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2015 Excellence Award EntryRecycling System
Population: 1.4 million Total Budget: US$2.8 million (CAN$3.1 million) Cost per Household (After Funding Grant): US$3.35 (CAN$3.70)
Title
Region of Peel Material Recovery Facility Upgrade Entrant Organization Region of Peel
SWANA
Kevin Mehlenbacher kevin.mehlenbacher@peelregion.ca 905‐791‐7800 ext. 7950
Regional Municipality of Peel (Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon) Ontario, Canada
Jurisdiction
Description
Contact
1 2015 Excellence Award Entry – Recycling SystemRegion of Peel Material Recovery Facility Upgrade Region of Peel
Executive Summary
The Region of Peel is comprised of the
Cities of Mississauga, Brampton and the
Town of Caledon. With a population of
over 1.4 million, the Region provides waste
collection services to over 333,250 single‐
family households, 96,000 multi‐
residential units and 2,500 commercial and
institutional properties.
In 2006, the Region began operating the
Peel Integrated Waste Management
Facility which consists of a material
recovery facility for processing single‐
stream recycling, an organics composting
facility and a waste transfer station.
With an aging material recovery facility
operating near capacity, combined with
the need to add new materials to its blue
box program and the planned
implementation of a bi‐weekly cart‐based
collection system in 2016, the Region
completed a material recovery facility
capital upgrade in 2014, at a cost of $3.1
million. The upgrade resulted in annual
savings of $233,000; annual avoided costs
of $2.15 million and extended the facility’s
operating life to 2020.
Before Upgrades
During Upgrades
Completed Upgrades
2 2015 Excellence Award Entry – Recycling SystemRegion of Peel Material Recovery Facility Upgrade Region of Peel
Design and Planning of Recycling System
Planning Process
The Region of Peel is located in southern Ontario, Canada, and is
part of the Toronto metropolitan area. It is comprised of the Cities
of Mississauga, Brampton and the Town of Caledon. With a
population of over 1.4 million, the Region provides waste collection
services to over 333,250 single‐family households, 96,000 multi‐
residential units and 2,500 commercial and institutional properties.
In 2006, the Region began operating the Peel Integrated
Waste Management Facility which consists of an organics
composting facility, a waste transfer station and one of the
largest Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) in Canada. The
Region contracts out the operations and maintenance of
the MRF to Canada Fibers Ltd. Canada Fibers was awarded
a five (5) year Operations and Maintenance Agreement in
the fall of 2010. While Canada Fibers oversees the day‐to‐
day operations and maintenance, the Region is responsible
for improvements and upgrades to the MRF.
The Region manages over 110,000 tons (100,000 metric tonnes) of recyclable material each year
and annual revenues associated with the sale of recovered recyclable material equate to over
US$8.1 million (CAN$9.0 million). The Region takes an aggressive approach to resource recovery
and is always looking for opportunities to enhance its recycling program. In 2013, the decision
was made to add Mixed Rigid Plastic (MRP) to the program. Based on waste composition audits,
it was estimated that there were approximately 4,000 tons (3,600 metric tonnes) of MRP in the
Region’s waste stream, of which 1,750 to 2,300 tons (1,600 to 2,100 metric tonnes) per year
would be recovered. This represented an additional 8.8 to 11.5 pounds (4.0 to 5.25 kilograms)
per household per year and a 0.3 to 0.4 percent increase to the annual waste diversion rate.
As part of the process of adding MRP to the program, the Region retained an environmental
consultant to conduct a study on current and future packaging and recycling trends within the
Region. According to the study, the household generation rate of thermoform blister packaging
and non‐bottle plastic packaging would increase over the next decade, and MRP were
increasingly becoming the material of choice for a variety of packaging applications.
The Region also canvassed several of the surrounding cities and municipalities. As a result of
increasing volumes of MRP in the waste stream and the establishment of stable recycling end
markets, the Cities of Toronto, Hamilton, Kingston and Ottawa, as well as the Regional
Municipalities of York, Halton, Niagara, Waterloo and Durham have all added MRP to their blue
box programs. These cities and municipalities were only able to accommodate the addition of
MRP to their programs after completing upgrades to an existing MRF or completing construction
of a new MRF with the capability to recover MRP.
