June 3, 1998

 To:Works and Utilities Committee

 From:M.A. Price

Interim Functional Lead for Solid Waste Management

 Subject:Household Hazardous Waste Cost-Sharing Model

Purpose:

 To provide the Works and Utilities Committee with information about the formation of a Steering Committee to look at a cost-sharing model for expenses involved with management of household hazardous waste received at municipal depots.

 Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

 Through the implementation of the proposed cost-sharing model, municipalities may be able to recuperate a major portion of their expenditures for the off-site treatment of household hazardous waste received at their collection sites. The City of Toronto=s Household Hazardous Waste program currently costs $1.5 million per year to operate, of which close to $1 million is for the off-site treatment of materials received.

 Recommendation:

 That this report be received for information.

 Council Reference/Background/History:

 Household hazardous waste (HHW) is estimated to comprise from one to three percent of the residential waste stream. From an environmental perspective, it is more appropriate to manage HHW in special recycling and treatment facilities than municipal landfills. Although a number of Ontario municipalities offer HHW diversion programs to their residents, it is recognized that the high costs of these programs are increasingly difficult to justify in the face of current fiscal constraints.

In order to address the issue of the costs presently borne entirely by Ontario municipalities for managing HHW, representatives from industry, retail and all levels of government have been meeting since June 1997 to explore options for equitable cost-sharing for these programs. This group, facilitated by Environment Canada, has formed a Steering Committee, the objectives of which are to:

- reduce household hazardous waste,

- manage the balance of HHW in an environmentally safe and economical manner, and

- form an equitable partnership between brand owners and municipalities.

Industry associations presently represented on the Steering Committee are:

Automotive Industries Association of Canada

Canadian Battery Manufacturers Association

Canadian Drug Manufacturers Association

Canadian Manufacturers of Chemical Specialities Association

Canadian Paint and Coatings Association

Canadian Petroleum Products Institute

Nonprescriptive Drug Manufacturers Association

Ontario Pest Control

Retail Council of Canada

 Industry associations invited to be on the Steering Committee are:

Adhesives and Sealant Manufacturers Association of Canada

Canadian Household Battery Association

Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association

Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Canada

 Municipal HHW program representatives on the Steering Committee are:

Association of Municipal Recycling Coordinators

Centre and South Hastings Waste Services Board

City of Guelph

City of Orillia

City of Toronto

County of Simcoe

Regional Municipality of Halton

Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth

Regional Municipality of Peel

Regional Municipality of Sudbury

 A cost-sharing model that will build upon the existing municipal HHW collection infrastructure is being considered. Under the model, municipalities would fund the collection of HHW at their depots and/or events (e.g. costs for site/program administration, labour, etc.), as presently done. All HHW materials collected will be recorded in a standardized method. The cost for off-site treatment (e.g. disposal, recycling, re-refining, etc.) of HHW, presently borne by municipalities, would be recovered though an application for reimbursement from a brand owner funded organization. This organization would be financed by the brand owners whose product residuals are handled by municipal HHW programs. An effective and ongoing public and industry awareness and outreach program will be developed as a part of this program and shared by all participating parties (associations/groups) of the partnership. Subcommittees, all of which are comprised of public and private sector representatives, have been established to formulate the details of the program.

 The members of the Steering Committee have agreed on the principle of an equitable cost-sharing model and are now seeking input from their broader stakeholder groups (professional and industrial associations, brand owners and municipalities).

 Conclusions:

 An industry-government Steering Committee has been formed to develop a cost-sharing model for municipal HHW programs. Through the implementation of the proposed model, the City of Toronto may be able to recuperate a major portion of its expenditures for the off-site treatment of HHW received at its facilities, thus reducing the total costs of its HHW program. We will keep the Works and Utilities Committee informed of the progress of the Steering Committee.

  Contact Name:

 Jennifer Allen

Waste Diversion Research

Solid Waste Management Division

Metro Hall

Phone:397-0208

Fax:392-4754

E-Mail:jennifer_allen@metrodesk.metrotor.on.ca

Michael A. Price

Interim Functional Lead for Solid Waste Management

Barry H. Gutteridge

Executive Commissioner

Works and Emergency Services Department