P Reaion d Peel J

Wonkinp fon y oa REPORT

Meeting Date: September 5,201 3 Waste Management Committee

DATE: August 6,2013

REPORT TITLE: CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 2016 WASTE COLLECTION CONTRACTS

FROM: Dan Labrecque, Commissioner of Public Works

RECOMMENDATION

That the use of compressed natural gas-powered waste collection vehicles be specified for the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts;

And further, that a required time-off-of-the-road of 6:00 p.m., with liquidated damages being applied after 6:00 p.m., be incorporated into the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts;

And further, that additional liquidated damages be incorporated into the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts to address potential service failures and issues, in accordance with industry practice;

And further, that locations meeting collection restriction criteria, as outlined in the report of the Commissioner of Public Works, dated August 6, 2013, titled "Considerations for the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts", remain on a bag-based collection service and be specified accordingly in the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts;

And further, for locations where a cart-based recycling collection service is not suitable, that bag-based recycling be mandatory and recycling box usage be discontinued;

And further, that the Region of Peel provide an accessible cart-based collection service through a subscription walk-up program for residents requiring assistance in the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts;

And further, that provisional pricing for twice-a-year curbside collection of household single-use batteries be sought for the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts.

August 6,2013 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 2016 WASTE COLLECTION CONTRACTS

) REPORT HIGHLIGHTS On March 21, 2013, Regional Council approved Resolution 2013-224, for staff to proceed with a competitive procurement process for waste collection services for the Region of Peel, which included dividing the Region of Peel into three collection zones for the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts. The March 21 report indicated that staff would report back on key aspects of the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts. On June 27, 2013, Regional Council approved Resolution 2013-577 to amend the current curbside collection contracts between the Region of Peel and Green for Life and Waste Management of Canada Corporation to extend the contract terms to September 30, 2016 and to implement bi-weekly cart-based garbage and recycling collection in Caledon beginning October 2015 and to continue bag-based services in Brampton and Mississauga until the commencement of the new 2016 Waste Collection Contracts, in October of 2016. Staff recommends specifying the use of compressed natural gas vehicles into the new 2016 Waste Collection Contracts. Staff also recommends incorporating an industry standard required vehicle time-off-the- road of 6:00 p.m., with liquidated damages being applied after 6:00 p.m. and incorporating additional liquidated damages into the Contracts to address potential service failures and issues in accordance with good industry practices. Staff will revise the Region's Waste Collection Design Standards to allow more flexibility in servicing infill developments. Due to certain restrictions, cart-based collection may not be feasible or efficient for certain curbside locations. It is recommended that bag-based collection services remain at households that meet the collection restriction criteria identified in this report. Staff will continue to convert as many locations as possible with these restrictions to a cart-based or front-end containerized collection system, on a case-by-case basis. Staff recommends that for locations where a cart-based recycling collection service is not suitable, that bag-based recycling be mandatory and recycling box usage be discontinued. Staff also recommends that the Region of Peel provide an accessible cart-based collection service through a subscription walk-up service for residents requiring assistance. The collection service provider would bring the carts to the curb for collection from a designated area on the property and would return the carts to the designated area after collection. Based on other municipalities' experience and the results of Peel's bi-weekly pilot project, the off-week collection of incontinence products is not required, nor is it recommended by staff for the new bi-weekly garbage collection program; however, should Council choose to implement off-week collection, it is recommended that it be implemented as described in Appendix II of this report. Staff also recommends against implementing a curbside battery collection program but recommends that provisional pricing for twice-a-year curbside collection of household single-use batteries be sought for the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts, should such a program be implemented in the future at Council's request. Staff will report back to Council with a recommendation on the implementation strategy for the bi-weekly cart-based collection program.

August 6,2013 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 2016 WASTE COLLECTION CONTRACTS

DISCUSSION

1. Background

On March 21, 2013, Regional Council approved Resolution 2013-224, for staff to proceed with a competitive procurement process for waste collection services for the Region of Peel, as described in the report of the Commissioner of Public Works, dated February 22, 2013, titled "2016 Waste Collection Contracts", which included dividing the Region of Peel into three collection zones for the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts. Staff committed to report back to Council with recommendations on several matters related to the new contract specifications.