3 2015 Excellence Award Entry – Recycling SystemRegion of Peel Material Recovery Facility Upgrade Region of Peel
The Region’s waste collection and processing service providers were also consulted on the
operational impacts of adding MRP to the recycling program. The waste collection contractors
all indicated that the addition of MRP would not affect waste collection operations. Conversely,
the Region’s MRF operator indicated that the addition of MRP to the blue box program would
have significant impacts at the MRF. Without the implementation of capital improvements the
MRF would be required to operate at a reduced speed to accommodate the addition of MRP.
The reduction in the material throughput would result in the MRF reaching its maximum
processing capacity by 2016.
Maintaining the MRF capacity was critical as the Region would also be changing to a bi‐weekly
cart‐based collection system in 2016. With the implementation of this new collection system, it
is projected that the amount of recyclable material received at the MRF would further increase
by 11,000 tons (10,000 metric tonnes). This represents an additional 1.8 to 2 percent increase
to the Region’s annual waste diversion rate. With the addition of MRP to the Blue Box Recycling
Program and anticipated changes to its waste collection system, the Region recognized the need
to update its blue box processing technology in order to improve material recovery, increase
throughput and extend the overall operating life of the MRF. The MRF capital upgrades
contemplated replacing several high maintenance inefficient equipment components with state
of the art size reduction and material separation technologies.
MRF Upgrade Design
After development of a business case supporting the addition of MRP to Blue Box Recycling
Program and the MRF equipment upgrades, the project received formal approval from Regional
Council on June 27, 2013. As per the MRF Operations and Maintenance Agreement, the Region
would manage the MRF upgrade project through the MRF operator who would coordinate the
equipment delivery and installation. Proposals were solicited from preselected MRF equipment
vendors based on the following scope of work outline:
Addition of a second optical sorter for recovery of MRP;
Replacement of a magnetic trommel with a steel disc glass breaking screen and
overhead magnet for improved separation of glass, metals and plastic;
Addition of a secondary glass clean up system for improved glass quality;
Addition of a finishing/polishing screen for final separation of fibre and containers; and,
Modifications to chutes, conveyors and air blowers for efficient movement of materials.
Proposals and preliminary designs were received from two major MRF equipment vendors. As
part of the design process, both vendors were consulted on optimizing material flows, space
utilization, equipment specifications and overall design. Both vendors submitted several
proposal options, equipment layouts and budgets. After reviewing the final proposals,
Machinex Industries Inc. of Plessisville, Quebec was selected as the preferred vendor. The
Machinex proposal met all requirements of the MRF upgrade and was within the approved
budget for the project. The MRF upgrade project was scheduled to be completed by March 31,
2014 with a projected budget of US$2.8 million (CAN$3.1 million).
4 2015 Excellence Award Entry – Recycling SystemRegion of Peel Material Recovery Facility Upgrade Region of Peel
Material Flow through the MRF Upgrades
The finalized design layout incorporates a seamless connection to the existing MRF equipment
and effectively utilizes the existing building space by locating the new equipment over two
levels. The material flow through the MRF upgrades is as follows:
1. Mixed containers coming from the existing CP Group v‐screen are conveyed to the new
glass breaking disc/fines separator screen that breaks all glass bottles and jars. All material
under the size of two and a half (2.5) inches is then directed to the existing glass sorting
station and new glass cleanup system. The remaining containers are conveyed towards the
new ballistic separator.
2. The new glass cleanup system incorporates a KRS ORSE screen. This screen vibrates the
broken glass while air is blown over the material. The vibrations cause the lighter materials
to rise above the glass and the air stream blows the material away.
3. The ballistic separator uses a series of stepping paddles to separate any flat items from any
three‐dimensional (3D) materials. Flat items move up an incline to a transfer conveyor
while 3D materials tumble backward onto a new sorting conveyor where manual sorters can
remove rejects or any remaining flat items.
4. After the manual sorting station, the container stream passes under a new overhead
magnetic separator where ferrous containers are removed and transferred to a new quality
control station. The ferrous containers are then conveyed to the existing storage bunker.
5. The container material then continues to a new eddy current separator for aluminum
recovery. The recovered aluminum passes through a new quality control station where foil
and residue is removed from the aluminum cans. The aluminum cans are then transferred
to the existing storage bunker via a blower and pipe run.
