SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATE STAGE 1 REPORT

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1 REPORT SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATE STAGE 1 REPORT Regional District of Central Okanagan Prepared for: Peter Rotheisler Regional District of Central Okanagan Main Floor Reception 1450 KLO Road Kelowna, B.C. V1W 3Z4 Submitted by: Veronica Bartlett Morrison Hershfield Ltd Still Creek Drive Burnaby, BC V5C 6S7 Tel: (604) Fax: (604) Project No March 16, 2016 m:\proj\ \11. deliverables\final reports and manuals\stage 1 report\rdco swmp update_stage 1 report_ final.docx Morrison Hershfield Suite 310, 4321 Still Creek Drive, Burnaby, BC V5C 6S7, Canada Tel Fax morrisonhershfield.com

2 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO) is updating its 2006 Solid Waste Management Plan. The new plan is intended to provide the region with the direction for solid waste management for the next 15 years. The plan will be updated in two phases. The first phase focuses on an assessment of the current system for managing solid waste in the RDCO. This report is part of Phase 1 and describes the current (2014) system to manage solid waste in the RDCO and also provides the status of implementation of the 2006 Solid Waste Management Plan as of February This report is intended to provide the baseline from which the new SWMP will be developed. The second phase will include a range of activities to identify and assess various waste management options in the region, including a public consultation program to obtain input on the options.

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1. BACKGROUND 1 2. PLAN AREA Population and Growth Estimates Economic Data Housing 3 3. WASTE STREAM CHARACTERIZATION Composition of Waste Disposed Disposal and Diversion 7 4. EXISTING SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Roles and Responsibilities Education and Promotion Communications Tools Information Services Community Outreach Reduction and Reuse Programs Recycling Residential Curbside Recycling Multi-Family Recycling Residential Recycling Activities at the Landfill and Recycling Depots Commercial Sector Recycling Recycling Services at First Nations Lands Processing of Recyclables Organics Management Life Cycle Assessment of RDCO s organics management options Backyard composting Yard Waste Collection and drop-off options Composting Facilities in the RDCO Construction, Demolition and Land Clearing Waste Management Extended Producer Responsibility Programs Collected Products Not Covered by EPR Programs Residual Waste Management Residential Curbside Collection of Garbage 21

4 TABLE OF CONTENT (Cont.) Page Multi-Family Garbage Collection Garbage Collection at transfer stations Commercial Sector Garbage Collection Garbage Collection at First Nations Land Operational Waste Disposal Facilities Closed Waste Disposal Facilities Solid Waste Bylaws Illegal Dumping Program Solid Waste Management Budget SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENTATION STATUS Issues and Opportunities 27 List of Appendices APPENDIX 1: List of Issues and Opportunities Identified List of Tables Table 1 Populated Areas within the Region (population as per Census 2011)... 2 Table 2 Disposal and Diversion Estimates (2014) Table 3 Recycling Activities at the Glenmore Landfill and Recycling Depots Table 4 EPR Material Categories Included in 2014 Programs Table 5 Illegal dumping incidents recorded from Table 6 RDCO Solid Waste Budget (2014) Table 7 Phase 1 Initiatives outlined in RDCO s 2006 SWMP with implementation status Table 8 Phase 2 and 3 Initiatives outlined in RDCO s 2006 SWMP with implementation status List of Figures Figure 1 Waste composition of garbage collected at curbside from residents... 5 Figure 2 Waste composition of garbage self-hauled by residents to transfer stations... 6 Figure 3 Waste composition of ICI garbage... 7 Figure 4 Landfill disposal quantities for RDCO s ICI, demolition and construction and residents (self-haul and curbside)... 8 Figure 5 Break-down of sources for garbage disposed to landfill (2014) Figure 6 Wood waste drop-off at Glenmore landfill... 20

5 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report BACKGROUND The Regional District of Central Okanagan s (RDCO s) current Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) was developed in 2005 and The plan adopted a Zero Waste goal and set a target of reducing per capital disposal to 34% of 2004 levels within the first five years. Although the overall vision of the 2006 Plan is still relevant, the plan needs to be updated to establish the specific programs needed to meet the overall objectives and vision. The RDCO commissioned Morrison Hershfield to update the plan and provide the direction for solid waste management for the next 15 years. The first stage of the planning process involves assessing current solid waste management programs and determining the status of the current plan. This report outlines the current status of solid waste operations, and identifies waste management issues in the region. It also documents the implementation status of the existing SWMP. This report has been prepared in accordance with the BC Ministry of Environment s Guide to the Preparation of Regional Solid Waste Management Plans. The second stage of the planning process involves assessing options to address the region s future solid waste management needs, selecting preferred options, and the developing a draft SWMP. The final stage will be a community consultation process to obtain input into the selected options. Throughout the process, a technical advisory committee and a public advisory committee will be involved to provide feedback to the RDCO on the development of the updated SWMP.