On June 27, 2013, Regional Council approved Resolution 2013-577, which included the following resolutions:

That staff negotiate and finalize an amendment to the existing curbside collection contract between the Region of Peel and Green for Life Environmental to implement bi- weekly cart-based garbage and recycling collection in the Town of Caledon beginning October 2015, and to extend the term of the contract by six months to September 30, 2016 as described in the report of the Commissioner of Public Works, dated June 13, 2013, and titled "lmplementation Timelines for Bi-Weekly Cart-Based Collection"; And further, that staff negotiate and finalize an amendment to the existing curbside collection contract between the Region of Peel and Waste Management of Canada Corporation to extend the term of the contract by nine months to September 30, 2016, with the continuation of the existing bag based service as described in the subject report; And further, that bi-weekly cart-based garbage and recycling collection begin in the Town of Caledon in October 201 5; And further, that bi-weekly cart-based garbage and recycling collection begin in the Cities of Brampton and Mississauga in October 2016 with the commencement of the new collection contracts;

D And further, that weekly cart-based organic collection begin in the Town of Caledon, and Cities of Brampton and Mississauga in October 2016 with the commencement of the new collection contracts; And further, that the required documents be executed by the duly authorized signing officers of the Regional Corporation.

The objective of this report is to provide information and recommendations on the contract specifications for the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts related to the use of compressed natural gas vehicles, time-off-of-the-road, liquidated damages, special collection considerations regarding collection from infill developments, collection from locations with access, storage and set-out restrictions, a walk-up service to address accessibility and collection of diaperlincontinence products, pet waste and batteries.

2. Use of Natural Gas Waste Collection Vehicles

The use of compressed natural gas (CNG) waste collection vehicles is a growing industry trend. Other municipalities such as Dufferin County, Simcoe County and the Cities of Hamilton, Ottawa and Quinte West have awarded waste collection contracts to service providers proposing the use of CNG collection vehicles. The municipalities have cited cost savings, environmental benefits and technical simplicity as factors in their decisions to proceed with the use of CNG vehicles.

August 6,201 3 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 2016 WASTE COLLECTION CONTRACTS

The responsibilities and costs of procuring the collection vehicles, sourcing natural gas fuel and construction of the necessary re-fuelling infrastructure are borne by the successful service providers. Although a CNG-powered collection vehicle costs between $20,000 to $50,000 more than a diesel-powered vehicle, the cost is offset by the fuel cost savings from using CNG as opposed to diesel, and companies can receive a payback on natural gas investments over the length of the contract. In recent years, the price of natural gas fuel has typically been 35 to 45 percent lower than diesel. The U.S. Energy Information Administration has projected that diesel prices will continue to outpace natural gas prices from 2010 to 2025. Diesel fuel is projected to increase in a linear rate of 6 percent annually, while natural gas is projected to increase at 2 percent.

The following outlines the environmental, health and safety implications of using a CNG waste collection fleet:

CNG is a cleaner burning fuel than diesel. CNG produces an estimated 20 to 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and CNG-powered vehicles emit lower amounts of particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions than diesel-powered vehicles; CNG-powered collection vehicles produce less noise than diesel-powered vehicles. A natural gas engine idles at 73 decibels (dBA), whereas a diesel engine idles at 83 dBA, signifying a 12 percent noise reduction; The fuel storage systems used for CNG are constructed to be stronger than the gasoline tanks found on cars and trucks today. CNG-powered vehicles are equipped with onboard gas detectors and other safety devices such as tank safety valves that allow fuel to flow only when the engine is on; Natural gas is lighter than air, so it will not pool as a liquid or vapour on the ground; In the event of a ruptured tank, natural gas will rise and disperse rapidly, minimizing ignition, explosion or fire risks; and, Natural gas has a higher ignition temperature than diesel or gasoline; therefore, it is much harder to ignite.

If Regional Council decides on this direction, the successful service providers will need a minimum of an 18 month lead time to purchase a sufficient number of CNG-powered collection vehicles and build the re-fuelling infrastructure required to provide waste collection services to Peel. This timeline supports the intended 2016 Waste Collection Contract award in June 2014.

Staff recommends that the use of compressed natural gas-powered waste collection vehicles be specified for the 201 6 Waste Collection Contracts.

The current Caledon Waste Collection Contract with Green for Life (GFL) requires GFL to complete collection for each scheduled collection day by 6:30 p.m. without incurring liquidated damages (LDs). The current Brampton and Mississauga Waste Collection Contract with Waste Management of Canada Corporation (WMCC) requires WMCC to complete collection for each scheduled collection day by 8:00 p.m. or 9:00 p.m., depending on the time of the year, without incurring LDs.

