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Scan of Metals and Minerals Recycling Programs and Associated Climate Change Impacts

Final Report March, 2004

Project undertaken by the Recycling Council of Alberta in partnership with the Recycling Council of British Columbia, Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council,

Recycling Council of Ontario, Réseau des ressourceries du Québec, and Clean Nova Scotia

With financial support from

Government of Canada Action Plan 2000 on Climate Change


Executive Summary The extent and effectiveness of programs diverting metals and minerals waste varies significantly across Canada, as well as internationally. The significant differences in approaches to diverting these materials from the waste stream presents obstacles to programs managers attempting to assess the best approach to program development. This project included the identification of policies and programs within Canada, as well as internationally, that address the diversion of metals and minerals. Using available program data where possible, these programs were evaluated using a number of factors to measure their effectiveness. Effectiveness was then correlated to program approach to assess the level of success of various program types. To provide local expertise and national perspective to the project, non-governmental organizations across the country were solicited as project partners, with the Recycling Council of Alberta as the project coordinator. Successful partnership agreements were established with the Recycling Council of British Columbia, Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council, Recycling Council of Ontario, Réseau des ressourceries du Québec, and Clean Nova Scotia, to cover all regions of the country. Data from each region was compiled into a master database with the capability to correlate programs by criteria such as material type and program characteristics. This database is a potential source to update contacts in the NRCan Industry Framework, as well as provide additional information on companies and programs currently involved in metals and minerals recycling in Canada. Recommendation: Conduct a comparison between the Recycling Scan database and the NRCan Industry Framework database to determine necessary updates. The most commonly collected metals are aluminum and steel. There are well-developed markets for both of these commodities in most areas and this has facilitated their collection and recycling. In more populated regions, a significant volume of non-ferrous metals, including copper, brass and gold are also collected for recycling. These metals are not commonly collected in more remote regions such as the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Emerging markets identified within the metals / minerals recycling industry include electronics, mercury and fly ash. Diminishing markets include auto hulks and household appliances, as non-metal components such as plastics increase, reducing the viability of recycling through the metals recycling stream. A number of hard-to-handle and marginal products currently have minimal recycling opportunities, but present possible future diversion opportunities. Examples include

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Final Report March 2004

wire and metal rope, propane tanks, small appliances, paint cans (in some jurisdictions), aerosols, drywall, and mercury switches. Market value of the material, not government directed programs or policies, has had the greatest influence on the total volume of metal recycling in Canada. Sorting and cleanliness seem to be the key factors that determine the value of recoverable metals or minerals. The metal recycling industry, well established for many years, has historically been relatively stable. However, this industry faces significant price fluctuations affected by the demand for finished products, the exchange rate and the exports to foreign countries. The international nature of metals markets has been demonstrated in recent months through the significant increase in the value of ferrous scrap. The very large demand for scrap metal in Asian countries is having a strong effect on North American markets, with prices rising literally daily in many cases. This situation benefits scrap metal dealers, and potentially could drive increased diversion, through strong market demand. At the same time, higher scrap prices have a negative impact on steel producers, who are required to pay higher feedstock prices, while still competing on the international market for sales of finished steel products. The auto recycling and wrecking groups represent the largest component of the metal recovery industry in Canada, followed by scrap metal yards. These groups have been facing increasing costs associated with higher operating requirements that have had a negative impact on their viability. Recent increases in scrap metal prices have helped to mitigate this situation. Mineral recycling is minimal in many regions. However, the recycling of both asphalt and concrete is increasing in most major urban centres. One factor leading to this trend is the growing percentage of private and public construction contracts that are specifying the recovery and, in many cases, the re-utilization of the recovered asphalt and or concrete. Gypsum is effectively diverted and recycled in BC, due to an extensive landfill ban in the lower mainland region. In most other jurisdictions, the higher costs associated with the special handling of separated gypsum makes landfilling the preferred option to the construction sector. Until recently, it appeared that the recycling of metals and minerals had peaked due to economics, however, the recent drastic increase in international demand for ferrous scrap may drive increased diversion of this material. At the same time, valuable minerals and metals continue to be lost to landfill in most regions. Regulations and public programs for the recycling of metals and minerals vary across the country. However, many similarities also exist, particularly in the areas of metal products such as beverage containers, automobiles and white goods.

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Areas that have adopted strict guidelines and bans on what materials may be disposed of in municipal or regional disposal facilities have experienced increased diversion rates. Recovery of materials has also been promoted through the establishment of stewardship programs covering materials such as beverage containers and lead acid batteries. Numerous international policy initiatives have been identified that direct the recovery of metal. The use of product stewardship initiatives, in particular, has been popular on the international scene. Alternative economic incentives such as landfill bans, raising landfill tipping fees, and applying direct consumer fees at time of purchase or disposal, have also been used internationally and have been effective tools for diverting metal wastes. Of the 17 million tonnes of steel production in 1997, 8.5 million tonnes of scrap steel were consumed as input. An estimated 58% of food tins, 77% of household appliances and over 90% of automobiles were recycled in 1999. A total of about 10 million tonnes of ferrous scrap are collected for recycling in Canada annually. As previously stated, Canadian steel production consumes 8.5 million tonnes of scrap steel as feedstock. Based on the previous numbers, Canada feeds its steel industry primarily through domestic recycled feedstock. Similarly, the majority of other metal scrap consumed in production is sourced domestically. However, the potential exists to utilize additional metals that could be collected through enhanced recycling efforts by increasing recycled content. Canada's 1997 aluminum production was estimated at 2.3 million tonnes, with 4% of this production from recycled material. Production increased to 2.7 million tonnes in 2002. 136,000 tonnes of copper were recycled in 1997, accounting for 24% of the total amount of metal refined in Canada. Recycled lead accounted for 48% (132 thousand tonnes) of the metal produced by Canadian refineries in 1997. Canada is a net exporter of scrap metal, exporting a net of more than a million tonnes annually, primarily ferrous. The level of data collection for volumes of metals and minerals collected for recycling varies considerably between provinces, making national tracking very difficult. In general, records of recycling for minerals such as asphalt and cement are not kept. Recent initiatives to upgrade and harmonize provincial data collection systems are currently underway. Increasing the comprehensiveness and reliability of recycling data collected across the country would assist tracking and analysis efforts in the future. Recommendation: Support and facilitate improved data collection of diversion and recycling volumes throughout Canada.

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Programs and processes were evaluated according to the following criteria:

• • • • • • • • •

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Recovery rate Process residuals Influence on design-for-environment Support of 3 Rs hierarchy Closing the loop Economical sustainability Social viability and community responsibility Relevance (high volume or toxicity) Flexibility and transferability

Using lessons learned from evaluating the criteria listed above, a number of conclusions and recommendations were drawn regarding criteria that should be considered when designing programs for effectiveness.

Highest diversion will be achieved when driven by regulatory mechanisms, or economic incentives. Regulatory mechanisms can dictate management practices, as in the case of landfill bans, or provide economic incentives, as in the case of stewardship programs. Economic drivers include deposit-refund systems, as well as precious materials.

Source separation provides the highest value materials and least residuals.

Higher levels of technology are required to effectively recycle composite products.

More research is required to determine how to encourage design-for-environment through recycling programs and policies.

To be effective, programs should consider environmental indicators, such as the 3 Rs hierarchy and closed-loop recycling. Public policy is required to provide incentives to private business to incorporate these environmental principles. ENGO participation in programs can facilitate environmental responsibility.

Public and Extended Producer Responsibility programs should be designed with integrated funding mechanisms that provide long-term financial sustainability.

Social responsibility should be an important consideration in any program. Linkages with non-profit social agencies can assist in providing this perspective.

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Priority in the development of new programs should be given to materials of high volume or environmental risk.

•

•

Where programs are readily transferable, replicating successes between jurisdictions will be more effective than designing programs from scratch.

Increasing the overall national recycling rate of aluminum cans to 80% would prevent the production of 14,089 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. At the same time, if an increased portion of Canada's 2.7 million tonnes of aluminum production could be supplied with recycled feedstock, the greenhouse gas reductions would be much more substantial. If 50% of Canada’s total aluminum production could be supplied through recycled feedstock, the avoided greenhouse gases would represent close to 2% of the gap between current emissions and Kyoto commitments. Increasing the national recycling rate for residential blue box steel to 75% could potentially produce a reduction in greenhouse gas generation equivalent to 37,800 tonnes of CO2, assuming a current national recycling rate of 50%, or 75,600 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, assuming a current national recycling rate of 25%. Overall, if the scrap feedstock input to Canadian steel production could be increased to 75%, an additional 4.25 million tonnes of ferrous scrap would need to be collected. This would represent a potential savings in greenhouse gas emissions of 3.825 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. If national gypsum recycling rates could reach those experienced in BC, close to 400,000 tonnes of additional gypsum could be diverted from national landfills.

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary ....................................................................................................ii

1.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1

2.0 Approach......................................................................................................... 1 2.1 Identification of Metals and Minerals Diversion Programs and Policies....... 2 2.2 Effectiveness Criteria and Program Rating.................................................. 4

2.2.1 Market Trends........................................................................................ 7 2.2.2 Untapped Markets.................................................................................. 7 2.2.3 Drivers, Barriers and Opportunities........................................................ 8

3.0 Results / Conclusions.................................................................................... 12 3.1 Materials and Markets ............................................................................... 12 3.2 Regulatory and Government Policy Influence............................................ 15 3.3 How Does Canada Compare? The Recovery of Metals and Minerals

Internationally............................................................................................ 20 3.3.1 Background: Factors Affecting Metal Recovery: Canada vs. the

International Scene .............................................................................. 20 3.3.2 Policy as a Force to Direct Recovery ................................................... 21 3.3.3 Indirect Policy Stimulation of Metal Recycling...................................... 25 3.3.4 Indirect Deterrents ............................................................................... 26 3.3.5 International Hindrances to Metal Recycling........................................ 27 3.3.6 Summary of International Programs and Policies ................................ 27

3.4 Material Generation and Diversion Volumes ............................................. 28 3.4.1 Provincial Volumes .............................................................................. 30

3.5 Barriers to Diversion .................................................................................. 39 3.6 Opportunities ............................................................................................. 43 3.7 Characteristics of Effective Programs........................................................ 45

3.7.1 High Recovery Rate / Diversion ........................................................... 45 3.7.2 Low Process Residuals........................................................................ 45 3.7.3 Encouragement of Design-for-Environment ......................................... 46 3.7.4 Adherence to 3Rs Hierarchy ................................................................ 46 3.7.5 Closing the Loop .................................................................................. 46 3.7.6 Economically Sustainable .................................................................... 46 3.7.7 Demonstration of Social Responsibility ................................................ 46 3.7.8 Relevance (Throughput of High Volume or Toxic Materials)................ 47 3.7.9 Flexibility and Transferability................................................................ 47

3.8 Designing for Effectiveness ....................................................................... 48 3.9 Diversion Potential and Associated Climate Change Benefits................... 49

3.9.1 Aluminum / Deposit - Refund ............................................................... 49 3.9.2 Steel..................................................................................................... 50 3.9.3 Gypsum ............................................................................................... 51

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Appendices ..............................................................................................................52

4.0 Appendix A: Project Outline and Workplan....................................................52 4.1 Overview....................................................................................................52 4.2 Scope.........................................................................................................53 4.3 Impacts on GHG Emissions and Energy reductions ..................................54 4.4 Project Workplan........................................................................................54 4.5 Workplan Details........................................................................................55

5.0 Appendix B: Common Uses for Metals and Minerals ....................................58

6.0 Appendix C: Metals and Minerals Recycling Scan - Survey ..........................66 6.1 Introduction: ...............................................................................................66 6.2 Background Information: ............................................................................66 6.3 Survey Information:....................................................................................67

7.0 Appendix D: Jurisdiction Reports...................................................................70 7.1 Alberta, Northwest Territories, Newfoundland & Labrador.........................70

7.1.1 Introduction ..........................................................................................70 7.1.2 Common Recoverable Metals and Minerals.........................................70 7.1.3 Municipal Programs..............................................................................71 7.1.4 Policies and Programs .........................................................................73 7.1.5 Barriers to Metal and Mineral Recycling...............................................76 7.1.6 Opportunities for Metal and Mineral Recycling.....................................78 7.1.7 Volume Information ..............................................................................79 7.1.8 Concluding Remarks ............................................................................80

7.2 British Columbia and Yukon.......................................................................81 7.2.1 Introduction ..........................................................................................81 7.2.2 Municipal and Regional Recycling Program Data ................................81 7.2.3 Stewardship Programs .........................................................................82 7.2.4 Other Policies and Programs ...............................................................82 7.2.5 Commonly Recovered Materials ..........................................................83 7.2.6 Barriers and Opportunities ...................................................................84 7.2.7 Conclusions..........................................................................................86

7.3 Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island .................................87 7.3.1 Introduction ..........................................................................................87 7.3.2 Common Recoverable Minerals ...........................................................87 7.3.3 Policies and Programs .........................................................................87 7.3.4 Barriers and Opportunities ...................................................................88 7.3.5 Conclusions..........................................................................................90

7.4 Saskatchewan, Manitoba...........................................................................92 7.4.1 Introduction ..........................................................................................92 7.4.2 Common Recoverable Materials ..........................................................92 7.4.3 Provincial Policies and Programs.........................................................92 7.4.4 Municipal programs ..............................................................................95 7.4.5 Concluding Statement ..........................................................................95 7.4.6 Barriers and Opportunities ...................................................................96 7.4.7 Conclusions..........................................................................................97 7.4.8 Appendix I ............................................................................................98

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7.4.9 Appendix II ........................................................................................... 99 7.5 Ontario..................................................................................................... 100

7.5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................ 100 7.5.2 Recoverable Metals and Minerals...................................................... 100 7.5.3 Municipal Metal and Mineral Recovery Efforts ................................... 102 7.5.4 Future Trends .................................................................................... 103 7.5.5 Barriers to Metal and Mineral Recovery............................................. 104 7.5.6 Opportunities in the Metal and Mineral Recovery Sector ................... 105 7.5.7 Conclusion ......................................................................................... 106

7.6 Quebec.................................................................................................... 107 7.6.1 Metal .................................................................................................. 107 7.6.2 Recycling ........................................................................................... 112 7.6.3 NRCan – Québec’s final report v.29-09-03 ........................................ 119 7.6.4 Addendum – January 2004 – Michel Séguin...................................... 121

8.0 Appendix E: Effectiveness Test Cases from Halifax Workshop .................. 123 8.1 Test Case 1 — Deposit Refund in Alberta ............................................... 123 8.2 Test Case 2 — Saskatchewan IPSCO .................................................... 123 8.3 Test Case 3 — BC: New West Gypsum. ................................................. 123 8.4 Test Case 4 — Ontario ADL .................................................................... 123 8.5 Test Case 5 — Ontario Noranda** .......................................................... 124 8.6 Test Case 6 — Deposit Refund in Quebec.............................................. 124 8.7 Test Case 7 — Quebec Ressourceries ................................................... 124 8.8 Test Case 8 — Manitoba: Chisick Metals. ............................................... 125 8.9 Test Case 9 — Ontario Post Car ............................................................. 125

9.0 Appendix F: Effectiveness Criteria Matrix.................................................... 126

10.0 Appendix G: References ............................................................................. 154

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1.0 Introduction The extent and effectiveness of programs diverting metals and minerals waste varies significantly across Canada, as well as internationally. The significant differences in approaches to diverting these materials from the waste stream presents obstacles to programs managers attempting to assess the best approach to program development. A comprehensive analysis of these programs would be useful in determining the appropriate programs to apply to increase diversion of metals and minerals. This project included the identification of policies and programs within Canada, as well as internationally, that address the diversion of metals and minerals. Using available program data where possible, these programs were evaluated using a number of factors, including diversion rates, to measure their effectiveness. Effectiveness was then correlated to program approach to assess the level of success of various program types.

2.0 Approach To provide local expertise and national perspective, sister non-governmental organizations across the country were solicited as project partners. Successful partnership agreements were established with the Recycling Council of British Columbia (RCBC), Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council (SWRC), Recycling Council of Ontario (RCO), Réseau des ressourceries du Québec (RRQ), and Clean Nova Scotia (CNS), with regional responsibility divided up as follows:

• • • • • •

• • • •

Recycling Council of BC BC, Yukon Recycling Council of Alberta Alberta, NWT, Newfoundland Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council Saskatchewan, Manitoba Recycling Council of Ontario Ontario, Nunavut Réseau des ressourceries du Québec Quebec Clean Nova Scotia Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI

From these project partners, a project advisory committee was established, with the following individuals:

Natalie Zigarlick, Executive Director, RCBC; Christina Seidel, Executive Director, RCA; Joanne Fedyk, Executive Director, SWRC; and Jo-Anne St. Godard, Director of Development, RCO.

The project partners conducted a scoping exercise within their respective regions to assess the extent and nature of the metals and minerals recycling industry within their jurisdictions. The Canadian Metals Recycling Database

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(www.recycle.nrcan.gc.ca/backgrounder_e.htm) and provincial recycling databases were primary resources used for this exercise. The advisory committee met in March 2002, to review scoping results and develop a project workplan. The results of this meeting were compiled, and used in conjunction with additional consultation with the project partners, to develop a detailed workplan to guide the project. This workplan is included in Appendix A. 2.1 Identification of Metals and Minerals Diversion Programs and Policies The first task of the project workplan was to Identify diversion programs and policies through literature review and expert consultation.

This task included identification of metals and minerals within the scope of study. The starting point for this research was the NRCan Industry Framework. Major and associated metals and minerals were listed and used to develop a detailed list of products / end uses in which the associated metals and minerals can be found. Sectors associated with metals / minerals recycling were then identified. The results of this research are summarized in Appendix B. To obtain the desired information regarding programs and policies, a contact and database protocol was established, including development of a basic contact survey to gather information on metal and mineral recycling activities. This survey is included in Appendix C. A Microsoft Access database was then built to facilitate input and compilation of acquired data. Sources of contact information were researched, with information from various sources correlated to establish contact lists within each jurisdiction. Federal, provincial and municipal policies and programs that influence the recycling of metals and minerals were also identified and researched. Policies and programs are summarized in Appendix D.

