E&E Fund Approved Projects

Optical Sorting Equipment for City of Toronto’s Dufferin MRF

Automated Plastics Sorting System for the Durham Regional MRF

Markham Blue Box lid pilot

West Perth Blue Box lid pilot

Optimizing Peterborough County’s Recycling Depots

Communication & Education

Cost Containment

Municipal Services Co-ordinator

Conversion of City of Dryden MRF to Transfer Facility with Compaction for Long Distance Hauling (PN 12)

Municipal Partner: City of Dryden
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $267,500

The City of Dryden received support to convert its MRF to a Transfer Facility, incorporating "Transtor Units" and a compaction trailer to compact mixed recyclables to haul to a larger MRF at a distance. Project objectives are to reduce labour and operational costs by eliminating the existing MRF and to reduce the cost per tonne recycled by combining residential and IC&I materials in larger loads. The intent is to use this project to demonstrate a means of more economic diversion and processing of rural & northern recyclables. Dryden will monitor the impact of the new facility and allow other municipalities in region to use it.

| Report | Evaluation |

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Identifying and Applying Best Practices in Recycling in Ontario (PN 63)

Municipal Partners: EWSWA, London, Toronto, RARE, Kingston, Waterloo
Contractors: AMRC, MacViro Consultants Inc.
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $239,772

The project co-ordinates five tasks to identify and share findings about best practices in residential recycling from three programs. The tasks include:

1. Assess feasibility, design and implement labour-saving automated technology, primarily for plastics and paper sorting at a Toronto MRF.

2. Implement action plan for regional processing capacity evaluating costs & benefits of different catchment areas, transfer options and single and two-stream collection in the London area.

3. Implement action plan to develop regional processing capacity in eastern Ontario (Alexandria), assessing costs & benefits of different catchment areas and transfer options and feasibility of single-stream collection.

4. Complete field study and analysis of collection and processing practices in three cost-effective Ontario programs (i.e. EWSWA, Ottawa, Waterloo). Apply findings on best practices in municipal programs that are in transition (Kingston and others, as identified).

5. Produce an optimization guide and deliver training based on first 4 components.

| RARE Report: Benchmarking and Best Practices Project #63 MRF Regionalization in Eastern Ontario Review of Options for RARE Facility in Alexandria Final Report |

| London Region/blueboxal MRF Study |

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County of Northumberland Recycling Program Optimization Study (PN 81)

Municipal Partner: County of Northumberland
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $23,000

The purpose of this project was to determine if the County of Northumberland could capture more recyclables at a lower cost by converting from processing a fully commingled dry waste stream to a more traditional approach that processes recyclables only. Key tasks included:

• identifying the optimal MRF feedstock by evaluating feedstock options (by collection and processing cost, capture rates, waste diversion, and public acceptability);
• reviewing MRF operations seeking opportunities to increase efficiency;
• preparing a business case for financing recommended MRF process modifications.

| Report:* The Optimization of the Northumberland MRF Material Stream and Equipment Review | Summary | Evaluation |

(*file size is 3 megabytes)

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Region of Peel MRF Optimization Study (PN 85)

Municipal Partner: Region of Peel
Contractor: Entec Consulting
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $174,725

In the process of developing its new single stream MRF, the Region of Peel considered the most effective approach to sorting plastic recyclables. This occurred at a time when residents were collecting more plastic recyclables (due to the broad range accepted) than they could fit in their blue boxes. The region addressed two issues: cost effective plastic sortation and expanded blue box capacity for residents by permitting recyclables in plastic bags. The study combined a cost-benefit analysis of the feasibility of adding an automated optical sorter for plastics with research on bag-breaker technologies. Also included was an analysis of potential and impacts of shipping commingled plastics elsewhere in Ontario for sorting. A multi-municipal advisory committee from the Regions of York and Peel and the City of Toronto provided guidance.

The region then purchased and installed a bag breaker, based on the recommendations of a consultant.  The bag breaker enables the Region to process bagged recyclables; a cheaper option than providing bigger/more recycling boxes.

Report: Mechanical Bag Breaker Prepared for the Region of Peel & Stewardship Ontario
Report: An Evaluation of Optical Sorting of Plastic Resins at the Region of Peel MRF

| Summary | Evaluation |

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Cost Allocation Technical Assistance for MRF Optimization (PN 102)

Municipal Partner: City of Guelph
Contractors: Entec Consulting & 4Rs Waste Consulting
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $6,800

For phase one of the City of Guelph’s MRF optimization project, two independent consultants were retained to review the city’s collection and operations cost allocation methods, to integrate and update the models and compare model results with City of Guelph’s 2004 Datacall. This was the first step in evaluating the overall effectiveness of the city’s MRF.

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Renfrew County MRF Rationalization (PN 122)

Municipal Partners: Renfrew County and Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre (OVWRC)
Contractor: MacViro Consultants Inc
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $25,000

Renfrew County retained an independent contractor to complete a feasibility study to assess the business case for amalgamating the OVWRC with a private MRF (Beauman Waste Management) to service all of Renfrew County. OVWRC retained a qualified consultant to develop the business plan as one element of a waste management master plan for OVWRC.

| Report: Renfrew County MRF Rationalization (Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre Business and Master Plan) | Report Appendices |

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City of Toronto Dufferin MRF Optical Plastics Sorting (PN 162)

Municipal Partner: City of Toronto
Contractor: Gartner Lee Limited
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $26,750

With the assistance of an independent contractor, this study examined the business case for installing optical sorting equipment for plastic containers at Toronto’s Dufferin Single Stream MRF. This project built on results of Toronto's Best Practices Plastics and Paper Sorting Study conducted with Metro Waste Paper. It resulted in a report that includes preliminary designs with operating and capital cost estimates of potentially adding an optical sort to this facility.

| Report:* City of Toronto – Dufferin MRF Optical Sorting Feasibility Study | Summary | Evaluation |

*report is 3 megabytes

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Optical Sorting Equipment for Scarborough Metro Waste MRF (PN 165)

Municipal Partner: City of Toronto
Private Sector Partner: Metro Municipal Recycling Services
Status: In progress
E&E Fund Support: $1,037,000

The City of Toronto and Metro Municipal Recycling Services have received funding approval for a project designed to improve the quality and value of fibre from Metro Municipal Recycling Services’ single stream MRF in Scarborough. The optical sort project involves sourcing appropriate optical sorting machinery, reconfiguring the existing fibre stream line, then installing and monitoring the optical sorting machines. The intent is to remove non-fibre materials and some “browns” from the fibre stream. When the system is fully operational, it is expected to result in an overall reduction of more than 10 sorters per day with a potential labour savings of almost $500K per year. The capital cost (including the machines and related technology) is estimated at $1.65 million.

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Desktop Study of Feasibility of Developing a Centralized Plastics Recovery Facility in GTA (PN 168)

Municipal Partners: Peel Region & York Region
Industry Partner: Environment and Plastics Industry Council (EPIC)
Contractors: MacViro, Entec, and MGM
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $18,725

This study was related to an optical sort study in the Region of Peel (PN 85). None of the GTA MRFs currently use automated plastics sortation which makes it timely to investigate the business case of developing a central Plastics Recovery Facility (PRF). Such a facility could provide automated sorting equipment to handle post consumer curbside collected plastics gathered in the GTA or within a specifically designated distance from the PRF. The goal of this study was therefore to develop a business case that compares the concept of a centralized PRF with plastic separation facilities at existing MRFs and existing MRFs that have been upgraded with automated sorting equipment.

| Report: Desktop Study of the Feasibility of Developing a Centralized Plastics Recovery Facility in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Final Report |

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Mechanical Sorter Upgrade (PN 179)

Municipal Partners: Quinte Waste Solutions
Status: Cancelled
E&E Fund Support: $145,500

Quinte Waste Solutions was to install a mechanical sorting system for OCC at the start of its fibre line to help speed up the fibre sort, eliminate the storage backlog and free up additional storage space/processing capacity. By removing OCC up front, it was anticipated that the hand sort process for other fibres (and film) would be more efficient.