6 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report PLAN AREA The Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO) is located along the shores of Okanagan Lake in the southern interior of British Columbia. The region consists of more than 2,904 square kilometers (1,142 square miles) of diverse landscapes and topography. This section provides relevant information about the Region that can help with understanding the status of solid waste management programs and with developing new ones. 2.1 POPULATION AND GROWTH ESTIMATES The RDCO has a population of 179,839 (2011 census), which makes up 4% of the BC population1. The region is comprised of seven separate areas: Table 1 Populated Areas within the Region (population as per Census 2011) Area Name Population City of Kelowna 117,312 District of Lake Country 11,708 District of Peachland 5,200 City of West Kelowna 30,892 First Nations Reserves 8,985 Central Okanagan West Electoral Area 3,795 Central Okanagan East Electoral Area (formerly Joe Rich Ellison) 1,947 Total 179,839 The RDCO has experienced a long term population growth averaging 2.7% per annum since 1986 compared with the British Columbia average of 1.5% per annum over the same period2. The population is projected to continue to grow to 266,217 by However, the growth rate is expected to decline steadily over this period from 3.5 per cent in 2008 to only 0.9 per cent by ECONOMIC DATA The Regional District of the Central Okanagan has a well-diversified economy with health care, education, construction, high technology, manufacturing, agriculture and tourism being key economic drivers along with the Kelowna General Hospital and Kelowna International Airport. The relatively warm climate (boasting 2,000 hours of sunlight annually) makes this area one of the more important agricultural centres in the Province and is one of many attractions for tourists and residents alike The Okanagan Valley 2015 Economic Profile

7 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report HOUSING In 2011 the region had 78,996 private dwellings with an average of 2.37 persons per household). The total is expected to increase to 114,758 by There is a trend towards slightly smaller household size that can be attributed to the effect of the changing population age profile, where senior households tend to have fewer people on average than families with children. 3 The Okanagan Valley 2015 Economic Profile

8 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report WASTE STREAM CHARACTERIZATION This section provides a characterization of the solid waste generated in the RDCO, including the composition of the waste stream, the amount disposed in landfill and the amount recycled. This information, along with the system description in Section 4 provides the baseline for the solid waste management planning process. 3.1 COMPOSITION OF WASTE DISPOSED The composition of the waste disposed within the RDCO is estimated based upon a regional waste composition study conducted in-house by RDCO in 2013 with audits completed in July and November. The audit focused on the garbage (residual waste) from three sources: Curbside collection of garbage from residents; Self-haul of garbage to transfer stations by residents; and Institutional, Commercial, Industrial (ICI) Garbage with samples taken from the large commercial haulers (such as Waste Management, Progressive (formerly known as BFI), Supersave etc.). This category covers multi-family residents. The three figures below illustrate the waste composition results for each of these three categories (garbage collected at curbside from residents, garbage self-hauled by residents to transfer stations and ICI garbage). The category Other refers to fines, renovations materials such as rubber, foam, tiles, dirty wood. This category also includes mixed material packaging, other glassware, Styrofoam, and other general reusable items. The largest contributors to the waste composition are emphasized (not including the material category Other ).

9 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report Textiles 5% Glass 1% Soil 0% Other 13% Bulky Items Beverage 1% Containers 1% Metal 3% Organics 39% Plastics 13% Yard waste 2% HHW 1% Electronis, Small Appl, Lights 1% Building Materials 3% Paper 7% Hygiene 10% Figure 1 Waste composition of garbage collected at curbside from residents The 2013 waste composition study, showed that the organic portion of the waste (food and yard waste) represents the largest portion of the waste stream collected at the curb from residents 41% by weight). Other significant contributors to the landfilled waste are plastic (13%), hygiene (10%) and paper (7%).

10 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report Electronis, Small Appl, Lights 2% HHW 1% Organics 5% Textiles 5% Glass 0% Soil 5% Other 16% Bulky Items 10% Building Materials 37% Beverage Containers 0% Metal 4% Plastics 8% Paper 4% Hygiene 1% Yard waste 2% Figure 2 Waste composition of garbage self-hauled by residents to transfer stations For garbage self-hauled by residents to RDCO s transfer stations the waste composition is different than that collected at the curb. Building materials represent the largest proportion of the waste (37%) followed by bulky items (10%) and plastics (8%). Organic waste (yard and food waste waste) only contribute to 7% of the waste. It should be noted that while the bulk of this category is residential there are a number of small businesses that self-haul that cannot be separated from this category.