6. Container material, now free of metals continues toward a new single eject optical sorter
and its high speed conveyor that distributes material evenly before it passes through the
unit. This optical sorter is for the recovery of PET containers. The recovered PET is directed
to a new quality control station where residue is removed. The now clean PET is then
transferred to an existing storage bunker with the help of a blower and pipe run.
5 2015 Excellence Award Entry – Recycling SystemRegion of Peel Material Recovery Facility Upgrade Region of Peel
7. The remaining container material is now conveyed to a new dual eject optical sorter. This
optical sorter is for the recovery of tetrapak/gable top containers and mixed rigid plastic (#1,
#3, #4, #5, #6 and #7) containers. Tetrapak/gable top containers are ejected upward and
forwarded to an existing quality control conveyor. Mixed rigid plastics are ejected
downward onto a new transfer conveyor. The recovered tetrapak/gable top and MRP
containers then pass through quality control stations where residue and undesired
containers are removed. Following the quality control stations the tetrapak/table top and
MRP containers are conveyed to existing storage bunkers. Non‐ejected containers are
forwarded onto an existing conveyor that brings the material into the existing container
sorting room.
Highlights of the Design Layout and Equipment
The design layout incorporates many innovative and unique features. These features include:
Use of Equipment/Systems and Technologies
The original MRF was designed and the processing equipment supplied by the CP Group. The
Region now partnered with Machinex Industries Inc. to install the MRF’s new equipment
components. A total of 30 new equipment pieces were installed in this MRF upgrade. Besides
new conveyors and air blowers, the following
equipment pieces were installed:
Machinex Glass Breaking Disc/Fines Screen: The
new glass breaking disc/fines screen was installed
to replace the CP Group magnetic trommel that
was originally installed to separate glass and
recover ferrous containers. The new screen is five
(5) feet wide and 15 feet long and uses two (2)
decks of six (6) inch diameter Hardox steel disks
•Quality control locations for all recovered materials
•Space for multiple sorters when required
•Ergonomically designed for sorter health and safety
•Ability to redirect material back into the sorting process
Configuration of Sorting Stations
•First Ballistic Separator installed in Ontario, Canada
•State of the art Optical Sorting technology
•Superior material recovery targets (guaranteed by Machinex)
•Seamless interface with existing MRF equipment and controls
•Reduced operating and maintenance costs
Cutting Edge Technology
•Optimizes existing building design
•Minimal loss of existing bale inventory footprint
•Designed for bale storage under platform works
•Maintenance platforms for all new equipment incorporated into design
Maximization of Existing Building
Glass Breaking/Fines Screen
6 2015 Excellence Award Entry – Recycling SystemRegion of Peel Material Recovery Facility Upgrade Region of Peel
that are closely spaced together to maximize glass breakage and separate material smaller than
two and a half (2.5) inches from the larger container materials. Utilizing one (1) 5HP high
efficiency variable speed motor per deck, heavy‐duty bearings, an automatic oiler and an
automatic tensioner, the screen is capable of removing more than 95% of all glass at a
throughput of 11 tons (10 metric tonnes) per hour; is low maintenance and has greatly reduced
the amount of MRF downtime caused by numerous material jams associated with the original
magnetic trommel.
Glass Cleanup System: With the installation of the
new glass breaking disc/fines screen, the increased
amount of non‐glass material in the recovered glass
required the installation of a new glass cleanup
system. The new system incorporates a KRS ORSE
screen that is designed to separate materials with
different specific weights. Using a vibration feeder,
the flow of broken glass is transported against an air
stream and the lighter‐weight materials (paper,
plastic caps, foils, plastics) are blown off the glass.
The screen measures 49 inches by 98 inches in size and uses 6‐pole unbalanced motors and a
variable speed fan blower. The screen can process material at six and a half (6.5) tons (6 metric
tonnes) per hour.