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| Evaluation | Summary |

Peterborough MRF Optimization, Opportunities & Regionalization Study (PN 198)

Municipal Partners: City of Peterborough
Contractors: MacViro Consultants
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $29,150

The city retained a consultant for an optimization study for this 17 year old MRF. The consultant benchmarked the existing system, examined MRF optimization options, considered alternative collection methods, identified transfer infrastructure and haulage needs and evaluated the benefits of other collection/storage scenarios. Recommended changes were presented in a business plan.

In October 2006, the scope of this project was broadened to assess the opportunities for regionalizing recycling processing services within the geographical area. In addition to the City of Peterborough, proponents now include the County of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Durham Region, Northumberland County, and Centre and South Hastings (Quinte Waste Solutions).

| Report | Summary | Evaluation |

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Optical Sorting Equipment for City of Toronto’s Dufferin MRF (PN 210)

Municipal Partner: City of Toronto
Contractors: Gartner Lee with Canada Fibres Ltd.
Status: in progress
E&E Fund Support: $700,000

The City of Toronto has received a $700,000 grant from the E&E Fund to install and monitor optical sorting equipment at the Dufferin MRF in the north end of Toronto. The equipment will be installed on the container line and will be programmed to pull off HDPE and PET containers. The goal is to reduce labour costs while maintaining the same level of productivity/quality at the plant. The new system is expected to displace three of the existing six people currently sorting plastic containers for a saving of $186,000 to $215,000 per year. Real operating data from this project will enable Toronto and MIPC to evaluate the merits of this technology. This will be the first plastics optical sorting installation in the GTA area (and only the second in all of Ontario). This project follows on from Toronto's optical sorting feasibility study
(PN 162).

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Kingston MRF Expansion and Equipment Retrofit (PN 211)

Municipal Partner: City of Kingston
Private Sector Partner: BFI Canada Ltd.
Status: In progress
E&E Fund Support: $390,000

This is a two part project aimed at increasing the efficiency of the City of Kingston's MRF and enabling it to receive materials from the Township of South Frontenac. These funds will be directed to increasing the size of the MRF's “tipping” floor and bale storage space, and to purchasing new processing equipment with advanced technology to process and bale recyclables. Planned purchases include an eddy current separator, two can flatteners and a new baler. BFI Canada Ltd., the City's recycling contractors will contribute $125,000 to the overall project cost . The plant upgrade is expected to result in increased efficiency of more than $30,000 annually for the City of Kingston and it will also permit Kingston to process recyclables for the Township of South Frontenac enabling the township to realize potential ongoing annual recycling cost savings of $100,000.

| Report: Report |

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Northumberland MRF Equipment Retrofit (PN 224)

Municipal Partners: County of Northumberland
Timing: November 2007 to March 2009
Contractor: to be determined
Status: In Progress
E&E Fund Support: $401,634 

The E&E Fund provided a capital grant to contribute to Northumberland County’s MRF upgrade process, through which it will convert from a dry waste stream facility to a blue box waste only single-stream MRF that can manage an expanded list of recyclables. Project organizers expect to increase efficiency, capture and processing capacity. The County will identify a supplier capable of installing an infeed hopper, a round/flat star screen separator, a finishing star screen, a new bag breaker and several conveyors. The project is expected to result in annual labour savings of $346,000, increased revenue of $75K and a decrease in the volume of residue sent to landfill. The county will consult with Stewardship Ontario on the suitability of the equipment for potential long-term use and application to regional processing.

| Report: Report |

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London Regional MRF: RFP Process (PN 232)

Municipal Partners: City of London
Contractors: MacViro Consultants
Status: In Progress
E&E Fund Support: $95,400

This project is phase two of a two stream regional MRF design and development program for the City of London. Phase One (PN 63) led to an assessment that between $250,000 and $1M annual savings could be achieved, depending on which municipalities chose to participate in the regional MRF. In Phase Two, MacViro Consultants will develop MRF costs and facility design that area municipalities will use as a basis for their decisions as to whether to participate in a regional MRF. This project includes the release and evaluation of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a London-only and a regional MRF. Depending on the outcome of this phase, a third phase of the project would entail finalizing partnerships and constructing the facility.

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Automated Plastics Sorting System for the Durham Regional MRF (PN 237)

Municipal Partners: Durham Region
Contractor: Metro Municipal Recycling Services
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $317,250

The Region of Durham has been approved for $317,250 support from the E&E Fund to purchase, install and monitor two dual functioning optical plastic sorting units for their new 50,000 tonnes/year two-stream regional MRF being built in Whitby. The Region has awarded a design/build/operate contract to the joint venture Metro Municipal Recycling Services / Gottardo Construction Ltd and selected equipment designed and manufactured by Pellenc Selection Technologies and supplied by Machinex. Durham expects to reduce its annual processing cost by $1.9 million per year by using optical sorters instead of manual labour.

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Woodstock Transfer Station (PN 247)

Municipal Partners: City of Woodstock
Contractor: Metro Municipal Recycling Services
Timing: February to November 2008
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $245,225

The City of Woodstock matched this grant, providing total funding to convert its MRF into a transfer station and to develop and implement a communications strategic plan in support of the program. As part of the conversion, the city shifted from a seven-stream to a two-stream recycling program.  The grant contributed to capital purchases of a conveyor, a compactor and a weigh scale as well as building retrofits (material storage area etc.). The communications strategy focused on providing education about the two-stream system and convincing residents not to bag recyclables.

| Report |

Optical Sorting Technology for a Two Stream MRF (PN 260)

Municipal Partners: Essex Windsor Solid Waste Authority
Contractors:  Entec Consulting
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $543,762

EWSWA has received a grant to support a process to release and evaluate a Request for Proposals for MRF processing equipment that includes options for optical plastic and paper sorting systems. The optical sorting systems will be designed to eject PET and HDPE from the containers stream and boxboard from the paper stream at EWSWA’s two-stream, 30,000 tpa MRF. Optical sorting systems for fibres and containers will be purchased, installed, monitored and reported on. 

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Optical Sorting Technology for Peel Integrated Material Recovery Facility (PN 279)

Municipal Partners: Region of Peel
Status: Complete
E&E Fund Support:  up to $475,733
Related project: PN 85 – An Evaluation of Optical Sorting Plastics Resins

The Region of Peel has received funding to install optical sorting technology that will target PET at its Torbram Road MRF. This is a 130,000 tonne per year single stream (integrated) facility. By switching from a manual sort process to using this dual eject system for the largest component of its plastics stream,  the Region expects to increase annual revenues by $238,000 and decrease labour costs by $180,000. The Region and its contractor (WMCC) will both provide funding to match the E&E Fund grant (for a total project cost of approximately $1.4 million).

| Report |

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York Region MRF Mixed Broken Glass Clean Up System (PN 280)

Municipal Partner: Region of York
Status: In progress
E&E Fund Support: $265,000

The E&E Fund has provided matching funding for the Region of York to install a clean-up system to resolve contamination issues with its mixed broken glass (MBG). The Region intends to install glass cleaning to ensure that is MBG meets current market specifications, with additional benefits in decreased program costs, increased diversion and revenues. The goal is to source, install, test and have operational machinery by the end of 2007. The payback period is estimated at approximately one year. The Region will monitor composition and contamination levels pre and post installation and prepare a report describing equipment acquisition, installation, commissioning and performance.