Some Councillors have received complaints about the later collection times and have asked if the required time-off-the-road could be re-visited. A review of other major municipalities' waste collection contracts showed that the majority have established a required time-off-of- the-road between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

August 6, 2013 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 2016 WASTE COLLECTION CONTRACTS

Table 1 below outlines the advantages and disadvantages of reinstating an earlier time-off- the-road of 6:00 p.m. for the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts.

Table 1 : Advantages & Disadvantages of an Earlier Time-Off-The-Road Advantages

Social 1 Residents want their waste to be collected earlylduring the day1 & Environmental

Health & Safety

Labour & Regulations

before darklbefore they get home Reduces the window of time that waste is permitted to be at the curb for collection by up to three hours, which:

improves streetscape aesthetics; reduces potential litter and rodent issues; and, allows residents to remove empty containers from the curb earlier

Reduces the risk of accidents and incidents associated with collection in the dark Reduces the risk of accidents and incidents related to the alertness and attentiveness of drivers who work long hours Reduces the risk of drivers operating the vehicle outside of Highway Traffic Act Ontario Regulation 555106 (Hours of Service) related to daily driving time

.The 6:00 p.m. time-off-the-road would help the service provider's collection operators and Route Supervisors to obtain a workllife balance and reduce the need for overtime, which may occur with later times-off-of-the-road

in the case of a potential labour disruption (work-to-rule) where operators are not required to work longer than the regular scheduled operating hours, the potential for missed collections increases with later times-off-of-the-road

Under the Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA), vehicles are required to off-load their material at the end of each day. Scaling the required time-off-the-road back to 6:00 p.m. may reduce the likelihood of any waste from being held on the vehicle, helping the service provider to meet the ECA requirements and avoid disposing of organic material that has been left on the vehicle overnight as garbage (as the anaerobic organic material contaminates the quality of the compost)

standards ( between 5:OO-6:00 p.m. Disadvantages

Industry

May have increased traffic flow at Peel's Integrated Waste Management Facility during the evening rush hourlend of the day May be more costly due to more vehicles required to complete collection by 6:00 p.m.

May reduce operating hours at transfer sites Most municipalities have earlier times-off-of-the-road, ranging

As outlined above, an earlier time-off-of-the-road has important implications on the operations of the waste collection service provider and the services provided to Peel's residents.

Staff recommends that a required time-off-of-the-road of 6:00 p.m., with liquidated damages being applied after 6:00 p.m., be incorporated into the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts.

August 6,2013

The following section describes how the Region can encourage good contractor performance through contract management.

4. Liquidated damages

Good contract management relies on contract performance measurements that will promote reliable and thorough service delivery, promote service improvement and help the Region monitor, evaluate and manage risk. A 201 1 commentary by the C.D. Howe lnstitutel noted that "as long as the performance metrics are clearly defined and easily measured and monitored, performance-based contracts give municipalities a simple, straight forward enforcement mechanism." The commentary suggests that a municipality must put in place a contract that articulates robust performance standards with clear consequences for failure to meet the standards. These standards help the Region to manage risk and non-compliance over the length of the contract.

It is a standard practice in waste collection contracts to apply liquidated damages (LDs) against the service provider for failure to perform the work as specified in the contract, for example, for missed collections. LDs are set dollar amounts that are intended as reasonable pre-estimates of the potential damages incurred by the Region due to performance failure. Service failures require Region staff to investigate and address waste collection issues and monitor the service provider's performance to ensure contract compliance. In addition to representing damages incurred by Peel for performance failure, LDs encourage good service delivery and deter service providers from disregarding contractual requirements without consequence (e.g. cutting corners to save money).

Under the Region's existing collection contracts, LDs apply to late times-off-of-the-road and missed collections past the cut-off times. At the Region's discretion, LDs may be waived under certain circumstances as outlined in the contracts, for example, in the event of severe and extraordinary weather conditions, provided that the service provider has made best efforts to collect all waste to the Region's satisfaction.

A review of other municipalities' recent waste collection contracts has shown that numerous LDs with varying dollar amounts (based on the severity of the infraction) have been written into the contracts to address non-compliance.