11 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report Textiles 3% Glass 0% Soil 1% Other 17% Organics 27% Bulky Items 5% HHW 1% Electronis, Small Appl, Lights 2% Beverage Containers 1% Metal 4% Plastics 12% Building Materials 13% Paper 9% Yard waste Hygiene 2% 3% Figure 3 Waste composition of ICI garbage The waste generated by the ICI sector is dependent on the types of activities and services undertaken. The 2013 audit found that organic waste contributed the largest proportion of ICI waste (27% organics), followed by building materials (13%) and plastics (12%). 3.2 DISPOSAL AND DIVERSION The RDCO has tracked the landfill disposal quantities for a number of years. Figure 4 shows how the quantities have changed between 2007 and 2014 from the ICI, demolition construction and residential (selfhaul and curbside) sectors. The small number of small businesses that self-haul cannot be separated from the residential self-haul category

12 Tonnes landfilled Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report , , , , , , , , ICI Demolition & Construction Self-haul Curbside Total Waste Disposal Figure 4 Landfill disposal quantities for RDCO s ICI, demolition and construction and residents (self-haul and curbside)

13 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report Between 2007 and 2012 there has been a general downward trend in the quantities of waste disposed within the RDCO. Since 2012 the total quantities have increased slightly (a 10% increase). Curbside 22% ICI 42% Self-haul 9% Demolition & Construction 27% Figure 5 shows a breakdown of the sources of garbage landfilled in The ICI sector contributed 42% of the total landfilled waste in 2014, demolition and construction 27% and the residential sector 29% (curbside collection 22% and self-haul to transfer stations 9%).

14 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report Curbside 22% ICI 42% Self-haul 9% Demolition & Construction 27% Figure 5 Break-down of sources for garbage disposed to landfill (2014) Table 2 outlines the main activities that contribute to RDCO s disposal and diversion amounts. The quantities shown exclude biosolids, which are not considered solid waste. A description of the disposal facilities and the waste diversion activities in the RDCO is provided in Section 4. Table 2 Disposal and Diversion Estimates (2014) Disposal and Diversion Estimated Tonnes (2014) Disposal Curbside collection (including garbage received from registered users at Traders Cove and North Westside transfer stations) 26,435 Self-haul 11,401 ICI waste 51,094 Demolition Landclearing Construction 33,465 Total disposal 122,394 Diversion Diversion at Glenmore Landfill and other RDCO facilities (if stated) Asphalt, asphalt shingles and concrete 11,846 Re-use through Big Brother at Glenmore Landfill 45 1 Gypsum (with small amount collected at Westside recycling depot) 4,276 Clean wood 7,353

15 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report Disposal and Diversion Estimated Tonnes (2014) Scrap metal (with small amount collected at Westside recycling depot) 1,602 Tolko Ash 2 1,008 Tree stumps 758 Yard waste self-haul 29,684 Christmas tree collection 55 Hazardous waste collection (Non EPR) 20 Extended Producer Responsibility Programs Product Care Paint, Pesticides, Flammables 126 Electro Recycle (small appliances, power tools) 335 Refundable beverage containers 4,592 Electronics 1,505 Packaging and Printed Paper 12,046 Tires 1,825 Automobile batteries (>5 kg) 10 Batteries (< 5 kg) 24 Used Oil, oil containers and anti-freeze 2,345 Curbside Collection Yard Waste curbside collection 14,269 Curbside recycling Quantities part of MMBC Total diversion 93,724 Total waste generation (disposal + diversion) 216,118 Diversion rate (diversion/waste generation) 43% 1 Part-way through2014 the Big Brother operation was moved outside of the scaled area and no weight records are available. The average from previous years is around 45 tonnes, which has been assumed for The Ash is added to the composting process and some is used at the landfill in landscape berms. The data presented in Table 2 is based on available information. Not all recycling and diversion activities have available data. The following is a list of some of the information sources missing on diversion quantities: Quantities diverted by the ICI sector are not included since these are managed through private contractors and are not allowed for drop off at the RDCO recycling depots. In many BC regional districts, the amount of materials diverted by the private sector to recycling exceeds the amount collected through residential programs. Diversion of dirty wood onsite at Glenmore Landfill where it is chipped and used for ground cover during the wet season. Recycling by multi-family residents who recycle through private haulers, Private metal recyclers,

16 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report Private drywall recycling, Backyard composting, Private composting taking place at Bylands Nursery and Classic Compost, and Materials diverted through reuse by multiple thrift shops, donations, on line classifieds, etc. For these reasons, the estimated total diversion is considered to be conservatively low. Based on RDCO s available disposal and diversion quantities, the region achieved a diversion rate of 43% in 2014.

17 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report EXISTING SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM The RDCO solid waste management system is described in the following sections. 4.1 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The RDCO, through the Regional Waste Reduction Office, oversees the majority of solid waste functions for its four member municipalities. These functions include solid waste planning for the region, administration of contracts, depots and transfer stations and community based waste reduction programs. All calls and inquiries from the community related to solid waste management are channeled through to the Waste Reduction Office. The following is a list of roles and responsibilities for the RDCO and Member Municipalities. RDCO Roles: Solid waste management planning for the regions, including the development and update of SWMP, waste composition studies, organic life cycle assessment, and administration of the solid waste technical advisory committee. Administration of the Multi Material BC (MMBC) contract and curbside contract (on behalf of the Member municipalities) Curbside - contamination letters, cart inventory, data tracking, public inquiries; and MMBC - primary connection with MMBC, tracking payments and data, public inquires and education. Community-based waste reduction programs including: Depots and recycling education; HHW program; Composter sale; Community cleanup; Illegal dumping program; Furniture deconstruction; Reuse events; Web app; and Living greener calendar. Solid waste services to the RDCO electoral areas, which include curbside collection and operation of two transfer stations. Member Municipalities Roles: Have individual contracts for curbside collection with collector and MMBC. Collect payment from their residents, either through taxation or utilities, for solid waste services. Share waste reduction office info through their communication channels. Participate in the Technical Advisory Committee.

