September 1, 1999
To:Works Committee
From:Barry H. Gutteridge
Commissioner, Works and Emergency Services
Subject:Toronto Integrated Solid Waste Resource Management Process
Development of Secondary Planning Process for Category 3, New and Emerging Technologies
Purpose:
The purpose of this report is to recommend the development of a secondary planning process for the Toronto Integrated
Solid Waste Resource Management ("TIRM") Process Category 3, New and Emerging Technologies.
Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
There are no direct financial considerations arising from this report.
Recommendation:
It is recommended that:
City Council authorize the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services not to proceed with the design and issuance
of an RFP for New and Emerging Technologies, under Category 3 of the Toronto Integrated Solid Waste Resource
Management Process; and
subject to the approval of Recommendation No. (1), it is recommended that:
the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services be authorized to develop a secondary planning process for the
potential engagement of the type of proposals submitted under Category 3, New and Emerging Technologies, of the
Toronto Integrated Solid Waste Resource Management Process.
Council Reference/Background/History:
On October 2, 1998, City Council provided direction to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to engage the
marketplace to secure solid waste management options including waste diversion and disposal capacity to meet the City's
long-term requirements through a Request for Expressions of Interest ("REOI") and a Request for Proposals process.
(Clause No. 2 of Report No. 8 of the Works and Utilities Committee).
On April 26, 1999, the TIRM REOI was issued as per the Council approved schedule. The TIRM REOI closed on May 31,
1999. The TIRM REOI called for expressions of interest in three categories:
Proven Diversion
Proven waste diversion technologies are those with an ability to manage mixed waste or mixed waste and source-separated
waste, utilizing mechanical and/or biological processes.
Proven Disposal
Proven waste disposal technologies must have an ability to manage mixed waste, utilizing landfill and/or energy recovery
processes.
New and Emerging Technologies.
Technologies that have been proven at the pilot scale, but have not yet been applied for larger waste volumes are referred
to as new, emerging, innovative, and demonstration technologies. These technologies generally are technologies or
applications with:
unproven large scale performance
no demonstration of long term performance, or
proposals for unconventional or unproven situations.
This category was "capped" at a service level of 100,000 tonnes per year through the TIRM REOI.
A subsequent report dated July 5, 1999 from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services, provided members of
the Works Committee and Toronto City Council with the results of the TIRM REOI. In total, thirty-two (32) submissions
were received in response to the TIRM REOI, of which twelve were received in Category 3. Eight submissions under
Category 3 qualified following the application of the evaluation criteria in the REOI.
The following table provides the names of the Category 3 qualified respondents and a short description of their proposed
technologies.
| Category 3, New and Emerging Technologies
Qualified Respondents |
|
| 1. Bright Star Synfuels Industries |
Propose construction of a solid waste energy recovery
facility within the GTA. |
| 2. Eastern Power/Subbor |
Propose diversion of mixed waste using a three-stage
process: shredding prior to conventional materials
recovery; anaerobic digestion; and production of
electric power and digester energy from biogas. |
| 3. HUWS |
Propose construction of a facility to process mixed
waste to produce refuse-derived fuel. |
| 4. Lundell Canada |
Propose using existing Commissioners Street transfer
station and existing stack in a process that produces
refuse derived fuel from mixed solid waste. The fuel is
then fed into a gasification process to convert solid
fuel into combustible gas. |
| 5. Plasma Environmental Technologies |
Propose to construct and operate a Plasma-Assisted
Advanced Cogeneration System facility to convert
waste into electric power. |
| 6. TCR Environmental |
Propose to construct two separate processing facilities,
using TCR Total Recycling System for waste placed at
curbside that is separated by generator into wet and dry
streams. |
| 7. Thermo Tech Ventures |
Propose processing municipal solid waste in waste
recycling facility (to be constructed) and existing
Thermo Master Mark II BioConversion plant in
Hamilton, Ontario. |
| 8. Unisphere Waste Conversion |
Propose utilizing Unisphere Waste Processing System,
which uses thermochemical decomposition (in a rotary
retort with oxygen-starved environment -- pyrolysis) to
manage and process solid waste. |
Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:
The majority of qualified Respondents in Category 3, New and Emerging Technologies use some form of thermal
treatment process for the management of solid waste. Through their REOI submissions, some of the proponents of thermal
treatment processes indicated that the management of quantities of waste beyond the Category limit of 100,000 tonnes per
annum would be better suited to the economics of their particular technology. We are also aware that the ability to partner
with the City, not presently contemplated under the conditions of Category 3, may assist the Category 3 Respondents, in
taking a "new and emerging" technology to a commercial scale suitable for Toronto's needs.
In addition, the thermal technologies could be engaged to manage some of the residual waste following recycling and
composting. However, at this time we are unsure of the residual waste tonnages, as contracts have not been signed with
diversion and disposal service suppliers.
For the reasons cited above, we are recommending that Council not proceed with the Category 3, New and Emerging
Technologies, within the stated conditions of the TIRM process. Instead we are seeking authorization to develop a
secondary planning process for the potential engagement of the type of proposals actually submitted under TIRM Category
3.
Part of the development process for a secondary planning process would be dialogue with the Category 3 qualified
respondents to acquire information from them regarding the optimum way to proceed.
Conclusions:
We are recommending through this report City Council's direction to withdraw Category 3, New and Emerging
Technologies, from the TIRM Process. We are also seeking Council's authorization to develop a secondary planning
process for the engagement of the type of proposals submitted in Category 3 on a different planning track and time
schedule than that contemplated through the TIRM Process.
A subsequent report will provide further details regarding the components of the proposed secondary planning process for
new and emerging technologies.
Contact Name:
Lawson Oates, B.A., M.E.S.
Manager, Strategic Planning
Policy and Planning
Solid Waste Management Services
Works and Emergency Services
Metro Hall, 19th Floor
Phone: 392-9744
Fax: 392-4754
E-mail: lawson_oates@toronto.ca
Angelos BacopoulosBarry H. Gutteridge
General ManagerCommissioner
Solid Waste Management ServicesWorks and Emergency Services
LJO/ljo:cat3.doc