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http://www.recycle.nrcan.gc.ca/backgrounder_e.htm


An advisory committee meeting was held in the Fall of 2002 to discuss target programs and develop the foundation for a comprehensive interview instrument. Factors that were discussed as important to include in the information obtained through interviews, and incorporated into the interview / research protocol included the following:

a. contact information b. materials handled c. legislation, regulations, policies d. incentives for reuse or recycling of metals and minerals throughout various

stages of consumptive cycle e. disincentives and barriers to recycling f. current collection infrastructure g. education and promotion efforts around metals and minerals recycling h. disposal practices and potential for diversion i. level of focus and participation by municipalities, industry and NGOs j. trends towards product stewardship k. material separation and processing l. material toxicity m. volumes of materials diverted through program n. market criteria:

i. local, regional, national, international ii. stability of markets, including pricing iii. material constraints iv. market trends v. developing or untapped markets

Research was also conducted by all project partners into areas of potential enhancement and expansion of metals and minerals recycling. Where available, material and volume information was also obtained from sources such as municipal collection and industry associations. Data from each region was compiled into a master database with the capability to correlate programs by criteria such as material type and program characteristics. The complete contact database includes the information outlined in Table 1.

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Table 1: Number of contacts in database

total # of

company records scoped

in scoped

out Overall 5080 1019 4061

AB 764 70 691

BC 768 86 660

SK 238 35 131

MB 323 17 294

YK 17 2 15

NWT 32 1 31

PEI 161 7 154

NS 228 8 220

NB 383 16 361

NF 138 7 130

ON 1318 586 732

QC 710 185 525 The total records indicate the number of contacts researched by the project partners. Those records that were scoped in include detailed contact and survey information. This database was delivered to NRCan in February 2004. It is hoped that this database can be used to update contacts in the NRCan Industry Framework, as well as provide additional information on companies and programs currently involved in metals and minerals recycling in Canada. Recommendation: Conduct a comparison between the Recycling Scan database and the NRCan Industry Framework database to determine necessary updates. 2.2 Effectiveness Criteria and Program Rating The second program task was to Establish effectiveness criteria and rate criteria for each program previously identified. The primary component of this phase was a workshop session to finalize program criteria that would be used for the rating system. This workshop was held in Halifax in August 2003, and was attended by researchers and project coordinators from all regions. To facilitate an effective workshop, the data that each region had provided was grouped and categorized into a matrix. This data included those companies which the researchers had ‘scoped in’ during the previous phase, all provincially regulated

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programs, and community recycling programs. Prior to the workshop, each researcher was instructed to complete the following tasks:

• •

• • • •

• • • • • • • • • • accountability • • •

• • •

Review the matrix for errors or omissions. Identify which of the listed companies, provincial programs, or community recycling programs were ‘exceptional’ in some way. Exceptional companies were defined as those which meet one or more of the following criteria: - achieving recovery rates that exceed simple market draw, - recovering products that are rare or unique in some way (i.e. not typically

recovered by metal processors), or - metal processors that have developed some unique or special practices

that have advanced the metal recovery process for that processor above and beyond what other processors are achieving.

The workshop began with a discussion of the effectiveness criteria for rating metal & mineral recovery programs, using the program characteristics for the identified exceptional programs (rare / unique / or successful) as high-end criteria. The discussion considered which program characteristics or policy points have encouraged the exceptional recovery of metals or minerals and whether these program characteristics are specific only to certain metals or minerals. The group was requested to include all businesses, government programs and/or community programs that are exceptional in some way. This brainstorming exercise resulted in the following list of potential criteria:

recovery rate (% of total product diverted regardless of total waste stream) diversion rate (% of product diverted with respect to total waste stream) throughput (large volumes) variety / diversity of material (greater than average, e.g. high and low grade material) markets (finding or creating a market no-one else has found) good standard industry standards emerging technology (new technology) a diversion innovation (clever processing) program should be environmentally acceptable net effect of program is positive environmentally cost effective public aspect (public access, participation, responsibility) good working conditions for people

job creation little residual in process relevance (diverting on a small % of waste stream) – toxics and large volumes have greatest impacts social responsibility vs. acceptance does program involve education lifecycle (closing the loop)

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• • • • • •

does it reduce GHG emissions? catchment (scope) transferability (can program be duplicated elsewhere?) follow the 3 Rs hierarchy sustainability (can the program be economically sustained?) great standard business practices that can be applied to another industry

Further discussion concluded that some of these characteristics were actually program characteristics (descriptions of factors that tend to exist in successful programs), as opposed to effectiveness criteria (factors that delineate between effective and non-effective programs). In essence, the group wanted to get down to the core factors that identify a good program, rather than program features that tend to make a good program. To assist in narrowing the list to true “effectiveness criteria”, the group completed a trial rating exercise using programs each region was confident were effective. These programs are outlined in Appendix E. As a result of the test case exercise, a core list of effectiveness criteria was decided upon (see Table 2). It was noted by the group that the final criteria included social, economic and environmental effectiveness factors. The group then completed the exercise of rating one of the identified programs for each of the established criteria, as below: Table 2: Effectiveness Criteria Matrix

Has

a h

igh

reco

very

rate

Prod

uces

low

re

sidu

als

in e

nd

prod

uct

Enco

urag

es

Des

ign

for t

he

Envi

ronm

ent

Prin

cipl

es.

Follo

ws

3Rs

hier

arch

y

Clo

ses

the

loop

Econ

omic

ally

su

stai

nabl

e

Soci

ally

Via

ble

(com

mun

ity

resp

onsi

bilit

y)

Rel

evan

ce: p

uts

thro

ugh

high

vo

lum

e or

toxi

c m

ater

ials

Flex

ibili

ty

(pro

gram

can

be

tran

sfer

red

acro

ss

juris

dict

ions

, or

betw

een

indu

strie

s).

Program (rate out of 3) Beverage Containers

3 3 0 0 3 3 3 3 3

Noranda

IPSCO

Researchers were then sent away with the task of correlating effectiveness criteria to program characteristics in this evaluation matrix for each of their final scoped-in companies and programs. The final matrix of exceptional companies and programs is included in Appendix F.

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2.2.1 Market Trends The group also discussed market trends that they identified during their research. Emerging and diminishing markets are outlined in the table below: Table 3: Emerging & Diminishing Markets

Emerging Diminishing

mercury (dental amalgam)-CCME dental association agreement fly ash (SK –ecosmart)

scrap iron tin (door panels) auto components (as plastic increases in vehicles, there is less metal per car, and recycling is less economically viable). Appliances Car batteries–value dropping. White goods (no problem in BC). There is a question about the components of the residual materials coming out of their recycling –how much of mass / volume is recycled?

• Computers •

•

• • •

• • •

International dumping of metals onto markets is causing declines in the value of the metal over time. This is making metal recovery more difficult, and forcing metal recyclers to be more selective in recycling only high value metals. It was also reported that Asian metals penetrating the markets are lower grade and less expensive. This reduces the markets available for higher-grade metals from North America. The overall emerging theme was ferrous metal markets being replaced with lower valued metals or plastics. 2.2.2 Untapped Markets A list of products currently with minimal recycling opportunities was distributed prior to the workshop for review, as follows:

• • • • • • • • • ceramics •

barbed wire chicken fence wire rope propane tanks mini –propane tanks (camper size) electronics (relatively little public access) TVs, Microwaves, stereos, toasters etc. drywall (AB)

dirty metals

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• • • • • • • •

• •

• • •

• market • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • education • • • •

paint cans (AB) metals contaminated with naturally occurring radiation (AB) household batteries e,g AAs aerosol cans computers (AB- relatively little public access) mercury switches (processed in fluff in most places) FLTubes (relatively little public access) low grade, or light metals (NWT, remote areas of AB)

Workshop discussions identified the following additional untapped market opportunities and comments:

paint cans and tin cans only a problem in Alberta & NWT building construction metal studs (will be a problem in 20 years because used much now) SK has an issue with hydrated lime precious metals flat screen monitors will be a problem in ~5 years.

2.2.3 Drivers, Barriers and Opportunities A discussion of the drivers, barriers and opportunities identified during each region’s research produced the following lists: Drivers:

environmental regulations environmental consciousness government promotion personal investment in capacity cost of disposal possession of necessary technology available infrastructure personal demand for material public demand public access to recycling facility metal availability lack of landfill space contract obligations personal waste management objectives client demand for service

availability of skilled labour cheap labour political will to get producers on board with recovery short time between collection, storage and pay back for metal collectors

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Barriers:

• • •

• •

• •

•

• • • • • • •

•

• • • • • • • •

• •

• • • • •

lack of a market base (quantity of material available from the population) lack of a market for recycled products barrier for electronics recovery is the lack of legislation to provide a level playing field and to provide infrastructure transportation over long distances to the market unscrupulous scrap metal dealers that do not pay metal collectors for the shipment or pay them a fraction of what they were quoted rising energy costs are a barrier to the transportation and smelting of metals the ability or willingness of municipalities to recover metals from the public. (Some communities do not accept tin cans for instance, while others do.) the convenience of recycling. (in cities where there are recycling opportunities, you need to have transportation to the depots to be able to take advantage of it.) lack of stability of the metals markets lack of landfill bans and the low cost of landfilling the costs of recycling the metals are increasing increasing insurance rates costs of freight are increasing due to increases in fuel costs lack of effective / efficient technology to recycle problem products the Northwest Territories lacks repair shops and persons knowledgeable in fixing broken appliances lack of public education about metal recycling, and lack of public will to seek out metal recycling opportunities the lack of access to recycling facilities (ie curb side recycling) inconsistent waste separation no implemented/enforced disposal bans the lack of a consistent monitoring system within each province. BC only: regulatory restrictions on the use of recovered materials. lack of return on investment escalating operating costs to recover metals and minerals. cost of preparing metal and minerals for actual recycling are high and are expected to rise further costs of disposal are too low contaminated streams is a big issue (inability to prevent uncontrolled feed stocks) low population density lack of markets lack of volume North America is losing export markets often cheaper to buy new products that fix useable but broken products

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Opportunities: •

•

• •

•

•

•

• • • • • •

•

•

•

• •

•

if there is a way for people to recycle materials, many people seem to be willing to do it if they have the means to participate Manitoba’s blue box system seems to address the convenience of recycling issue Electronics Product Stewardship Canada (EPSC) regulating the Beverage Container Return Program in the Northwest Territories NB only: The combination of a curbside recycling program and landfill bans would be effective for enhancing the recovery of waste stream minerals in all Maritime Provinces opportunities exist for more efficient and effective waste separation through standardized collection and separation opportunities to improve the current systems by developing a standardized method of data collection for each of the provinces upcoming review of the lead acid battery stewardship program in BC the Ecosmart Partnership adoption of zero waste goals by some regional districts possible electronics stewardship legislation the Waste Diversion Act in ON industrial associations that are linked with the metal and mineral recovery sector need to be more pro-active assisting their members to operate their business in a more cost effective and environmentally responsible manner a greater effort is needed in the area of research and development with special attention to developing more cost efficient processes that will result in greater recovery of metals and minerals Municipalities need to set a tippage fee that reflects the true cost of disposal and to provide reasonable diversion alternatives for recoverable materials Private waste management operations must take steps to be more diligent in recovering metals and minerals and simply not be an inexpensive, easy disposal solution to rid mixed waste

Barriers and opportunities are further discussed later in this report. There were some additional notable comments that were received as the workshop concluded, and summarized below:

Producer responsibility should not be subsidized (removes incentives for DfE) There is a lack of a level playing field with private landfills. These landfills accept materials that public landfills don’t and at lower costs. This encourages companies to produce waste and deposit the material at private landfills > limits what public landfills can do to really encourage people to produce less waste (it’s cheaper just to ship it to another private landfill). It is the job of the municipality to extend the life of the landfill as long as possible. With private landfills, they have the opposite incentives (the more waste the more money they make). Increasing marketability of ‘crap’ is becoming a problem, e.g. laminated products: the quality is decreasing and profits are increasing. This is making

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scrap metal less economical to recycle. The problem here starts at the production phase.

• •

historic products are going to become a bigger issue as time goes on. community responsibility / social viability is an important part of any recovery program

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3.0 Results / Conclusions Detailed reports from each region represented on the project team are included in Appendix D. Some of the primary conclusions that were reached by the researchers are summarized in the following section: 3.1 Materials and Markets Iron is the least expensive and most widely used metal. Iron is used by foundries to make cast products such as engine cylinder blocks. Steel, which corrodes easily, is often coated with a corrosion-resistant material such as zinc or tin in a process called galvanizing. Steel is also alloyed with other metals such as chrome, nickel or manganese to enhance its resistance to corrosion and extreme temperatures, or to produce stronger or harder materials such as tool steel. (Stats Can, 2003). The most commonly collected metals in all jurisdictions surveyed in Canada are aluminum and steel. There are well-developed markets for both of these commodities in most areas and this has facilitated their collection and recycling. In some situations, the recovery of mixed metals is determined by the degree of presence of aluminum, due to its relatively high value. In more populated regions, a significant volume of non-ferrous metals, including copper, brass and gold are also collected for recycling. These metals are not commonly collected in more remote regions such as the Yukon and NWT. Market value of the material, not government directed programs or policies, has had the greatest influence on the total volume of metal recycling in Canada. Sorting and cleanliness seem to be the key factors that determine the value of recoverable metals or minerals. Where the material cannot easily be sorted, the material is recycled into the lowest common denominator, thereby reducing the overall value of the material. Where material cannot easily be cleaned, the material is largely left in landfills. The metal recycling industry, well established for many years, has historically been relatively stable. However, this industry faces significant price fluctuations affected by the demand for finished products, the exchange rate and the exports to foreign countries, including Asian countries. Metal stock price is dictated by the London Metal Exchange and fluctuates based on supply and demand in each metal category. The international nature of metals markets has been demonstrated in recent months through the significant increase in the value of ferrous scrap. This situation is driven by the building of infrastructure in Pacific Rim countries, most notably China and India. China, alone, has been consuming 20 million tons of scrap annually – more than Canada’s total production (Schutzman, pers.comm., 2004). The very large demand for scrap metal in these countries is having a strong effect on North

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American markets, with prices rising literally daily in many cases. The international markets at this point are prepared to pay in the order of 50% more for scrap than domestic markets. (Kotak, pers.comm., 2004) On the surface, this situation would seem good for scrap metal recycling, as rising prices will hopefully drive increased diversion of metal from the waste stream. However, the current situation has the potential to deliver serious blows to the Canadian steel industry. This already marginal industry is now required to pay significantly higher prices for scrap metal in order to compete with international markets. At the same time, steel is an international commodity, and prices are therefore set. Canadian steel mills are currently placing a surcharge on finished steel products in an attempt to recover some of the additional cost. However, this could have a negative effect on demand, since Canadian steel may become uncompetitive on the international market. This could have serious consequences for the viability of steel mills such as Stelco in Hamilton, which is already in bankruptcy protection. Shutdowns and layoffs are certainly a possible outcome of this situation. (Schutzman, pers.comm., 2004) The bottom line with these recent market developments is that steel demand will be met on the international level, regardless of where production occurs. Increased demand will likely drive increased collection of scrap steel. However, whether the production of finished steel products will occur in Canada, or migrate to other regions, is a significant concern for the industry at this point. The resale value of non-ferrous metal is generally higher than that of ferrous metal. That goes for recyclable and recycled materials, i.e. prices are relatively stable between what’s sold by the recovery person and what’s sold by the recycling person. Prices vary according to the demand of finished products, the exchange rate and exports, especially exports to Asian countries. Metal stock price is dictated by the London Metal Exchange and fluctuates based on international supply and demand. Table 4 and Figure 1 below summarize general market price trends for metals over the past two decades. The recent spike in prices for ferrous scrap is not reflected in these figures. Table 4: Price of recovered metal since 1986 (dollar/ton)

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Figure 1: Price of recovered metal since 1986 (dollar/ton)

The auto recycling and wrecking groups represent the largest component of the metal recovery industry in Canada. The high demand and availability for workable used auto parts along with the presence of both aluminum and copper parts has made many operators in these groups sustainable. However, factors including the costs associated with the need for better fluid recovery management, possible mandatory mercury switch recovery, and other higher operating requirements were reported as having a negative impact on these groups. The scrap metal yard owners represent the next largest component of the metal recovery industry. As in the case of the auto recyclers and wreckers, there are growing pressures on this valuable material recovery effort that have forced many operations to shut down operations prior to the recent rise in scrap metal prices. In addition to increasing operating costs, ongoing low market prices for collected metals were threatening the viability of this industry, however, this situation has undergone significant change in the last few months with rapidly increasing market prices. Mineral recycling is minimal in many regions. However, the recycling of both asphalt and concrete is increasing in most areas, where they are commonly collected and stored for recycling in most of the major urban centres. One factor leading to this trend is the growing percentage of private and public construction contracts that are specifying the recovery and, in many cases, the re-utilization of the recovered asphalt and or concrete into projects. In British Columbia, the most commonly recovered and recycled mineral waste is gypsum, with several companies receiving and processing this material. This is because gypsum has been banned from disposal in most BC landfills because of concern over the production of H2S gas when it is exposed to excessive amounts of water. In most other jurisdictions, the higher costs associated with the special handling of separated gypsum makes landfill the preferred option to the construction sector. In particular, smaller contractors and renovators cannot justify the cost to collect and deliver gypsum separately. Until the costs to recover become less than the costs associated with disposal, these materials, along with dimensional wood,

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metal, cardboard, asphalt shingles and even brick and stone, are typically destined for landfill. Until recently, it appeared that the recycling of metals and minerals had peaked due to economics, however, the recent drastic increase in international demand for ferrous scrap may drive increased diversion of this material. At the same time, valuable minerals and metals continue to be lost to landfill in most regions. 3.2 Regulatory and Government Policy Influence Regulations and public programs for the recycling of metals and minerals vary across the country. However, many similarities also exist, particularly in the areas of metal products such as beverage containers, automobiles and white goods. Some of the highlights of provincial and territorial programs and regulations are summarized in this section. Areas, such as British Columbia, that have adopted strict guidelines and bans on what materials may be disposed of in municipal or regional disposal facilities, have experienced increased diversion rates. Recovery of materials has also been promoted through the establishment of stewardship programs covering materials such as beverage containers and lead acid batteries. 9 of 13 jurisdictions in Canada have regulated deposit-refund programs for beverage containers, the exceptions being Ontario, Manitoba, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. BC introduced the Beverage Container Stewardship Program Regulation in 1997, while the Yukon Beverage Container Regulation was introduced in 1992. Deposit refund programs for beverage containers have been regulated in Alberta since 1970, and Saskatchewan since 1978. A deposit refund program for beverage containers has been regulated in Newfoundland & Labrador since 1997 under the Waste Management Control Act, and the Beverage Container Control Regulations. This beverage container-recycling program is a partial return deposit refund system that provides every community across the province with access to bottle depots to recycle metal beverage containers covered under the program. Quebec and the other maritime provinces also have regulated deposit-refund schemes. The Northwest Territories Liquor Commission currently operates a non-regulated deposit refund program for all alcohol-related products sold through the commission. This program is not regulated. However, the NWT is currently in the process of enacting beverage container legislation under the new Northwest Territories Waste Reduction and Recovery Act. In 1989, BC committed to a 50% waste reduction from 1990 disposal levels by the year 2000. As part of this goal, each regional district was required to submit a Solid Waste Management Plan detailing how this reduction would take place in their

