Report to/Rapport au :

 

Planning and Environment Committee

Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement

 

and / et

 

Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee

Comité des services organisationels et du développement économique

 

and Council / et au Conseil

 

10 November 2005 / le 10 novembre 2005

 

Submitted by/Soumis par : R.G. Hewitt,

Acting Deputy City Manager / Directeur municipal adjoint intérimaire

Public Works and Services/Services et Travaux publics 

 

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Kenneth J. Brothers, Director/Directeur

Utility Services Branch/Services publics

(613) 580-2424 x22609, Ken.Brothers@ottawa.ca

 

City Wide

Ref N°: ACS2005-PWS-UTL-0028

 

 

SUBJECT:

solid waste curbside collection  - service level (tender RFT02105-91207-to2)

 

 

OBJET :

Niveau de service de collecte résidentielle des déchets solides en bordure de rue (Soumission RFT02105-91027-T02)

 

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

 

That Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee and Council, approval of the residential curbside collection contract that includes the current level of services until such time as the implementation of weekly organics curbside collection with bi-weekly garbage collection, anticipated in 2008, and alternating weekly recycling collection for the duration of the six year contract term to achieve maximum diversion.

 

 

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

 

Que le Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique et au Conseil d’approuver le contrat de collecte résidentielle des déchets, qui assure le maintien du niveau de service actuel jusqu’à la mise en place de la collecte hebdomadaire des déchets organiques assortie de la collecte aux deux semaines des ordures, prévue pour 2008, ainsi que la collecte hebdomadaire en alternance des  matières recyclables pour une période de six ans (soit toute la durée du contrat), de façon à obtenir une réorientation maximale des déchets.

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Council approved the Integrated Waste Management Master Plan – Strategic Service Delivery – Update ACS2005-PWS-UTL-0008 on July 13, 2005 and the following recommendations are pertinent to the collection contract and organics processing, as approved:

 

1.                   Endorsement of a target of 60% diversion for Ottawa residents to be achieved by year-end 2008;

 

2.                  Implementation of an Organics Collection Program, as an option within the next solid waste collection contracts with organics collection envisioned to commence in 2008, and that staff report back with the details of the program in the fall of 2005; and

 

3.                  Staff solicit “Expressions of Interest” from the private sector for organics processing technology to assess the level of interest, and report back with recommendations to Committee.

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

The current solid waste collection contracts (Residential Curbside Solid Waste CE-8012) will expire on May 31, 2006, necessitating a new service contract.  The tender was released on September 14, 2005 and closed on October 24, 2005.  The award of this contract in November 2005 is critical to ensuring the contractors have sufficient time to purchase and receive collection vehicles in time for the start up of the contracts in June 2006.  

 

This six-year tender contract envisions the current residential service level for year one and two of the contract, and implementation of the organics collection program, anticipated to commence in 2008.  The tender included two service level options:  current level of garbage collection service with either weekly or biweekly garbage collection to begin upon commencement of organics collection in 2008 and the continuation of alternating weekly recycling collection. 

 

The purpose of this report is to provide staff recommendation on the appropriate level of service to meet the 60% waste diversion target approved by Council and to provide information on progress of implementation of the organics collection program.

 

 

DISCUSSION

 

Level of Service

 

The collection tender contract was designed to provide an option for the implementation of organics curbside collection services during the term of the six-year contract.  The tender provided for two options of residential curbside garbage collection - a weekly or bi-weekly service level - upon the implementation of an organics program anticipated in 2008 under both options, with alternating weekly recycling collection of Blue and Black Box services.  The move to source-separated organics program is triggered by an eight month notice to the collection contractors.

 

The tender option of bi-weekly garbage collection (once every two weeks) with organics implementation is projected to achieve a 60% waste diversion target.  This scenario includes a pricing option to remain at the current service level should organics implementation be delayed. This option results in a six-year estimated contract cost of $186,386,571.