18 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report City of Kelowna owns and operates the region s only landfill, Glenmore Landfill, which includes the compost facility. 4.2 EDUCATION AND PROMOTION As a program of the Regional District of Central Okanagan on behalf of its municipal members, the Waste Reduction Office implements programs to help reduce garbage going to the local landfill. The Waste Reduction Office is part of RDCO s Environmental Services and is housed under the Community Services Department. This section provides a brief summary of the education and promotion initiatives undertaken by the Regional Waste Reduction Office Communications Tools The following communication tools are currently used by Regional Waste Reduction Office or municipalities within the Region: Website information. The member municipalities also maintain webpages on solid waste services. Social media including Facebook. TV commercials for events such as community cleanup, composter sale, yard waste collection, recycling changes. Radio commercials for Kick-off events for Community Cleanup Month (so called 20 minute make over to encourage residents to take 20 minutes that day and do a quick cleanup where they live), composting, yard waste, hazardous waste round up, etc. Newspaper advertisements for seasonal, periodic or one time waste reduction programs and events such as Christmas tree chipping, yard waste collection, composter sales, tipping fees changes, etc. Annual Living Greener calendar which outlines programs and provides monthly calendar with collection dates and information. Brochures: the RDCO has published and distributed brochures including a recycling guide, disposal guide for banned materials, guide to backyard composting, guide to worm composting, guide to food digester and living greener calendar Information Services The RDCO is a member of the Recycling Council of BC (RCBC) and encourages its residents to contact the RCBC Recycling Hotline for information on recycling. This is a free, Province-wide live information service for recycling, pollution prevention, waste avoidance, safe disposal options and regulations. The RDCO also promoted the RCBC s on-line searchable database called Recyclopedia, that provides residents with easy to access information on waste management programs in the region. The RDCO also provides residents with the mywaste App. The App provides collection info and scheduling and has an extensive search tool for disposal options. Staff can also send out notification to users on schedule changes or special events.

19 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report Community Outreach The RDCO provides continued support for community outreach initiatives by attending trade shows, farmers market and occasionally visiting targeted school groups (mostly regarding composting). Community outreach initiatives are often undertaken if a new program requires outreach. Examples include the changes that transferred the role of coordinating the residential collection of packaging and printed paper to Multi Material BC (MMBC) in To inform residents about changes to the service the RDCO published media releases, ads and posters as well as erected static information displays in municipal halls and other community areas. In late 2011 the RDCO commissioned a study to prepare a Waste Reduction Public Education Strategy to determine outreach going forward. 4.3 REDUCTION AND REUSE PROGRAMS The Regional Waste Reduction Office implements a number of programs throughout the year to promote waste reduction and reuse of resources. They are briefly described below. Twice a year, the RDCO organizes Repair Cafés. These are free meetings at Okanagan College that aim to bring people together to repair broken goods. At the Repair Café participants can find all the tools and materials required to help make repairs. The RDCO engages volunteer specialists to guide the repairs. The last event (fall 2015) was a great success and had almost 90 participants. Trunk sale events are organized twice per year by RDCO. Since 2011 they have organized a total of nine events. A Trunk Sale is a form of a market in which private individuals come together to sell household goods out of the trunks of their vehicles. The event is designed specifically for those people who do not have the space to conduct their own garage sale and is perfect for apartment dwellers or those who live in condos or townhouses. The event is similar to a large garage sale with 150 households selling their gently used goods. The Trunk Sale has proved extremely popular in the past two years and the event always sell out of the 150 available spots. Waste reduction among residents is targeted specifically by RDCO s campaigns for Paper Free Homes and Make Holiday Memories, Not Garbage. In the Paper Free Homes campaign, tips are given to enable a household to free up space in the recycling cart and save natural resources. These include how to cancel junkmail and the yellow pages delivery and how to register for paper free bills, etc. The Make Holiday Memories, Not Garbage initiative provides ideas of wonderful gift ideas that make memories and create little to no waste. Although not currently organized, RDCO previously facilitated a Reuse Round up at the Kelowna Art Gallery and a Community wide yard sale. These events have now been replaced by the Repair Cafes and the Trunk Sale events.