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jurisdiction. As part of these plans, many regional districts implemented bans on the disposal of recyclable materials, including metals. BC Hydro runs a fridge buy-back program on Vancouver Island to encourage replacement of old, energy inefficient fridges with newer models. Customers receive a free pickup of their old fridge from BC Hydro and a $30 rebate on their next bill. BC Hydro is currently looking into expanding the program into the rest of the province. In the GVRD, all types of large appliances, including fridges, freezer, dishwashers and stoves, are accepted free of charge at landfills and transfer stations for recycling. The Province of Alberta and the Northwest Territories have both implemented base level programs and policies to direct the diversion of specific metal products from landfills. However, neither region has implemented province-wide or territory-wide programs or policies to divert any mineral products from landfills at this time. In Alberta, all of the cities, but few of the towns or smaller rural centres, have facilities (bins or curb-side recycling) for the public to recycle their tin cans. All of the landfills across Alberta accept metal appliances and other metal products from the public – usually for a fee. However, the landfill operators are left to decide whether or not they are able to recycle this material. Electronics recycling is in its infancy in Alberta, however, public access to electronics recycling is improving in this province. Maxus Technologies was instrumental to a City of Calgary project to provide the public with a one-time opportunity to recycle their electronic products for free in the spring of 2003. This event was the largest one-day electronics-recycling event in the history of North America. Alberta has developed a draft Waste Action Plan to improve the diversion of end-of-life materials, including metal products, from landfills. Specific actions, with respect to these goals, that could improve metal and mineral recovery include:

• •

• • • •

the implementation of landfill bans improving public education, interest, and participation in waste diversion programs government commitment to procuring recycled materials and products improving the efficiency of waste reduction programs across the province new research and innovation to improve waste diversion opportunities the improvement of current product stewardship programs, and the establishment of new product stewardship programs

HSW events or HSW drop off depot programs collect materials such as old propane tanks and car batteries in Alberta. In the Northwest Territories, there are few opportunities for the public to recycle metals. In Yellowknife, the community can separate tin cans, aluminum beverage containers, white goods and vehicle scrap for recycling at the local landfill. 2001 was

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the first year that Yellowknife has sent a load of metal to recyclers in Alberta. That year they sent 127 tonnes of white goods and 2 tonnes of pop cans for recycling. Yellowknife has not been able to find a market for their tin cans. Also, as of yet, no vehicles have been sent to metal recyclers. Yellowknife does not have access to a crusher, and crusher companies will not come to Yellowknife until a minimum of 1000 cars are ready for processing. Inuvik has a local program, run by the Inuvik Recycling Society, that collects beverage containers, including aluminum and bi-metal cans. These containers are transported to BC for recycling. The Special Waste Regulations in the Yukon define a variety of wastes, including lead-acid batteries, as ‘special wastes’ and set up provisions for their safe disposal. In Saskatchewan, the Municipal Refuse Management Regulations (1986) enacted under the Environmental Management and Protections Act (EMPA, 2002) brought about changes to landfills that banned disposal of automobiles and large metal items. The province further encourages municipalities to establish designated areas at landfills for items such as metals and concrete/bricks/rubble. In Manitoba, the Waste Reduction and Prevention Act (WRAP, 1990) regulates the Manitoba Product Stewardship Program (MPSP, 1995) – a statutory corporation that administers the collection and recycling of many products, including steel cans and aluminum beverage containers. The MPSP subsidizes recycling programs via a levy collected on beverage containers. The Maritime Provinces have all implemented waste diversion programs and policies within their respective provinces. For example, in the fall of 2001, New Brunswick developed a waste reduction action plan. This ten-point plan outlines the actions that New Brunswick needs to take to make their waste resource diversion and collection more efficient while considering the regional requirements for waste collection and diversion. These actions include the legislation of waste diversion standards to the consideration of landfill bans. No specific items were named for banning and many of the actions have not yet been implemented. In 1995 the Nova Scotia Environment Act was legislated and the Waste Management Strategy of Nova Scotia was developed. This strategy outlines a series of disposal bans, a system of industrial stewardship, defines the needs and requirements for regional cooperative disposal sites, and defines the establishment of the Resource Recovery Fund Board. This strategy laid the foundation for curbside recycling and compost collection in Nova Scotia. The creation of the Resource Recovery Fund Board (RRFB) provided a resource organization to track waste reduction and diversion in Nova Scotia. The RRFB also administers several aspects of the NS waste strategy including industry stewardship, deposit / refund system for beverage containers, education, value added manufacturing in the province and waste diversion funding.

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In New Brunswick, the Clean Environment Act established regional commissions, which outline a region’s approach to solid waste management. Prince Edward Island has established the Island Waste Management Corporation (IWMC), a crown corporation, which oversees the Waste Watch Program as well as other waste diversion programs. The Waste Watch Program is a mandatory composting, recycling and refuse collection program. The IWMC’s mandate is to provide cost effective environmentally responsible provincial waste management systems to both the residential and commercial sectors of PEI. Prince Edward Island has also implemented a series of landfill bans including all recyclable metals. Quebec Residual Materials Management Policy 1998-2008 identified specific recovery objectives:

•

•

•

•

•

•

95% of metal waste generated during normal operations in the industrial, commercial and institutional sector (currently below 70%) 60% of household ferrous and non-ferrous metal waste – this objective targets only 16% of tins and aluminum plates currently recovered through selective collection 80% of single filing soft drink and beer containers marked “�onsignee Québec / Return for refund in Quebec” (current recovery rate of 75%)

The Quebec Government is implementing measures to tackle the challenge of recovery and is asking that:

based on the principle of greater producer responsibility, concerned businesses recover and reuse packaging and printed materials they sell on the market or subsidize selective collection; the soft drink industry subsidize the deposit-refund system to recover single filling containers; corporate recovery measures as well as their results be recorded and reported to the general public.

Other objectives of the Policy include public education, awareness and involvement in the decision-making process, support to social economy businesses and motion to carry a government procurement policy related to products containing recycled material. These incentives will support local recovery and recycling business development. Quebec Action Plan regarding residual materials management identifies four measures to increase household and ICI metal recovery.

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Table 5: Quebec Actions & Goals

Actions Goals 8: Obligation for concerned businesses to recover and market packaging and printed materials and to subsidise selective collection.

Recover 60% of household discarded non-refundable containers.

14: Implementation of a program recording actions taken by ICI organisations to reduce and market residual materials (audits, policies on the environment, waste reduction plans), and public release of results achieved.

Achieve a 95% recovery rate of metal residual materials generated during regular industrial and commercial operations.

16: Continuation of project work related to Canadian packaging initiatives.

Promote the use of recovered metal in manufacturing processes and the design of recyclable and easily identifiable packaging.

17: Obligation for the beer and soft drink industry to subsidise recovery efforts through a deposit system for single filing containers.

Ensure that 80% of beer and soft drink containers are returned to a recycling centre.

Quebec Action Plan supports technology R&D, helping the industry to improve processing of mixed or highly contaminated metals. New sources of supply made available for metal waste marketing also represent attractive business opportunities for stakeholders in the industrial sector. For example, the development of processing methods for electric and electronic delivery equipment will create jobs in this industry. The Action Plan also identifies measures on public education, awareness and involvement in the decision-making process, support to social economy businesses and motion to carry a government procurement policy promoting the use of recycled products. The goal is to increase by about 100,000 tons the annual volume of metal recovered and marketed in Quebec. In Newfoundland & Labrador, only the major cities and a few of the smaller rural centres have facilities (bins or curb-side recycling) for the public to recycle their tin cans. In general, where tin can metals are collected they must be mixed with other more valuable metals to be off-loaded to the metal recyclers in this province. Landfills across Newfoundland & Labrador accept metal appliances from the public for collection and disposal, with the exception of the landfill that services the City of St. John’s. The St. John’s landfill is situated next to a metal recycling facility and the landfill operators direct the public to dispose of their metal products at that facility. In general though, individual landfills across the province must decide whether or not they charge the public for dropping off metal products, and if they wish to pursue recycling opportunities and divert that metal for recycling. In some of the smaller communities, metal appliance recycling has only been facilitated by concerned

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citizens that have the will and the space to store used metals on their private property for scavenging by metal recyclers. Often these citizens are required to store this material for upwards of five years, to attain sufficient volume to attract a metal recycler to scavenge in their region. 3.3 How Does Canada Compare? The Recovery of Metals and Minerals

Internationally 3.3.1 Background: Factors Affecting Metal Recovery: Canada vs. the

International Scene The market and situational factors that affect the end-of-life recovery and recycling of metals and minerals in Canada also affect the recovery and recycling of metals and minerals internationally:

• • • •

the scarcity of the metal, the demand for the metal, the freight costs to transport the metal to recovery centres, and the ease in processing the metal for recycling.

These factors affect the value of the metal at end-of-life, and therefore affect the market pull for specific metals to recycling facilities at end-of-life. Where the metal has a high positive value, the metal is generally recovered. Where the metal has a negative value or low positive value, the metal is generally landfilled. The key difference between metal and mineral recycling in Canada and the United States, and metal and mineral recycling internationally, seems to be the level of concern international governments place on diverting the non-metal portion of metal bearing products. For example, Wilt and Kincaid (1997) report that European and Asian countries are implementing producer responsibility programs to: 1) ensure that a greater portion of vehicles are recycled (metal and non-metal portion) than is accomplished through traditional scrap metal salvage operations, 2) that the use of hazardous materials (such as lead and mercury) in vehicle design is phased out, and 3) that producers have incentive to design their products to be easily recycled. While several provinces and states in Canada and the United States respectively, have implemented producer responsibility programs for vehicle components -tires and oil filters- no North American jurisdiction has yet regulated a recovery program for the entire vehicle. North America, it seems, is willing to allow 25% (Staudinger, 2001) of their ‘recycled’ vehicles to enter landfill as non-recyclable ‘vehicle fluff’. Asian and European countries are aiming for recycling targets above 80-85% (Staudinger, 2001). The infrastructure available to guide the recovery, processing and use of large scrap metals products (vehicles, metals from construction and demolition sites, large appliances, large volume producers of metals) is similar across much of the

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industrialized world. North America has no advantage. Large metal items are pulled from the waste stream because of the value of the metal they contain. The recovery and recycling of small item metal products (food cans, small appliances) and mineral products is variable and at its infancy both within Canada and internationally. Why? The collection and recycling of small metal items is simply less profitable than the collection and recycling of large metal items. This may be because 1) more freight is required per tonne to transport small metal items to collection points than large metal items, 2) that small metal items are easily disposed of alongside other forms of waste; 3) that large metal items are easier to distinguish and separate from other forms of waste, or 4) small metal items may contain metals that are less scarce, lower demand, more contaminated, etc. Regardless of the product’s size, low recovery rates can exist for any metal product when the market is not strong enough to support the recovery of that product. Low recovery rates in some countries have encouraged governments to develop specific product policies to direct and improve the recovery of ‘problem’ metal products. Metal products that have been the focus of product policies have tended to be products which either 1) exist in high volume (cumulative volume not individual product volume), or 2) are toxic when disposed of in landfills. The next section details product policies that exist in various nations that have improved the recovery of specific metal products. 3.3.2 Policy as a Force to Direct Recovery Product policy has been developed in numerous countries to guide the recovery of specific metal products at end-of-life. The forms of product policy have included deposit-refund regulations, take-back regulations, landfill bans and/or landfilling surcharges on metal / mineral bearing loads. 3.3.2.1 Packaging Waste According to Morowski (2001), 30 countries world-wide have product policies to direct the recovery of packaging waste. Metal packaging is used for many food, beverage, and non-food products. According to the European Commission (2001), metal packaging makes up 7% of the overall packaging in EU member countries. 3.3.2.1.1 The European Union The European Union has developed regulations (see Directive 94/62/EC) that require producers to achieve a minimum 50% recovery rate for the total quantity of product packaging, a minimum 25% recycling rate of the total collected material, and a 15% minimum recycling rate for each individual material (Europa, 2003). Some member states have set higher recovery targets in their own jurisdictions. The average recycling rate for metal packaging achieved by EU member countries in 2001 was 46% (European Commission, 2001). The EU has proposed to increase

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the minimum recovery rates and recycling rates to 60-75% and 50-70%, respectively (EPA, 2003a.). Under the proposal, metal would have to achieve a recycling rate of 50%. However, as of September 2003, the EU parliament had not passed this proposed increase (Europa, 2003). 3.3.2.1.2 Japan Japan has also developed regulations to direct packaging recovery: The Container and Packaging Recycling Law (Yamaguchi, n.d.). Japan requires 1) municipalities to collect, sort and waste packaging waste, and 2) manufactures and end-users to organize and finance the recycling of the processed packaging (EPA, 2003a). It is not clear from the literature whether or not metal packaging is covered by this regulation. 3.3.2.1.3 Australia & New Zealand Australia and New Zealand have decided to use voluntary covenants to direct the recovery of packaging waste (EPA, 2003a; Packaging Council of Australia, n.d.). In 1999, these countries implemented a ‘National Packaging Covenant”. The Covenant is a voluntary agreement between local governments in each country, the Australian and New Zealand Environment Conservation Council, and the packaging industry. The Covenant is an agreement to develop and implement action plans to reduce the impact of packaging waste on the environment. This includes packaging reduction at source and improved recovery of packaging at end-of-life. Brandowners that are not signatories to the Covenant are regulated under the National Environment Protection Measure (NEPM), and required to implement take-back programs for packaging materials to achieve outcomes equivalent to the Covenant. 3.3.2.1.4 Deposit-Refund Systems for Beverage Containers Deposit-refund systems have been regulated in a number of jurisdictions around the world to direct the recovery of beverage container packaging waste. Metal beverage containers include: aluminum cans, bi-metal cans, and steel cans. Deposit-refund programs have been regulated in 9 of 13 provincial / territorial jurisdictions in Canada, in 11 states of the United States, Germany, and Korea (EPA, 2003a; Lease, 2002). In 2002, a study released by the BEAR institute, and signed by 14 cross-industry stakeholders including Coca-Cola North America, found that deposit-refund programs in the United States resulted in the highest rate of recovery for beverage containers of any other known end-of-life beverage container collection method. The authors of the report stated that deposit refund programs resulted in an average collection rate of 78%, while curbside programs and residential drop off programs resulted in collection rates of only 9.5% and 4.5% respectively. Deposit-refund programs have proven to be effective at recovering metal beverage containers.

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3.3.2.2 Electric and Electronic Waste The European Union, Taiwan, and Japan have led the way and have implemented regulations that direct the recovery of electrical and electronic equipment. In Canada, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have all declared that they will implement electronic product recovery programs in the near future. Other countries, including the United States, have agencies working to implement voluntary programs to recover specific electric or electronic waste. 3.3.2.2.1 The European Union The European Union was the first international group to implement regulations to direct the recovery of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). In 2003, the EU passed regulations to require producers to recover and recycle a host of WEEE including: large household appliances, small household appliances, IT and telecommunications equipment, consumer equipment, lighting equipment, electric or electronic tools, toys leisure and sports equipment, medical devices, monitoring and control instruments, and automatic dispensers. The Directive will come into force in 2005, at which time the public must have access to free drop-offs for their WEEE. By 2006, producers must achieve a recovery rate of 60-80% by weight of targeted products, and a recycling rate of 50-75% by weight. ( See Directive 2002/96/EC). The EU has also adopted a regulation to direct the removal of hazardous components, including toxic metals, from the manufacture of some products. In 2003, the EU passed regulations to restrict the use of certain hazardous substances in the manufacture of WEEE by 2006. (See Directive 2002/95/EC) 3.3.2.2.2 Japan Japan has taken a different approach to the recovery and recycling of electric and electronic waste. In 2001, Japan passed a regulation (The Electric Household Appliance Law) that requires producers to recycle 50-60% of four electric products: televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners, and washing machines (Tojo, 1999; Yamaguchi, n.d.). This list of targeted products is much smaller than the products that are targeted under the EU regulations. Another interesting note about this regulation is that while producers are expected to provide the opportunity to recover and recycle electric appliances, the consumers are expected to cover the costs of the end-of-life management of those products. Specifically, consumers are expected to pay an end-of-life management fee at the time they drop off their end-of-life products for recycling (Tojo, 1999).

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3.3.2.2.3 Taiwan Taiwan was the first country to implement regulations to require the recycling of used computer hardware and printers (US EPA, 2003b). By law, consumers in this country can return obsolete computer hardware, monitors, notebooks and printers to depots around the country for free (EPA, 2003b). Taiwan reports a recycling rate of 75%. 3.3.2.2.4 Canada In Canada, a number of provinces have declared their intention to enact electrical and electronic product recycling regulations in the near future. British Columbia is expected to pass its regulation in the first quarter of 2004 (pers comm. Bob Paul, Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, November 2003). Alberta is expected to pass a regulation in late 2004 to early 2005 (pers. comm. Christine Della Costa, Alberta Environment, November 2003). Manitoba has not declared a timeframe for the implementation of their regulation (pers. comm. Rod McCormick, Government of Manitoba, November 2003). The programs being developed in each province will likely depend on the cultural and political climate of each region and vary in structure, requirements, targets, and product scope accordingly. All of these programs are expected, at a minimum, to include the required stewardship of televisions, computers and computer equipment, and cell phones. Electronic Product Stewardship Canada represents electrical and electronic product industry representatives, and is lobbying for harmonization of e-waste regulations, to the greatest degree possible, across the country (www.rpec.ca). 3.3.2.2.5 United States In the United States, the National Electronic Product Stewardship Initiative (NEPSI) is a voluntary stakeholder committee that aims to develop solutions to end-of-life electronic product management (NEPSI, n.d.) Signatories to the initiative include representatives of electronics manufacturers, government agencies, and environmental groups. NEPSI is currently working on developing a front-end financed system to manage the electronic waste. NEPSI has not yet reported the diversion of even a single computer as a result of their program, however, if NEPSI succeeds it will be an example of a public-private partnership to divert a problem waste material. 3.3.2.2.6 Australia Australia has also decided to use a voluntary agreement to direct the recovery of electrical and electronic waste (EPA, 2003b). This initiative is industry led, and guided by a working group composed of government representatives, environmental agencies, the Australian Chamber of Commerce, and industry. The initiative is looking to address environmental issues with respect to computers, televisions, home entertainment electronics, small appliances and lamps.