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Develop and Review Baseline Information on Multi-Residential Recycling Programs in Ontario (PN 18)

Partner Municipalities: EWSWA, Hamilton, London, Peel, Quinte Waste Solutions, Waterloo and Toronto
Contractor: AMRC
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $28,550

Phase One of study to improve capture and participation in multi-unit residential buildings across the province. Tasks included:

• obtaining snapshot of current multi-residential recycling practices in about 80 buildings in Ontario (covering more than 20 communities);
• identifying barriers to recycling, best practices etc.;
• reviewing all available information on multi-family recycling in the subject communities;
• reporting on next steps towards comprehensive multi-family recycling plan; and
• sharing findings.

Project involved a survey, document review and a report that included next steps to produce a comprehensive multi-residential recycling plan.

| Report: Development and Review of Baseline Information on Multi-Residential Recycling Programs in Ontario | Summary | Evaluation |

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City of Toronto Integrated Multi-Family Recycling Strategy (PN 32)

Partner Municipality: City of Toronto
Status: In progress
E&E Fund Support: $1,880,000

The capture rate for recyclables from Toronto’s 462,000 multi-family (MF) is currently only about 30%. Over a two year period, the City will enforce mandatory recycling in apartments, implement waste limits/user fees, enhance outreach and provide additional recycling container capacity at MF buildings to help increase this rate. E&E Fund support of this project will:

• enable the city to hire staff to support implementation of its new recycling by-law

• support enforcement, outreach and communication to implement its new MS user-pay program

• test, develop, print and distribute "re-freshed" multi-material recycling promotion and education materials in several languages

• conduct baseline and follow-up waste audits of generation and capture rates of Blue Box materials and the impact of enforcement/user pay on recovery

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City of London Focused Delivery for Multi-Family Recycling (PN 36)

Partner Municipality: City of London
Status: In progress
E&E Fund Support: $10,000

This study aims to improve recycling in multi-family buildings by determining how to customize promotion and education strategies for different buildings to increase the effective uptake of recycling messages. The City of London will classify 500 buildings into nine categories, then develop an action plan with measures to enhance recycling for each classification. The project will result in a manual that can be used by municipalities province wide to focus their multi-family promotion and education measures.

|Report: Multi-Residential Recycling: Optimizing Recycling Performance by Using a Focused Delivery Framework |

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Onboard Weigh Scales – A Multi-Family Weight-Based Waste and Recycling Generation Pilot (PN 123)

Municipal Partners: Peel Region
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $79,500

Peel Region pilot tested the use onboard weigh scales on front end collection vehicles that are dedicated to multi-family collection. This project allowed the Region to obtain detailed data on a range of useful parameters (e.g. per building waste generation and diversion rates, density of compacted vs. non compacted waste) that may also be used to help identify buildings that exceed the Region’s weight restrictions and to consider how the sector might be affected by a weight based user pay program. The project involved buying and installing the scales and software, conducting a three month trial and analyzing and reporting on project results.

In January 2007, the scope of this project was broadened to include the purchase and installation of two additional onboard weigh scales on two side-loading recycling trucks. Although the Region is moving towards front end bins for recycling collection, staff has estimated that approximately 40% of the multi-residential properties in the Region are suitable for front end recycling collection. Therefore, the majority of properties will still be using recycling carts. The additional scales to be installed on the recycling trucks will provide data on the generation rate for recyclables per building, as well as on the density of recyclable materials, particularly in a cart-based single stream recycling system. This information will be useful to other municipalities who wish to obtain the average density of single stream recyclables.

| Report |

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Enhancing Recycling in Multi-Residential Buildings (PN 186)

Municipal Partners: Town of Markham, Town of Richmond Hill and City of Vaughan
Contractor: Informa Market Research
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $17,217

With a multi-family recycling rate in the range of 10%, this project aimed to boost recovery by identifying social and structural barriers and opportunities. The project entailed four focus group sessions, and interviews with apartment and condo residents, superintendents and property managers. Participants were asked to comment on recycling behaviour, community recycling trends, recycling/garbage systems, tenant communication & feedback, C&E materials, etc. Findings were released in a report with a DVD of the focus group sessions.

| Report:* Enhancing Recycling In Multi-Residential Buildings – Markham, Richmond Hill & Vaughan | Summary | Evaluation |

*File is 2.6 MB

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Multi-Residential Recycling: Optimizing Recycling Performance by Using a Focused Delivery Framework (Part II) (PN 197)

Municipal Partners: City of London
Contractor: 2cg Inc.
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $21,200

This project adds to the work completed in PN 36 in which the City of London developed a recycling performance framework and reporting system for multi-family buildings. In this project, the city will rank the impact of on-site barriers to increasing multi-family recycling and test strategies to address the most prevalent factors including a cost-benefit analysis of the leading strategies and an assessment of potential incentives to increase multi-family recycling.

| Final Report | Appendix | Evaluation |

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Determination of Multi-residential Recycling System Improvements through Focus Groups for Tenants, Building Superintendents and Property Manager Interviews (PN 199)

Municipal Partners: EWSWA with Waterloo, Toronto, London, Hamilton, Peel, Quinte Waste Solutions and AMRC
Contractors: Informa Market Research Co. Ltd
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $139,414

The Essex Windsor Solid Waste Authority was awarded funding to conduct a series of focus groups in Windsor, Waterloo, Sault Ste. Marie London, Peterborough, Sudbury and Ottawa with multi-residential tenants (two in each municipality) and building superintendents, as well to conduct interviews with building managers in each municipality. The intent is to solicit direct feedback from those affected in the multi-family sector prior to designing communications programs to increase multi-family recycling.

| Report: Multi-Residential Recycling System Improvements Residents, Superintendents & Property Managers - Focus Groups And Interviews |
| Executive Overview | Summary | Evaluation |

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Improving Consistency of Multi-residential Diversion and Cost Analysis Reporting (PN 201)

Municipal Partners: EWSWA, Waterloo, London, Toronto, Hamilton, Peel, and Quinte Waste Solutions
Contractors: AMRC
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $28,350

A lingering issue in multi-family recycling program analysis is the lack of consistency in reporting among programs on key program parameters. AMRC and the multi-residential working group worked with staff in eight programs to acquire and analyze the cost, diversion and contamination data. The project team then reviewed and revised the existing template for measuring these parameters. The group tested the new template, generating additional data on multi-family residential recycling programs.

| Report: Improving the Consistency of Multi-Residential Diversion and Cost Analysis and Reporting | Summary | Evaluation |

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Administrative Support and Travel Expenses for Multi-residential Working Group (PN 215)

Municipal Partners: EWSWA with AMRC and the Multi-residential Working Group
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $14,125

AMRC’s multi-residential working group planned four face-to-face meetings and eight teleconferences to take place over a 12 month period. The meetings focused on increasing recovery for multi-family households in large urban areas. With this project, the working group received the administrative support and travel expenses that enabled these meetings to go forward.

| Report |

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Elliot Lake Multi-Residential Service (PN 241)

Municipal Partners: City of Elliott Lake
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $16,000

With $16,000 support from the E&E Fund, the City of Elliott Lake will install recycling bins at  a number of multi-family buildings in the city to facilitate recycling for residents (the majority of whom are senior citizens) who have been required to transport their materials over 5km to the nearest recycling depot. The city will also develop and deploy promotion and education to support the program launch.

| Report | Summary | Evaluation |

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Baseline Data for Multi-residential Buildings in Essex Windsor (PN 278)

Municipal Partner: Essex Windsor Solid Waste Authority
Timing: April 2007 to June 2008
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Project Support: $9,000