20 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report RECYCLING Recycling services available in the RDCO include: Residential curbside collection programs provided by municipal governments and the RDCO; Residential recycling drop off areas at the local landfill and recycling depots (transfer stations); and Private recycling collection companies for commercial customers. This section provides an overview of these recycling services Residential Curbside Recycling The RDCO and its member municipalities (Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland and Lake Country) collect curbside recycling on behalf of Multi-Material BC (MMBC). A total of 55,375 dwellings received curbside collection as of May Generally, the range of materials collected includes all materials accepted by MMBC, including cardboard, recyclable paper products, rigid plastic containers, soft plastics and metal cans. Plastic bags, styrofoam and glass are accepted at recycling depots only. Whilst garbage is collected weekly, recycling and yard waste carts are collected bi-weekly on alternating weeks (yard waste on a seasonal basis). The collection is fully automated and residents are provided blue 240 L carts for recycling. Residents in all municipalities have the ability to upgrade their recycling cart to 360L for free. The yard waste and garbage collection services are described in Section and respectively Multi-Family Recycling Within all communities in the region multi-family buildings with some exceptions are treated like private businesses and are responsible for hiring their own collection services. This applies to all condos and apartments. When the automated curbside collection was offered in 2010, residential stratas had the option of using the RDCO/ municipal service as long as the area is serviceable by the trucks. Many of them signed on but some elected to continue using a private service Residential Recycling Activities at the Landfill and Recycling Depots Table 3 outlines the recycling opportunities offered at each of the waste management facilities owned by RDCO.

21 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report Table 3 Recycling Activities at the Glenmore Landfill and Recycling Depots Recycling Glenmore Landfill Westside Residential Waste Disposal and Recycling Centre North Westside Recycling Depot Traders Cove Recycling Depot Household recyclables x x x x Glass x x x x Metal x x x x Agricultural Plastics Asphalt Roofing Concrete, asphalt, masonry Gypsum (drywall) x x Clean Wood x x x x Yard Waste x x x x Stumps Mattresses & Boxsprings Furniture x x X (limited) Propane tanks x x Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) EPR Products Tires x x Used oil X (Used Cooking Oil only) X (cooking oil only) Lead-acid batteries x x Large appliances x x X (limited) 1 1 HHW, e-waste, batteries, lights, and small appliances are collected at a round up Event once a year for users of the North Westside Recycling Depot. In addition to the facilities listed in Table 3, residents can also drop off various EPR items at seven private recycling depots. The RDCO provides a list of accepted materials on the regional district website Commercial Sector Recycling The ICI sector within the region is responsible for hiring their own recycling collection service or hauling their own recyclables to a recycling facility. Recycling collection services are offered in most urban areas of the RDCO. Cascades Recovery Inc. operates a material recovery facility (MRF)l recycling facility that accepts ICI material from all the larger haulers ( Waste Management, Super Save, 4 Less) and some of the smaller garbage haulers (such as companies such as got junk and similar). Cascades does not accept ICI materials from small businesses that only require drop-off on an infrequent basis (e.g. a home builder

22 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report with cardboard). Progressive also operates a MRF and accepts some ICI as well, however they have limited space to allow for multiple small businesses to use their facility for small loads. In order for small businesses to recycle they need to either haul it themselves to Planet Earth Recycling in West Kelowna as they are the only depot currently accepting ICI recycling material or they need to hire their own recycling collection service at their store front or shop. RDCO is unable to track diversion quantities from ICI recycling. However, based on waste audit results from 2010 the RDCO was able to determine that 50% of ICI waste could be diverted by existing recycling programs in the region. In 2011 the RDCO established a Commercial Diversion Program involving extensive consultation with haulers and the ICI sector about the RDCO s plans to implement more stringent monitoring at the landfill to help enforce landfill bans of mandatory recyclables. A $150/mT surcharge for mandatory recyclables was implemented and the RDCO conducts on-going monitoring of garbage loads at the landfill. Non-compliant loads are either flagged for follow-up or subject to the mandatory surcharge. A waste audit conducted in 2013 showed that only 30% of the ICI waste is recyclable (an improvement from 50% in 2010). This reduction in recyclable materials in the garbage is likely to be attributed to the effectiveness of RDCO s Commercial Diversion Program. When monitoring of banned materials started in 2011, about 7% of garbage loads were either flagged or fined. Now only 2% of commercial ICI loads are subject to surcharge for containing mandatory recyclables Recycling Services at First Nations Lands The RDCO is not responsible for the collection of recyclables from First Nations Land. Westbank First Nations (WFN) manages and collects waste from First Nations residents however non status residents living on WFN Land are required to make arrangements with a private hauler for their curbside collection. Many First Nations residents use RDCO s recycling services such as recycling depots Processing of Recyclables There are two MRF facilities in the RDCO for sorting and processing, and subsequent marketing of recyclables. These are owned and operated by Cascades and Progressive. MMBC is responsible for transporting all recyclable materials out of the regional district for processing and marketing. For collection from recycling depots within the RDCO, MMBC contracts OK Environmental Waste as well as Planet Earth for these services. 4.5 ORGANICS MANAGEMENT Organic waste materials are managed within RDCO in a variety of ways (from backyard composting to centralized composting). This section presents results from a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of different organics management options and describes each method for managing organic waste in the region. Biosolids are not included as these are not considered solid waste Life Cycle Assessment of RDCO s organics management options In 2011 RDCO commissioned a project to undertake an LCA to determine the most sustainable way to manage organic waste within the region. The study considered a number of factors including environmental, social, economic, policy and adaptability. According to the LCA study, the management options currently utilized by the RDCO for the different organic waste streams represent the highest scoring option when compared to other alternative treatment methods. Based on the study, the introduction of segregated food waste collection is unlikely