Common LDs among waste collection contracts include:

Failure to complete the scheduled day's collection; Collections performed outside of specified hours of operation (e.g. failure to complete collection by the required time-off-of-the-road); Improper collection procedures (e.g. reusable receptacles not returned to curb properly after collection, collecting unacceptable waste etc.); Failure to respond to a complaint as required by the Region; Failure to return for missed collection as directed by the Region; Employee misconduct (e.g. discourteous/inappropriate behaviour, scavenging); Failure to report and resolve claims, damages, spills and incidents as required by the Region; and, Failure to submit reports, data or information as required by the Region.

Brubaker. 2011. "A Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Alternative Financing and Delivery of Water and Wastewater Services"

August 6,2013

As part of an effective management plan, it is important to incorporate the appropriate clauses into the contract to address performance failure. Including a well thought-out range of service requirements for which LDs may apply will provide the Region with an appropriate issue resolution/escalation procedure that includes a range of responses, actions and options for non-compliance rather than relying on more severe options (e.g. termination of the contract).

Without the inclusion of appropriate LDs into a contract, potential risks include:

Higher operational costs and out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Region of Peel; Continued poor service level with inconvenienced and dissatisfied customers; Impact to Region reputation (criticism of performance, loss of trust and confidence); and, Potential cumbersome issue resolution process, such as litigation.

As such, it is recommended that additional liquidated damages be incorporated into the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts to address potential service failures and issues, in accordance with industry practice.

For the new 2016 Waste Collection Contracts, it is staff's intent to incorporate additional LDs into the contracts so that the Region has the ability to take the appropriate corrective action with the service provider for non-compliance. The LDs will address performance issues that the Region has had past experience with and other common LDs among other municipalities.

The Region will have mechanisms in place to provide feedback to the service providers, including monthly operations meetings and "report cards" using key performance indicators, to identify service issues and areas of improvement in hopes of encouraging service improvement as opposed to the application of LDs. Ultimately, these measures should provide an incentive to the Region's service providers to deliver good service.

5. Special Collection Considerations

a) Collection from infill developments

lnfill development refers to building within underutilized and underused land within existing development areas, typically in urban areas. Although infill developments represent a small percentage of locations in Peel, they have unique waste collection needs that must be assessed. In order to receive collection services, these locations must meet the Region of Peel's Waste Collection Design Standards, accessibility standards and must accommodate emergency service vehicles.

Staff reviewed how other municipalities service this sector. Urban municipalities dealing with infill developments are doing so in a similar approach as the Region of Peel. On a case-by-case basis, staff works with developers/architects to satisfy minimum design requirements to supply waste collection services. In the rare instance when all options are exhausted, the design criteria cannot be met and the Region cannot provide collection services safely, then private collection may be recommended.

That said, there is much flexibility in both the Region's design guidelines and current collection contracts that address collection from infill developments, including:

Cart-based collection service for both garbage and recyclables (at curbside);

August 6,2013 Y A - a -

CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 2016 WASTE COLLECTION CONTRACTS

Calls to property management staff notifying of collection vehicle arrival times for on- site staff to direct vehicles and move containers; Increased frequency of collection; and, Requiring the property management to assign additional staff to assist with waste collection.

In addition to the existing service options stated above, staff will be revising the Region's current Waste Collection Design Standards to allow more flexibility in servicing infill developments, which will include the following:

Allowing reversing onto a municipal road allowance with the assistance of a flag person, supplied by the property's management; Increasing the maximum allowable reversing distance on a private condominium road; and, Reducing the minimum turning radii to coincide with fire department requirements.

For the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts, service providers will be required to provide the necessary vehicle requirements for servicing infill developments. Staff is of the opinion that the Region is capable of servicing the majority of infill developments within the Waste Collection Design Standards and collection contracts (current and future).

b) Bag-based collection from locations with access, storage and set-out restrictions

Staff is currently reviewing how best to service locations with access, storage and set- out restrictions in the implementation strategy for the future bi-weekly cart-based collection program. As experienced in the bi-weekly collection pilot project, there will be certain curbside collection locations that have limited waste storage and set-out space, shared access or private (narrowed) roadways that will require special collection considerations regarding the collection methodology. The bi-weekly collection pilot project has afforded staff the ability to identify these criteria before implementing a cart- based program.

Staff has identified approximately 500 locations (mainly curbside townhouse complexes with on-site collection), encompassing approximately 30,000 residential units, that would be on a bi-weekly bag-based garbage and bi-weekly bag-based recycling collection service instead of carts, with a four bag garbage limit; each additional bag would require a garbage tag attached to it to be eligible for collection. These locations meet the criteria set out above and will be identified in the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts as receiving a bag-based service (i.e. manual collection) so that the successful service providers can adjust their fleet accordingly. While these homes will not receive garbage and recycling carts, they will receive the new larger organics cart as to ensure a standard level of service and promote participation in the organics collection program.

