COUNTY OF SIMCOE
ITEM FOR:
CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE
SECTION:
Solid Waste Management
ITEM NO.
CS 11-103
MEETING DATE:
June 15, 2011
SUBJECT:
Recyclables Transfer Facilities Funding Application
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT Item CS 11-103, outlining the need for recyclables transfer facilities and a funding
application related to these facilities, be received for information.
RELATIONSHIP TO THE WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY:
The Waste Management Strategy recommended that the County directly contract for recyclables
processing and in Year 1 of the Strategy an assessment of transfer capabilities be undertaken.
BACKGROUND:
Currently, the County’s waste collection contractors are responsible for recyclables processing
and marketing with the exception of the north Simcoe contract area. This existing situation does
not provide efficiencies for transportation and processing. The County also does not benefit from
revenues for recyclable commodities and this existing situation makes the addition of new
materials to the recycling program more difficult as there are a number of Material Recycling
Facilities (MRF) processing County materials. Staff has determined that increased efficiencies
and increased revenues can be gained through development of three additional decentralized
transfer facilities for recyclables materials and shipment to a Material Recycling Facility for
processing under a separate contract which includes the County retaining revenues from the
commodity sales.
The current practice at the County’s North Simcoe Material Recycling Facility is that paper fibres
undergo a rudimentary sort and are baled and shipped directly to market while the commingled
containers are shipped to an outside Material Recycling Facility for processing. This practice has
increased the efficiency of operations at the facility and results in revenues to help offset the cost
of the blue box program. Once established, other transfer facilities would also ship commingled
containers to an outside Material Recycling Facility for processing and could choose to send the
paper fibres to an outside processor or to North Simcoe for baling and shipment direct to market.
In either case, revenues from recyclable commodities would be gained as well as efficiencies of
scale related to the processing contract and trucking efficiencies would be gained through
development of County recyclables transfer facilities.
While the Strategy recommended utilization of ‘Transtore’ units for the transfer of recyclables by
the County, staff has determined through review of a study undertaken by the Continuous
Improvement Fund (CIF) that the upper threshold for Transtore units effectiveness was
approximately 5,000 tonnes per year. As the County currently diverts approximately 25,000
tonnes per year of blue box materials and would most effectively utilize four transfer locations it
was determined that conventional clear-span buildings with loading platforms would be the
optimal choice.
June 15, 2011
Corporate Services Committee CS 11-103
Page 2
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In assessment of potential locations for these transfer facilities the following locations have been
initially identified:
Nottawasaga Landfill Site 10 – transfer facility can be developed on the existing property,
Certificate of Approval amendment required from the Ministry of the Environment.
Oro Landfill Site 11 – transfer facility could be developed on County owned property, Certificate
of Approval amendment required from the Ministry of the Environment. Potential to partner with
either or both Barrie and Orillia.
Site 24 – North Simcoe Material Recycling Facility – currently sort and bale paper fibres and ship
commingled containers to an outside Material Recycling Facility for processing. This location
lacks adequate space to significantly expand operations and does not have good access to major
transportation routes. As such, the baling portion of the operation should be considered to be
moved to the South Simcoe operation when developed to make more efficient use of resources.
South Simcoe Community Environmental Centre (SSCEC) – this site is still to be identified. It
would be developed to include either transfer capabilities for commingled containers and baling
capabilities for paper fibres or; depending on provincial legislation with respect to Extended
Producer Responsibility and Council direction, may at some time be developed as a full-fledged
Material Recycling Facility potentially with partnerships with areas such as Barrie and Orillia.
Siting, approvals and development for this facility could take considerable time.
County staff has made an application to Continuous Improvement Fund for funding related to the
development of these facilities. Continuous Improvement Fund was created to help Ontario
municipalities undertake best practices initiatives to improve the effectiveness and efficiently of
blue box recycling programs. Staff are currently working with Continuous Improvement Fund
and the separated cities of Barrie and Orillia as best practices dictate that partnerships with our
neighbouring municipalities will further serve to increase blue box efficiencies. Staff will
provide further reports to Council as this project develops.
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS:
The cost of developing these facilities will be included for Council consideration in the 2012 capital
budget. Continuous Improvement Fund funding could cover 50% of the cost of facilities
development.
SCHEDULES: There are no schedules attached to this Item.
PREPARED BY:
Willma Bureau, Contracts & Collections Supervisor
APPROVALS:
Rob McCullough, Director, Solid Waste Management
Rick Newlove P. Eng, General Manager Engineering,
Planning & Environment
Lealand Sibbick, Deputy Treasurer
Mark Aitken, Chief Administrative Officer
Date:
May 27, 2011
May 30, 2011
June 3, 2011
June 7, 2011