23 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report to provide benefits over current waste management practices (i.e. sending food waste to landfill where landfill gas is captured for energy recovery) Backyard composting The RDCO has developed a backyard composting program that includes distribution of three different types of composters and education on their use. For the past four years the RDCO has offered a presale with pickup events in all four member municipalities. According to the RDCO composters are sold each year Yard Waste Collection and drop-off options Curbside Yard Waste Seasonal curbside yard and garden waste collection is offered to residents in most communities in the region. The collection is fully automated and residents are provided 240 L carts for yard waste with the option to upgrade to a 360 L cart and can get up to two additional carts for an additional fee. The service is typically offered from March 1 st through November 30 th on a bi-weekly basis. Users of the transfer station/recycling depots at North Westside and Traders Cove do not have curbside collection of yard waste and are limited to the amount of yard waste they can drop off at one time at the facilities (similar volume to what would fit into the curbside cart). Yard and Wood Waste Drop Offs at the Landfill and Recycling Depots If the curbside collection for yard waste does not meet resident s needs they can drop off extra yard waste up to 250 kg for free, year round, at the Glenmore Landfill and Westside Residential Waste Disposal and Recycling Centre. Only registered residents can drop off yard waste at North Westside Road Recycling Depot and Traders Cove Recycling Depot. Christmas tree collection is offered to residents with a number of drop off locations across the communities. The trees are transported to Glenmore Landfill where they are chipped and composted Composting Facilities in the RDCO There is a composting facility at Glenmore Landfill which utilizes a static windrow system with regular turning and aeration. Food waste is not accepted at this facility. Opened in 2006, the facility produces a safe and highly-effective soil conditioner, known as Glengrow, in accordance with BC s Organic Matter Recycling Regulation. All Glengrow revenue from sales go directly back to the operation. Local businesses and residents use the final product as a soil amendment. Yard waste drop off and management took place at the site of the closed Peachland Landfill however the service was closed as of October 1, The site is closed in compliance with the operational certificate issued by the Ministry of Environment. Allowing the transfer of yard waste to the site, or waste disposal of any kind, is not currently approved. There are two private composting facilities in the region: Bylands Nursery in West Kelowna and Classic Compost in Kelowna. Bylands composts garden waste, primarily from their own operations but for a time were also taking yardwaste from the Westside Transfer Station. Classic Compost produces compost products from an organic mixture of fresh-cut hay, grape pulp, ground fruit trees and wood chips and do not accept other feedstock at this time.

24 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report CONSTRUCTION, DEMOLITION AND LAND CLEARING WASTE MANAGEMENT The Glenmore Landfill accepts a wide range of materials from construction and demolition (C&D) projects for recycling as long as they are source-separated. Accepted materials include concrete, asphalt, wood, gypsum wallboard, metal, asphalt shingles and plastic. At present, there are no facilities in the RDCO that are capable of receiving a mixed load of C&D waste and segregating the material for recycling. As a means of encouraging owners and operators of demolition projects to source-separate the waste materials, clean wood has a lower tipping fee ($10/tonne) than mixed waste. Mandatory recyclable materials that are banned from landfill such as gypsum, asphalt and concrete and yard waste are subject to a $150/tonne surcharge on top of regular tipping fee if found mixed with other waste. The RDCO undertakes on-going monitoring to enforce landfill bans. Currently there is no ban on metal (other than large appliances) or other wood at this time. In 2014, the RDCO issued a total of 39 fines and flagged 51 loads for follow-up. This was a significant improvement since 2011 when over 100 fines were issued and 300 flagged loads. Landclearing projects typically generate trees, branches and stumps. Owners / operators of many of these projects will bring a wood waste grinder on to the project site, grind the landclearing waste and leave the ground wood waste on the site. Where this practice is not feasible, Glenmore Landfill accepts landclearing waste where it is ground and used for the composting operations. 4.7 EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY PROGRAMS Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) as a policy tool shifts the responsibility for end-of-life management of products (physically and economically) to the producer and away from municipalities to create an incentive for producers to include environmental considerations in design of products. EPR programs in BC are mandated by Recycling Regulation 449/2004, under the Environmental Management Act. The regulation requires producers of the designated products to develop a program for their collection and recovery of materials and to consult stakeholders (including local governments) when developing their plans. The Ministry of Environment, who is responsible for the regulation, requires the product stewards to file annual reports on the materials collected and recovered, and to breakdown collection volumes by regional district where possible. Today in the Province, a total of 23 EPR programs exist covering a wide range of material categories ( Table 4). Quantities collected via EPR programs within the region are presented in Section 3.2 Disposal and Diversion in Table 2. Table 4 EPR Material Categories Included in 2014 Programs Material categories included in EPR programs operating in BC in 2014 Used oil, antifreeze, oil filters, oil containers and antifreeze containers Batteries (including lead batteries) Beverage containers Electronic and electrical products (such as cell phones, appliances) Lamps and lighting equipment Figure 6 Wood waste drop-off at Glenmore landfill Paint, flammable liquids, solvents, pesticides, gasoline Smoke alarms Thermostats Tires Pharmaceutical waste Packaging and printed paper