In addition, staff has identified approximately 60 locations where waste is set-out at a common collection area (e.g. charge-pile) and not placed out in front of individual residential units. These locations would not be on a cart-based garbage and recycling collection system and would remain on a weekly bag-based garbage collection service (with a two bag garbage limit, with each additional bag requiring a garbage tag attached to it to be eligible for collection) and weekly bag-based recycling collection service due to the lack of accountability for placing out waste for collection and to reduce the amount of waste stored and set-out for collection at these locations. Weekly organics collection may be considered on a site-by-site basis.

August 6,2013 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 2016 WASTE COLLECTION CONTRACTS

While these locations have been identified as bag-based collection locations, they will have the option of reassessment; however, the complexes will not be eligible to be converted to cart-based collection unless the entire complex, through property management, is prepared to be on a cart-based collection system to ensure a consistent and more efficient service level.

As with current practices, on a case-by-case basis, staff will continue to investigate customized waste collection solutions at each location to effect a change in the collection method, where feasible, and convert as many locations as possible with these restrictions to a cart-based or front-end containerized collection system.

With the commencement of the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts, for locations identified as being on a bag-based program, for which a cart-based recycling collection service is not suitable, staff recommends that bag-based recycling, with transparent clear or tinted- blue plastic recycling bags, be mandatory, and that the use of recycling boxes be discontinued. Discontinuing the use of the recycling box will help to eliminate loose debris and wind-blown litter and will help make the collection process more efficient.

Resident will be allowed to keep their old blue boxes for other uses, drop them off at CRC's free of charge or set them out for collection on designated used blue box collection days.

6. Walk-up service to address accessibility

In the spring of 2013, after cart-based collection was approved by Regional Council, staff contacted the Region's Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC), as well as their lower tier municipal counterparts for discussion. One area that was identified as a potential barrier to participation was the manoeuvrability of the carts to the curb for collection.

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005 (AODA) requires all businesses to make their services and facilities accessible; the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts falls within this scope. As such, the Region would require the successful waste collection service providers to provide a walk-up service for residents requiring assistance bringing their carts to the curb for collection. This service would require the collection service provider, at specified addresses, to walk-up to a spot designated by Regional staff (likely up near the garage), bring the carts to the curb for collection and return the carts back to the designated spot after collection. This service ensures that residents of all abilities are able to actively participate in the program.

Residents requiring a walk-up service would be able to subscribe to the service if they met specified criteria, such as having:

A medical condition which limits their ability to bring carts to the curb for collection; this can be permanent or temporary; A medical note from a doctor verifying their condition; and, No other person residing at the address who is capable to place out the carts for collection.

As outlined in Table 3 below, in other municipalities on a cart-based collection program, results have shown that less than 0.22% of residents on cart-based collection require such a service.

4& 10- August 6,2013 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 2016 WASTE COLLECTION CONTRACTS

This service will be administered in the same manner as the Region's medical exemption program, whereby residents apply to the Region to be eligible for this service.

Table 3: Walk-up Service Participation in Municipalities on a Cart-based Collection System

7. Off-Week Collection of Diapersllncontinence Products and Pet Waste

The majority of municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area are already participating in bi- weekly garbage collection and do not offer an off-week collection service for residents with diaperslincontinence products and pet waste.

Municipality

Toronto

HuronIPerthlLam bton1Middlesex

Guel~h

Table 4 below identifies the municipalities on bi-weekly collection, the garbage limit and where residents can place diapers and pet waste for disposal.

Administration of the Walk-up

Service Program

Subscription service

Subscription service

As needed

Total Number of Households

( a ~ ~ r o x . )

435,000

45,000

15.000

Percent of Residents Requiring Service 0.22%

0.03%

0.08%

Table 4: DiaperlPet Waste Collection Description by Municipality Municipality1

Bi-weekly Program Start Date Durham

Bi-weekly over 2006-2009

Guelph Bi-weekly in 2005 Moving to carts by

201 6 -.