This project focused on updating the city’s multi-family database to provide a source of reliable information for future multi-family initiatives. EWSWA used the municipal multi-family database (developed in E&E Fund PN 36) as a base and supplemented this information with new data on all of the multi-family buildings in the city (e.g. number of units, type of building, number of recycling containers, type of garbage system, local management presence, familiarity with local recycling program, etc). EWSWA will use the information to evaluate performance improvements from the introduction of potential best practices. When complete, EWSWA will share its multi-residential database with other interested Ontario municipalities.

| Report | Database Guidebook |

| Multi-Family Access Database Template (zipped) | Evaluation |

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Analysis of Multi-family Waste Audit Results (PN 301)

Municipal Partner: Essex Windsor with AMRC Multi-residential Working Group
Status: Complete
E&E Fund Support: $27,200

AMRC will complete building profiles for 80 apartments in Toronto, Peel, Hamilton, London, Ottawa, Halton and Quinte that were audited as part of Stewardship Ontario’s waste audit program, and then analyze the infomation in conjunction with the waste audit results. The main goals of the project are to better understand the variability in recycling performance on a building by building basis and to determine what building factors or recycling program characteristics correlate with better performance. 

| Report |

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Optimizing the City of Stratford’s Blue Box Program (PN 76)

Municipal Partner: City of Stratford
Contractor: 2cg Inc.
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $62,540

The project team assessed the impact and success of the City of Stratford’s User Pay program since its inception in 1997. The team reviewed pre and post initiation waste generation and recovery data; compared data with those of other similar ‘user pay’ communities and assessed program performance, linking findings with development of a new recycling tender. Also included was an update of the city’s communications and education (C&E) program to target under-collected Blue Box recyclables and produce a C&E template that may be used by other communities.

| Report: Optimizing the City of Stratford’s Blue Box Program | Summary | Evaluation |

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Analysis of User Pay Programs in Ontario (PN 126)

Municipal Partners: County of Oxford, Haldimand County, Bluewater Recycling Association, Region of Waterloo
Contractor: AMRC
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $31,200

Over 84 Ontario municipalities currently operate some form of user pay collection system. This project involved gathering and analyzing data on a variety of user pay programs and highlighting best practices in an updated User Pay Implementation Guide. All "user pay" municipalities (as identified in WDO’s datacall) were surveyed on topics ranging from system design and operation, administration costs and revenues to household capture rates and other system effects. The project included completion of a workshop on User Pay issues that was held on September 29, 2005.

| Report: User Pay Program Implementation Guide | Summary | Evaluation |

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Implementation of a Sustainable Financing System For Solid Waste Management in Ontario (PN 160)

Partner Municipalities: City of London and City of Ottawa
Contractor: RIS International
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $68,480

The City of London and the City of Ottawa, with the independent consulting assistance of RIS International are researching practical steps that an Ontario municipality would need to take to shift waste management system financing to a utility structure. The project involves:

• establishing a Peer Learning Group to identify issues and challenges in financing waste management through a utility structure in Ontario (particularly with respect to the Ontario Municipal Act);
• finding out how other jurisdictions that have moved to utility financing models have resolved key issues (mixed use buildings, multi-family housing, absent landowners, etc) and identifying solutions that might be applied in Ontario;
• identifying financing system design features that have increased recovery of recyclables in other jurisdictions;
• identifying known impacts and evidence on the impacts of moving to utility financing on recycling system costs, identifying utility design features that may lower recycling systems costs;
• using lessons learned to help Ottawa and London identify actions, next steps and timing to implement a utility; and
• developing a Toolkit and Implementation Manual to assist other Ontario municipalities to implement utility models for waste management system financing.

| Project Evaluation | Project Summary |

Discussion Papers

1. Issues Related to the Ontario Amended Municipal Act, 2007
2. Financing and Governance Arrangements for Selected Sustainable Financing Entities For Solid Waste Management
3. Solid Waste Management Fee Structures and Billing Approaches (6 MB file)
4. Household Fees and PAYT Rates to Finance Municipal Solid Waste Management Systems in Canadian Communities
5. Sustainable Financing Approaches for Multi Family Buildings
6. Practical Implementation Experience
7. Financing and Charging Features Which Improve Recovery of Recyclables. Impacts of Sustainable Financing Systems on Costs and Diversion

Implementation Manual (2 MB file)

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Clear Bags for Garbage: The Use of Clear Bags for Garbage as a Waste Diversion Strategy (PN 177)

Municipal Partners: Quinte Waste Solutions
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $15,900 for Phase One

Quinte Waste Solutions (QWS) will research the use of clear bags for waste disposal as a means of promoting an increase in waste diversion. QWS will study and survey jurisdictions in Canada and the United States that have implemented a clear bag approach. In addition to posting findings from this research, QWS will identify programs that warrant further in-depth study and provide recommendations about the value of a pilot study within the QWS service area (i.e. Centre and South Hastings).

| Report | Appendices |

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User Pay Module for the Recyclers' Knowledge Network (PN 190)

Municipal Partner: Oxford County
Contractor: AMRC
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $24,650

This project built on the work done in project 126 – Analysis of User Pay Programs in Ontario by elaborating a series of modules on user pay for use on the Recyclers' Knowledge Network (e.g. with FAQs, information on program management, promotion and education materials and others). These modules were launched in June 2006. Visit: www.recyclersknowledgenetwork.ca.

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Analysis of User Pay System Costs (PN 191)

Municipal Partner: Oxford County
Contractor: AMRC
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $24,062

This project entailed a detailed review of six municipal user pay programs with an analysis of line item costs, revenues and revenue offsets resulting from the implementation of these programs. Programs involved in the study are the City of Brockville, the Town of Marathon, the County of Oxford (City of Woodstock), the City of Orillia, the City of Stratford and the Town of the Blue Mountains.

| Report: Analysis of User Pay System Costs in Ontario | Summary | Evaluation |

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Markham clear garbage bag pilot (PN 285)

Municipal Partner: Town of Markham
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $13,780

The goal of this project is to test the use of clear bags for garbage to optimize blue box capture rates. By making the use of clear bags mandatory for garbage, the Town of Markham hopes to drive as much as 50% of the available recyclables out of the garbage stream and into the blue box. The Town will hold public meetings to address any privacy concerns and other issues and use focus group research to probe the public acceptability of various enforcement methods.  Markham will report on the effectiveness of the bags, the impact on collection productivity, privacy issues and recommendations about potential replicability in other Ontario municipalities. This project complements PN 312 (Quinte Waste Solutions clear garbage bag pilot).

| Report |  

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Clear Garbage Bags: a Better Practice of Innovative Program Compliance? (PN 312)

Municipal Partner: Quinte Waste Solutions (QWS)
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $24,380

This project built on PN 177, research by QWS that shows that a requirement for clear bags for garbage can increase recycling rates anywhere from 10% to 70%. This project involved a year long pilot test in which residents of the rural municipalities of Madoc and Centre Hastings were required to use clear bags for garbage (purchasing the bags from local retailers). This project complements PN 285 (Town of Markham clear garbage bag pilot).

| Report | Appendices | Supplementary Data; Waste Audit |

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Recycle Away: Best Practices for Open Space Recycling (PN 44)

Partner Municipality: Quinte Waste Solutions
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $16,050

Quinte researched best practices for public space recycling systems and tested its preferred system at local arenas and parks. Project included:

• all-municipalities surveyed and 6 to 10 in depth reviews;
• piloted best practice receptacles, logos and signage;
• baseline and follow-up waste audits to determine capture rates;
• surveyed public space users;
• reviewed past open space recycling trials (what worked, what didn’t etc.).

| Report:* Recycle Away "Public Park, Sports Field, and Arena Recycling" |
| Summary | Evaluation

*file is 6 megabytes

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Quinte Waste Solutions Depot Review (PN 45)