Machinex MACH Ballistic Separator: The new ballistic separator was installed to replace an air
drum separator and a cyclone that were originally installed in the MRF. This ballistic screen was
the first installed in Ontario and a number of local municipalities and MRF operators have shown
an interest in its operation. The screen is 19 feet long, 10 feet wide and 10.5 feet tall and
utilizes eight (8) paddles to separate up to 10 tons (9.5 metric tonnes) per hour of material
based on physical properties. The friction created between the paddles and any flat or flexible
materials (newspaper, film plastic) combined with
the motion of the paddles push the flat or flexible
materials up the steep incline, while formed and
rigid material (round, square containers) bounce
down the deck. Hydraulic cylinders and a variable
speed high efficiency motor on the screen allow
for angle adjustments to compensate for changes
in material composition and quality. When
compared to the old MRF equipment or new
finishing screens that utilize rubber disks to
separate material, the ballistic screen has
recovered over 95% of all paper and film plastic
from the containers, has increased the overall
quality of the recovered material and has
reduced operation and maintenance costs.
KRS ORSE Screen
Ballistic Separator
Ballistic Paddle Configuration
7 2015 Excellence Award Entry – Recycling SystemRegion of Peel Material Recovery Facility Upgrade Region of Peel
Steinert Overhead Magnet Separator: The new
overhead magnet separator was installed to replace
the MRF’s original magnetic trommel ferrous
recovery system. The separator is installed inline
and can be suspended up to 19 inches above the
container stream without losing any magnetic
efficiency. The overhead magnet separator
recovers greater than 98% of the ferrous containers
with less than one (1) percent contamination at
eight (8) tons (7.5 metric tonnes) per hour.
Steinert Eddy Current Separator: As part of the upgrade, a larger and more efficient eddy
current separator was installed. An eddy current separator operates by creating a rapidly
rotating magnetic field. These magnetic fields create eddy currents in an electrical conductor
such as aluminum. When an aluminum container enters the magnetic field, an eddy current is
created that causes the container to be repelled away from the magnetic field. The aluminum
container is repelled over a baffle that separates it from the other container material. The
separator feed conveyor is 78 inches wide and can operate at speeds of up to eight (8) feet per
second. The eddy current separator recovers over 98% of the non‐ferrous material at greater
than 96% purity with a throughput of six and a half (6.5) tons (6 metric tonnes) per hour.
Pellenc Mistral 2G Optical Sorters: Pellenc Selective Technologies supplied the two new optical
sorters installed during the MRF upgrade. Both optical sorters are Mistral 2G models that use
high speed Near Infra‐Red Spectrometry (NIR) to measure what an individual container is made
from and then eject specific containers using air jets. These
units are capable of 300,000 measurements per second, have
a resolution of a sixteenth of a square inch, have a superior
signal to noise ratio compared to other optical technology,
and have synchronization between detection and ejection of
one (1) millisecond. The first optical sorter is a single eject
unit for the recovery of PET containers. This optical sorter is
94.5 inches wide and has a throughput of up to seven and a
half (7.5) tons (7 metric tonnes) per hour. It
recovers over 94% of the PET containers at greater
than 95% purity. The second optical sorter
replaces an older MSS Inc. Sapphire optical sorter
and is a dual eject unit for the recovery of
tetrapak/gable top containers and mixed rigid
plastics. This unit is 78 inches wide and has a
throughput of up to six and a half (6.5) tons (6
metric tonnes) per hour. It recovers over 92% of
the tetrapak/gable top and MRP containers at
greater than 90% purity.
Optical Sorter
PET Container Recovery
Overhead Magnet Separator
8 2015 Excellence Award Entry – Recycling SystemRegion of Peel Material Recovery Facility Upgrade Region of Peel
Regulatory Compliance
In Ontario, an Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA) is required from the Ontario Ministry
of the Environment and Climate Change (MOE) for businesses that store, transport or disposes
of waste. The environmental approval sets out the rules of operation for these activities that
are intended to protect the natural environment and are legally enforceable. The Peel
Integrated Waste Management Facility (PIWMF), where the MRF is located, operates under
three (3) ECA’s that it must comply with at all times. These ECA’s regulate the PIWMF as a
waste disposal site, sets air emissions and monitoring requirements, and controls the sewage
works within the site. To date, the Region has not received any orders (citations) from the MOE
related to the operation of the MRF.