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http://www.rpec.ca


3.3.2.3 End-of-life Vehicles 3.3.2.3.1 Canada and the United States: Current Status In North America, end-of-life vehicle recovery is pulled through the value the metal holds on the market. Tojo et al. (2001) state that 94% of all automobiles are recycled in the United States. However, while the recovery rates of end-of-life vehicles have remained stable for some time in North America, it is likely that recycling rates will begin to fall with time. Bellman and Khare (2000) report that in recent years vehicle manufacturers have consistently decreased the metal proportion of new vehicle design, and conversely increased the non-metal proportion. Their research shows that as the non-metal proportion of the vehicles increase, the percentage of the recovered vehicles that are recycled decreases, the percentage the left-over vehicle residue sent for landfilling increases, and the economics of vehicle recycling will become less profitable, if not become an outright cost. Metal recycling rates from vehicles are currently declining in North America 3.3.2.3.2 European Union By comparison, the European Union has established producer responsibility programs to encourage the recovery of automobiles (Kim, 2002). In 2000, the EU passed the ‘Directive on End-of-life Vehicles’ (see Directive 2000/53/EC). This directive aims to recover and recycle upwards of 80-85% of the available end-of-life vehicles (Staudinger, 2001) by 2006. No figures are yet available for current recycling rates. 3.3.2.3.3 Taiwan Taiwan has also established regulation to direct the recovery of end-of-life vehicles: the ‘Waste Motor Vehicles Recycle and Disposal Regulations’ (EPA, 2003d). Under the regulations manufacturers are responsible for collecting end-of-life vehicles. Local dismantlers and recyclers process the vehicles. No targets have been reported. 3.3.3 Indirect Policy Stimulation of Metal Recycling 3.3.3.1 Landfill bans Some jurisdictions have chosen to implement landfill bans on products that they wish to divert from landfills. This ensures that metal is diverted from landfills within the boundaries of the jurisdictions, but does not necessarily prevent waste producers from hauling this material out of the jurisdiction to landfill.

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3.3.3.1.1 Canada In Canada, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island have banned lead-acid batteries, used tires, and steel food cans from landfills (Government of Nova Scotia, n.d.; Waste Watch Prince Edward Island, n.d.). Nova Scotia has also banned post consumer paint (and paint tins) (Government of Nova Scotia, n.d. ). Some municipalities in British Columbia have banned gypsum waste (i.e. drywall or wallboard) from landfill (Government of British Columbia, 2002). Ontario has banned several hazardous materials from their landfills including mercury-containing products such as fluorescent light tubes (Environment Canada, 2001). Canada’s CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment) has signed a voluntary agreement with the Canadian Dental Association to ban the disposal of dental amalgam into sewer systems across Canada (CCME, 2001; Environment Canada, 2002). The Dental Association now requires all dentists in Canada to use amalgam separators to catch the amalgam and then send this metal either for ‘safe disposal’ or recycling. Since amalgam is valuable it is likely that this metal will be recycled more often than not. 3.3.3.1.2 United States In the United States, California has proposed to ban CRTs from landfills (www.cawrecycles.org). Minnesota and Massachusetts have banned CRTs from landfills beginning in July 2005 (www.computertakeback.com). Several other states are considering implementing landfill bans on CRT waste. Several municipalities in Florida and California have developed landfill bans on scrap metal and gypsum wallboard from construction and demolition sites. Florida, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey and Vermont all have banned the disposal of Ni-Cd and small sealed lead batteries from landfill. As well, 30 states in total have banned all types of lead batteries from landfills (EPA, 2003c). A number of states have also banned the disposal of hazardous products which contain mercury such as fluorescent light tubes (EPA, 2003f). 3.3.3.1.3 European Union The European Union has banned the disposal of used tires in landfills (Government of the United Kingdom, n.d.). 3.3.4 Indirect Deterrents High Landfill Tipping Fees, Landfill Tipping Fee Surcharges, and Pay-As-You-Throw waste disposal systems have all been shown to increase the costs of disposing of materials in general, and consequently have encouraged increased rates of recycling for recyclable products –including metal bearing products (Beede & Bloom, 1995; EPA, 2003g; Skumatz, 2000; Shapiro, 1995; Canterbury, 1996).

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http://www.cawrecycles.org/

http://www.computertakeback.com/


3.3.5 International Hindrances to Metal Recycling Metal recycling is a viable self-sufficient industry that is becoming less and less viable and self-sufficient with the development of new products and advances in technologies. As products become more complex, smaller, and require less metal in their manufacture, the capture of metal from the waste stream becomes more difficult and less profitable. The growth of disposable products (one-time-use products) and the slow death of the repair, refurbishment and remanufacturing industry has negatively influenced metal recovery. Disposable products are inexpensive, and there is little economic disincentive to discourage consumers from choosing one-time-use products over long-term use products. Further, it is often now less expensive for consumers to buy a new product instead of repairing a malfunctioning used product. Advances in technologies and the built in obsolescence of metal bearing goods, shortens the life span of otherwise operational metal bearing products. To improve metal recovery governments will likely have to commit to regulating 1) design for the environment criteria that force producers to improve the recyclability, reusability, repair or refurbishment of products, and 2) consumer responsibility so that consumers will not be able to avoid the economic responsibility for their purchasing decisions. 3.3.6 Summary of International Programs and Policies Numerous international policy initiatives have been identified that direct the recovery of metal bearing products. The use of product stewardship initiatives, in particular, has been popular on the international scene. Further implementation of such programs will undoubtedly be implemented as metal bearing products become more complex and less cost effective to process at end-of-life. Alternative economic incentives such as landfill bans, raising landfill tipping fees, and applying direct consumer fees at time of purchase or disposal, have been used internationally and have been effective tools at diverting metal wastes.

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3.4 Material Generation and Diversion Volumes Metals are divided into two primary classifications: ferrous metals (constituting about 90% of the metal waste stream) that can be sorted through electromagnetic separation, and non-ferrous metals (~10% of total metals). Ferrous metals include mainly steel and cast iron; non-ferrous metals include aluminum, lead, copper, nickel and zinc. Metal is estimated to account for 5.9% of the residential waste stream, and includes items such as food cans, tools, electric household appliances and electronic devices. However, the portion of metal in the waste stream appears to be decreasing. For example, in Quebec, the percentage of metal found in household waste has declined from 6.5% in 1985 to 3.4% in 2000. In the industrial, commercial and institutional sector (ICI), metal accounts for a ranging proportion of total waste, depending on region. For example, ICI waste consists of approximately 4% of ICI waste and 12% of CRD waste in Alberta, while representing approximately 37.4% of the ICI waste stream in Quebec. ICI metal waste includes metal cuttings, obsolete equipment, frames and structures. From 1970 to 1997, world production of primary iron (from iron ore) remained almost constant, but production by area has shifted, declining in the Commonwealth of Independent States, North America and Europe, and increasing in Asia. Asia's share of world production almost doubled to 45% during this period. World production of primary iron was 550 million tonnes in 1997, and steel production was 795 million tonnes. Statistics Canada reports 16 million tons of steel production in Canada in 2002, down from 17 million tonnes in 1997. The automotive, construction, and oil and gas industries (including refineries and pipelines) together account for about 70% of steel demand in Canada. Other major uses are other transportation equipment, industrial and agricultural equipment, and cans and other containers. Of the 17 million tonnes of steel production in 1997, 8.5 million tonnes of scrap steel were consumed as input (Stats Can, 2003). At the same time, approximately 65% of steel products contain recycled steel. According to the Canadian Steel Producers Association, 58% of food tins, 77% of household appliances and over 90% of automobiles were recycled in 1999. Transportation equipment (aircraft fuselages, ship superstructures and automobile radiators and wheels) accounted for 26% of world aluminum use in 1998, while packaging (including cans) and buildings/other construction each accounted for 20%. Canada's 1997 aluminum production was estimated at 2.3 million tonnes, with 4% of this production from recycled material. Production increased to 2.7 million tonnes in 2002. (Stats Can, 2003) Alcan estimates that 116 million pounds of aluminum cans were collected for recycling in Canada, of a total available 165 million pounds, for an estimated 70% overall recycling rate.

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Preliminary 1996 data for copper use in the United States show that building construction accounted for about 43% of the end use of copper (in electrical and telecommunications wiring, and plumbing and heating and cooling equipment), electrical and electronic products for 24%, industrial machinery and equipment and transportation equipment for 12% each, and consumer and other products for the remaining 9% (Stats Can, 2003). Statistics Canada reports that 136,000 tonnes of copper were recycled in 1997, accounting for 24% of the total amount of metal refined in Canada. Consumption of copper in Canada was estimated at 225,000 tonnes in 1997, or about one-half of refinery production. Recycled lead accounted for 48% (132 thousand tonnes) of the metal produced by Canadian refineries in 1997 (Stats Can, 2003). Most of the approximately 3 million tonnes of gypsum consumed annually in Canada is used as wallboard. It is also used as an ingredient in cement, as a soil additive in agriculture, and as a filler in plastics, paint and paper. (Stats Can, 2003) Table 6, below, summarizes the metals collected for recycling in Canada through the public recycling infrastructure, including MRFs and landfills. These numbers do not include materials collected through industrial collectors such as scrap yards and auto wreckers (Marshall, pers.comm., 2004). Table 6: Metals Prepared for Recycling by Province (tonnes), Year 2000 Ferrous metals Copper/ aluminum Other metals Newfoundland N/A N/A 500PEI N/A N/A 0Nova Scotia 2 506 1 72 2 544New Brunswick N/A N/A 2 125Quebec 1 138 800 N/A 154 700Ontario 276 782 19 110 N/AManitoba N/A 2 293 N/ASaskatchewan N/A N/A N/AAlberta N/A N/A 11 344British Columbia 137 470 1 856 38 400Territories N/A N/A N/ATotal Canada 1 904 616 42 596 327 557(source: Stats Can, 2003) As can be seen, a total of 1.9 million tonnes of ferrous scrap is collected for recycling in Canada through the public recycling infrastructure. An additional 10 – 11 million tonnes of total metals are collected each year through auto wreckers and scrap metal dealers. Approximately 75% of this volume is ferrous scrap (Shaw, pers.comm., 2004). This means a total of about 10 million tonnes of ferrous scrap

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are collected through all recycling routes annually. At the same time, Canada is a net exporter of scrap metal, exporting a net of more than a million tonnes annually, primarily ferrous. As previously stated, Canadian steel production consumes 8.5 million tonnes of scrap steel as feedstock. Based on the previous numbers, Canada feeds its steel industry primarily through domestic recycled feedstock. Similarly, the majority of other metal scrap consumed in production is sourced domestically. However, the potential exists to utilize additional metals that could be collected through enhanced recycling efforts by increasing recycled content. An estimated 86,161 tonnes of “End-of-Life” electronic waste were available for disposal in Canada in 2002, while it was estimated that only 3% or 2,585 tonnes of this waste was recycled. Asphalt is another commonly recovered product, but it is difficult to get a weight or volume figures since it is often cold planed, remilled and mixed on location with new asphalt. 3.4.1 Provincial Volumes The level of data collection for volumes of metals and minerals collected for recycling varies considerably between provinces, making national tracking very difficult. In general, records of recycling for minerals such as asphalt and cement are not kept. Recent initiatives to upgrade and harmonize provincial data collection systems are currently underway. Increasing the comprehensiveness and reliability of recycling data collected across the country would assist tracking and analysis efforts in the future. Recommendation: Support and facilitate improved data collection of diversion and recycling volumes throughout Canada. 3.4.1.1 British Columbia In 2000, 39,599.2 tonnes of white goods were reported to have been collected through municipal and regional recycling programs in BC. These same programs also reported collecting 31,923.9 tonnes of other metals for recycling. In total, 71,523.1 tonnes of metal were collected through those programs reporting data. Total volumes of metals recycled in BC would actually be higher, as data was missing from five regional districts. These actuals are likely reflected in the Stats Can data (Table 6), showing a total of 177,728 tonnes of metal collected for recycling in BC. In 2002 in BC, Encorp Pacific Canada, the agency responsible for collecting non-alcoholic beverage containers, collected 5,163 tonnes of aluminum and 248 tonnes of steel through this program. Over the same period, the Western

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Brewers Association, the agency responsible for collection of beer containers, collected 5,484 tonnes aluminum beer cans. Totals for metals and minerals collected for recycling and currently tracked in BC are outlined in Table 7, below:

Table 7: BC Recycling Totals

Material Volume Mixed Metal 147,463.9 tonnes/year

White Goods 39,599.2 tonnes/year

Ferrous only 3,750 tonnes/year

Non-ferrous only 35 tonnes/year

Aluminum only 10,647 tonnes/year

Steel only 248 tonnes/year

Total Metal 201,743.1 tonnes/year

Gypsum 70,000 tonnes/year

Asphalt, concrete, brick and stone

250,150 tonnes/year

Total Minerals 320,150 tonnes/year 3.4.1.2 Territories In 2002, 21.6 tonnes of metal were collected through municipal recycling programs in Whitehorse. Most of the recycling activities in the Yukon are centered in this community and data from other areas was not available. In 2001/2002, 152 tonnes of aluminum and 4.38 tonnes of steel cans were collected through the Yukon beverage container stewardship program. These volumes are summarized in Table 8, below: Table 8: Yukon Recycling Totals

Material Volume Mixed Metal 21.6 tonnes/year

Aluminum only 164 tonnes/year

Steel only 4.38 tonnes/year

Total Metal 189.98 tonnes/year In 2001, the City of Yellowknife sent 127 tonnes of white goods and 2 tonnes of pop cans for recycling.

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3.4.1.3 Alberta In general, the Alberta government does not keep data to tabulate the volume of metals that are diverted from municipal landfills in this province. However, since metal is often sold directly to the metal recyclers in this province, municipal data would only underestimate the volume of metal recycled provincially. However, in 2002, Alberta’s Beverage Container Stewardship Program resulted in diversion rates of 85% for aluminum cans (5,359 tonnes), and 52% for bi-metal cans (265.4 tonnes). The 85% diversion rate for aluminum cans includes soft drink cans (82%) and beer cans (91%). In the same year, 5,973,939 used filters were recovered and recycled through Alberta’s Used Oil Management Program. Since 1992, 23 million tires have been recycled in Alberta. As of June 2002, Albertans had recycled 454,000 kilograms of computer waste and 158,000 kilograms of fluorescent light tubes. The most recent overall Alberta volume estimates were conducted for the Alberta Recycling Markets Study in 1992, reflecting 1991 numbers. The total quantity of scrap metal generated in Alberta in 1991 was estimated at 448,000 tonnes. Of this amount, 399,000 tonnes was ferrous metals, while non-ferrous metal scrap totalled about 49,000 tonnes. Of these totals, an estimated 142,000 tonnes were generated within the municipal waste stream. MSW ferrous metals were estimated at 108,000 tonnes, or 6.4% of the MSW waste stream, while about 24,000 tonnes of aluminum (1.4%) were in the MSW stream. About 10,000 tonnes of other non-ferrous metals (including copper, brass, stainless steel, and lead) accounted for 0.6% of the MSW stream. Recovery rates for scrap metals in 1991 were estimated at 75% for ferrous metals and 40% for non-ferrous metals. It was noted that the capture of non-ferrous metals had actually dropped considerably in recent years due to large accumulation of losses of very small quantities of these metals in products. About 5,000 tonnes were recovered through municipal collection programs, while 4,000 tonnes of white goods were collected from Alberta landfills. These volume estimates were calculated using metal recovery information in conjunction with waste composition data. Research was unable to identify information regarding purchases of new metals and metal products. Assuming assumptions such as composition have remained constant, and applying 2001 population numbers, the following current estimates can be made. Alberta experienced a 16.9 % increase in population between 1991 and 2001. Applying this same increase to metal generation numbers results in an estimated total 2001 scrap metal generation of 524,000 tonnes, comprised of 467,000 tonnes of ferrous metal scrap and 57,000 tonnes of non-ferrous scrap. These generation rates reflect a per-capita scrap metal generation rate of 176 kg / person / year.

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3.4.1.4 Saskatchewan and Manitoba Saskatchewan has a very high return rate on aluminum cans (96% in 2002/03 – more than 117,000,000 cans). Overall, the return rate for aluminum beverage containers in Manitoba is around 30% (1045 tonnes). But, the recycling of MPSC eligible materials by Manitobans rests at 50%. The Manitoba Transportation department is reclaiming as much asphalt as possible. Currently they are in preservation status for the primary highways - they are applying a thin overlay to their highways and are therefore not reclaiming much asphalt. Typically, in previous years they have reclaimed more materials than the 2002 figures that have been reported. In general, as little as 10% and as much as 70% asphalt is reclaimed on their projects. The Automotive Recyclers of Manitoba Association claims that over 100% of the vehicles that come into the province are recycled “as it is necessary for vehicles to be imported into Manitoba to meet the processing capability”. Table 9 Mass Data available for Metals and Minerals in Saskatchewan and Manitoba

Steel (tonnes)

Steel slag (calcium, magnesium) (tonnes)

Aluminum Cans (tonnes - 2002)

Asphalt (tonnes)

Concrete (tonnes)

White goods/tin (tonnes)

Saskatchewan 970,2261 40-50,000 2,045 87,3002 30,0003 5884

Manitoba 1,084,0865 1,045 123,6006

Canada 8,549,8047 49,174

1 2002 figure of scrap charged for the Regina IPSCO electric arc furnaces (all steel including white goods, automobile bodies

and cans are included in this figure). 2 This figure is a combination of Saskatchewan Highways (58,300 tonnes which assumes a 75% salvage of RAP), the City of

Regina at 20,000 tonnes and the City of Saskatoon at 9,000 tonnes. There are no other figures available. 3 City of Regina. 4 City of Saskatoon 5 Gerdau Ameristeel. 6 Manitoba Transportation 2002 figure for RAP (assumes maximum 70% RAP mix). 7 Stats Canada figure for 2002 aquired through personal communication with Lynne Ree of the Canadian Steel Producers

Association.