 

The tender option for weekly garbage collection frequency with organics implementation is included in the contract bid pricing.  This option has all the same service elements, with the exception that there will be weekly garbage collection at an additional $7.57 million cost over the estimated six-year contract cost of $193,960,969.

 

Staff recommend the bi-weekly garbage collection option to meet the 60% waste diversion target approved by Council, and to minimize the financial impact.  Bi-weekly collection of residual garbage will assist in obtaining a higher capture rate of organics and a means of reaching our waste diversion target of 60%.  Table 1 illustrates that Ontario municipalities who have implemented organics collection programs with bi-weekly garbage collection have been able to achieve waste diversion of 60% or better.  Those municipalities who are currently at weekly garbage frequency with their organics program are achieving 40 – 55% waste diversion.    

 

Table 1 – Ontario Municipal Organics programs

 

 

Participation Rate

Diversion Rate

Garbage Collection Frequency

Garbage Bag Limit per Week

Disposable Diapers Included?

Markham

91%

70%

Bi-Weekly

1.5

Yes

Toronto

90%

61%

Bi-Weekly

4

Yes

Southgate Twp.

 

60%

Bi-Weekly

240 Litre

No

Adjala-Tosorontio Twp.

62%

55%

Weekly

1

No

Hamilton

62%

50%

Weekly

3

No

Ottawa (Pilot)

52%

48%

Weekly

4

No

Peel Region

93%

45.2%

Weekly

3

No

Durham Region

 

40%

Weekly

3

No

 

Bi-weekly collection of garbage and the more frequent weekly collection of the organic material will encourage residents to place organics in the “right” container for processing, rather than in the garbage. 

 

Solid Waste Services is currently running a “Spare a Week & Win” bi-weekly garbage collection pilot in some parts of the Compost Plus Organics Pilot area.  This bi-weekly garbage collection trial was offered on a voluntary basis.  Preliminary findings of the “Spare a Week & Win” pilot have yielded some revealing information, including diversion rates among those voluntary participants as high as 75% to 85%, with capture rates in the 90% range for recyclables and organics.

 

A weekly garbage collection option is anticipated to yield lower organics capture and overall diversion rates within the 45 to 55% range.  For example, Ottawa’s Compost Plus pilot with weekly garbage collection and volunteer participation has achieved a 48.5% diversion rate.  As such, it is staff’s assessment that the City cannot meet the 60% waste diversion target approved by Council with the continuation of weekly garbage collection upon the commencement of organics collection.   

 

Contract Awards

 

The tender package provides for all of these service options together with the associated costs.    These will be detailed under cover of a separate report ACS2005-PWS-UTL-0026 and will go before the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee on November 29th, and Council on November 30th, 2005.

 

The current contract tender provides the opportunity for Committee and Council to implement biweekly residential curbside garbage pickup with the implementation of the organics program thus maximizing waste diversion, and ensuring achievement of its 60% waste diversion target.  The weekly residential curbside option has also been tendered and would result in lower diversion rates at a higher cost.

 

Progress update on Organics processing

 

In order to provide for implementation of an Organics Collection Program in 2008, staff has initiated the sourcing of organics processing capacity.  A consulting firm has been selected to guide staff through the process of an Expression of Interest and a Request for Proposal for Organics Processing capacity.  The results of that process are expected to be completed in 2006 at which time a report will be submitted to Committee and Council outlining organics processing options, anticipated cost and timelines for implementation of source-separated organics collection.

 

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The recommended bi-weekly option will ensure the greatest amount of waste diversion to meet the 60% waste diversion target approved by Council in the Integrated Waste Management Master Plan.

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The tabled 2006 Draft Operating Budget provides sufficient funding for the award of this contract.  Resulting from the successful bid prices, implementation of bi-weekly garbage collection will result in a cost savings of $530,000 for the part year 2006, and a total of $7.57 million over the course of the six-year contract.

 

DISPOSITION

 

Staff will forward the recommendations of the Planning and Development Committee to the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee and Council for their consideration.