Partner Municipality: Quinte Waste Solutions
Contractor: SGS Lakefield Research
Status: Stage 1 is completed, Stage 2 is in progress
E&E Fund Support: $33,866

Quinte’s cart-based rural recycling depots are not diverting enough material and Quite Waste Solutions wants to change this. This is a three phase project that includes:

• Stage 1: Province-wide research on best practices at rural depots (collection systems, recovery, cost, revenue, etc.);

• Stage 2: Assess Quinte’s existing rural depot system; pilot best practices from Stage 1; monitor the impact; and

• Stage 3: Summarize findings and share.

| Stage 1 Report | Stage 2 Report | Stage 2 Report: Appendices |
| Evaluation | Summary |

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City of Toronto Recycling Container Pilot Project (PN 60)

Partner Municipality: City of Toronto
Contractor: Jacques Whitford
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $235,000

Pilot studies in Toronto to assess container options for collecting single stream recyclables. The Scarborough Pilot Study compared four different recycling set out options: bi-weekly cart collection; bi-weekly bag based collection; weekly blue box collection; and  bi-weekly blue box collection (status quo). The Downtown Pilot Study evaluated the use of carts for collecting recycling in high-density residential areas. Report summarizes results from a time and motion study, an ergonomics study, focus groups and household surveys, and waste audits. Includes a section on the city-wide roll out of recycling carts.

| Report |

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Stewardship Ontario Waste Audit Program (PN 96, 161, 180 & 236)

Partner Municipality: various municipalities
Contractor: various contractors
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $1,701,000

Stewardship Ontario conducted waste audits to generate detailed data about residential waste generation and diversion across the province. These data contribute to setting steward fees, measuring performance of Blue Box programs and identifying potential target materials as directed in the Blue Box Program Plan.

The 2005, 2006 and 2007 single-family, multi-family  and waste audits are complete.

To find out more about the waste audit program, the results of the audits, and the methodologies used, see the Stewardship Ontario Waste Audit Program page.

2005 and 2006 single-family and multi-family audits are complete.

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Niagara – Co-collection Time and Motion Studies (PN 104)

Partner Municipality: Regional Municipality of Niagara
Contractor: Jacques Whitford
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $7,750

Niagara Region’s new co-collection system is diverting more recyclable and organic material while costs have not increased substantially. The Region’s two waste collection contractors co-collect different combinations of waste materials – one co-collects organics and recyclables while the other co-collects garbage with the organics. This project was designed to determine which method is most efficient.

| Report: Organic Co-collection Studies – Fall 2004 Time and Motion Report Final Report | Report with preface | Appendix |

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Markets Help Desk (PN 164)

Partner Municipality: Region of Peel
Contractor: Recyclables Materials Marketing (ReMM)
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $26,500

The Region of Peel and ReMM - an independent consultant, worked together to examine 10 recycling programs that market a minimum of 10,000 tonnes with basket of goods revenue lower than the Provincial average (as identified in WDO’s Datacall). The objective of the project was to determine why their revenues were low.
Recommendations were made on potential means of increasing revenues for these programs and thus reducing their net program costs. The study also evaluated whether some of the materials being disposed in the residue stream could be captured efficiently to increase diversion and increase revenues. ReMM also reported on whether the programs targeted for review are sending, or plan to send, residue materials overseas for resorting.

| Report: Markets Help Desk Report | Summary | Evaluation |

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York Collection and Processing Optimization Study (PN 207)

Municipal Partners: York Region
Contractors: AET Consultants
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $42,024

The Region of York implemented a three phased project to determine how much it is possible to compact single stream recyclables on collection vehicles without affecting MRF processing efficiency and end-product quality. The project involved gathering information about compacting recyclables in York Region communities and over 50 other communities around North America. Samples of recyclables compacted at various rates were run through the MRF to determine the impact on processing efficiencies and end-product composition and quality. Additional support for the project was provided by the A-Team.

| Complete Report:* York Region Collection and Processing Optimization Study | Report without appendices | Appendices* | Summary | Evaluation |

* 3 MB file (separate appendix files below)

Appendix 1 | Appendix 2a | Appendix 2b | Appendix 3 | Appendix 4 |

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Peak Season Waste Audits for Renfrew County (PN 223)

Municipal Partners: Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre (OVWRC)
Contractors: Robins Environmental, AET Consultants, Wasteaway
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $66,780

OVWRC completed four waste audits of 100 households in Renfrew County. This program was designed to obtain more information about seasonal waste composition/generation variances that would contribute to establishing baseline audit data for the county.

| Report | Summary | Evaluation |

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Two Stream Recycling Cart Collection Pilot (PN 262)

Municipal Partner: Essex Windsor Solid Waste Authority
Timing: April 2007 to June 2008
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Project Support: $45,000

EWSWA provided two 35-gallon (132 L) recycling carts (one for fibres and one for containers) to about 500 households in a defined pilot area. EWSWA measured participation rates, capture rates and collection productivity prior to and after their use and surveyed residents and collection drivers on cart performance (relative to blue boxes). These findings are being documented in a project report to be posted soon.

Final Report with Appendices

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Markham Blue Box lid pilot (PN 286)

Municipal Partner: Town of Markham
Timing: July 2007 to April 2008
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $11,660

The Town of Markham received funding to pilot test the use of a mesh lid to help expand blue box capacity and control litter. The lids are considered to be relatively inexpensive and may have potential to increase blue box capacity by up to 30%. This project involves baseline and follow-up monitoring and will result in a report on effects on participation, recovery, collection productivity and litter control, as well the durability of the lids and collection driver satisfaction.  This project is being conducted simultaneously with a similar, but smaller scale pilot in West Perth
(PN 289).

| Report |

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West Perth Blue Box lid pilot (PN 289)

Municipal Partner: West Perth
Timing: July 2007 to June 2008
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $4,918

The rural Municipality of West Perth has received E&E funding for a small pilot to test a mesh lid that fits on a blue box. This offers a potentially cost-effective means of adding blue box capacity and controlling litter (as an alternative to providing additional blue boxes). At the completion of this study, West Perth will report on the durability of the lids, their ease of use, and the impact on participation, recovery, collection productivity and litter control. This project is being conducted simultaneously with a similar, but larger scale pilot in Markham (PN 286).

| Report | Summary | Evaluation |

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Optimizing Peterborough County’s Recycling Depots (PN 326)

Municipal Partner: County of Peterborough
Timing: May 2008 to Dec 2008
Status: In Progress
E&E Fund Support: $145,000

Peterborough County is changing its recycling system from 5-stream to 2-stream processing. With this grant, it will purchase new recycling bins and compaction equipment for their recycling depots and develop and deliver promotion and education for residents in support of this change. This is expected to lead to a substantial increase in waste diverted and reduce haulage costs. At the completion of the project, the County will report share cost and tonnage statistics and information on operational impacts.

| Report: Report |

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Alcoholic Beverage Container Audits (PN 357)

Municipal Partners: London, Stratford, Brantford, Peel Region, Markham, Richmond Hill, Whitby, Barrie, Quinte, Owen Sound and Sudbury
Contractors: IEWS, AET and 2cg
Timing: May 2008 to June 2008
Status: Complete
E&E Fund Support: $100,000

Single-family and multi-family blue box audits were conducted in 11 municipalities across Ontario to gather more data on the continued recovery of Ontario Deposit System containers in the Blue Box. The sampling methods were similar to and consistent with Stewardship Ontario’s standard waste audit methods except that to maximize measurement of deposit containers, only the Blue Box stream was sampled and there were 25 sort categories instead of the regular 98 categories. Measurements were made for 13 alcoholic beverage categories (e.g. on-deposit PET, aseptic, bag in the box, aluminum, steel, clear and coloured glass) and 12 other Blue Box material categories. The audits are complete and the results have been posted on the Stewardship Ontario Waste Audit Program page.