Halton Bi-weekly in 2008

Ottawa Bi-weekly in Oct

201 2 Toronto

Bi-weekly in 2002

A number of other Ontario municipalities have implemented a bi-weekly garbage collection program and have recycling and organic collection programs that are similar to Peel's. Appendix I provides information on other municipalities with bi-weekly collection with similar Green Bin Programs to Peel and outlines how residents are advised to manage diapers/incontinence products, feminine hygiene products and pet waste on a bi-weekly basis.

Total Number of Households

(ap prox.)

190,000

45,000

York - Bi-weekly over

2005-2007

146,000

159,000

435,000

Garbage Limit

4 bags bi-weekly

No limit

326,000

DiaperlPet Waste Disposal

Garbage

Garbage

3 bags bi-weekly

3 bags bi-weekly

Full user pay system Carts holds 1-6 bags

Garbage

Garbage

Green Bin

3 bags bi-weekly Green Bin

August 6,2013 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 2016 WASTE COLLECTION CONTRACTS

The results of the bi-weekly pilot project in Peel, as well as other municipalities' experiences, indicates that off-week collection of incontinence products is not required. Off-week collection of diaperslincontinence products is therefore not recommended by staff. However, should Council choose to implement off-week collection of diaperslincontinence products in the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts, staff would suggest a program, as outlined in Appendix II, be adopted and that the cost be transparent within the new collection contracts.

8. Curbside Battery Collection

Waste Management Committee requested information on the implications of expanding the Region's Battery Recycling Program to include curbside collection. The findings are summarized below.

a) Background

Batteries are designated as a Municipal Hazardous or Special Waste (MHSW) and are currently not collected at the curbside under the Region's curbside collection program. MHSW, if not disposed of properly, can be harmful to people, animals and the environment. Residents may take their MHSW to a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Depot at any of the Region's Community Recycling Centres (CRCs) for proper disposal, free of charge. In addition, residents may bring their batteries to the Region's two Conservation Day events, which are held in the Fall. Further, numerous participating retailers and service stations offer take-backldrop-off opportunities. Funded by industry, the Orange Drop Program provides Ontario residents with a network of convenient drop-off sites for free and safe disposal of household products that require special handling. The objective of the Orange Drop Program is to recover and recycle, or safely dispose of, these materials to ensure they do not end up in landfills, or poured down sewers and drains. In addition, in coordination with the Cities of Brampton and Mississauga and the Town of Caledon, staff is currently coordinating additional battery drop-off points at community centres and other public point-of-contact locations in Peel.

Despite these options, the majority of single-use batteries generated in Peel are not being diverted or recovered for proper recycling. The majority is disposed of with household garbage due to convenience or is hoarded because the residents are unsure of how to properly manage them.

b) Curbside Battery Collection Program Promotion and Education

As part of a curbside battery collection pilot project to collect single-use batteries semi- annually, Durham and Niagara Regions mailed out clear re-sealable plastic storage bags to residents with the instruction to place batteries inside the bags and set-out on top of recycling boxes for collection. Since Peel will be implementing an automated cart-based collection program, the sealed storage bags would likely have to be placed on top of the carts or on the boulevardlcurb beside the carts.

c) Collection

Based on feedback from other municipalities, curbside battery collection is convenient for residents but inefficient in collection because of the time it takes operators to collect the bagged batteries before collecting the recycling, which may result in collection delays.

August 6,201 3 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 2016 WASTE COLLECTION CONTRACTS

d) Processing

The Region would be required to apply for an amendment to its Environmental Compliance Approval for the Integrated Waste Management Facility, for the sorting and temporary storage of single-use batteries in chemical drums before transport to Raw Materials Company Inc.'s (RMC) processing facility.

The Region may also need to negotiate and award a sole-source agreement with RMC to receive and process single-use batteries collected from this initiative. RMC is currently the only Stewardship Ontario-approved processor for battery processing, to receive and process single-use batteries collected at curbside.

Fairly intensive processing efforts would be required for Regional staff during the battery collection periods to prepare the batteries for shipment to RMC, including the removal of unacceptable batteries, such as rechargeable and lithium batteries.

The Region would need to assign two staff to prepare the batteries for shipment to RMC's processing facility, which would likely require overtime staffing costs

e) Costs

Based on information obtained from the Region's current waste collection contractors, staff estimates the cost of a twice-a-year curbside battery collection program in the Region of Peel to be in the order of $120,000 per year. The actual cost, should Council decide to proceed with the program, will be determined through the competitive tendering process. The estimated cost includes the supply of re-sealable plastic storage bags (twice-a-year), promotion education and outreach, and collection and processing.