3.4.1.5 Quebec In 2000, Quebec generated an estimated two million metric tons of scrap metal, including over 1.8 million metric ton from the industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) sector. This represents a per-capita generation rate of 267 kg / person / year. Metal waste is recovered through three main channels. The selective collection in the ICI sector is operated by the private sector, whereas the selective collection of recyclable materials and single filing soft drink and beer containers is generally

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operated by the municipalities. The ICI sector generates the largest part of metal waste, however it also recovers the largest part of all metal waste collected: 98%. The remaining 2% come from the municipal sector, split equally between selective collection and single filing containers collection. Figure 2: Origin of metals recovered in Quebec in 2000

Table 10: Quanities of metal recovered in Quebec before 1992 (million tonnes)

The type of metal recovered varies by sector. Aluminum cans from the single-serve soft drink and beer containers collection account for 45% of metal recovered at the municipal level, whereas tins from the selective collection account for 50%. In the ICI sector, ferrous metals represent 89% of metal waste and non-ferrous metals (mainly aluminum) account for a mere 11%. Across the board, ferrous metal waste is by far more recovered than any other material (88%).

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Table 11: Quantities of metal recovered in Quebec in 2000 by category (tonnes)

Between 1998 and 2000 in the industrial sector, ferrous metal recovery increased by approximately 25%, from 905,000 to 1,127,000 tons; non-ferrous metal recovery increased by about 50%, from 95,000 to 143,000 tons. Figure 3: Metal recovered in the Quebec ICI sector since 1992 (tons)

At the municipal level, more food tins were recovered in 2000 compared to 1998. Ferrous metal recovery, mainly through selective collection, increased from 10,500 tons to 11,800 tons over two years. Non-ferrous metal recovery is largely inferior, however non-ferrous household products are smaller in number. Household non-ferrous metal recovery material is limited to aluminum paper and plates that have to be pre-washed. Despite that fact, Quebecers throw over three times more non-ferrous material in their recycling bins (from 300 tons in 1996 to 1,100 tons in 2000).

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Recovery of single filing soft drink and beer containers shows a slight decrease from 1998 (11,200 tons) to 2000 (10,600 tons). At the end of 1998, close to 78% of tins sold were returned to a recycling centre. Two years later, that rate fell to 75%. In 2001, RECYC-QUÉBEC launched a major awareness campaign to give a boost to the recovery of single filing containers initiative in the population: “Tu rapportes, on recycle!” Figure 4: Metal recovered through selective collection and single filing containers collection in

Quebec since 1992 (tons)

Table 12: Metal waste generated, subject to the Policy and recovered in Quebec in 2000 (tons)

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Figure 5: Bilan de la gestion des résidus métalliques au Québec en 1996 et objectifs de réduction à l’an 2008. (Summary of metal waste generated in Quebec in 1996 and reduction goals by the year 2008)

The metal recovery network is very complex and so is the access to information on the volume of metal recovered. Based on data from the industrial sector, 1.5 million tons of ferrous metal and over 100,000 tons of non-ferrous metal are recycled in Quebec. That includes 11,000 tons of deposit aluminum cans and the same amount of steel containers recovered through municipal selective collection. Table 13: Importance économique de la mise en valeur des résidus métalliques dans le

secteur ICI (Economic impact shown by value of metal waste in the ICI sector)

Table 13 above shows marginal amounts of recoverable residual materials at the municipal level in comparison with amounts already recovered in the industrial and commercial sector, accumulating residual materials valued at 238 million dollars.

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3.4.1.6 Ontario In Ontario in 2001, 10,900 tonnes of aluminum and 32,600 tonnes of ferrous metal were collected through the blue box system (MOE, 2002). 2002 saw very similar volumes, at 10,776 tonnes of aluminum and 33,472 tonnes of steel. An additional 28,437 tonnes of scrap steel were also collected through the municipal recycling system in 2002. The Ontario Automobile Recyclers’ Association reported recycling 3568 cars in 2002 and 5347 cars in 2003. New West Gypsum and Canada Waste Recycling reported that they recycled nearly 36,000 and 20,000 tonnes of old dry wall and asphalt roofing shingles, respectively, in Ontario in 2002. In 2001, Ontario municipal HSW programs were responsible for collecting nearly 460 and 520 tonnes of car batteries and propane tanks, respectively. 3.4.1.7 Maritimes 3,487 tonnes of aluminum and 69.1 tonnes of steel are recovered in Nova Scotia and 2,026.95 steel (1,752 tonnes steel material and 274 tonnes of steel cans) collected in New Brunswick. New Brunswick does not have accurate records on aluminum while PEI has no available statistics on mineral recycling and recovery (see Appendix D). In 2002, the Newfoundland & Labrador beverage container recycling program captured 60,598,087 aluminum cans, and 572,579 steel (bi-metal) cans.

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3.5 Barriers to Diversion Factors that present barriers to effective or increased recycling were identified by regional researchers throughout the project, and are outlined in this section. Barriers identified in BC/Yukon include the following:

a) lack of access to recycling facilities or collection programs b) lack of access to recycling markets c) lack of markets for certain materials d) lack of disposal bans e) regulatory restrictions on the use of recovered materials.

Barriers a), b), and c) were identified in both British Columbia and the Yukon. Barrier d) was mostly an issue in the Yukon, while barrier e) came up in British Columbia only. Many communities are located far from markets which exist primarily in southern British Columbia. It was found in BC that a distance to market of only 3 or 4 hours driving time can mean that materials will not be collected. In addition, many small or isolated communities lack access to recycling facilities or curbside collection programs. In both British Columbia and the Yukon, materials were identified for which no significant market existed. These materials were typically minerals such as beryllium, bottom ash, lime, or stone. The Yukon was also lacking markets for many of the metals that were typically collected in British Columbia, such as steel, iron, and white goods. The issue of regulatory barriers came up only in British Columbia. In an effort to standardize construction guidelines in municipalities, a group of BC engineers have produced a document called the Master Municipal Construction Document. Adoption of the guidelines is voluntary, but over 65 municipalities and regional districts in British Columbia now use the Master Municipal Construction Document as their standard. Under the guidelines in this document, asphalt cannot be reused in the construction of roadways. This has presented a significant barrier to companies in British Columbia that would like to participate in asphalt reuse or recycling. The four predominant barriers to effective waste diversion and resource recovery in the Maritime Provinces were identified as the following:

a) the lack of access to recycling facilities; b) inconsistent waste separation; c) no implemented/enforced disposal bans and; d) the lack of a consistent monitoring system within each province

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New Brunswick has not yet implemented landfill bans at many of its landfills. In all Maritime Provinces opportunities exist for more efficient and effective waste separation through standardized collection and separation. Opportunities also exist to improve the current systems by developing a standardized method of data collection for each of the provinces. In the three Maritime Provinces there were no consistent approaches to mineral recovery. Both Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have systems that rely on a regional approach making mineral recovery different in each region. All three provinces lack reliable statistical information. No standardized region-wide community recycling programs are in place for either Alberta or the Northwest Territories. The breadth, function and form of recycling programs operating in individual municipalities are dependent on the goals and actions of each municipality, in each region. The barriers to metal and mineral recycling in both Alberta and the Northwest Territories are significant, and seem to be increasing, not decreasing, over time. The barriers to metal and mineral recycling in these regions all stem from two issues: 1) the costs of metal and mineral recycling outweigh the profits available for certain recycled metals and minerals in today’s market, and 2) it is often cheaper, or just as cheap, to landfill metals and minerals than to recycle them. Four predominant barrier categories were identified that prevent or limit metal and mineral recycling in Alberta / NWT:

1. Lack of stability of the metals markets. a. There has been a significant drop in value of recycled metal in

the last decade: metal recycling simply isn’t as profitable as it was 10 years ago.

b. The market has been wholly unpredictable, and volatile.

2. Lack of landfill bans and the low cost of landfilling. a. There are no landfill bans on metals or minerals in Alberta or the

Northwest Territories at this time, and no other direct incentive for metals to be sorted out of other landfill material.

3. The costs of recycling the metals are increasing.

a. Metal recyclers in Alberta have reported that both insurance rates for their industry and employer fees to the Workers Compensation Board have almost doubled in recent years.

b. Both the rising costs of freight, and the relative cost of freight as compared to the potential for profit from recycling, were key barriers identified by metal recyclers in small and remote communities in Alberta and the Northwest Territories.

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4. Lack of effective / efficient technology to recycle problem products. a. There is a growing list of metal and mineral products that metal and

mineral recyclers will not accept for processing. This list contains some products that are recycled in other jurisdictions, and some products that were readily recycled in the past. However, these products are not currently viewed as acceptable for recycling in Alberta or the Northwest Territories because they: •

•

• •

require extra effort in processing, such as cleaning (dirty metals, paint cans), dismantling (furniture, appliances), or sorting (mixed metals); require technology to be processed that does not exist locally (e.g. household batteries, propane cylinders, aerosol cans, drywall; computers, electronics, mercury switches); are just difficult to process (wire rope, barbwire, chicken cages); or they do not contain ‘valuable’ metals (tin cans, light weight metals).

b. The Northwest Territories lacks repair shops and persons knowledgeable in fixing broken appliances. As a result, interviewees in this region stated that products that could still be useful if they could be fixed are landfilled prematurely.

In Ontario, participants of the metal and mineral recovery sector are experiencing a lack of return on investment. The constant increases in operational costs coupled with the instability and often low commodity market prices of recovered materials, have made it difficult for new ventures to emerge as well as existing businesses to survive. As a result of low profits, growth in this sector has been minimal or in some cases has declined. A commonly perceived barrier in both provinces to the recycling of more materials within our study is the lack of a market base (quantity of material available from the population) and of a market for recycled products. An additional barrier for electronics recovery is the lack of legislation to provide a level playing field and to provide infrastructure. Another barrier is transportation over long distances to the market. This is particularly true in the northern half of both provinces. To alleviate some of the burden, Manitoba Product Stewardship Program offers a higher per tonne fee reimbursement to rural communities than it does for the Winnipeg collection program. The costs of recovering scrap steel from farms and other remote areas to get it to the mills may not be feasible. In some cases, farmers gather car bodies and farm equipment, stockpile it on their land, and then sell it when crops are poor or they need extra cash. However, it is really driven by the markets whether or not the farmer is able to get the crusher to come in to haul the material away. In the case of municipalities (and I suspect with some farmers), they have had to deal with unscrupulous scrap metal dealers that do not pay them for the shipment or pay them a fraction of what they were quoted. Rising energy costs are a barrier to the transportation and smelting of metals.

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In addition to this, in Saskatchewan, another barrier is the ability (or willingness) of municipalities to do more recovery work. If there is a way for people to recycle materials, many people seem to be willing to do it, but they must have the means as well. Some communities do not accept tin cans for instance, while others do. This barrier is also tied the convenience of recycling. Even in cities where there are recycling opportunities, you need to have transportation to the depots to be able to take advantage of it. Three road blocks were identified that appear to have reduced or limited the growth of the metal and mineral recovery sector in Ontario.

1. Lack of stable commodity markets. a) The competitive global market for metals has affected domestic

markets considerably. Lower international prices for scrap and new metal products have had a devastating affect throughout the metal recovery sector.

b) Market demand is limited to quality scrap metal. Primary metal recovery businesses are becoming more selective in the products that they will accept. Products that contain large amounts of non-metal components along with the absence of high value metal components will be turned away or accepted only with a fee to cover the cost of handling and eventual disposal.

2. Landfill as the preferred option.

a) In most cases, the cost of recovering materials far exceeds the cost of landfilling.

b) Some municipalities have established material bans at landfill sites and transfer stations that restrict mixed waste loads that contain recoverable materials However, generators may simply switch to the private, lower cost disposal options where fewer restrictions exists.

3. Escalating operating costs.

a) Practically all costs associated with operating metal or mineral recovery facilities are constantly increasing. Specifically, insurance and labour related costs have experienced the greatest costs increases.

b) The cost of preparing metal and minerals for actual recycling are high and are expected to rise further. Metals and minerals must be sorted and cleaned of all contaminates. All additional work required preparing the metals and minerals to meet the satisfaction of the auto hulk processors and government regulations has increased the cost of doing business.

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3.6 Opportunities In addition to barriers, researchers also identified situations and factors that may provide opportunities for enhanced recycling of metals and minerals in Canada. Four opportunities for further recovery and/or recycling of metals and minerals in BC were identified during the course of the survey. All of these opportunities exist mainly in British Columbia. These four opportunities are:

a) upcoming review of the lead acid battery stewardship program b) the Ecosmart Partnership c) adoption of zero waste goals by some regional districts d) possible electronics stewardship legislation.

The lead acid battery program is soon to be reviewed with the aim to make the program more successful, and to provide new opportunities for collection and recycling of batteries. The EcoSmart Partnership is an industry-government initiative that is working to develop the potential of EcoSmart concrete which is produced by replacing up to 60% of the cement with ‘supplementary cementing materials’ such as fly ash, blast-furnace slag, rice husk ash, and silica fume. Manufacture and use of this type of concrete presents an opportunity for increased reuse and recycling of these industrial mineral by-products that would normally be disposed of. Two regional districts, the Regional District of Nanaimo and the Kootenay-Boundary Regional District, along with one municipality, the Town of Smithers, have adopted or are in the process of developing a zero-waste action plan. Ideally, each region would undergo a waste characterization study to fully analyze the composition of the waste that is now reaching landfills. Implementation and enforcement of disposal bans in BC diverts a significant amount of metal and mineral ‘waste’ from landfill. For example, the landfilling of gypsum or drywall is not permitted in the lower mainland regions. This has driven the collection and recycling of this material. This practice could be replicated in other jurisdictions. Asphalt recycling is becoming quite profitable in southern Alberta. There have been reports of the demand for recycled asphalt outstripping the supply available for purchase by private enterprises in this region of the province. Electronics Product Stewardship Canada has proposed to design a national program to facilitate the recovery of end-of-life computers and other IT equipment in Canada. There is a proposal before the Government of the Northwest Territories to regulate a deposit refund program for all beverage containers in the Northwest Territories. This program would improve public access to beverage container recycling depots, and

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improve public awareness and participation in beverage container recycling programs. Manitoba’s blue box system seems to address the convenience of recycling issue. Despite the convenience, the return rates could be higher so an educational campaign called “Communities Gaining Weight” was developed for the Manitoba Product Stewardship Corporation. This initiative was very successful in increasing the recycling of all materials and illustrates how effective educational campaigns can be. Other opportunities for the collection of more metals seems to be the central location that some of the larger companies have in the North American market place. For example, IPSCO in Regina or the rolling mills of Selkirk’s Gerdau Ameristeel have a geographical advantage to the collection and processing of a large amount of steel. Ontario has introduced the Waste Diversion Act, and has the opportunity to expand the act to include, as designated wastes, end-of-life electronics, vehicles, and other products that are difficult and costly to recycle. There is an opportunity to invest in increased research and development with special attention to developing more cost efficient processes that will result in greater recovery of metals and minerals.

Municipalities need to set a tipping fee that reflects the true cost of disposal and to provide reasonable diversion alternatives for recoverable materials particularly where material bans exist. Waste diversion standards, with best practices incorporated, have to be applied and enforced at all privately and publicly owned and operated waste management facilities. For example, all waste sources, including private waste management facilities, should be mandated to have all recoverable metals and minerals removed before final disposal. New technologies will help process combinations of metals or contaminated metals, and local or national stakeholders will provide new sources of supply. Development of new processing methods for electric and electronic delivery equipment will also provide valuable enhancement opportunities.

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3.7 Characteristics of Effective Programs Programs and processes identified by the researchers as outstanding or remarkable were evaluated according to the following criteria, which were established to define effectiveness:

• • • • • • • • •

Recovery rate Process residuals Influence on design-for-environment Support of 3 Rs hierarchy Closing the loop Economical sustainability Social viability and community responsibility Relevance (high volume or toxicity) Flexibility and transferability

The results of this rating process are summarized in Appendix F. Common characteristics of programs rated high based on each of the previous criteria are discussed below: 3.7.1 High Recovery Rate / Diversion Programs rating very high in terms of recovery rates tended to have a regulatory foundation, such as deposit-return, mandated industry stewardship, or landfill prohibition. High diversion was also seen in specific cases of high market value materials, where recovery was economically driven. Recovery can also be economically driven through private deposit-refund systems, as with lead-acid batteries and beer containers in some jurisdiction. 3.7.2 Low Process Residuals Residuals resulting from the recycling process seemed to be dependent on two primary factors: design of program to incorporate effective source separation of different product and materials, and the ability of the recycling technology and equipment to separate materials and components.

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3.7.3 Encouragement of Design-for-Environment Extended Producer Responsibility programs should theoretically have the greatest ability to influence design-for-environment. However, even these programs failed to show definitive results in this area. Regulatory influences, such as landfill prohibitions and management requirements for toxic materials, could also exert upward pressure on manufacturers to modify design for increased recyclability. However, again, evidence of a direct link to changes in design was not demonstrated. 3.7.4 Adherence to 3Rs Hierarchy This criterion also largely applies to design elements of public programs. For example, some stewardship programs provide incentives that encourage higher-order recycling, and some community recycling programs encourage reuse before recycling. However, some private companies also showed initiative in promoting closed-loop recycling. 3.7.5 Closing the Loop Closing the loop is closely linked to the 3Rs hierarchy, and the same basic conclusions apply. However, it was also identified that closed loop recycling was most likely to occur when the recycler and the manufacturer were one and the same. 3.7.6 Economically Sustainable Many metal recyclers have a long history in business, and therefore rated high in this regard. However, all private recyclers are ultimately at the mercy of global market forces. Stewardship programs with integrated funding mechanisms (at arms-length from government) have the highest likelihood of financial sustainability. 3.7.7 Demonstration of Social Responsibility Programs linked to non-profit community-based associations rated highest for social responsibility. SARCAN Recycling in Saskatchewan is an example of a province-wide product stewardship program operated by a non-profit association with the mandate to provide opportunities for disadvantaged individuals. Québec has a number of community enterprises that also exemplify social responsibility. They include the Réseau des ressourceries du Québec, whose 48 members work to create sustainable jobs from the transformation of waste into resources.