The Region is also compliant with Ontario MOE Regulation 101/94, which mandates the
collection and processing of five (5) basic blue box materials, specifically aluminum food and
beverage cans, glass bottles and jars for food or beverages, newsprint, polyethylene
terephthalate (PET) bottles for food or beverages, and steel food or beverage cans. Regulation
101/94 also mandates the collection and processing of two (2) additional blue box items from a
supplementary list. The 12 items on the supplementary list are aluminum foil, boxboard and
paperboard, cardboard, expanded polystyrene, fine paper, magazines, paper cups and plates,
film plastic, mixed rigid plastic containers, telephone directories, textiles and polycoat
containers. The Region collects and processes all of the supplemental blue box items at the MRF
with the exception of textiles and paper cups and plates.
Worker Health & Safety
The MRF operator provides training for all its personnel to
ensure the safe and proper operation of the MRF. In
particular, they ensure that all personnel at the facility are
trained, certified and licensed for the specific equipment
that they operate and that all personnel are trained in
emergency response procedures. Both the Region and MRF
operator take all reasonable precautions to prevent
damage, injury or loss of life at the MRF. In addition, both
parties equally establish, maintain and enforce safety
procedures for the protection of all persons at the MRF.
The Ontario Health and Safety Act mandates the
establishment of a workplace health and safety committee.
The function of the committee is to identify situations that
may be a source of danger or hazard to workers; make recommendations for the improvement
of the health and safety of workers; recommend the establishment of maintenance and
monitoring of programs related to the health and safety of workers; obtain information on the
identification of potential or existing hazards of materials, processes or equipment, and health
and safety experience and work practices and standards in similar or other industries; and finally
Safety Training Topics
Personal Protective
Equipment
Lock Out Tag Out
Confined Spaces
Fall Protection
Emergency Procedures
Workplace Harassment
Workplace Ergonomics
Tip Floor Procedures
Lift Truck Safety
Electrical Safety
Emergency First Aid
9 2015 Excellence Award Entry – Recycling SystemRegion of Peel Material Recovery Facility Upgrade Region of Peel
obtain information and represent the workers when any equipment or environmental testing in
the workplace is conducted. Both the Region and the MRF operator have established Joint
Health and Safety Committees that meet on a regular basis.
Health and Safety during MRF Upgrade
During the MRF upgrade a significant portion of the work occurred during off hours to ensure
that there was no interruption to the receiving and processing of materials. This resulted in
little interference between the construction and the MRF operations. This limited the potential
for any health and safety issues throughout the project. Throughout the MRF upgrade constant
attention to proper health and safety procedures and practices resulted in no lost time injuries
and no orders (citations) from the Ministry of Labour.
As per the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act, the MRF operator submitted a “Notice of
Project” prior to commencement of construction. This document is required so the Ministry of
Labour is aware of the project and the temporary change in work being done at the facility. The
Health and Safety Act also requires a Pre‐Start Health and Safety Review for all new equipment.
The review, completed by a professional, identifies specific hazards or hazards associated with
exposure to chemicals and other designated substances. After the MRF upgrades were
completed, health and safety reviews were completed on the new optical sorting equipment,
the new Machinex processing equipment and the new glass cleanup system. There were no
issues identified and the equipment was deemed safe for operation.
In Canada, the Canadian Electrical Code requires manufacturers or importers of electrical
products to obtain approvals for electrical safety. Since the MRF upgrade included new
electrical components, an Electrical Safety Authority Field Evaluation (ESAFE) was required. The
field evaluation process follows the CSA SPE‐1000 standard, which has three mandatory and
non‐destructive tests. The inspection of the MRF upgrades was completed and ESAFE approved
the electrical equipment.
Finally, the Machinex scope of work included a provision to provide training for all MRF
personnel on the safe operation and maintenance of the new MRF equipment. This training
occurred over several days and included both classroom and hands on training.
Performance, Economics & Cost‐Effectiveness
Performance Measurement
In an effort to identify MRF operating efficiencies, opportunities for improvement and how the
MRF compares to other manufacturing facilities, several performance metrics have been
developed. These performance metrics measure material throughput, material recovery,
material quality and the financial aspects of the MRF operations and then compares the results
to industry or contractual targets. These metrics are revised and reported on a monthly basis
and consistently show the MRF meets and often exceeds industry standards.
