March 9, 2000

To: East York Community Council

York Community Council

From: Angelos Bacopoulos, General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services

Subject: Proposed Residential Solid Waste Collection By-law

Purpose:

To provide each Community Council an opportunity to review and comment on the proposed residential solid waste collection by-law.

Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

There are no financial implications as a result of this report.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1) this report be received for information; and

(2) any comments regarding the proposed by-law be forwarded no later than April 12, 2000 to the contact noted at the end of this report.

Background:

Since amalgamation, solid waste collection in the City of Toronto has been regulated by six (6) separate by-laws. Due to fundamental differences in collection policies and enforcement procedures, the need for a harmonized solid waste collection by-law is essential.

The former solid waste collection by-laws deal with all services, however, due to the time required to properly research institutional and commercial eligibility issues and multiple household residential user fees, the draft by-law deals only with the curbside residential collection requirements. Solid Waste staff, in consultation with the Legal Department, have prepared a residential solid waste collection by-law that harmonizes collection policies and standardizes enforcement procedures across the City, while providing a fair and efficient collection system for our customers.

In conjunction with Community Council review, the proposed by-law is currently being presented to the public for comment. Upon completion of this consultation process, and approval by Council, all applicable portions of the six current by-laws will be repealed and replaced with the harmonized City of Toronto residential solid waste collection by-law. All existing by-laws will remain in effect for the purposes of enforcing multiple household bin rental fees and commercial and institutional collection requirements. Following completion of the institutional and commercial issues, the approved residential by-law will be amended to encompass all services.

Comments:

The attached proposed by-law ensures that residents receive the same level of service across the City, provides a fair and efficient enforcement system and ensures that garbage and litter placed on public property is minimized.

The following summarizes key issues addressed in the proposed by-law that may affect the current service levels in each Community Council Area. In addition, Table 1 outlines the significant changes that will be realized in each Community Council Area due to the integration of services and restrictions recommended in the proposed by-law.

(a) Development and Redevelopment Requirements (Section 2.4)

This section deals with the requirements of all new developments and redevelopments to adhere to the solid waste requirements during the site plan approval process. This will ensure that all new and redevelopments plan for appropriate storage and collection locations. Adherence to this requirement will ensure that problems related to inadequate planning (including access issues) are addressed prior to construction and will ultimately allow for a smooth transition to city collection services. The draft document "Requirements for City of Toronto Garbage and Recycling Collection at Developments and Redevelopments" is presented for comment in a separate report on this agenda.

(b) Mandatory Recycling (Section 2.5)

This section deals with the ability of the City to withdraw waste management services to any single family or multiple household residence which does not participate fully in the City's recycling program. The purpose of this clause is two fold: (a) to encourage non-participating locations to participate in the City's recycling program; and, (b) to encourage locations which consistently put out contaminated materials for collection, to remove all contaminants prior to collection. The anticipated results will include an increase in multiple household recycling rates and an increase in revenues due to the additional materials generated combined with the absence of contaminants.

This clause is currently enforced under existing by-laws in Scarborough and Etobicoke. Generally, locations that are informed of this provision have chosen to participate in the City's recycling program. In addition, in February 1999, Council approved a staff recommendation that a mandatory recycling clause be included in any new waste management by-law.

(c) Frequency of Garbage Collection Services (Section 3)

This section summarizes the type and frequency of service provided to each class of property and includes a provision for summer twice per week collection.

Due to the importance of harmonizing service levels and encouraging waste reduction and recycling, the draft by-law stipulates that all locations receiving residential curbside garbage collection (including door to door and single point collection) will be eligible for once per week garbage collection unless there is a verifiable health risk associated with this frequency (i.e.: limited storage space). This requirement will affect some multiple household locations, including townhouse locations and low and medium rise buildings. Multiple household locations currently receiving twice per week curbside collection have been enjoying an additional level of service not currently provided to other locations receiving curbside collection.

In addition, the provision of once per week collection at multiple household locations will reduce the number of potential days that garbage is placed at the curb. Currently, locations that receive twice per week collection potentially have garbage at the curb four days per week. Once per week collection will reduce that to a maximum of two days per week.

Prior to amalgamation, the Scarborough Community Council Area changed curbside garbage collection frequency at all multiple household locations from twice per week to once per week with no adverse affects on our customers. In addition, as a result of this change, many of the affected locations opted to participate in the City's recycling program. Locations that proved to have storage problems that could not be rectified still receive twice per week collection. Prior to enforcement of this clause, staff plan to recommend a policy that addresses issues associated with collection frequency such as storage space.