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3.7.8 Relevance (Throughput of High Volume or Toxic Materials) This criterion speaks to the importance of placing priority on materials that represent a large volume in the waste stream or present significant risk due to toxicity. Programs dealing with high-volume metals, such as steel and aluminum, as well as programs diverting large volume mineral products, such as gypsum and asphalt, rate high in this category. 3.7.9 Flexibility and Transferability Programs experiencing high performance are of greatest interest at the national level if they can be easily replicated in other jurisdictions. Programs that exist due to conditions that are a local anomaly would not score high in this category.

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3.8 Designing for Effectiveness Using lessons learned from evaluating the criteria listed above, it is possible to make some conclusions and recommendations regarding criteria that should be considered when designing programs for effectiveness.

Highest diversion will be achieved when driven by regulatory mechanisms, or economic incentives. Regulatory mechanisms can dictate management practices, as in the case of landfill bans, or provide economic incentives, as in the case of stewardship programs. Economic drivers include deposit-refund systems, as well as precious materials.

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Source separation provides the highest value materials and least residuals.

Higher levels of technology are required to effectively recycle composite products.

More research is required to determine how to encourage design-for-environment through recycling programs and policies.

To be effective, programs should consider environmental indicators, such as the 3Rs hierarchy and closed-loop recycling. Public policy is required to provide incentives to private business to incorporate these environmental principles. ENGO participation in programs can facilitate environmental responsibility.

Public and Extended Producer Responsibility programs should be designed with integrated funding mechanisms that provide long-term financial sustainability.

Social responsibility should be an important consideration in any program. Linkages with non-profit social agencies can assist in providing this perspective.

Priority in the development of new programs should be given to materials of high volume or environmental risk.

Where programs are readily transferable, replicating successes between jurisdictions will be more effective that designing programs from scratch.

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3.9 Diversion Potential and Associated Climate Change Benefits Using some of the best-practices identified through the scoping exercise, it is possible to extrapolate potential for enhanced recycling through the broad adoption of programs and practices producing high diversion rates. Examples of these scenarios are outlined in this section. 3.9.1 Aluminum / Deposit - Refund One of the most prevalent uses of aluminum in our society is beverage packaging. Deposit-refund schemes appear to deliver the highest diversion of metal beverage containers, particularly aluminum cans. Alberta and Saskatchewan show the highest diversion rates, at 85% and 96%, respectively. At the same time, Manitoba, one of the jurisdictions without a deposit-refund program, reports the lowest aluminum can diversion rate, at 30%. Alcan estimates that 116 million pounds of aluminum cans were collected for recycling in Canada, of a total available 165 million pounds (~75,000 tonnes), for an estimated 70% overall recycling rate. If this rate could be increased 10% through enhanced recycling schemes, such as expanded deposit-refund programs, an additional 16 million pounds (~7300 tonnnes) of aluminum would be collected for recycling. According to Environment Canada, recycling aluminum produces net greenhouse gas reductions of 1.93 tonnes of CO2 equivalent for every tonne of aluminum recycled. Therefore, increasing the overall national recycling rate of aluminum cans to 80% would prevent the production of 14,089 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. At the same time, if an increased portion of Canada's 2.7 million tonnes of aluminum production could be supplied with recycled feedstock, the greenhouse gas reductions would be substantial. As previously stated, current estimates of recycled feedstock are a mere 4%, or 108,000 tonnes. This leaves close to 2.6 million tonnes of virgin aluminum production, representing about 5 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent that could theoretically be prevented through substitution of recycled feedstock. If 50% of this substitution could be accomplished, it would represent close to 2% of the gap between current emissions and Kyoto commitments (Climate Change Solutions, 1999). The aluminum can recycling rate in the US has been steadily dropping, and is now estimated at under 50%, excluding imports (Container Recycling Institute, 2003). This means more than 46 billion cans are wasted each year. This is almost ten times the total number of cans generated in Canada (5.1 billion) (Alcan, 2004). If the US recycling rate for aluminum cans could also be raised to 80%, it would represent about 540,000 tonnes of additional scrap aluminum feedstock. This translates to over 1 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent generation that could be avoided.

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3.9.2 Steel Approximately 50% of Canada’s steel production (8.5 million tonnes of 17 million tonnes) is provided through scrap steel. Certain sectors and products, such as automobiles, are experiencing high diversion and recycling rates. For example, it is currently estimated that over 90% of scrapped vehicles are being recycled, while 77% of large household appliances are successfully diverted. The gaps in collecting steel for recycling appear to be remote locations and marginal products. One area with potential for enhanced recycling is the residential portion of the municipal waste stream. Ontario has one of the most extensive municipal recycling infrastructures, and data collection systems. Ontario collects an estimated 50% of available residential steel blue box materials at 32,600 tonnes (MOE, 2003). This would suggest approximately 65,200 total tonnes available. Using 2003 population data, this translates into 168,500 tonnes available nationally. Conservatively assuming a national recycling rate for residential steel of 50%, approximately 84,000 tonnes of residential scrap steel remains available for diversion and recycling. If the national recycling rate for this material could be increased to 75%, an additional 42,000 tonnes would be diverted. If the national recycling rate for residential scrap steel is only 25%, an additional 126,375 tonnes remains available for diversion. In this case, achieving a 75% diversion rate would divert an additional 84,000 tonnes. Environment Canada reports the net savings in greenhouse gas emissions for steel at 0.9 tones of CO2 equivalent for each tonne of steel recycled. Therefore, increasing the national recycling rate for residential blue box steel to 75% could potentially produce a reduction in greenhouse gas generation equivalent to 37,800 tonnes of CO2, assuming a current national recycling rate of 50%, or 75,600 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, assuming a current national recycling rate of 25%. Hard-to-handle steel products such as wire and rope, as well as composite products containing steel components, represent additional opportunities for increased diversion of ferrous metal. The recently increasing market demand will likely drive the increased recovery of some of these materials, however, handling equipment and separation technology will still be limiting factors in diverting many of these marginal products. Overall, if the scrap feedstock input to Canadian steel production could be increased to 75%, an additional 4.25 million tonnes of ferrous scrap would need to be collected. This would represent a potential savings in greenhouse gas emissions of 3.825 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

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3.9.3 Gypsum BC successfully diverts and recycles an estimated 70,000 tonnes per year of gypsum wallboard, while Ontario recycles 36,000 tonnes of drywall annually. Gypsum recycling in the rest of Canada appears to be scarce. BC’s success with gypsum recycling is primarily a result of a landfill ban placed on the material in the lower mainland region. Although Ontario does not have a landfill ban on gypsum, it is likely that its higher landfill tipping fees are a significant contributor to the success of gypsum diversion in the regions where the practice occurs. If national gypsum recycling rates could reach those experienced in BC, close to 400,000 tonnes of additional gypsum could be diverted from national landfills. Conversion factors for greenhouse gas impacts of gypsum recycling could not be located, so it is unknown what direct climate change impacts would result.

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Appendices

4.0 Appendix A: Project Outline and Workplan The extent and effectiveness of programs diverting metals and minerals waste varies significantly across Canada as well as internationally. The significant differences in approaches to diverting these materials from the waste stream presents obstacles to programs managers attempting to assess the best approach to program development. A comprehensive analysis of these programs would be useful in determining the appropriate programs to apply to increase diversion of metals and minerals. The objective of this project is to identify the most effective approaches to increasing the diversion of metals and minerals, and to correlate program characteristics to effectiveness. 4.1 Overview Policies and programs within Canada, as well as internationally, that address the diversion of metals and minerals will be identified. Using available program data where possible, these programs will then be evaluated to measure their effectiveness, including diversion rates. In cases where data on program effectiveness is inadequate or unavailable, the project will develop surrogate data and/or estimates of program effectiveness sufficient to allow a level of program evaluation. Effectiveness will be correlated to program approach to assess the level of success of various program types.

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Final Report – Appendix A March 2004

4.2 Scope The scope of this project will address the major base metal non-ferrous materials, steel and selected minerals. Metals categories, based on the NRCan Industry Framework, follow: • Aluminum • Copper • • • • Steel • • Iron • • Batteries • • Tin • • Magnesium • Titanium • Brass • • • Bronze • • • • • • •

• • Concrete • • • • • Brick • Lime • • Stone • • Tar • Clay/Porcelain/Ceramics • Other

Stainless Steel/Alloys Aluminum Cans Insulated Wire/Cable Automobile Parts Steel Cans

Lead/Lead Alloys Bi-Metal Cans

Nickel (+ sludges) Truck Parts Precious Metals White Goods

Cadmium Radiators Zinc (electric arc furnace dust)Catalytic Converters Rail Scrap

(Potential additional categories: electronics, auto hulks, Berylium) Minerals categories, based on the NRCan Industry Framework, follow:

Asphalt & Tar Boiler Ash Fly Ash Bottom Ash Gypsum & Drywall

Calcium Carbon/Graphite/Silicon

(Potential additional categories: potash tailings, other mining materials) Characteristics of programs that will be considered will include distinctions between successful market-driven recovery, and situations where recovery is impeded by such issues as low or negative material value, high costs, and material toxicity and hazard. The distinction can also be made between largely unregulated recovery systems and cases where some form of regulation or program intervention has been undertaken, or could be undertaken, to support recovery. In recognizing the multi-material nature of much of the waste stream, the approach will focus on products, as well as on individual materials. For example, electronics represent significant volumes of various metals, but must be approached from a product-type waste diversion approach. The project will also independently examine various sectors that produce metals and minerals waste, as the types of waste varies between sectors, as do the approaches to successful diversion. For example, successful diversion programs for residential waste may require very different approaches than programs targeting industrial or commercial waste.

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4.3 Impacts on GHG Emissions and Energy reductions The program research conducted within this project will allow for estimates of potential reductions in waste that can be achieved through enhanced recycling initiatives. These potential waste diversion volumes will then be combined with relevant research regarding GHG emissions from waste management activities in Canada to quantify potential climate change impacts of various recycling policies and approaches. The potential impact of recycling on GHG emissions has the potential to be very significant. For example, 43,700 tonnes of residential metals were recycled in Ontario in 2000. If program enhancements could increase diversion by 10%, an additional 4370 tonnes would be recycled. Using 1997 EPA research, this would represent a reduction in GHG emissions of almost 7000 MTCE (metric tons of carbon equivalent). 4.4 Project Workplan Tasks Completion

date Consultation with national councils • scope out provincial components using Canadian Metals Recycling Database

(www.recycle.nrcan.gc.ca/backgrounder_e.htm) and local recycling databases.

February 28, 2002

Develop detailed project workplan March 31, 2002

Present interim report outlining process and detailed workplan March 31, 2002

Identify diversion programs and policies through literature review and expert consultation; present interim report summarizing findings

September 30, 2002

Establish effectiveness criteria; rate criteria for each program previously identified; present interim report outlining evaluation process and preliminary results

March 31, 2003

Correlate effectiveness criteria to program characteristics in evaluation matrix; use matrix results to identify most effective program characteristics for specific material categories; present interim report with correlation process and preliminary effectiveness results

July 31, 2003

Calculate diversion potential for broad implementation of high-performing programs; apply GHG factors to calculate potential GHG avoidance; prepare and present final project report

November 30, 2003

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4.5 Workplan Details Tasks Completion

date/ notes Consultation with national councils 1) Contact potential provincial ENGOs to solicit involvement in the project:

Recycling Council of BC, Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council, Resource Conservation Manitoba, Recycling Council of Ontario, Clean Nova Scotia, Recyc-Quebec

2) Create project advisory committee: Natalie Zigarlick (Recycling Council of BC), Christina Seidel (Recycling Council of Alberta), Joanne Fedyk (Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council), Jo-Anne St. Godard (Recycling Council of Ontario)

3) Scope out individual provincial components within advisory committee jurisdictions using Canadian Metals Recycling Database (www.recycle.nrcan.gc.ca/backgrounder_e.htm) and local recycling databases.

4) Advisory committee meeting to review scoping results and develop detailed project workplan.

December 2001

January 2002 Completed by RCBC, RCA, SWRC & RCO. Held March 5th in Winnipeg

Develop detailed project workplan March 31, 2002

Present interim report outlining process and detailed workplan March 31, 2002

Identify diversion programs and policies through literature review and expert consultation: 1) Identify metals and minerals within scope of study

a. Conduct internet search of NRCan Industry Framework b. List major and associated metals and minerals

c. Develop detailed list of products/ end uses in which the associated metals and minerals can be found

c. Identify sectors associated with metals/ minerals recycling 2) Establish contact and database protocol

a. Use flow analysis approach (i.e. volumes and destination) b. Develop basic contact survey to gather information on metal and mineral

recycling activities c. Develop database

i. Confirm compatibility with NRCan database ii. Updating - how often and who?

3) Locate Sources:

a. Brainstorm and create lists of industrial and professional associations (mines, chambers of commerce, construction, etc.), and products or end users for identified metals and minerals.

b. BC - Waste Exchange database AB – Recycling Hotline database, RCA database SK – SWRC database ON – OCETA waste exchange, RCO database Joint tools: yellow pages, NRCan database, recycling markets.net (Jo to follow up on national data sorted by province / material), Canadian Chamber of Mines, Provincial Mining Associations, Statistics Canada, municipalities Other regions: Yukon (BC to cover?), NWT (AB to cover?), MB (Resource Conservation Manitoba), Nunavut (ON to cover?), QC (Recyc-Quebec), PEI, NB, NS (Clean Nova Scotia), NF

September 30, 2002

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Tasks Completion date/ notes

c. Correlate information from various sources to establish contact lists d. Identify Federal, Provincial and Municipal Policies and Programs e. Compile source lists by province/ region f. Have advisory committee review created lists

4) Initiate first contact for basic data: a. Company Contact Info Category Materials Handled

Categories: producer/ generator, collector, processors, recyclers, end users

b. Program Contact Info Category Materials Addressed Categories: voluntary, MOU program, regulated, etc.

c. Place information into established database format 5) Obtain material and volume information

a. Municipal collection, processing and landfill information b. Import and export information from Statistics Canada and Transport

Canada c. Industry and other related associations

6) Compile and correlate all data into master database

a. List programs by material type b. Create summary of findings

7) Stakeholder Committee Meeting a. Choose target programs/ materials b. Develop foundation for comprehensive interview instrument

8) Present interim report summarizing findings

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Tasks Completion date/ notes

Establish effectiveness criteria; rate criteria for each program previously identified; present interim report outlining evaluation process and preliminary results: 1) Identify program factors for identification through advisory committee

brainstorming and scoping process. Examples of factors anticipated to be included follow: a. legislation, regulations, policies b. incentives for reuse or recycling of metals and minerals throughout

various stages of consumptive cycle c. disincentives and barriers to recycling d. current collection infrastructure e. education and promotion efforts around metals and minerals recycling f. disposal practices and potential for diversion g. level of focus and participation by municipalities, industry and NGOs h. trends towards product stewardship i. material separation and processing j. material toxicity k. volumes of materials diverted through program l. market criteria:

i. local, regional, national, international ii. stability of markets, including pricing iii. material constraints iv. market trends v. developing or untapped markets

2) Utilize identified program factors to complete detailed interview instrument. 3) Compile detailed program information through follow-up interview process. 4) Identify areas of potential enhancement and expansion. 5) Develop rating system to assign program criteria values. 6) Conduct workshop session to rate program criteria.

March 31, 2003

Correlate effectiveness criteria to program characteristics in evaluation matrix; use matrix results to identify most effective program characteristics for specific material categories; present interim report with correlation process and preliminary effectiveness results 1) Develop evaluation matrix for presentation of program criteria ratings 2) Insert rating data into matrix 3) Highlight effective program characteristics 4) Identify correlation trends with respect to program characteristics, material

type, and effectiveness.

July 31, 2003

Calculate diversion potential for broad implementation of high-performing programs; apply GHG factors to calculate potential GHG avoidance; prepare and present final project report 1) Using Stats Can and other volume information, estimate current diversion

rates for various categories of metals and minerals. 2) Using diversion rates for effective programs, calculate diversion potential by

material category. 3) Apply Environment Canada greenhouse gas factors to calculate greenhouse

gas avoidance under the current regime, as well as potential greenhouse gas avoidance for broad implementation of effective programs.

4) Complete final data compilation and prepare final report.

November 30, 2003

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5.0 Appendix B: Common Uses for Metals and Minerals Amazingly, metals and minerals are found in common products people use daily and upon which we have become dependent. Indeed, in order to be healthy we need minute quantities of many minerals and metals. The following is a list generated by an Internet search. Determining where metals and minerals are used would aid us in discovering the producers, collectors, processors and users. This knowledge has been a great source of inspiration in generating ideas of industry to contact to find out their level of activity within the waste diversion stream. I hope this information will be helpful to other users on this project as well. Aluminum:

• • • • •

• •

• • Construction

•

•

• • Mirrors • • • • •

transportation (automobiles, airplanes, trucks, railcars, marine vessels, etc.), packaging (cans, foil, etc.), construction (windows, doors, siding, etc), consumer durables (appliances, cooking utensils, etc.), electrical transmission lines, machinery, and many other applications.

Asbestos: (a name referring to fibrous varieties of several minerals: chrysotile is the only one mined in Canada)

Brake linings in cars and aircraft Pipes for water and sewer systems.