10 2015 Excellence Award Entry – Recycling SystemRegion of Peel Material Recovery Facility Upgrade Region of Peel
In addition to the monthly performance metrics, MRF
maintenance history and costs are tracked by each piece of
equipment. This helps identify MRF equipment pieces
where significant efforts should be made to reduce costs
through process changes or replacement with new, more
efficient or robust equipment.
Another performance measurement tool is the MRF mass
balance. The mass balance is a computer spreadsheet
model that shows how the MRF performs. It is constantly
updated with metric data, time motion data, and material
composition audit results for the received recyclable
material, residue and recovered material quality. The
mass balance model can identify performance issues with
equipment or manual sorting locations, processes in the
MRF where material loss and cross‐contamination occur, and can help project the impact of a
new material streams or substantial changes in material composition.
Efficiency, Effectiveness and Operational Performance
Performance and Commissioning Testing was completed to verify that the new MRF equipment
had been successfully installed, commissioned and was capable of meeting the minimum
performance requirements, including specific material recovery and quality specifications. The
following is a summary of the performance testing for the new MRF equipment:
•Performance Target: >95% of Glass Recovered
•Actual Performance: 98.3% of Glass Recovered
Glass Breaking Disc/Fines Screen
•Performance Target: <10% Non‐Glass Material in Recovered Glass
•Actual Performance: 8.8% Non‐Glass Material in Recovered Glass
Glass Cleanup System
•Performance Target: >95% of Fibre and Film Plastic Recovered
•Actual Performance: 98.2% of Fibre and Film Plastic Recovered
Ballistic Separator
•Performance Target: >98% of Ferrous Recovered with 99% Purity
•Actual Performance: 99.2% of Ferrous Recovered with 99.8% Purity
Overhead Magnet Separator
•Performance Target: > 98% of Non‐Ferrous Recovered with 96% Purity
•Actual Performance: 98.1% of Non‐Ferrous Recovered at 96.4% Purity
Eddy Current Separator
•Performance Target: >94% of PET Recovered with 95% Purity
•Actual Performance: 96.5% of PET Recovered with 96% Purity
Single Eject Optical Sorter
•Target: >92% of Tetrapak/Gable top and Mixed Plastics Recovered with 90% Purity
•Actual: 92.9% of Tetrapak/Gable top, 85.8% of MRP Recovered with 97.6%, 90.2% Purity
Dual Eject Optical Sorter
MRF Availability (%)
Actual = 85.3% Target = 90%
MRF Actual Throughput vs. Exp. (%)
Actual = 100% Target = 100%
Recovered Material Meets Specs. (%)
Actual = 97.3% Target = 100%
Non‐Emergency Repairs (%)
Actual = 100% Target = 85%
Maintenance Cost vs. MRF Cost (%)
Actual = 91.5% Target = 85%
Vehicle Wait Times < 20 Min. (%)
Actual = 96.4% Target = 100%
Material Recovery (%)
Actual = 97.4% Target = 97%
Monthly Metrics for MRF Operations
Performance Metrics
11 2015 Excellence Award Entry – Recycling SystemRegion of Peel Material Recovery Facility Upgrade Region of Peel
Testing showed that the MRF new equipment met, and often
exceeded performance requirements or contractual recovery
requirements. The MRF upgrades, in addition to the enhanced
material recovery and quality, improved the processing
throughput of the MRF. Prior to the upgrades the MRF processed
material at an average of 34 tons (31 metric tonnes) per hour.
Since completion of the upgrades, the MRF now averages in
excess of 38.5 tons (35 metric tonnes) per hour. This is over a 12%
increase processing capacity, which will enable the Region to
manage its processing requirements until 2020, at a minimum.
Finally, over the 12 month period since completion of the MRF
upgrades, over 1,400 tons (1,265 metric tonnes) of MRP have been recovered. This equates to
approximately US$80,000 (CAN$88,500) in marketing revenues for the sale of this material.
Waste Screening
Waste screening starts with collections personnel performing a cursory sort curbside before any
material is placed into the collection vehicle. This removes obvious unacceptable material
before it arrives at the MRF. Once material is delivered to the MRF it is inspected in the tipping
area by the MRF operator. When a recycling load in whole or in part, is determined to be
unacceptable, colour photos of the entire load, including the collection vehicle number are
taken to verify the presence of unacceptable material. If required, an entire load can be
rejected. Any individual items determined to be unacceptable are removed at the earliest
possible point in the MRF process. The MRF operator trains all personnel in the identification of
unacceptable material, hazardous waste, recyclable material and non‐recyclable material.