Approximately 653 multiple household locations in the City, with the majority located in the Toronto Community Council Area, receive twice per week curbside collection of garbage. It is estimated that, if all locations could easily be converted to once per week garbage collection, and once every other week recycling collection, an annual savings of almost $250,000.00 may be realized.

Recycling collection frequency for multiple household locations will vary depending on the specific requirements of the building and whether the location receives curbside blue/grey box collection, cart collection or bulk lift collection. The minimum collection frequency for multiple household recycling is once every two weeks.

(d) Collection Limits (Section 8)

Section 8.1 limits the amount of items to be set out for residential curbside collection to a maximum of six (6) per collection. Based on surveys done in various areas throughout the City, the average household puts out 2.86 items for collection on each collection day. Approximately 4% of the dwellings surveyed put out greater than 6 items on any collection day. Of these set outs, the average was approximately 9 items with a maximum at one dwelling of 18. In many instances, these locations did not participate in the City's recycling program during the study period. Setting an item limit will encourage non-participating residents to recycle, encourage residents to reduce the amount of waste they generate, increase current recycling rates and encourage the use of backyard composters.

(f) Weight Limits (Section 13.2)

It is recognized that all former municipalities, with the exception of the former City of Toronto, had a weight limit of 23 kg. However, an ergonomic study completed by the former City of Toronto showed that it was problematic for collection staff to collect garbage containers that are heavier than 20 kg. Studies have shown that the average household puts out containers that are less that 20 kg and, based on those results, a change in the weight limit would not significantly affect the current services residents receive, nor the amount of containers set out.

(g) Times for Setting Out Garbage and Recyclables (Section 14)

In an attempt to harmonize set out times, both the desire to maintain clean, aesthetically pleasing streets and the current set out times were evaluated. While Scarborough, East York, Etobicoke and York stipulated earlier times, the proposed by-law recommends a "no earlier than 8 p.m. on the day before collection" set out time. This will effectively prohibit the setting out of garbage at the curb during the evening rush hour and avoid creating an unappealing streetscape, particularly during the summer months. It is assumed that the change in set out times will not create a significant hardship on residents and will ultimately provide for a cleaner community.

(h) Preparation of Recyclable Materials for Collection (Section 15)

Recyclable material set out requirements have not changed in each Community Council Area, with the exception of grey box set outs. Based on studies undertaken for the purposes of this proposed by-law, it was determined that the average weight per grey box set out filled with paper was approximately 25 pounds. However, 8% of the set outs were over 40 lbs., with an average weight of approximately 51 lbs. Heavier boxes, due to overloading or storage in wet weather conditions, have created a concern about back injuries related to the deeper bend required to lift recycling boxes in comparison to garbage cans. Based on an ergonomics study undertaken in the former City of Toronto when the grey box was first introduced, and recent correspondence from the City's ergonomist, it is recommended that residents be required to bag newspapers and magazines before placing them beside the grey box.

The draft by-law reflects these recommendations, however, in an attempt to make the set out easier for residents, prevent paper from blowing out of the boxes, maintain or increase productivity and to ensure that staff are not exposed to back injuries, it is proposed that annual collection calendars advertise that residents be required to bag their newspapers and magazines and place the bags on top of the loose paper in the grey box. The collector then has the option of picking up the paper in one lift, depending on the weight, or remove individual bags.

(i) Prohibited Acts (Section 19)

This section summarizes such activities as illegal dumping and any other type of disturbance of garbage and materials placed at the curb. In particular, this section deals with littering and the abuse of public litter bins.

(j) Charging of Expenses Against the Property (Section 20)

This policy was practised in the former Cities of Scarborough and Etobicoke and allows By-law Enforcement Officers to add the cost of clean-up orders to individual property taxes. In addition to using this as a punitive measure, this ensures that the City recoups all costs for clean-ups, and in the case of a rented dwelling, the owner will ultimately be responsible for their tenants' actions. Previous practice has shown that this is a deterrent for those that abuse the collection services and are in constant contravention of the by-law.

Conclusions:

The proposed residential solid waste collection by-law has been developed to provide a fair and equitable collection system for our customers and also addresses opportunities for improved service delivery, increased efficiencies and increased waste diversion. Comments received from each Community Council, coupled with comments received from our customers will be incorporated into the draft by-law prior to submission to the Works Committee in June 2000.

Contact:

Catharine Daniels

Senior Analyst, Policy Development

Solid Waste Management Services

Works and Emergency Services

Metro Hall, 19^th Floor

Phone: 392-4632

Fax: 392-4754

E-mail: daniels@toronto.ca

Angelos Bacopoulos

General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services

(draft by-law.doc)

List of Attachments:

Table 1 - Summary of Impacts on Community Council Areas

Draft Residential Solid Waste Collection By-law