Asphalt and tar:

Residue in petroleum refining

Auto Parts: Auto Hulks: Batteries:

Various metals may be components of batteries: lead, cadmium, nickel Beryllium:

Transportation: aircraft windshield frames, air bag deployment, space vehicles Telecommunication; satellites, fibre optics, computers

Medical; x-ray use windows, Ceramics, bicycles, golf club heads Additive in rocket fuel Alloy, pure metal electronics

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Final Report – Appendix B March 2004

Bi Metal Cans: •

•

• •

• •

•

• Batteries • • • •

• Construction • Agriculture •

•

Beverage containers with steel bodies and aluminum lids Boiler Ash: Bottom Ash:

Coal combustion byproduct Brass:

Brass is a copper zinc alloy Building construction, fittings, auto and electrical components

Brick:

Firebrick, claybank used in fireplaces, furnaces, high heat areas Construction, landscape

Bronze:

Alloy of tin and copper Cadmium:

pigments, coatings and plating stabilizers for plastics electronics older cathode ray tubes

Calcium:

chemical and metallurgical processes Carbon/graphite/silicon: Catalytic Converter:

Found in automobiles to convert CO and Nitrogen oxides into CO2, N and water vapour. Made from ceramic or metal, mounted inside a stainless steel canister. It is installed in the exhaust line between the engine and the muffler.

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Clays: • • • • • • • • •

• •

• • magnets • steels • • • catalysts • • • •

• aggregate •

• • • • • •

•

• •

floor and wall tile pet waste absorbent foundry sand bond drilling mud iron ore pelletizing common clay; brick, cement, lightweight aggregate, fire clay; refractories fuller’s earth; absorbent uses kaolin; paper, refractories

Coal:

steel fabrication electrical generation

Cobalt:

super alloys; gas turbine aircraft engines

cemented carbides (hard metals) diamond tools

paints, varnishes, and inks, porcelain enamels, pigments battery electrodes steel-belted radial tires magnetic recording media.

Concrete:

Construction industry, civil engineering, structural support, landscaping Copper:

electrical power cables electrical equipment automobile radiators cooling / refrigeration tubing plumbing fixtures structural applications

Electronics:

Alberta study: lead, aluminum, iron, tin, copper, nickel, zinc, gold, titanium, ruthenium, palladium, silver, cadmium, rhodium, platinum

Fly Ash:

finely divided coal combustion byproduct used in asphalt

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Gold: • • jewellery • • dentistry • •

• • • wallboard

• radar • • satellite • missiles

• • • • • ammunition • • • • • • pigments

• steel • • mining • construction • • •

monetary value

electronics and electrical contacts

coatings for reflective glass coatings on satellites, space equipment, aircraft windows

Gypsum:

cement production smelting and glass making

Insulated Wire Cable:

telecommunication (microwave, cable television)

Lead and lead alloys:

transportation; batteries, fuel tanks, solder, seals, bearings, wheel weights electrical components electronics communications; batteries, computers, televisions (radiation shielding)

protective coatings, shielding from x-rays, radiation ballast and counterweights ceramics, crystal glass, tubes and containers building and roofing flashing foil, wire, and specialized chemicals

Lime:

flue gas desulfurization

pulp and paper precipitated calcium carbonate and water treatment.

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Magnesium: • • • • • • • fireworks •

• batteries • • • • • •

• • • electroplating • • • • • • • • • • • jewellery

•

• • • • • • • Investments

alloys in packaging (beverage cans) transportation; structural components structural use; castings and wrought products, machinery high temperature furnace lining compounds used in agriculture, chemical and construction desulfurization of iron and steel

removal of bismuth from lead Mercury:

chloralkali wastewater sludges dental amalgams electrical; fluorescent light tubes electronics measuring instruments manufacture of chlorine and caustic soda

Nickel: (and sludges)

stainless and alloy steel production chemical and food processing equipment

transportation; jet engines, brake linings, paints, fuel filters, gas turbines chemicals; batteries, catalysts, pigments for enamels, ceramics, inks electrical equipment construction; foundries fabricated metal products; welding rods, armaments petroleum; oil and gas pipelines household appliances machinery medical implants emission control devices; scrubbers

Platinum: (group metals: Platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, osmium)

Transportation; automobile catalysts, electrodes, fuel cells, spark plugs, sensors Electronics; computer hard discs, capacitors, crucibles Glass making equipment Chemical catalysts Platinum alloys; jewelry Dental restoration Medical; chemotherapy, prosthetics and implants

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Potash: (tailings) • •

•

•

•

•

• • construction • • • • • • • pipe •

• • • mirrors • • •

• •

•

•

Agricultural fertilizer Potash denotes a variety of mined and manufactured salts, all containing the element potassium in water-soluble form. Water softeners, ice melt, television tubes, computer screens, soap and pharmaceuticals. The brine is recycled back into the milling process.

Radiators:

cooling system in vehicles, originally copper/brass, now made from aluminum Rail Scrap:

wheels, axels, boxcars, old factories Scrap Iron:

pig iron

transportation oil and gas machinery containers appliances motor blocks

machinery parts Silver:

ornaments and utensils for trade; basis for many monetary systems

electrical and electronic products photography (largest single end use), x rays catalyst; production of formaldehyde from methanol and air

Stainless Steel and Alloys:

knife blades, surgical instruments, fasteners, shafts, springs Automotive exhaust and fuel lines, architectural trim, cooking utensils, bank vaults kitchen sinks, architectural applications such as roofs and gutters, doors and windows, tubular frames, food processing equipment, restaurant food preparation areas, c chemical vessels, ovens, heat exchangers sea water applications, heat exchangers, desalination plants, food pickling plants

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Steel: • construction • • packaging • •

• • • agriculture •

• •

• arts

•

• • • • •

•

• • •

•

• • jewellery

•

transportation

equipment appliances

Stone: (crushed – calcium carbonate)

construction aggregates; highway and road chemical and metallurgical uses; cement and lime manufacturing

consumer landscaping Dimension stone:

construction; granite, limestone, marble, sandstone, and slate alabaster (massive gypsum), soapstone (massive talc), and various products fashioned from natural stone

Tin:

protective coating on steel for food products; cans, bake ware, storage containers alloy with other metals; pewter, bronze, brass, solder, bearings electrical / electronic circuits glass-making; float glass tin chemical applications; PVC stabilizers dental fillings

Titanium:

sport equipment; bicycles, ski equipment, golf clubs, lacrosse sticks, roller blades transportation; aircraft frames, jet engines, heat exchangers piping systems medical; hips and knee surgery, heart valves, wheelchairs, dental implants, eyeglass frames transportation; automobile components a white pigment in paints, paper, and plastics pharmaceutical and food processing equipment

Truck Parts: White goods:

major household appliances

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Zinc: (electronic arc furnace dust) • •

• • • • • • cosmetics • •

coating to protect iron and steel from corrosion (galvanized metal) as alloying metal to make bronze and brass, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy for electrical components die casting alloy for precision components construction material; rolled zinc electrochemical; batteries for consumer products, medical equipment, etc. rubber, chemical, paint pigments, glazes on ceramics pharmaceuticals; vitamins, lotions

water purification systems agricultural uses; fertilizers, animal feed products

Sources: www.intlmag.org www.nipera.org/pro_and_use.cfm www.hms-scrap.com/recpro.htm www.itri.co.uk/tininfo.htm www.iza.com/swo_org/zwo00.inces http://pw1.netcom.com/~dwelding/stainless.htm http://www.rtol.net/mtrecycling/bimetal.htm http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Launchpad/2095/flyash.html http://www.recycle.net/Minerals/carbon/ http://www.china-graphite.com/ www.minerals.org.au/pages/pages3_40.asp http://www.dimensional.com/~mhj/#What is Be http://www.amm.com/ref/beryl.HTM http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/ http://interactive.usask.ca/skinteractive/modules/tourism/secrets/pcs_allan.html http://interactive.usask.ca/skinteractive/modules/mining/search/mineral_types/industrial/salt.html http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mms/school/min&met/english.htm#asbestos Electronic Waste a New Age Waste Problem (The Connector, Spring 2000) This information is accurate to the best of my knowledge given the sources information as listed above. The metals that are highlighted in yellow are ones that I think we may want to consider adding to the study list as they are found as components of integrated products, may have a toxicity concern regarding recycling (beryllium, mercury) and are part of the local (potash, coal) or national (asbestos) economy. Katherine Whiting, SWRC, Metals and Minerals Recycling Project, April 24, 2002

Page 65

http://www.intlmag.org/

http://www.nipera.org/pro_and_use.cfm

http://www.hms-scrap.com/recpro.htm

http://www.itri.co.uk/tininfo.htm

http://www.iza.com/swo_org/zwo00.inces

http://pw1.netcom.com/~dwelding/stainless.htm

http://www.rtol.net/mtrecycling/bimetal.htm

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Launchpad/2095/flyash.html

http://www.recycle.net/Minerals/carbon/

http://www.china-graphite.com/

http://www.minerals.org.au/pages/pages3_40.asp

http://www.amm.com/ref/beryl.HTM

http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/

http://interactive.usask.ca/skinteractive/modules/tourism/secrets/pcs_allan.html

http://interactive.usask.ca/skinteractive/modules/mining/search/mineral_types/industrial/salt.html


http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mms/school/min&met/english.htm

http://www.dimensional.com/~mhj/


6.0 Appendix C: Metals and Minerals Recycling Scan - Survey 6.1 Introduction: Hello, my name is ________and I’m calling from the __________(e.g. RCA). We are conducting a nationwide survey to identify companies that make a special contribution to metal or mineral recovery, recycling, and reuse in Canada. As a result, our organization is interested in learning more about how your company is involved. Who would be the best person for me to talk to about your company operations?

Contact Name: _____________________________. Contact Number: _______________________________.

If the person is the Key Informant:

We are interested in identifying companies that have developed industry best practices or unique innovations that contribute to the recovery, recycling or reuse of metals and minerals. Would you have 10 minutes to go through a short survey with me?

Setting the Interview Appointment: If no, could I call back at another time? Date: ___________________ Time: ___________________

6.2 Background Information: We would first like to confirm your company’s contact information. • • •

• • • •

Is the correct name of your company still _______________? Is your mailing address still _____________________? Do you have any physical or drop-off locations that are different from the mailing address? ________________________________________ Do you have a toll-free long distance number? _____________________ Is your fax number of your company still ________________________? Do you have an email address? ______________________ Do you have a web site? ___________________________

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Final Report – Appendix C March 2004

6.3 Survey Information: Part 1: Minerals and Metals Inquiry Which metals and minerals does your company handle? (check all that apply, read list if requested) Aluminum Asphalt and Tar Automotive Parts Automotive Hulks Batteries Beryllium Bi-Metal Cans Boiler Ash Bottom Ash Brass Brick Bronze Cadmium Calcium Carbon/Graphite/Silicon Catalytic Converters

Clay Cobalt

Concrete Copper Dimensional Stone Electronics Waste Fly Ash Gold Gypsum Insulated Wire or

Cable Lead or Lead Alloys

Lime Magnesium Mercury Nickel Platinum Potash Radiators Rail Scrap Scrap Iron Silver Stainless Steel or

Alloys Steel

Stone Tin Titanium Truck Parts White Goods Zinc

Part 2: General Operations 1. Could you provide a brief description of your business/program in your own

words? _________________________________________________________ 2. Do you consider metal or mineral recovery, recycling, or reuse to be a major part

of your business? Yes ___ No ____ 3. Are any of the metals or minerals your company handles considered rare or

special in any way? Yes ___ No ____ If yes, which ones? ________________ 4. Has your company developed any special methods or innovations that have

improved your ability to recover, recycle, or reuse metals or minerals? Yes ___ No ____ If yes, can you briefly describe them? __________________

5. What would it take for your company to be able to recover, recycle or reuse more metals and minerals?

If companies answer yes to 2, 3, 4, or 5 then the companies should be scoped in. For companies scoped out (answered no to 2, 3, 4, or 5):

Thank-you so much for your time and patience, the information you have provided is very helpful to our research.

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For companies scoped in (answered yes to 2, 3, 4, or 5): The information that you’ve just given me establishes that your company makes a unique contribution to metal or mineral recovery, recycling or reuse. As a result, we are very interested in learning a bit more detail about your organization. We have a few more questions that will take approximately ____________ minutes. Would you have time to go through these questions with me now, or is there a better time for me to call you back? Date: ______________________ Time: ______________________

Part 3 – More Detailed Scoping (Use for companies that you may want to contact for

Phase 2) 6. Where do you obtain metal or mineral feedstock for your activities?

•

•

• •

•

• •

• •

•

•

Do you collect or transport the metals and or minerals? Yes ___ No ____ - If yes, do you have a pick-up service? Yes ___ No ____ - Do you have a drop-off facility? Yes ___ No ____ Do you charge to receive materials? Yes ___ No ____ - If yes, what’s the fee? ____________________________________ What do you do with the metals or minerals you obtain? Do you process metals or minerals? Yes ___ No ____ - If yes, what type of processing do you do?

� Sorting � Baling � Crushing � Segregating � Shearing � Pelletizing � Grading � Cutting � Shredding

Are there any community or government incentives that help to supply the metal or mineral feedstock for your organization? Yes ___ No ____

7. Does your organization produce any products for resale that contain metals or

minerals? Yes ___ No ____ If yes what are they?_____________________________________ What responsibilities (if any) does business have to recover or recycle the products you manufacture?

8. Does your company produce any metals or minerals as a by-product of your

activities that are recovered, recycled or reused? Yes ___ No ____ If yes, which ones? ____________________________________ What factors have encouraged or enabled your company to direct this material for recovery, recycling or reuse? What do you do with the recyclable materials (specify end-uses, end-users –e.g. processors, etc.)? What arrangement does your company have for the transport of this material?

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Final Report – Appendix C March 2004

9. Do you dispose of any metals / minerals? Yes ___ No ____ • •

•

• •

• •

•

•

•

If so what metals/ minerals?_____________________________ What factors have prevented your company from recovering, recycling or reusing these metals or minerals? Where is the waste sent? ________________________________

10. Does your company act as a broker for metal or mineral products or

by-products? If so, What markets are available for these materials? Are your markets:

� local, � domestic, and/or � international?

What percentage of your clientele consists of exporters? To which country are most of your exporters exporting?

11. Do you belong to an industry association? Yes ___ No ____

If yes, which one(s)? _______________________________________ Does your Association track volume and destination information of the metal and/or minerals handled by the businesses in your Association? Yes ___ No ____ What are the benefits to the members for participation in your Association/Program? What are some innovations that are happening in your industry regarding metal (and/or mineral) recycling?

12. Is there anything else you think we should know about metal and mineral

recovery, recycling or reuse in your industry? 13. We are generating a database with this information. The database may be

available on-line for public consumption. Do we have permission for your company name, contact information and details of the services you provide to be listed on the website? Yes ___ No ____

14. We may wish to contact you at a future date to obtain more details. Would that

be okay with you? Yes ___ No ____ Thank you so for your time and effort. The information you have provided is very helpful and valuable to our research.

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7.0 Appendix D: Jurisdiction Reports 7.1 Alberta, Northwest Territories, Newfoundland & Labrador Prepared by Jodi Tomchyshyn for the Recycling Council of Alberta, June 2003 7.1.1 Introduction The Provinces of Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador, and the Northwest Territories have all implemented base level programs and policies to direct the diversion of specific metal products from landfills. However, none of these regions have implemented province-wide or territory-wide programs or policies to divert any mineral products from landfills at this time. The programs and policies to divert metals have been effective at reducing the volume of specific metals to landfills. However, in all three regions, the market value of the material, not government directed programs or policies, has had the greatest influence on the overall volume of metal recycling. In these regions there are still large volumes of metals and minerals entering landfills. 7.1.2 Common Recoverable Metals and Minerals The most common recoverable metals in Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador, and the Northwest Territories are scrap iron, steel, aluminum, copper, brass, and lead. These metals have well established markets, are valuable, and relatively easy to recover. Scrap iron, steel, aluminum and lead are common metals that are found in vehicle scrap. Precious metals hold only a small part of the metals market in these regions. Non-ferrous metals, which are considered to be highly valuable, are regularly scavenged from landfills across these regions – specifically aluminum, copper, and brass. These metals are largely sorted out by landfill operators and sold to metal scavengers either to attain the highest profit margin for this material, or to facilitate the diversion of other less-profitable metals – i.e. in areas where freight costs can inhibit the costs of recycling less valuable metals, the metal recyclers are sometimes offered the valuable metals for free if they are willing to also take less valuable metals to a recycling facility. Mineral recycling is minimal in all of these regions. However, the recycling of both asphalt and concrete is increasing in the Alberta. Asphalt and concrete are commonly collected and stored for recycling in most of Alberta’s major urban centres, so that it can be reused as road-bed in the construction of new roadways. However, very few municipalities have the necessary machinery to crush the material for recycling. As a result, a significant volume of material is required to justify the costs of renting and transporting the machinery to the municipality. Some municipalities have been collecting material for upwards of 10 years, and still do not have the volume necessary to recycle any of the material that they have collected. Concrete and asphalt are also commonly used on-site in landfills to provide stability to landfill road-beds.

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Final Report – Appendix D March 2004

Interestingly, asphalt recycling is becoming quite profitable in southern Alberta. There have been reports of the demand for recycled asphalt outstripping the supply available for purchase by private enterprises in this region of the province. Recycled asphalt is being used in the construction of new private driveways, and private parking lots. The reason for the lack of available supply has more to do with the ownership of the material at end-of-life, than a lack of actual supply. Specifically, since most roadways in the province are publicly owned, any asphalt that is removed from old roadways and available for recycling generally remains the property of the municipalities or the province at end-of-life, and is stored for the construction of new public roadways. Therefore there is limited material available for purchase by private enterprises. The demand for recycled asphalt in southern Alberta may spread to the rest of the province, and push improved asphalt recycling throughout the province in the future. It should be noted that sorting and cleanliness seem to be the key factors that determine the value of any of the recoverable metals or minerals. Where the material cannot easily be sorted the material is recycled into the lowest common denominator, thereby reducing the overall value of the material. Where material cannot easily be cleaned, the material is largely left in landfills. 7.1.3 Municipal Programs There are no standardized region-wide community recycling programs in place for Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador, or the Northwest Territories. The breadth, function and form of recycling programs operating in individual communities are dependent on the goals and actions of each community, in each region. 7.1.3.1 Alberta

• In Alberta, all of the cities, but few of the towns or smaller rural centres, have facilities (bins or curb-side recycling) for the public to recycle their tin cans. All of the landfills across Alberta accept metal appliances and other metal products from the public – usually for a fee. However, the landfill operators are left to decide whether or not they are able to recycle this material.

• Every community across Alberta has access to bottle depots to recycle metal beverage containers covered under the province’s beverage container collection program (see below).

