THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF PEEL

WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE

MINUTES

WMSAC-5/2020
-
Council Chamber, 5th Floor
Regional Administrative Headquarters
10 Peel Centre Drive, Suite A
Brampton, Ontario
Members Present:
  • G.S. Dhillon
  • P. Fortini
  • A. Groves
  • N. Iannicca
  • J. Innis
  • J. Kovac
  • M. Mahoney
  • M. Palleschi
  • K. Ras
  • I. Sinclair
  • R. Starr
Staff Present
  • J. Baker, Chief Administrative Officer
  • K. Lockyer, Regional Clerk and Interim Commissioner of Corporate Services
  • S. VanOfwegen, Commissioner of Finance and Chief Financial Officer
  • A. Smith, Interim Chief Planner
  • A. Farr, Interim Commissioner of Public Works
  • A. Warren, Acting Commissioner of Public Works
  • N. Lee, Director of Waste Management
  • C. Thomson, Deputy Clerk and Manager of Legislative Services
  • S. Jurrius, Committee Clerk
  • S. Valleau, Legislative Specialist
  • R. Khan, Legislative Technical Coordinator

Councillor Starr, Committee Chair, called the Waste Management Strategic Advisory Committee meeting to order on November 19, 2020 at 9:31 a.m., in the Council Chambers, Regional Administrative Headquarters, 10 Peel Centre Drive.  The Committee Chair and other Members of the Committee and staff participated electronically.

Councillor Dhillon arrived at 9:35 a.m.

  • RECOMMENDATION WMSAC-19-2020:

    That the agenda for the November 19, 2020 Waste Management Strategic Advisory Committee meeting be approved.

Nil.

Presentation by Norman Lee, Director of Waste Management

  • Received
  • RECOMMENDATION WMSAC-20-2020:

    That the comments in response to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks draft blue box regulation posting outlined in the report of the Interim Commissioner of Public Works “Transition of the Blue Box Program to Full Producer Responsibility – November 2020 Update: Comments on Draft Blue Box Regulation”, be endorsed;

    And further, that a copy of the subject report be provided to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, the Town of Caledon, the City of Mississauga, the City of Brampton, Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and Peel District School Board;

    And further, that the local municipalities and school boards be requested to support the designation of schools, parks and public spaces as eligible sources with commentary to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.

Norman Lee, Director of Waste Management, provided an overview of the Region of Peel staff comments on the draft blue box regulation and its implications to the Region including the following:

  • The regulation includes Peel’s preferred transition date of 2024.
  • Expansion of the list of designated items to be added in 2026 includes new items: unprinted paper, single-use packaging like products (e.g. foils, wraps, trays, boxes, bags); and, single-use items supplied with food and beverage products (e.g. straws, cutlery, plates, stir sticks). It also includes compostable items but does not mandate collection or management requirements for compostable items at this time.
  • Expansion of blue box collection from eligible sources in 2024 and 2026. Some sources which Peel currently collects were not identified as eligible sources namely: places of worship; non-profit organizations and indoor public spaces in regional and municipal facilities.
  • Establishment of the common collection system that would replace the existing blue box system and would be designed to collect all designated materials. Clarification will be sought from the Ministry to inform advocacy to avoid unnecessary barriers to competition.
  • The establishment of management targets is supported; however, staff recommend that material sub-category targets also be established.
  • Proposed hierarchy of producers is supported but the need to obligate online distributors should be reiterated.

Norman Lee stated that the draft blue box regulation is a good news story because municipalities, including the Region of Peel, have been requesting the province to move the blue box program to full producer responsibility for years.  It will transition financial and operational responsibility of the blue box program from municipalities to producers.  Once transitioned, the Region could realize over $15 million per year in net savings and avoided costs that could be used to fund other Regional priorities.  The provincial government expressed its commitment to finalize the regulation by the first quarter of 2021. 

