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Other Items Considered by the Committee
(a) Deposit/Return System for Beverage,
Wine and Spirit Containers.
The Works and Utilities Committee reports having:
(1) received the following report from the Interim Functional Lead for Solid Waste Management, and the following communication from Councillor Joan King; and
(2) deferred consideration of the following communication from Mr. John Jackson, Coordinator, Citizens= Network on Waste Management, until such time as the matter of deposit/return systems is again before the Committee:
(i) (January 28, 1998) from the Interim Functional Lead for Solid Waste Management respecting the implementation of a deposit/return system for all beverage, wine and spirit containers in the City of Toronto, and the implications of withdrawing the collection of such materials from the Blue Box Program, as requested by the Committee at its meeting on January 14, 1998; outlining the issues of deposit/return and product stewardship which are under intensive review at this time, and the consultation processes being undertaken by the Recycling Council of Ontario (RCO) and the Association of Municipal Recycling Co-ordinators (AMRC) on product stewardship and deposit/return; forwarding a draft RCO summary of policy options which is about to be submitted for consideration by the Minister of the Environment; advising that the Waste Management Team is currently assessing, in detail, information developed by the previous seven municipalities regarding the issues of product stewardship, Blue Box funding and beverage container deposit/return, and that further information will be provided to the Committee at its meeting scheduled to be held on March 25, 1998, following detailed analysis and consideration of the information developed in the RCO and AMRC consultation process; and recommending that the report be received for information.
(ii) (January 27, 1998) from Mr. John Jackson, Coordinator, Citizens= Network on Waste Management, requesting the opportunity to appear before the Committee at its meeting on February 11, 1998, regarding deposit/return systems and refillables as components of a new materials management strategy for the City of Toronto; and forwarding a copy of a report entitled AA Strategy to Promote Refillables & Reuse in Ontario@, and a communication to the Minister of the Environment with respect thereto.
(iii) (January 23, 1998) from Councillor Joan King, Seneca Heights, providing background information on the Recycling Council of Ontario=s Waste Management Roles and Responsibilities Consultation Process, a process initiated by the Recycling Council of Ontario to develop a consensus on a number of product stewardship issues; forwarding a copy of a communication from the Minister of the Environment with respect to the process, which requested that a number of funding options be developed; and listing the membership of a work group and Advisory Committee, and dates for forums to review funding options.
(iv) (February 11, 1998) from Mayor Mel Lastman, addressed to Members of Council, forwarding an invitation to AMoving Forward on Stewardship for LCBO Packaging@, a forum sponsored by the City of Toronto and the Solid Waste Association of North America respecting options to eliminate the municipal waste management costs of wine and spirit containers, to be held on February 24, 1998, in the Council Chamber at Metro Hall.
The following persons appeared before the Works and Utilities Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:
- Mr. Usman Valiante, Principal, General Science Works;
- Mr. Joseph P. Hruska, Vice-President, Municipal Development, CSR: Corporations Supporting Recycling, and submitted material with respect thereto; and
- Ms. Karen Buck, Toronto, Ontario, and submitted a communication with respect thereto.
(b) Appointment to Task Force on an Access
and Equity Action Plan, Race Relations,
Disability and Human Rights.
The Works and Utilities Committee reports having recommended to the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition Team that Councillor Tom Jakobek be appointed as the representative of the Works and Utilities Committee to the Task Force on an Access and Equity Action Plan, Race Relations, Disability and Human Rights, as requested in the following communication:
(January 21, 1998) from Councillor Joe Mihevc, Chair, Task Force on an Access and Equity Action Plan, Race Relations, Disability and Human Rights, requesting that each Standing Committee designate a member to serve on the Task Force on an Access and Equity Action Plan, Race Relations, Disability and Human Rights, or to act as a liaison between the Task Force and each Standing Committee.
(c) Waste Transport and Disposal Agreement.
The Works and Utilities Committee reports having:
(1) received the following report; and
(2) requested the Interim Functional Lead for Solid Waste Management to submit a report to the Committee on increasing the current tipping fees at landfill sites to cover costs:
(i) (January 28, 1998) from the Interim Functional Lead for Solid Waste Management respecting the financial commitments made by Metropolitan Toronto for the haulage and disposal of solid waste by Browning-Ferris Industries Inc. (BFI) to a landfill site in Michigan and the costs thereof to the new City of Toronto, as requested by the Committee at its meeting on January 14, 1998; reviewing alternatives and strategies for short-term waste disposal addressed in a report dated December 4, 1996, including an expansion of the Keele Valley Landfill Site, increasing tipping fees for private sector users in order to divert waste, and diverting some waste from Keele Valley through a private sector disposal contract; reviewing the main components of the contract with BFI, and advising that BFI commenced work under this contract on January 1, 1998; and recommending that the report be received for information.
(ii) (February 11, 1998) from Ms. Karen Buck, Toronto, Ontario, respecting the waste transport and disposal agreement.
(d) Long-Term Solid Waste Disposal Planning.
The Works and Utilities Committee reports having:
(1) received the following report; and
(2) requested the Interim Functional Lead for Solid Waste Management to:
(i) revisit the planning process with respect to the maximum tonnage over a 20-year cycle, and to provide a quarterly report to the Committee on the status of the process; and
(ii) to include in the list of possible alternatives the mining of the Keele Valley Landfill Site and other potential locations:
(i) (January 29, 1998) from the Interim Functional Lead for Solid Waste Management providing background information related to the contract for solid waste disposal with Browning-Ferris Industries Ltd., and reviewing previous siting processes for disposal capacity; also providing background information on the current planning process for long-term solid waste disposal being carried out under the Environmental Assessment Act, including the status of draft Terms of Reference prepared for approval by the Minister of the Environment preliminary to the submission of an environmental assessment, and the adoption of four Planning Principles; advising that based on input received from industry participants and provincial review, a number of changes to the draft Terms of Reference are being considered and will be brought before the Committee in March/April, 1998; and recommending that the report be received for information.
(ii) (February 11, 1998) from Ms. Karen Buck, Toronto, Ontario, respecting the long-term solid waste disposal planning.
Mr. Lawson Oates, Manager, EA Co-ordination Branch, Management and Technical Services Division, Works Department, gave a presentation to the Works and Utilities Committee in connection with the foregoing matter, and submitted a copy of his presentation.
(e) Article Respecting Incineration of Waste.
The Works and Utilities Committee reports having referred the following communication from Councillor Johnston to the Interim Functional Lead for Solid Waste Management:
(i) (January 30, 1998) from Councillor Anne Johnston, North Toronto, forwarding, for information, an article published in ANew Scientist@ respecting the incineration of waste and in particular questioning the benefit of paper recycling.
(ii) (February 8, 1998) from Dr. Stephen Connell, Toronto, Ontario, submitted by Ms. Karen Buck, in response to the aforementioned communication from Councillor Johnston respecting the article published in ANew Scientist.@
(f) Reuse, Repair and Rental Guide for Toronto Area.
The Works and Utilities Committee reports having referred the following communication to the Interim Functional Lead for Solid Waste Management for consideration with the operating budget, with a request that a report be submitted to the Committee on the responses received as a result of the guide by those companies listed therein:
(February 9, 1998) from Mr. Michael Khoo, Toronto Environmental Alliance, forwarding a proposal for the continuation of the printing and distribution of the guide entitled AUse It, Re-use It@, a guide to reuse, repair and rental in the Toronto area.
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