25 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report The RDCO is a member of the BC Product Stewardship Council, a body that advocates on behalf of local government for effective product stewardship programs. 4.8 COLLECTED PRODUCTS NOT COVERED BY EPR PROGRAMS There are some materials not covered by EPR programs that are being collected by RDCO and diverted from landfill. These include: Recycling of mattresses and other high metal furniture through deconstruction at the Westside Recycling Depot in West Kelowna (an RDCO initiative); Recycling of cooking oils and greases collected at Westside Recycling Depot and Glenmore Landfill; Propane tank recycling at Glenmore and Westside Recycling depots; and Household hazardous waste collected at Battery doctors (also a paint plus depot), Residual Waste Management 4.9 RESIDUAL WASTE MANAGEMENT Residual waste is the portion of the solid waste stream that is not managed through, recycling, composting and/or recovery activities. It is commonly referred to as garbage. Residual waste typically requires disposal at a landfill. All operating and closed municipal solid waste landfills in BC are governed by the following Provincial legislation: Landfill Criteria for Municipal Solid Waste (June 1993, currently in process of being updated); Guidelines for Environmental Monitoring and Municipal Solid Waste Landfills (January 1996); Environmental Management Act (July 2004); Landfill Gas Management Regulation (December 2008); and Operational Certificates and/or Permits. The following sections describes the garbage collection services within the RDCO Residential Curbside Collection of Garbage A weekly curbside garbage collection is provided to single family homes with the exception of homes on First Nation s lands which manage their own garbage. The collection areas include West Kelowna, Peachland, Lake Country, Kelowna and some other areas of the RDCO region. A total of 55,375 dwellings received this service as of May 2015.

26 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report Residents in single family homes are provided 120 L carts with grey lids for garbage. They can also upgrade their garbage to 240 L for additional fees Multi-Family Garbage Collection Within all communities in the region multi-family buildings (condos and apartments) with some exceptions are treated like private businesses and are responsible for hiring their own collection services Garbage Collection at transfer stations Residents near Trader's Cove and along North Westside Road do not receive curbside collection of garbage and are required to drop off garbage at the local transfer stations for disposal. Traders Cove serves 242 homes, and North Westside Road transfer station 907 homes Commercial Sector Garbage Collection The ICI sector within the region is responsible for hiring their own garbage collection service Garbage Collection at First Nations Land The RDCO does not provide any curbside services to residents on First Nations lands. First Nations residents can use Glenmore Landfill for garbage disposal, but it is unclear how much they contribute in terms of tonnes per year. Homes on Westbank First Nations land are responsible for coordinating curbside collection with a private hauler. They also use RDCO s Westside Transfer Station and contribute to the funding of this site. This is the only portion of RDCO s solid waste program that Westbank First Nation pays into Operational Waste Disposal Facilities Glenmore Landfill There is one operational landfill in the RDCO. The Glenmore Landfill is owned and operated by City of Kelowna. It is located approximately 9 km northeast of Kelowna's city centre. The original comprehensive site development plan was prepared in A new landfill entrance was constructed in 2014 with improved services for landfill customers. Improvements included a new recycling area ahead of the main gates, improved weigh scales for measuring loads, and paved areas for refuse disposal making load drop-off easier and cleaner for residents visiting the site. The landfill receives garbage from the curbside collection programs in RDCO, self-haul customers and the transfer stations of Traders Cove and North Westside and the Westside Residential Waste and Recycling Centre. In total the landfill received a total of 122,952 tonnes in 2014 (this includes 558 tonnes from Big White Resort for Boundary Kootenay Regional District. It is estimated that the landfill has approximately years of capacity remaining. Following a pilot project the Glenmore Landfill now recirculates the leachate and gas is recovered though a gas collection network. The anaerobic conditions in the landfill are enhanced by cover materials that serve to limit oxygen intrusion and prevent rapid gas release. Water is added and leachate is recirculated to provide a higher moisture environment and to increase gas production. The recirculation of leachate has benefits including stabilizing the leachate faster and increasing airspace within the landfill. The landfill gas is sold to Fortis for use as a fuel. Tipping fee bylaws apply at the