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Communication & Education

Identifying Best Practices in Municipal Blue Box Promotion and Education (PN 68)

Partner Municipalities: County of Oxford, Waterloo, EWSWA
Contractors: AMRC and Commexus Inc
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $152,047

A two phased project that included:

• Phase 1: review existing Promotion & Education literature and consumer research reports then survey 24 municipalities on P&E practices, program economics, research and tracking mechanisms used, social marketing tools, demographic information, etc.;

• Phase 2: field test emerging best practice principles, theories and actual P&E materials via six focus groups across the province. The team will produce a promotion and education best practices and program development manual that highlights practices, procedures and approaches that are effective, economical, and replicable.

| Phase 1 and 2 Research Report: Identifying Best Practices in Municipal Blue Box Promotion and Education | Recycling Program Promotion & Education Workbook |

| Summary | Evaluation |

Note: The Promotion and Education module is now available on the Knowledge  Network.

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Enhanced Blue Box Recovery Program (PN 105)

Partner Municipalities: Peel, York, Durham, Toronto
Contractors: MGM Management and McConnell-Weaver Communication Management
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: Phase 1 – $102,000; Phase 2 – $993,000

This project entailed delivery of a multi-year electronic media advertising program in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to increase recovery from single and multi-residential households with “new” Blue Box recyclables. The objective for Phase 1 was to carry out technical research in the target area to identify available recyclables not currently being collected. The original target area, defined as the City of Toronto plus the Regions of Peel, York and Durham was subsequently expanded to include the City of Hamilton, and the Regions of Niagara and Halton. A second objective of Phase 1 was to gain an understanding of the attitudes and behaviour of single family and multi-family residents toward recycling. The information gleaned from research in this area and the findings of the technical studies was used to develop a comprehensive, strategic communication plan to encourage increased recovery.

The objective of Phase 2 was to implement and evaluate (for possible widespread delivery) a communication and promotion campaign in a pilot market area. To view a synopsis of the P&E campaign, click here.

| Reports (see below) | Summary | Evaluation |

Phase 1 Reports:

• Technical Memorandum 1: Ontario Aluminum End Market Study
• Technical Memorandum 2: Protocol for MRF Residue Sampling
• Technical Memorandum 3: GTA Public Space and Schools Opportunities Analysis
• Segmentation Analysis of Available Recyclables in the Greater Toronto Area and the City of Hamilton & Niagara Region
• Focus Group Report: Enhanced Blue Box Recovery Program - Durham, Peel, Toronto and York Regions
• Communication & Benchmark Survey: Enhanced Blue Box Recovery Program - Durham, Peel, Toronto and York Regions
• Executive Overview: Benchmark Survey & Focus Group - Enhanced Blue Box Recovery Program - Durham, Peel, Toronto and York Regions
• Strategic Communication Plan

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Recyclers' Knowledge Network (PN 121, 167 & 226a)

Partner Municipality: City of London
Contractor: VuBiz Ltd.
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $229,700

The Recyclers' Knowledge Network is an online information sharing network that facilitates interactive discussion of E&E Fund project findings and results among municipalities and other stakeholders. Key features include learning and networking forums, 'help desks,' and discussions involving experts on key topics.

Specific activities include developing:

• a user-friendly, accessible online version of the Blue Box Recycling Enhancement and Best Practices Assessment Project Report (Volume 1) and an online version of the “Decision Tree Tool”
• other modules including user-pay, single-stream MRFs, model contracts, and promotion and education
• a marketing/communication strategy

Link to Recyclers' Knowledge Network

| Report: Development of Recylers' Knowledge Network | Summary | Evaluation |

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Hamilton Waste Watch Communication and Education Project (PN 125)

Partner Municipalities: City of Hamilton
Contractors: Informa and Ehl Harrison Consulting Inc
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $50,000

Hamilton was seeking funding to roll-out its Waste Watch multi-media communication and education (C&E) recycling campaign. Hamilton has undertaken an extensive planning and research process to develop this comprehensive four-year Communication Strategy designed to achieve a diversion target of 65% by 2008. The communication strategy for the blue box program aimed to target low capture materials, non-kitchen generated materials, and specific materials generated at certain times of the year (e.g. phone books). The Strategy was developed based on extensive research of blue box program diversion, participation and capture rates, communication methods and community demographics. The City tracked the success of the Strategy to determine which tactics increased blue box capture rates most efficiently and effectively. They tracked their success through consumer research and waste audit studies

| Phase 1 Report:* Blue Box Recycling Public Opinion Survey | Phase 2 & 3 Reports: Baseline Waste Audits and Analysis and Evaluation | Summary | Evaluation |

*file is over 6 megabytes

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Benchmark & Tracking Research Pertaining to Field Testing Advertising to Promote Single & Multi-Family Recycling (PN 227)

Municipal Partners: City of London
Contractor: Informa Market Research
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $26,500

With Informa Market Research, the City of London conducted quantitative research to field test the recycling-focused television/print advertising campaign developed under E&E Project # 105. The study included pre-campaign research to establish a benchmark prior to the campaign launch. The impact of the television and print advertising campaign was measured in a telephone tracking survey of a scientifically representative random sample of the population.

| Report:* London Tracking Study - Pre & Post Campaign Results |

*file is 3 megabytes

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Recycling Works TV Advertising Campaign (PN 294)

Municipal Partners:
Contractor:
Status:
E&E Fund Support:

This project includes the development, production, delivery and assessment of the Recycling Works television advertising campaign. Two ads were produced and the campaign ran Ontario-wide in November, 2007.

The posted report Review and Analysis of Recycling Works TV Advertising Campaign Municipal Reports and Aggregate Data is a summary of findings from seven municipalities regarding the recycling  tonnage impact of the Recycling Works ad campaign. It includes a summary of the text report that they prepared as well as aggregated analysis of quantitative data supplied by all municipalities.

| Report |

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E&E Fund Communications and Outreach (PN 193 and PN 308)

Municipal Partner: MIPC
Timing: January 2006 to end of 2008
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Project Support: $127,200

A key element of the E&E Fund involves sharing project information among Ontario communities and conducting outreach to ensure that information generated through E&E Fund projects is made available to all Ontario municipalities.

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Blue Box Recycler Training Strategy and Implementation Plan (PN 311)

Municipal Partners: MIPC
Contractor: Alex Hogan and Associates
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $42,400

A key recommendation of the Blue Box Recycling Enhancement and Best Practices Assessment project called for development and implementation of a training strategy for municipal recycling staff and their contractors. In response, the E&E Fund released a Request for Proposals and awarded a contract for a four month project to conduct a detailed needs assessment and develop a comprehensive three year training strategy to support Ontario’s blue box recycling program operators. The project started with a needs assessment of municipal recyclers and contractors across the province, which provided a basis for developing the training strategy and implementation plan. The plan included program costs over a three year period, course content and format, possible partners and funding options, consideration of certification, delivery mechanisms and other details.

| Report | Summary | Evaluation |

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Procurement Training for Waste Management Professionals (PN 315)

Municipal Partners: York Region, City of Thunder Bay, Association of Municipal Recycling Co-ordinators
Contractor: AH Consulting
Timing: February 2008 to Dec 2008
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $63,900

Following up on development of the recycling training strategy (PN 311), this project will develop, deliver and assess a procurement and contact management training program for waste management professionals. Results of this project will contribute to the overall evaluation of the feasibility of establishing an ongoing certification training program for waste management professionals.