In response to questions of clarification from Councillor Sinclair regarding staff resources, Norman Lee stated that overseeing the activities related to the draft regulation requires a considerable amount of staff time and resources, including frequent meetings with Ministry staff and key stakeholders.  Staff have been dedicated to monitor the subject regulation and its implications to Peel.

In response to questions from Councillor Innis regarding setting compostable material standards at the provincial or federal level, Norman Lee stated that municipalities, including the Region of Peel, continue to advocate for nation-wide or province-wide compostable standards and for producers to establish a commercial composting system for hard to compost items.

In response to a question from Regional Chair Iannicca regarding mixed waste processing as it relates to the draft blue box regulation, Norman Lee indicated that these can work in tandem since there are recyclable products in the garbage collected at curbside and multi-residential buildings.  If a municipality establishes a mixed waste processing system, it could negotiate with producers to sell the recyclables from mixed waste to help meet their targets.  If targets are high enough the producers will pay for the portion of the recyclable materials extracted from garbage.

In response to a question of clarification from Councillor Starr regarding universal standards for imported products, Norman Lee stated that Canadian standards for labelling and packaging differ from other countries and this poses some challenges in meeting local recycling targets.

(Oral)
Presentation by Norman Lee, Director of Waste Management

  • Received

Norman Lee, Director of Waste Management, provided an update on waste management services since the declaration of emergency due to COVID-19 and the rationale for the proposed changes to the services namely: the waived fees at the Region of Peel’s Community Recycling Centres (CRCs); the two-bag allowance for curbside garbage collection; and, the scheduled exemption period in January 2021. 

The CRC fees were waived in April 2020 to give residents an outlet for extra waste generated while working from home and to prevent illegal dumping.  The waived fees are now driving increased tonnage and usage rates compared to historical levels.  Recently, commercial customers and some residents have been returning with small loads to take advantage of the waived CRC fees.  To date, the revenue loss of waiving the CRC fees is over $3.6 million and is projected to be $4.2 million by year end.  Subject to Council approval, staff recommends that the CRC fees be reinstated effective January 4, 2021.

The two free bags at the curb allowed residents to dispose of extra garbage while working at home.  Results show that 98 per cent of the residents seem to have settled into a routine and the number of bags set out each week is in line with the number set out prior to COVID-19.  The cost for this service since April 2020 is approximately $360,000 for the year.  Subject to Council approval, staff recommends that the bag tag requirements be reinstated effective February 8, 2021.

Exemption periods were suspended during COVID-19.  Review of this service indicates that residents’ participation at setting out bulky items on regular garbage days have improved and they no longer wait for an exemption period.  Staff intends to suspend the exemption period scheduled for January 2021 to ensure the collection system is not overloaded.

Norman Lee stated that the decisions to waive the services were made by Regional Council and an update will be provided at its November 26, 2020 meeting.  The timelines for the proposed recommendations will allow the Region to implement a public communication strategy.

Councillor Ras expressed support for the recommendations outlined in the presentation of the Director of Waste Management, listed as Item 5.2 and stated that the proposed timelines are reasonable and would provide sufficient time for Councillors to communicate the changes to their constituents.  Councillor Ras noted that the messaging on proper placement of bulky items during regular garbage day collection is a good message to be reinforced.

In response to a question of clarification from Councillor Ras regarding options to purchase garbage bag tags to minimize contacts during COVID-19, Norman Lee stated that garbage tags are currently sold only online.

Email dated October 26, 2020, Regarding the Proposed Transition Schedule for the Blue Box Program to the New Full Producer Responsibility Regulation (Receipt recommended)

  • Received

Nil.

Thursday, January 21, 2021
2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Council Chamber, 5th floor
Regional Administrative Headquarters
10 Peel Centre Drive, Suite A
Brampton, ON

Please send regrets to Stephanie Jurrius, Committee Clerk at [email protected].

The meeting adjourned at 10:20 p.m.