27 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report landfill. The general tipping fee for garbage in 2014 was $65 per tonne. The tipping fee structure is based on the type of vehicle and the type of material received. All materials deemed recyclable by the bylaws 4 are banned from disposal at transfer stations/ recycling depots and Glenmore Landfill. Traders Cove Transfer Station The transfer station at Traders Cove is located just north of Kelowna at the intersection of Bear Lake Main and Westside Road. The site is owned by the RDCO. OK Environmental Waste Systems operates the site and hauls the garbage on behalf of the regional district. The recycling part of the facility is operated on behalf of MMBC. Only registered residents are allowed to drop off garbage at this site (up to 2 bags per household per week). The garbage is subsequently transported to and disposed of at the Glenmore Landfill. In 2014 a total of 86 tonnes garbage was accepted at this site from 242 registered users. The transfer station is open on Wednesdays and Sundays throughout the year with extended hours during the summer. The facility accepts municipal solid waste and recyclable materials. Refer to section for more information on the recycling depot activities at the site. North Westside Transfer Station The North Westside Transfer Station is located along the Sugarloaf Mountain/Whiteman Creek Forest Service Road approximately 45 km north of Kelowna. The site is owned and operated in the same manner as Traders Cove (as described above). Only registered residents are allowed to drop off garbage at this site (up to 2 bags per household per week). The requirement for residents to be registered applies only to the facilities at Traders Cove and North Westside to enable RDCO to charge the facility users. In 2014 a total of 230 tonnes was accepted at this site from 871 registered users. The garbage is transported to and disposed of at the Glenmore Landfill. The site is open at 8:00 am 12:00 noon on Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The facility accepts municipal solid waste and recyclable materials. Refer to section for more information on the recycling depot activities at the site. Westside Transfer Station The Westside Transfer Station is referred to by RDCO as the Westside Residential Disposal and Recycling Centre. The facility is located on Asquith Road, off Shannon Lake Road in West Kelowna. The facility has both a recycling depot and transfer station for residential waste disposal. Commercial customers are not allowed to use this facility. The facility is open between Friday and Monday at 7:30 am 4:00 pm. At the Westside Residential Disposal & Recycling Centre the hauling of garbage, yard waste and clean wood hauling is contracted out to Waste Management. 4 RDCO Bylaw No and City of Kelowna Bylaw No

28 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report Closed Waste Disposal Facilities This section provides a brief description of publicly owned landfills within the RDCO that have been permanently closed. Westside Sanitary Landfill: The RDCO owns this landfill. Active landfilling ceased in July The RDCO is currently in the process of installing the final cap as per the closure plan. Bouleau Creek Landfill: This 4.5 hectare site located in close proximity to the North Westside Road Recycling Depot was closed in RDCO has an occupancy license for this site until May Peachland Landfill: This landfill is located on Crown-leased property and is approximately 148 ha in area. It is managed by District of Peachland. The facility was operational for 27 years and closed in Between 1996 and October 2015 a portion of the site was used as a collection site for yard waste. This operation was recently closed SOLID WASTE BYLAWS The following is a list the bylaws in place that govern solid waste management activities within the Central Okanagan: RDCO Bylaw No. 1298; City of Kelowna Bylaw No ; District of West Kelowna Bylaw No.0065; The District of Peachland Bylaw No. 1899; and District of Lake Country Solid Waste Management Regulation Bylaw No. 708, 2009 (consolidated ) ILLEGAL DUMPING PROGRAM The RDCO has an illegal dumping program that includes supporting community clean-up efforts and encouraging people to report illegal dumping incidents. Clean up events are organized by RDCO that occur in April. During this Community Clean Up Month residents pick an area to target and the Regional Waste Reduction Office supplies all the necessary cleaning equipment and organizes pick up and disposal of the garbage. A total of 60 groups signed up in 2014 and approximately 900 people participated. The RDCO s reporting program encourages people to report illegal dumping activities through an online form or by phoning the RDCO. Since 2010 the total number of reported incidents have fluctuated between 37 in 2010, to 97 in 2012 and most recently in 54 incidents in 2014 (Table 5). Table 5 Illegal dumping incidents recorded from Waste Type Household Garbage Furniture/Large Appliance Yard Waste Electronics

29 Solid Waste Management Plan Update Stage 1 Report Waste Type Construction/Reno HHW/Battery/Oil/Tire Vehicle/Campers Totals # incidents SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT BUDGET In 2014, the RDCO had a budget of approximately $9.2 million for solid waste services and infrastructure. Table 6 shows a break-down of revenues and expenses for solid waste for This budget include large municipal expenditures on solid waste services, but not municipal administration costs and other small overhead costs. Table 6 RDCO Solid Waste Budget (2014) Solid Waste-Related Budgets Revenue ($) Expenses ($) Westside Residential Disposal and Recycling Centre Tipping Fees & Sale of Recyclables 412,500 Utility and Taxation Revenue 398,500 Expenses 811,000 Waste Reduction Programs MMBC Revenue 275,000 Utility and Taxation Revenue 1,000,000 Depots 290,000 Hazardous Waste 240,000 Programs, Salaries, Education etc. 745,000 Waste Collection 1 MMBC Revenue 1,891,500 Utility and Taxation Revenue 5,267,200 Curbside Collection & Other Transfer Stations 5,405,000 Tipping Fees paid to Glenmore 1,753,700 TOTAL 9,244,700 9,244,700 1 Includes RDCO curbside collection, all member municipalities and transfer station operations.