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Recycling Works Pilot Radio Campaign in Southwestern Ontario (PN 331)

Municipal Partners: City of London, Region of Waterloo, Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority, MIPC
Contractor:  Agency59 Ltd., Informa Market Research,
Pirate Group Inc.
Timing: November 2007 to July 2008
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $235,000

The project team included representatives from The City of London, Region of Waterloo and Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority, who worked with Stewardship Ontario and Pirate Radio (a company managed by Toronto’s Terry O’Reilly) to develop three one-minute radio ads. These ads promoted recycling and encouraged listeners in the 519 area code to find out more about their recycling program by going to www.blueboxmore.ca. The ads aired in April 2008. Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of their effectiveness is underway

| Report |

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Three Year Blue Box Recycler Training Program Development and Delivery (PN 341)

Municipal Partner: York Region and MIPC
Timing: May 2008 to April 2011
Status: In progress E&E Fund Project Support: $1,757,000
Related E&E Fund Project: PN 311: Blue Box Recycler Strategy & Implementation Plan

The report of the Blue Box Recycler Strategy and Implementation plan confirmed a need for training for Ontario municipal blue box recycling staff. In response to the recommendations of this study, the Blue Box Recycler Training Program aims to provide core training to 200 individuals, with a curriculum that covers all aspects of municipal blue box recycling.

A specialized training segment also will be made available to another 140 people. Specialized training components will focus on contract management, promotion and education, markets and marketing, and data management. Upon completion of this contract, the project team expects to have at least one staff member certified in 70% of municipal recycling programs operating in Ontario. This program will expand program skills and knowledge and contribute to further diversion increases and reduced program costs.

For program details, please see: Three Year Blue Box Recycler Training Program Project.

| Interim Report |

| Training Needs Study Fall 2010 | Needs Study Fall 2010 - Appendices |

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Cost Containment

Building 'Smart Contracts, Smart Marketing' - an AMRC Workshop (PN 19)

Partner Municipality: Quinte Waste Solutions
Contractor: AMRC
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $7,250

The goal of this project was to ensure that municipal staff across Ontario had access to this workshop. Attendees were presented with information on improving recycling contracts, reducing costs and increasing market revenues. The proceedings will be made available on CD and on the Web.

| Report: Smart Contracts; Smart Marketing An AMRC workshop held September 28, 2004 in Waterloo, Ontario | Summary | Evaluation |

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Pre-Feasibility Study of Cooperative Marketing Programs for Blue Box Materials in Ontario (PN 86)

Partner Municipality: Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre
Contractor: AMRC
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $9,800

Based on a belief that a cooperative approach to marketing recyclables can decrease directs costs of recyclables and increase material revenues (particularly for smaller municipalities), this project team reviewed correspondence and reports from AMRC’s 1997-2002 co-operative marketing initiative, highlighting key issues and areas that require new research. The team surveyed 8 to 10 past co-op marketing participants and market representatives and findings were summarized in a report to help determine if further feasibility work on co-operative marketing is warranted.

| Report: Pre-Feasibility Study of Co-operative Marketing Programs for Blue Box Materials in Ontario | Summary | Evaluation |

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Help Desk Services (PN 95)

Contractor: REIC Perth
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $45,000

This project built on work in progress in the area of 'model contracts,' i.e. identifying efficiencies in contracting for municipal residential waste management and recycling services. The project involved working with 10 municipalities to pilot proactive “help desk” services for developing tenders using the new Model Recycling Tender Tool (MRTT) and to provide assistance through the "help desk" to the first ten municipalities to call requesting assistance in using the tool. The MRTT was launched at the Ontario Recycler Workshop (ORW) on November 3, 2005 and the online version of the tool is available through the Recyclers' Knowledge Network, at: www.recyclersknowledgenetwork.ca.

The contractor (REIC Perth) also assembled a province-wide, comprehensive list of recycling contractors, along with a 'cover page' that municipalities may use to highlight key features of their tenders and encourage top quality bids. Contact information on waste management bidders was provided by the Ontario Waste Management Association.

To email the help desk: alfredecoperth [dot] on [dot] ca.

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Model Recycling Contracts & Tender Documents (PN 97)

Partner Municipality: City of Kingston
Contractor: REIC Perth
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $72,600

This project involved developing a model recyclables collection and processing tender with contract documents covering key issues that address the needs of the broad range of Ontario residential recycling programs. The model identified and provided common specifications and focus on various unique terms and conditions, with a focus on reducing net program costs. The framework was field-tested in a few municipal programs and then it was shared with other municipalities through various means, one of which included a half-day workshop.

| Report: see www.recyclersknowledgenetwork.ca | Summary | Evaluation |

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Identification of Reasonable "Cost Bands" (PN 120)

Proponent: Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO)
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $9,000

AMO completed work related to establishing "reasonable costs" on behalf of MIPC for the application of 2006 Steward's Fees. This project provided capacity to enable AMO to review and analyze the 2003 financial and tonnage databases to identify possible reasonable cost bands and best practices. Tasks included:

• reviewing analysis completed to date;

• refining municipal groupings identified in the Cost Containment Paper; and

• attempting to identify associations between program variables and their influence on the costs and tonnages

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Municipal Datacall Authentication (PN 153)

Partner Municipality: Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre
Contractors: 4R’s Waste Consulting Inc. and Jacques Whitford
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $24,000

Using information from the 2004 WDO municipal tonnage and financial datacall, this project entailed verifying data from up to 40 municipalities (the largest “outliers” identified in datacall), considering how the data were obtained, the use of estimates and accuracy testing. Weight samples, records and evidence were also obtained and corrections to datacall submissions were suggested.

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Blue Box Assistance Team (“A-Team”) Manager (PN 156)

Municipal Partners: Association of Municipalities of Ontario (reporting to Municipal Industry Programs Committee)
Contractor: Gary Everett
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $300,000

The A-Team manager is responsible for sharing identified best practices with municipalities and working towards reducing costs and increasing revenues across the Ontario residential blue box recycling system. Gary Everett will provide free expert advice and guidance on contracts and tenders; collection, processing and marketing issues; and initiatives that require multi-municipality co-operation or joint ventures. Municipalities are welcome to contact the A-Team Manager to discuss your needs by email (geverettwdo [dot] ca), mobile phone (519-500-5555) or at the office (519-462-2500).

| Report | Evaluation |

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Northern Ontario Blue Box Program Technical Advisor (PN 157)

Municipal Partner: City of Greater Sudbury
Contractor: Clayton Sampson
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $180,000 

MIPC has hired Clayton Sampson to provide services as the Northern Ontario Blue Box Program Technical Advisor until the end of 2008. This project results, in part from one of the key findings of the Blue Box Recycling Program Enhancement and Best Practices Assessment Project (PN 226), in which program operators in the north expressed keen interest in obtaining technical advice to address local issues that may impede efficient recycling. Working on the A-Team model (established in PN 156), this position entails working with all Northern program operators to assess program needs and providing resources that will facilitate enhanced recycling capabilities.  Clayton Sampson is available by email: CSampsonwdo [dot] ca or by telephone: 519.539.0869.

| Evaluation | Report |

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International Processing of Blue Box Waste (PN 158)

Municipal Partners: City of Toronto, York Region
Timing: June 2006 to June 2008
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $10,000 

With mounting concern about the fate of blue box waste sent to international facilities for processing, this project provides for completion of a due diligence audit of a number of blue box waste processing facilities in China.  The project team traveled to China to investigate and report on the available infrastructure (private/public) for the receipt and sorting of blue box residue materials, available end markets, government regulations on importing of blue box residual materials and the management of residuals from the processing of blue box materials/residuals. 

| Report |

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Pre Qualified Technical Consulting Assistance Program Pilot Project (PN 187)

Proponent: Municipal-Industry Projects Committee
Status: Ongoing from August 2005
E&E Fund Support: $125,000

MIPC is overseeing this pilot project through which it is hoped to develop greater local capacity to make continuous recycling program improvements to contain overall system costs. The intent is to provide funding for technical assistance to address a range of issues as identified by various municipalities. The scope of work and budget for each assignment is determined on a case by case basis, by E&E Fund staff (Stewardship Ontario) in consultation with each host municipality. An example of assistance provided through this project is the Municipal Fuel Escalation Clause Options, desribed below.