MRF Downtime
The impact of MRF downtime is significant. Downtime directly translates into a decrease in
material throughput and increased operational and maintenance costs. In an attempt to limit
MRF downtime and identify potential issues before they occur, the Region ensures that all
recommended equipment preventative maintenance is completed on a timely basis. Even with
an aggressive preventative maintenance program, the downtime associated with the original
magnetic trommel system was a concern. Frequent material jams and broken drive chains
resulted in an average of 68.3 hours of downtime per year. This equates to approximately 18%
of all facility downtime. Since the magnetic trommel was replaced with the new glass breaking
disc/fines screen, downtime associated with this area of the MRF process has fallen by 73%. The
replacement of the old equipment with the new MRF processing equipment has resulted in an
overall decrease of five (5) percent in MRF downtime.
Customer Service
In 2007, the Region introduced the Common Purpose model. It sets out to help staff understand
what they could do, or continue to do, to achieve high levels of employee engagement, client
MRF Throughput
Post Upgrade 38.5 tons/hour (35 metric)
Pre‐Upgrade 34 tons/hour (31 metric)
12 2015 Excellence Award Entry – Recycling SystemRegion of Peel Material Recovery Facility Upgrade Region of Peel
satisfaction and trust and confidence. The Common Purpose is a part of the Region’s framework
for success, bringing together the Strategic Plan and Regional Values.
Client satisfaction forms part of the Common Purpose Service Value Chain. Client satisfaction is
ensuring that clients and citizens are satisfied with the services they receive. The addition of
MRP to the recycling program and impending change in the waste collection system only builds
on and improves the services that the Region provides its residents. The Region exists to serve
the needs of the community and it values client and citizen feedback about the programs and
services it delivers. As such, regular client satisfaction surveys are conducted to gather feedback
to use to improve service delivery. High levels of client satisfaction result in:
Financial Impacts
When developing the business case for this project, several
factors were included in the analysis. These factors
included processing costs, residue management costs,
maintenance costs, MRP revenues, MRF downtime, MRF
throughput, and equipment amortization. The business
case proved that the project was viable and would result in
significant savings to the Region. The total budget for the
MRF upgrades was US$2.8 million (CAN$3.1 million). The
business case showed a potential annual savings of
US$211,000 (CAN$233,000); annual avoided costs of
US$1.95 million (CAN$2.15 million) and a payback of only
1.3 years. The majority of the business cases identified
savings that were related to the avoided costs from
eliminating the additional staffing and processing shifts that
would have been required if MRP were added to the
recycling program without the MRF upgrades.
As the MRF upgrades were required as a result of adding MRP to the Region’s Blue Box
Recycling Program and the upgrades would result in improved MRF operations, the project was
eligible for funding from the Continuous Improvement Fund. The Continuous Improvement
Fund (CIF) is a program developed through a partnership among Waste Diversion Ontario
(WDO), the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), the City of Toronto and Stewardship
MRF Upgrade Business Case
Processing Costs
$250K Avoided
Residue Costs
$98K Savings
Revenues
$82K Increase
Maintenance Costs
$68K Savings
Extra Processing Shifts
$1.9M Avoided
Capital Amortization
$15K Increase
Improved Productivity
Reduced Cost of Service Delivery
Demonstrated Value for Tax Dollars
Improved Employee Engagement
Improved Trust and Confidence
13 2015 Excellence Award Entry – Recycling SystemRegion of Peel Material Recovery Facility Upgrade Region of Peel
Ontario. Its mandate is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of Ontario’s municipal blue
box program. The Region submitted an application and received a funding grant for US$1.38
million (CAN$1.52 million) or approximately 49% of the project costs.
Since completion of the MRF upgrades, the original business case for the project was found to
be valid. One item not factored into the original business case was the additional revenue
resulting from the increased efficiency of the new MRF equipment. This was not originally
included as any potential increase in material recovery and revenues were unknown until after
the performance and commissioning testing was completed. The testing showed that over 330
additional tons (300 metric tonnes) of recyclable material would be recovered. This would
result in additional revenues of over US$90,500 (CAN$100,000) annually.