The Region may incur some implementation costs for curbside battery collection; however, these costs may be minimized by possible revenues recovered from RMC, as RMC may pay the Region on a per pound basis.

f) Advantages and Disadvantages of Curbside Battery Collection

Expanding the Region's Battery Recycling Program to curbside collection in the new 2016 Waste Collection Contracts has the implications outlined in Table 6 below:

Table 6: Advantages & Disadvantages of Curbside Battery Collection I Advantaaes I I Increased service level; I ( lncreased participation in the Region's Battery Recycling Program; and,

Increase to the Region's diversion rate of batteries fromthe waste stream. Disadvantages

Limited to single-use dry cell batteries only. Rechargeable batteries cannot be collected because they are subject to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act when transported by highway or rail. Rechargeable batteries carry a charge and can generate a dangerous quantity of heat, short circuit, or create sparks when transported with other similar battery types (cell phone batteries, drill battery packs, lithium ions, etc.); Rechargeable batteries are similar in appearance to single-use dry cell batteries, which would result in contamination; The curbside battery collection service would not be a regular (e.g. weekly) I collection service. which mav result in batteries beina set out for collection on I

q $ - 1 3 - August 6,2013 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 2016 WASTE COLLECTION CONTRACTS

unscheduled collection days; lncreased risk to curbside collection operators and vehicles and MRF processing facility due to the combustible composition of rechargeable batteries that may be erroneously set out; Decreased waste collection efficiency and increased collection cost; lncreased collection times per house if automated collection trucks are used; lncreased curbside scavenging for potential revenue; Potential for increased neighborhood litter due to scavenging; and, Payment not guaranteed under the Orange Drop Program (MHSW Extended Producer Responsibility Program)

For the reasons stated above, staff recommends against implementing a curbside battery collection program but recommends that provisional pricing for twice-a-year curbside collection of household single-use batteries be sought for the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts, should such a program be implemented in the future at Council's request.

9. Proposed Direction

Based on the above analysis, staff recommends the following:

That the use of compressed natural gas-powered waste collection vehicles be specified for the 201 6 Waste Collection Contracts;

And further, that a required time-off-of-the-road of 6:00 p.m., with liquidated damages being applied after 6:00 p.m., be incorporated into the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts;

And further, that additional liquidated damages be incorporated into the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts to address potential service failures and issues, in accordance with industry practice;

And further, that locations meeting collection restriction criteria, as outlined in this report, remain on a bag-based collection service and be specified accordingly in the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts;

And further, for locations where a cart-based recycling collection service is not suitable, that bag-based recycling be mandatory and recycling box usage be discontinued;

And further, that the Region of Peel, through the waste collection service providers, provide an accessible cart-based collection service through a subscription walk-up program for residents requiring assistance in the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts;

And further, that provisional pricing for twice-a-year curbside collection of household single- use batteries be sought for the 2016 Waste Collection Contracts.

qA- 14- August 6,2013 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 2016 WASTE COLLECTION CONTRACTS

10. Next Steps

Staff will prepare and issue the 2016 waste collection Request for Tender (RFT) based on this and earlier reports.

Staff will report back to Council with a recommendation on the implementation strategy for the bi-weekly cart-based collection program, planned for the October 2013 Council meeting.

Dan Labrecque Commissioner of Public Works

Approved for Submission:

D. Smarc, Chief ~dministrative Officer

For further information regarding this report, please contact Ben Shepherd at extension 7925 or via email at ben. shepherd@peelregion. ca

Authored By: Andrea lvanovs

c. Legislative Services

APPENDIX I - 1 - August 6,201 3

w- \5 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 2016 WASTE COLLECTION CONTRACTS

APPENDIX I

Summarv of Dia~erIMedical Exem~tions Policies of Other Munici~alities

Bi-weekly collection implemented 2006- 2009

Municipality

Durham

4 garbage bags bi- weekly

Diapers not accepted

Guelph

Off week garbage collection option?

No

1 45,000 Households

Communications to residents:

Bag tag program in place that allows residents to place additional bags above the 4 bag limit out

Bi-weekly collection started in 2005

/ No bag limit

Diapers not accepted in green bin

on their day of collection, or free disposal of dedicated bags at their waste Management Facility. These tags are available for:

Households with young children Residents experiencing a medical condition

No program in place, residents are advised to: Store your bagged waste in a garage or outside, in a bin with a tightly-closing lid. Do not store the bin in direct sunlight.