Municipal Fuel Escalation Clause Options: In August 2006, Todd Pepper of 4Rs Consulting was retained to provide consulting services to report on Municipal Fuel Escalation Clause Options. The consultant was tasked with surveying municipalities on their fuel clauses and researching best practices for handling fuel price surges contractually. Please note that the findings from this Report (Fuel Prices and Municipal Fuel Escalation Clauses) have been incorporated in the Knowledge Network's Model Recycling Tender Tool.

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A-Team Technical Support (PN 188)

Proponent: Municipal-Industry Projects Committee
Status: Project did not go forward due to lack of interest from municipalities
E&E Fund Support: $24,000

Independent “A-Team” consultants will provide direct technical assistance to municipalities in the GTA, as well as in western and northern parts of the province. The consultants will follow up on cost saving/increased diversion opportunities that are being identified through the financial datacall support and datacall verification processes. This may involve on-site collection, processing, communications and/or material marketing technical support and/or support in preparing detailed E&E funding applications.

In addition to providing technical assistance, the consultants track the impact of the interventions on costs and blue box tonnages.

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Municipal Consultation Sessions on Blue Box Best Practices (PN 200)

Municipal Partners: York with Oxford, Peel, Waterloo and AMRCContractors: Eco-Perth; Betty Muise
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $128,866

This project team designed and delivered a series of four workshop consultation sessions for municipal recycling stakeholders to work towards establishing principles and guidelines to define, determine and identify Blue Box Best Practices. The series included four full day workshops, with one each held in Ottawa, Sudbury, Toronto and London. Presentations were also available via webcast and archives; these are available at the Recyclers' Knowledge Network. Project details and results are available at http://www.amrc.ca/bp.html.

| Report: Municipal Consultation Sessions on Blue Box Best Practices |
| Summary | Evaluation |

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Getting it Right (PN 213)

Municipal Partners: AMO and York Region
Contractors: Nigel Bellchamber & Associates
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $41,000

This project was designed to identify and eradicate the predominant errors in annual datacall submissions that Ontario municipalities make to WDO. The intent was to reduce the number of errors, obtain improved tonnage and financial information about municipal residential blue box programs, and reduce the time it takes municipalities to complete the datacall and WDO to verify the submissions. To achieve these goals, the project team hired a specialist in local government issues (Nigel Bellchamber) to work with six municipalities to find out about their submission process and to develop recommendations that will be communicated to municipal personnel in time to integrate suggestions in their 2007 datacall submission process.

| Report | Evaluation |

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Joint Solid Waste/Blue Box Collection for Six Northern Municipalities in York Region (PN 214)

Municipal Partners: Town of Aurora with East Gwillimbury, Georgina, King, Newmarket and Whitchurch-Stouffville
Contractors: Lura Consulting
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $15,050

Six municipalities in York Region joined together to issue a collection tender for regionalized three stream collection in an effort to reduce overall program costs. Lura Consulting was hired by the working group to manage this process on behalf of the group. The tender included weekly recycling, weekly source separated organics and bi-weekly garbage collection. The project team worked in co-operation with the E&E Fund Contracts Help Desk at www.recyclersknowledgenetwork.ca and with the A-Team. In addition to identifying a recommended collection contractor, this project resulted in a report that addresses details highlights and challenges of the co-ordinated effort, an evaluation of opportunities for centralized administration of the contract and any issues related to cross-boundary routing and cost sharing of the collection contract among participants.

| Report: Joint Solid Waste/Blue Box Collection for Six Northern Municipalities in York Region | Summary | Evaluation |

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Blue Box Recycling Enhancement and Best Practices Assessment Project (PN 226)

Stakeholders: various
Contractors: KPMG, R.W. Beck
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: up to $2.5 million

KPMG and R.W. Beck were retained to lead a project team to complete the “Blue Box Recycling Program Enhancement & Best Practices Assessment Project” over an eight month period. The intent of the study is to identify “Best Practice” (BP) activities and BP costs for the purpose of setting stewards’ fees.

To view other reference documents:

• Project charter and details
• Milestones and deliverables

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Development of an RFP Peer Review Process and Guide (PN 265)

Municipal Partners: City of London
Contractor: Guilford and Associates Inc.
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $30,000

Using the City of London’s regional MRF development process as a test case, this project will model how municipalities might structure their RFP processes to attract the most cost-efficient and innovative proposals from the private sector. The peer review will assess the City of London’s procurement process as demonstrated in its MRF development activities and the RFP process for collection of Blue Box materials. The project will also result in development of a Peer Review Guide for municipal procurement activities (such as developing and evaluating RFPs).

| Report | Summary | Evaluation |

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Peer Review Program Year One (PN 94)

Proponent: MIPC
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $25,000

Year 1 peer support was provided to municipal programs to identify opportunities to reduce costs/increase tonnes. It was also a way to help municipalities who lacked the time, resources or background to develop an E&E application that would have the best possible impact/benefit.

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Funding Options/Funding Strategy for E&E in Northern Ontario (PN 130)

Contractor: Totten Sims Hubicki Associates
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $65,000

Increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of recycling in northern Ontario is an important factor in achieving the Minister of Environment’s 60% waste diversion target. With that in mind, WDO’s Municipal-Industry Projects Committee (MIPC) released a proposal to:

• report on “Best Practices in Residential Recycling in Northern Ontario” (i.e. to feed into MIPC’s cost band research)

• report on the potential roles for interested stakeholders/ funding partners re blue box recycling in the north.

This contract was awarded to a joint study team that includes Totten Sims Hubicki (based in Whitby, with a Sault Ste. Marie office) and 4Rs Consulting. It resulted in a series of recommendations on how to best invest E&E Funds in support of the goal of achieving the Minister’s 60% diversion of Blue Box Waste in the most cost effective manner.

| Report:* Northern Ontario Waste Diversion Study* | Summary | Evaluation |

*file is 2 megabytes

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Municipal MIPC Policy Advisor (PN 155)

Partner Municipality: York Region
Proponent: MIPC, AMO
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $270,000

In collaboration with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), the Region of York received support for staffing to provide full time technical and policy support to AMO’s members of WDO’s Municipal Industry Projects Committee (MIPC). This enabled AMO’s members of the committee to thoroughly prepare, review and analyze policy and negotiating positions for these meetings and to engage in productive interest-based discussions, and negotiations.

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Peer Review Support (PN 178)

Municipal Partners: MIPC
Timing: Ongoing           
Status: Completed
E&E Fund Support: $36,094

Since the launch of the E&E Fund, detailed applications for program support have been evaluated by an expert team of Peer Reviewers. This process ensures applications to the fund are evaluated fairly and objectively by people who are most familiar with key issues and opportunities to strengthen Ontario’s recycling system. Peer reviewers receive, if requested, a small payment for their services and to cover any application-related expense that they may incur.  Per application payments are generally in the range of $300.

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Municipal Services Co-ordinator (PN 330)

Municipal Partner: York Region and MIPC
Timing: June 2008 to June 2011
Status: In progress
E&E Fund Project Support: $450,000
Related E&E Fund Project: PN 155

MIPC has been approved to receive funding to hire a senior resource person who will provide service and advice to AMO and municipal representatives on MIPC. This individual will provide support to municipal representatives on MIPC that will help them prepare to address key issues and make informative decisions concerning the Blue Box Program Plan.