Based on the agreed to project schedule, it was anticipated that the MRF would be unavailable
for processing for nine days. This would cover a full week plus the weekends prior and post
construction. This scheduled shutdown resulted in 4,080 tons (3,700 metric tonnes) of single‐
stream recyclable material being diverted to a third party MRF for processing. This ensured that
there were no delays to the recycling collection services for residents.
Finally, a tender was released for the disposal of the old MRF equipment. This equipment had
been in operation since 2006 and was sold as is, where is. There were a total of two (2) bidders
on the equipment. The equipment was sold for a total of US$9,600 (CAN$10,600).
Public Acceptance, Appearance and Aesthetics
Maintenance Program
The Peel Integrated Waste Management Facility is mandated by its Environmental Compliance
Approvals (ECAs) to ensure the site is properly maintained at all times. As such, the MRF
operator is contractually responsible for a general MRF cleaning and upkeep program that
ensures that the facility is always kept in a clean and safe condition. Using dedicated cleaning
crews the areas of the MRF and site where the MRF operator is responsible for cleaning include:
In addition to the general MRF cleaning and upkeep program, the MRF operator is responsible
for collecting all litter, both onsite and along bordering off‐site roads and properties affected by
the operation of the MRF, on a daily basis. To date, there has never been a litter complaint from
any of the neighboring businesses.
Maintenance Bays and Surrounding Areas
MRF Processing Equipment and Surrounding Areas
MRF Lunchrooms, Washrooms and Change Rooms
All Parking, Roads and Walkway Areas
All Enclosures, Interiors and Exteriors
All Stairways, including Railings
14 2015 Excellence Award Entry – Recycling SystemRegion of Peel Material Recovery Facility Upgrade Region of Peel
Public Education and Outreach
The Region of Peel Public Works Department
endeavors to share its enthusiasm about preserving
and protecting the environment with its residents
and strives to achieve this goal through school
programs, community outreach, business
presentations and other outreach opportunities.
The goal is to inspire the Region’s children,
residents and businesses to assist in the protection
of the environment and to do their part in the
reduction of waste and the protection of our
drinking water sources. The Region offers a variety
of educational programs around solid waste management, water and wastewater treatment and
environmental protection for people of all ages. These programs include school education,
facility tours, the Peel Children’s Water Festival and other outreach events such as fall fairs,
holiday parades and home shows.
The Peel Integrated Waste Management Facility includes a large education room that is used for
school, youth and adult community groups. The Region has developed education activities
designed to complement the curriculum for grade five (5), grade seven (7) and several
secondary school courses. The activities are facilitated by Region staff and include examining
the life cycle of recyclable material, the impact of purchasing habits and packaging on the waste
stream and analyzing the current waste
composition, diversion rate and waste strategies
impact on the 2021 conservation/recovery target of
75%. These are group problem solving activities
where students gain a better understanding of
waste management issues. These activities
culminate with students presenting their findings to
their peers. The Region hosts over 55 school groups
at the PWIMF on an annual basis and since the
facility opened in 2006, over 500 school groups
have visited the site.
Finally, a successful Mixed Rigid Plastics recycling program depends on the development and
implementation of an effective communications strategy to educate the residents on changes to
the Blue Box Recycling Program. Several communication methods were utilized to educate
residents to place MRP in the blue box, including the Region’s website, water bill inserts, mobile
signs and newspaper advertisements. The Region also partnered with local municipalities in a
joint education campaign. The intent of the campaign was to maximize advertising messaging
and exposure to notify residents that all Greater Toronto Area (GTA) municipalities now accept
and recycle Mixed Rigid Plastics.
Bus Tours of the Facility
School Education Programs
Supplemental Material 2015 Excellence Award Entry – Recycling SystemRegion of Peel Material Recovery Facility Upgrade Region of Peel
Letters of Support
Design Layout Plan
“This is one of Machinex’s most successful retrofit projects” ‐ Charles‐Étienne Simard, Machinex Inc.
“This was a very successful project in all aspects” – Jake Westerhof, Canada Fibers Ltd.
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