in 3 years. The following is the rationale for the recommendations as per the report: Waste Management is a rapidly evolving and changing field. It is expected that the next 3-5 years will continue to see changes. Based on the summary from this report and taking into account the remaining landfill capacity at the

6 Page 6 Waterloo Landfill site, there is no immediate need to plan or construct an EFW and waiting 3 years to make a formal decision is appropriate. The Region should continue to work with potential partners to ensure that appropriate partnerships can be created. The full report can be found on Waterloo Region s website (the report starts on page 40). ii) New waste reduction legislation may impact the amount of tonnage to be directed to alternative technology facilities, and will require additional consideration by Regional Committees/Council in terms of services and facilities that Niagara will continue to operate under a producer responsibly framework. Update: On November 26, 2015, the Ontario Government introduced the proposed Waste-Free Ontario Act (Bill 151) and released a draft Strategy for a Waste-Free Ontario: Building the Circular Economy. As per WMPSC-C (dated September 12, 2016), on June 9, 2016, the Waste Free Ontario Act received Royal Assent. The Waste Free Ontario Act is an Act to enact the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016, and the WDTA, 2016, and to repeal the Waste Diversion Ontario Act (WDA), On September 23, 2016, Premier Kathleen Wynne released mandate letters sent to all the Ministers. The mandate letter addressed to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Glenn Murray, included the following priority related to increasing waste diversion: Alternatives Reviewed Not applicable. In accordance with the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016, and in consultation with partner ministers, stakeholders, Indigenous partners and the public, finalize and begin to implement the Strategy for a Waste-Free Ontario: Building the Circular Economy. Building a circular economy would also help support our fight against climate change. Begin with consultations on: o Developing an Organics Action Plan to divert more organic waste from landfills and to assist in the implementation of the Climate Change Action Plan. A draft plan will be posted for public consultation in 2017 with implementation by spring o Ensuring the transition of the blue box program and the revised role of municipalities will not negatively impact Ontarians experience with and access to blue box services. On November 30, 2016 the Province proclaimed the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 and the Waste Diversion Transition Act, 2016 enacted by the Waste Free Ontario Act, 2016.

7 Page 7 Origin of Report As per a recommendation in PW , staff was to report back to WMPSC on a quarterly basis on alternative waste management technologies. Subsequently a Councillor Information Request received at the May 30, 2016 WMPSC meeting, requested annual updates unless there is a significant update. Other Pertinent Reports PW : Alternative Waste Management Technologies Project Next Steps, June 23, 2015 WMPSC-C : Alternative Waste Management Technology Update, October 26, 2015 WMPSC-C : Alternative Waste Management Technology Update, February 1, 2016 WMPSC-C : Alternative Waste Management Technology Update, May 30, 2016 WMPSC-C : Waste Free Ontario Act, 2016 Update, September 12, 2016 Submitted by: Ron Tripp, P.Eng, Commissioner Public Works Department Approved by: Carmelo D Angelo, BSc, MPA Chief Administrative Officer This report was prepared by Sherri Tait, Program Manager and reviewed by Melanie Steele, Program Financial Support, and Catherine Habermebl, Director, Waste Management Services