Place diapers with baby wipes, andlor hygiene products in a smaller bag, and tie it tightly. Smaller transparent bags such as newspaper bags, fruit and vegetable bags or even soiled sandwich bags can be used. For larger volumes of diapers, the diapers can be individually folded or rolled and closed tightly with their tabs to seal the contents and odour, and then placed together in a separate transparent clear bag.

Dump any solids contained in a diaper into the toilet before disposing of it.

here are many types of odour absorbers1 A few notable options include:

sprinkle baking soda in diaper pail andlor garbage bin, place clothes dryer sheets in your pail or bin, use a few drops of perfume in the pail or bin, and use various air fresheners, including activated carbon products. switch to reusable cloth diapers. The use of reusable cloth diapers can help to reduce waste going to landfill, and cloth diaper services that collect used cloth diapers at your home and deliver clean and sanitized diapers for reuse are

APPENDIX I - 2 - q & \ b August 6,2013 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 2016 WASTE COLLECTION CONTRACTS

146,000 Households

Bi-weekly collection started in 2008

Current bag limit is 6 bags bi-weekly. Starting April I, 201 3 it changes to 3 bags bi- weekly.

Diaper Tag Program implemented January 2009 for those not able to meet the bag limit

Diapers not accepted in the green bin

Ottawa I 158,000 Households

Note: Staff feedback is that there are very few (if any) residents who call in with this concern

Diapers and sanitary products are collected in the garbage every other week. If diapers and sanitary products are handled and stored properly over the two-week period, they do not pose a health hazard.

Bag garbage and store in a container with a tight fitting lid, to prevent insects, wild animals and other pests from gaining access. Store garbage in a cool location, to keep odours to a minimum. Practice good hand washing after handling garbage to prevent illness.

Halton Region's Health Department has identified that diapers will not pose a health hazard if handled and stored properly over the two week period.

Bag tag program in place that allows residents to place additional bags above the 6 bag limit on their day of collection. These tags are available for:

households with young children residents experiencing a medical condition

A household can apply to receive 30 diaper bag tags per 12 month period. Diaper Bag Tags are serialized and are transferable from year to year. Every 12 months, a household is eligible to re- apply for the program to receive another 30 bag tags if required. Residents with tags have two options:

deliver the bag with the tag on it to a landfill within Halton for free disposal put out the extra bag at the curb on the regular collection with the tag to ensure collection

Note: less than 1% of the population have requested tags and even fewer have used them A Special Considerations waste program was

Yes created for residents requiring 'coliection of diapers and incontinence products on the weeks without scheduled garbage collection

APPENDIX I - 3 - ~ A - \ T August 6, 201 3 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 2016 WASTE COLLECTION CONTRACTS

Municipality

Bi-weekly program started in October 2012

6 bags bi-weekly

Off week garbage collection option?

Waste collection contractors collect the diapers

Communications to residents:

Participating households must call to register and can place one bag of waste diapers and incontinence products out for collection on the alternating week from garbage collection

Note: at this time approximately 2% (3,200 residents) of residents are on this service

APPENDIX II - 1 - August 6,2013

~ \ 3 - 10

CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE 2016 WASTE COLLECTION CONTRACTS

APPENDIX II

Off-week Collection Service Program

If an off-week collection service for diaperslincontinence products is implemented as part of the new 2016 Waste Collection Contracts, the following program and application process is recommended:

Residents sign up to the program through a formal application process, like the Region's current medicallincontinence product exemption program, which requires documentation from a physician or other required proof that extra waste is generated due to household members using diaperslincontinence products (e.g. proof of number of children in diapers, such as birth certificates) The application for exemption would be subject to an evaluation process where upon approval, the Region may provide residents with specialized tags to be placed on garbage bags (not garbage carts) Staff would investigate the appropriate number of tags to provide each eligible household, based on the number of people in the household using diaperslincontinence products, taking the nature of the request into consideration Residents would only be able to place out dedicated bags of diaperslincontinence products out for collection under the program on an off-week. The waste cannot be mixed with other household waste to avoid residents taking advantage of the program's intentions Residents sign up for the program on an annual basis. The resident must place a request into the Region once a year for a re-order of tags, if needed The program would run all year long with the tag program

Note: Residents would not be able to purchase tags for off-week garbage collection. The program would be limited to residents with a need for the program only. The tags would likely be similar to the tags for Region's current garbage tag program, but tags may be a different colour.