September 21, 1999
To:Works Committee
From:Barry H. Gutteridge
Commissioner, Works and Emergency Services
Subject:Relocation of Litter Bins
Purpose:
To respond to the request from Council to submit a report to Works Committee on the reallocation of existing litter bins
which will become available as a result of the placement of new bins with advertising.
Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
There are no financial implications arising from this report.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that this report be received for information.
Council Reference/Background/History:
At its meeting of June 9, 10 and 11, 1999, Council dealt with various resolutions of the Community Councils related to the
replacement of existing litter bins with new bins with advertising and approved the following recommendations embodied
in a report from the Commissioner of the Works and Emergency Services:
"the Request for Proposals for the replacement of existing litter bins with new bins with advertising that is to be issued, in
accordance with the terms of reference adopted as amended by Council, include all existing street allowance litter bin
locations within the City except the Community Council areas of Scarborough and Etobicoke, Ward 19 - High Park, Ward
23 - Midtown and the Bloor-Yorkville Business Improvement Area; and
Council approve all the recommendations of the Community Councils, with the exception of Recommendations Nos. (3)
and (4) of Toronto Community Council which would result in increased costs to service the additional bin locations."
(Recommendations (3) and (4) of Toronto Community Council proposed that some of the old litter bins that are being
replaced by the new bins with advertising be relocated to the High Park ward and that some of the new bins that would
have been utilized in the High Park and Midtown wards be relocated to the Davenport and Downtown wards)
Council further recommended that:
"the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services be requested to submit a report to the Works Committee outlining
a plan for the reallocation of the existing litter bins which will become available, including the financial implications."
Comments and Discussion:
Commencing in October 1999, the existing litter bins in the Community Council Areas of North York, York, East York
and the majority of Toronto will begin to be replaced with the new OMG Media bins with advertising, as approved by
Council on July 27, 28 and 29, 1999. Installation of the new bins will be carried out by OMG Media at their cost and will
be phased in over an eighteen month period (i.e. - all bins will be installed by March 2001). While some of the existing
bins may remain in locations that do not have enough space for the larger OMG bins, it is expected that over 95 percent of
the existing bins (approximately 3,000) will be replaced and become surplus.
The surplus bins could be reallocated throughout the City; however, this would result in a significant increase in costs. The
purpose of the new litter bins with advertising program is to replace existing City-owned litter bins as opposed to adding
new locations. Reallocating existing litter bins to new locations would result in additional bin locations that would require
regular emptying and maintenance by City staff. It is estimated that it would cost the Department approximately $450 per
year to empty and maintain each additional litter bin which equates to an additional $1,350,000 annually for 3000
additional bins. In addition, many of the existing bins are in poor condition and would need to be refurbished which would
further increase costs.
Due to the increased costs that would be incurred, we do not recommend relocating any of the surplus bins to new
locations. However, as the OMG replacement program proceeds, any litter bins that are still in good condition will be set
aside and then used to replace bins that are in poor condition located in the Community Council area of Scarborough and
the Midtown and High Park wards (which are the areas not participating in the new litter bins with advertising program).
This can be done at nominal cost as it is expected that there will be enough replacement bins in good condition that will not
require refurbishing and there will be no additional locations requiring collection. This will ensure that all litter bins across
the City are in good condition.
We will also put a small quantity of the surplus bins into a reserve to be used to replace damaged bins in the future. The
remainder of the surplus bins will be offered to other Departments who may have a use for them, such as Economic
Development, Culture and Tourism (Parks and Recreation) and Corporate Services (Facilities and Real Estate), then lastly
sold through the Corporation's surplus goods process.
We will advise the Councillors in Scarborough and the Midtown and High Park wards of this replacement program and
will accommodate any requests they have to replace existing litter bins that are in poor condition with the better quality
surplus bins.
Conclusions:
We are planning to replace existing litter bins in the Community Council Area of Scarborough and in the Midtown and
High Park wards that are in poor condition with better quality bins that will become available as the new OMG Media bins
are placed in the other areas of Toronto. However, we do not recommend relocating surplus litter bins that will become
available once the OMG Media bins are in place to new locations, due to the increased costs that would be incurred to
empty and maintain these additional bins.
Contact Name:
Tim Michael
Manager, Waste Diversion
Solid Waste Management Services
Works and Emergency Services
Metro Hall, 19th Floor
Phone: 392-8506
Fax: 392-4754
E-mail: tim_michael@metrodesk.metrotor.on.ca
Angelos BacopoulosBarry H. Gutteridge
General ManagerCommissioner
Solid Waste Management ServicesWorks and Emergency Services