• Electronics recycling is in its infancy in Alberta, however, public access to electronics recycling is improving in this province. Maxus Technologies was instrumental to a City of Calgary project to provide the public with a one-time opportunity to recycle their electronic products for free in the spring of 2003. This event was the largest one-day electronics-recycling event in the history of North America.

• In general, the Alberta government does not keep data to tabulate the volume of metals that are diverted from municipal landfills in this province. However, since metal is often sold directly to the metal recyclers in this province,

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municipal data would only underestimate the volume of metal recycled provincially.

7.1.3.2 Newfoundland & Labrador

• In Newfoundland & Labrador, only the major cities and a few of the smaller rural centres have facilities (bins or curb-side recycling) for the public to recycle their tin cans. In general, where tin can metals are collected they must be mixed with other more valuable metals to be off-loaded to the metal recyclers in this province.

• Landfills across Newfoundland & Labrador do accept metal appliances from the public for collection and disposal, with the exception of the landfill that services the City of St. John’s. The St. John’s landfill is situated next to a metal recycling facility and the landfill operators direct the public to dispose of their metal products at that facility. In general though, individual landfills across the province must decide whether or not they charge the public for dropping off metal products, and if they wish to pursue recycling opportunities and divert that metal for recycling. In some of the smaller communities, metal appliance recycling has only been facilitated by concerned citizens that have the will and the space to store used metals on their private property for scavenging by metal recyclers. Often these citizens are required to store this material for upwards of five years, to attain sufficient volume to attract a metal recycler to scavenge in their region.

• There is no evidence of electronics recycling in this province. • Every community across the province has access to bottle depots to recycle

metal beverage containers covered under the province’s beverage container collection program (see below).

• Newfoundland & Labrador does not track the volume of metals diverted from landfills in their province.

• One interesting note about Newfoundland should be mentioned. Metal recyclers in Newfoundland seem to accept a greater variety of metal products from the public or public entities for recycling, than do those in Alberta. Metal recyclers in this province often stated that they accepted either all ferrous, or all non-ferrous metals without exception. In Alberta, the metal recyclers would often state that they accept all ferrous or non-ferrous metal with exceptions listed by size, volume, cleanliness, and type.

7.1.3.3 Northwest Territories

• In the Northwest Territories, there are few opportunities for the public to recycle metals. There is no metal recycling facilities open to public anywhere in the Northwest Territories except Yellowknife.

• In Yellowknife, the community can separate tin cans, aluminum beverage containers, white goods and vehicle scrap for recycling at the local landfill. According to Bruce Underhay, Yellowknife’s landfill manager, 2001 was the first year that Yellowknife has sent a load of metal to recyclers in Alberta. That year they sent 127 tonnes of white goods and 2 tonnes of pop cans for recycling. Yellowknife has not been able to find a market for their tin cans.

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Also, as of yet, no vehicles have been sent to metal recyclers. Yellowknife does not have access to a crusher, and crusher companies will not come to Yellowknife until a minimum of 1000 cars are ready for processing. As of today, Yellowknife has only 500 vehicles in storage, and Mr. Underhay predicts that it will take five or more years to attain the 1000 vehicle minimum that is required to process the material.

• Inuvik, has a local program, run by the Inuvik Recycling Society, that collects beverage containers, including aluminum and bi-metal cans. These containers are transported to BC for recycling.

7.1.4 Policies and Programs There is currently no overarching policy base that directs metal or mineral recycling in any of the three regions that are the focus of this report: Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador, or the Northwest Territories. The programs and policies that do exist have sporadically focussed on specific consumer products, rather than ensuring the general diversion of metals or minerals. 7.1.4.1 Province of Alberta

7.1.4.1.1 Beverage Container Recycling A deposit refund program for beverage containers has been regulated in Alberta since 1970. In 1997, the Beverage Container Recycling Regulations were changed to require beverage brandowners to fund and operate the program. The beverage container return program is now managed by the Beverage Container Management Board (a delegated administrative organization), and is operated by the Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation (beverage industry). Today, all beverage containers, except those for milk products, are covered under the program. In 2002, the program resulted in diversion rates of 82% for aluminum cans, and 52% for bi-metal cans. ABCRC has not provided data equivalencies for metric tonnes. 7.1.4.1.2 Oil Filter Recycling The Alberta Used Oil and Oil Products Recycling Program was first established by regulation in 1993. The Alberta Used Oil Management Association (a delegated administrative organization) manages the program. The program requires consumers to pay an environmental handling fee on the sale of oil and oil products, which is then used to fund the recovery and recycling these materials. Oil filters are metal products recovered under this program. In 2002, 5,973,939 used filters were recovered and recycled. AUMOA has not provided data equivalencies for metric tonnes. 7.1.4.1.3 Tire Recycling The Alberta Scrap Tire Recycling Program was established by regulation in 1992, and is managed by the Tire Recycling Management Association (a delegated administrative organization). Under this program customers are required to pay 4$ on the purchase of

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new passenger tires. This money is then used to facilitate the recycling of end-of-life tires. Tires contain steel, which is separated out and recycled during the tire recycling process. In 2001, an 80% recovery rate of end-of-life tires was achieved. (Please note: data for 2002 is not yet available.) Since 1992, 23 million tires have recycled in the province. TRMA has not provided data equivalencies for the metric tonnes of steel recycled from processed tires. 7.1.4.1.4 Computer and Florescent Bulb Recycling The Alberta Fluorescent Bulb and Computer Recycling Program is a non-regulatory program that was launched in 2001 by Alberta Environment, and a group of voluntary partners including: Capital Region Waste Minimization Advisory Committee, Northern Care (representing over 60 municipalities in northern Alberta), the City of Calgary, the Recycling Council of Alberta and the Alberta Plastics Recycling Association. These associations promote and facilitate the recovery of the computers and fluorescent bulbs. The program was launched in two phases. Phase I was directed at the recovery of computers and bulbs from the M.U.S.H. (municipalities, universities, schools, and hospitals) sector, which generates approximately 35% of the total volume of computer and bulb waste in the province. Alberta Environment and its partners were aiming for a 75% recycling rate in the MUSH sector by the end of 2002 for these materials; however, there is no data yet publicly available to discern whether or not these goals were reached. Phase II will be launched in June 2003, and will aim to achieve a 75% recovery rate from the ICI (institutional, commercial, and industrial) sector which produces 65% of the provinces computer and bulb waste. Each year in Alberta 6 million fluorescent bulbs containing 1, 617 tonnes of toxic mercury, enter the waste stream. Computer waste generation is expected to climb to 47,000 metric tonnes by June 2005, with each obsolete computer containing 1.7 kg of lead. As of June 2002, Albertans had recycled 454,000 kilograms of computer waste and 158,000 kilograms of fluorescent light tubes since the inception of the program. 7.1.4.2 Newfoundland & Labrador 7.1.4.2.1 Beverage Container Recycling A deposit refund program for beverage containers has been regulated in Newfoundland & Labrador since 1997 under the Waste Management Control Act, and the Beverage Container Control Regulations. This beverage container-recycling program is a partial return deposit refund system. In 2002, the Beverage Container Control Regulations were amended to increase the monetary value of the deposits that the public paid per beverage container to stimulate improved beverage container return rates. Today, consumers pay 8 cents deposit per non-alcoholic beverage container and receive 5 cents back upon container return, and pay 20 cents deposit for alcoholic beverage containers and receive 10 cents back upon container return. The beverage container recycling program applies to all beverage containers except milk, nutritional supplements, infant formula, refillable containers and containers larger than 5L. The recycling program is managed by the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB) – a

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crown agency in Newfoundland & Labrador. The MMSB would only provide figures on the number of beverage containers captured by the program, and not the exact return rates for the containers. In 2002, the Newfoundland & Labrador beverage container recycling program captured 60,598,087 aluminum cans, and 572,579 steel (bi-metal) cans. 7.1.4.2.2 Tire Recycling Newfoundland & Labrador’s tire recycling program was implemented on April 1, 2002, and is administered by the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB). Under this program, tire retailers must collect a $3 levy on the sale of tires with a rim size less than 17 inches, and $9 on the sale of tires with a rim size greater than 17 inches but less than 24.5 inches. Tire retailers that sell tires with a rim size greater than 24.5 inches must set up an independent stewardship program. The program does not apply to off-road vehicles, bicycles or wheel-chair tires. The program has just finished is first year in operation. As of yet there is no data on the volume of tires (or metal in those tires) that were diverted in this first year. 7.1.4.2.3 Oil Filter Recycling There is currently no provincial program or regulation regarding the recycling of used oil filters in Newfoundland & Labrador. 7.1.4.3 Northwest Territories 7.1.4.3.1 Beverage Container Recycling Two separate voluntary beverage container return programs operate in the Northwest Territories.

The Northwest Territories Liquor Commission operates a deposit refund program for all alcohol-related products sold through the commission. This program is not regulated. Consumers are charged a deposit on all liquor, wine and imported beer containers. Businesses in Yellowknife, Fort Simpson, Hay River, Fort Smith, and Inuvik have a contract to collect these containers and return deposits. The collected metal containers (aluminum and bi-metal beverage cans) are given to Alberta Brewers Distributors for processing.

∗

∗ The Alberta Brewers Distributors operate a voluntary deposit refund program for all domestic beer containers. Consumers pay a deposit at point of sale, and are refunded that deposit when they return their containers to the vendors.

There is no estimate available that quantifies the volume of metal beverage containers diverted from landfills in the Northwest Territories.

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7.1.5 Barriers to Metal and Mineral Recycling 7.1.5.1 Barriers The barriers to metal and mineral recycling in Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador, and the Northwest Territories are significant, and seem to be increasing, not decreasing, over time. The barriers to metal and mineral recycling in these regions all stem from three issues: 1) the costs of metal and mineral recycling outweigh the profits available for certain recycled metals and minerals in today’s market, 2) the cost of freight is increasing with time and can outweigh the profit available for collecting and processing the metals, and 3) it is often cheaper, or just as cheap, to landfill metals and minerals than to recycle them. Five predominant barrier categories were identified that prevent or limit metal and mineral recycling in these regions.

1. Lack of stability of the metals markets. There has been a significant drop in value of recycled metal in the last decade: metal recycling simply isn’t as profitable as it was 10 years ago. The drop in market value has been blamed on the dumping of metals on the international markets. This drop in market value was the number one barrier that was identified by interviewees in this research project.

∗

∗

∗

∗

∗

The market has been wholly unpredictable, and volatile. Metal collectors, transporters and recyclers are unable to predict if the material that they purchase today will retain the same value tomorrow. This has resulted in metal recyclers accepting only the most valuable of the metals for recycling – those which will consistently reap the highest profit margins upon sale. Metal recyclers are beginning to turn down those metals that are of lesser inherent value, are unsorted, or unclean.

2. Lack of landfill bans and the low cost of landfilling.

There are no landfill bans on metals or minerals in Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador, or the Northwest Territories at this time. As well, the cost of depositing metals and minerals in landfills is equivalent to the costs of depositing other materials in most landfills. As a result, there is no incentive for metals to be sorted out of other landfill material.

3. The costs of recycling the metals are increasing.

Metal recyclers in Alberta have reported that both insurance rates for their industry and employer fees to the Workers Compensation Board have almost doubled in recent years. Interviewees claimed that these rates have forced them to slow their operations. The costs of freight are increasing due to increases in fuel costs. Both the rising costs of freight, and the relative cost of freight as compared to the potential for profit from recycling, were key barriers identified by metal recyclers in small and remote communities in Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador, and the Northwest Territories. Metal recyclers have no incentive

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to operate where freight costs outweigh any potential profits in metal recycling.

4. Lack of effective / efficient technology to recycle problem products.

∗

∗

∗

∗

∗

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∗

There is a growing list of metal and mineral products that metal and mineral recyclers will not accept for processing. This list contains some products that are recycled in other jurisdictions, and some products that were readily recycled in the past. However, these products are not currently viewed as acceptable for recycling in these regions because they:

require extra effort in processing, such as cleaning (dirty metals, paint cans), dismantling (furniture, appliances), or sorting (mixed metals); require technology to be processed that does not exist locally (e.g. household batteries, propane cylinders, aerosol cans, drywall, computers, electronics, mercury switches); are just difficult to process (wire rope, barbwire, chicken cages); or do not contain ‘valuable’ metals (tin cans, light weight metals).

These metals are the least profitable to process, and as a result they are largely landfilled. The Northwest Territories has one further unique problem with respect to this barrier. The region lacks repair shops and persons knowledgeable in fixing broken appliances. As a result, interviewees in this region stated that products that could still be useful if they could be fixed are landfilled prematurely. Therefore premature obsolescence seems to be a bigger issue in this region, and results in larger volumes of metals entering landfills than is necessary.

5. Lack of public education about metal recycling, and lack of public will to seek

out metal recycling opportunities. Representatives from all three regions (Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador, and the Northwest Territories) stated that a lack of public education hindered the effectiveness of metal recycling in their individual region. These representatives stated that the public often lacks the sophistication to 1) recognize which metal products that can be recycled (e.g. wire and cable), 2) know how to disassemble mixed-material products to facilitate recycling, and 3) know where to bring their used metal products for recycling. These representatives expressed concern that the public often incorrectly assumes that landfilling is the only or easiest option for disposal of used metal products.

All of these barriers were present in Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador and the Northwest Territories. However, the relative importance of these barriers varies with distance of individual communities in each region to the nearest metal recyclers.

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Barriers by region

Region Primary Barrier Secondary Barriers

Central Alberta – Edmonton & Calgary

Market value Lack of Landfill bans Lack of Technology Costs of Recycling Public Education and willingness to recycle.

Remote Alberta: Areas outside of Edmonton and Calgary in Alberta

Cost of Freight Market value Lack of Landfill bans Lack of Technology Costs of Recycling Public Education and willingness to recycle.

Northwest Territories Newfoundland & Labrador

Cost of Freight Market value Lack of Landfill bans Lack of Technology Costs of Recycling Public Education and Will to Recycle.

7.1.6 Opportunities for Metal and Mineral Recycling While there are significant barriers to metal and mineral recycling in Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador, and the Northwest Territories, all three of these regions are taking small steps that could increase the diversion of these materials from landfills in the future. The following is a description of three programs that could improve the recycling of specific metal and / or mineral products in these regions. 7.1.6.1 Draft Action Plan for Alberta Alberta has implemented a draft action plan to improve the diversion of end-of-life materials, including metal products, from landfills. This action plan sets out a list of six goals Alberta Environment plans to accomplish by 2010.

1. To establish a policy and legislative framework that will shape waste diversion and management systems to 2010.

2. To change the behaviour of Albertans from producers of waste to stewards of resources using balanced awareness and education approaches.

3. To achieve effective regional integrated waste management approaches across the province.

4. To achieve leadership in research, development and innovation in waste management.

5. To ensure effective stewardship programs are established for priority waste streams.

6. To eliminate all Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) from municipal landfills by 2010.

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Specific actions, with respect to these goals, that could improve metal and mineral recovery include:

• the implementation of landfill bans • improving public education, interest, and participation in waste diversion

programs • government commitment to procuring recycled materials and products • improving the efficiency of waste reduction programs across the province • new research and innovation to improve waste diversion opportunities • the improvement of current product stewardship programs, and the

establishment of new product stewardship programs 7.1.6.2 IT Stewardship Programs Electronics Product Stewardship Canada (EPSC), which is a subsidiary of the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) and was formed in the winter of 2003, is in the process of designing and developing a national program for Canada to facilitate the recovery of electronics waste. The EPSC’s current work involves promoting and furthering ITAC’s 2002 draft proposal for a national electronics recovery program. The proposed program would require that all provinces and territories implement backdrop regulations to ensure a level playing field, and would require consumers to pay an eco-fee at time of purchase on new IT equipment to fund the program’s operations. The implementation of a national program could greatly improve the diversion of IT equipment from landfills in every region in Canada including Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador and the Northwest Territories. 7.1.6.3 Regulating the Beverage Container Return Program in the Northwest

Territories There is a proposal before the Government of the Northwest Territories to regulate a deposit refund program for all beverage containers in that region. This program would improve public access to beverage container recycling depots, and improve public awareness and participation in beverage container recycling programs. While the Northwest Territories do already have a voluntary beverage container recovery program in place, this program does not require collectors of beverage containers to recycle the material that they collect. As a result, much of the material is still landfilled. This practice has greatly eroded public trust and willingness to recycle beverage containers. The introduction of regulations that require recycling after collection could greatly improve public trust and will to participate. (See the discussion paper at www.wredgov.nt.ca/rwed/eps). 7.1.7 Volume Information The most recent volume estimates were conducted for the Alberta Recycling Markets Study in 1992, reflecting 1991 numbers. The total quantity of scrap metal generated in Alberta in 1991 was estimated at 448,000 tonnes. Of this amount, 399,000 tonnes was

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http://www.wredgov.nt.ca/rwed/eps


ferrous metals, while non-ferrous metal scrap totalled about 49,000 tonnes. Of these totals, an estimated 142,000 tonnes were generated within the municipal waste stream. MSW ferrous metals were estimated at 108,000 tonnes, or 6.4% of the MSW waste stream, while about 24,000 tonnes of aluminum (1.4%) were in the MSW stream. About 10,000 tonnes of other non-ferrous metals (including copper, brass, stainless steel, and lead) accounted for 0.6% of the MSW stream. Recovery rates for scrap metals in 1991 were estimated at 75% for ferrous metals and 40% for non-ferrous metals. It was noted that the capture of non-ferrous metals had actually dropped considerably in recent years due to large accumulation of losses of very small quantities of these metals in products. About 5,000 tonnes were recovered through municipal collection programs, while 4,000 tonnes of white goods were collected from Alberta landfills. These volume estimates were calculated using metal recovery information in conjunction with waste composition data. Research was unable to identify information regarding purchases of new metals and metal products. 7.1.8 Concluding Remarks The regions of Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador, and the Northwest Territories have not yet developed a clear and consistent strategy to promote the diversion of metals and minerals from landfills. These regions rely heavily on market forces to facilitate much of the recovery. Industry representatives have stated the markets for used metals have been depressed in Canada for at least five years, and that this has hindered the growth metal recycling in this country during this period. Alberta and Newfoundland & Labrador have implemented a few sporadic product stewardship programs to improve the recovery of specific consumer products. However, there are still large volumes of metals and minerals that are not covered by stewardship programs in these provinces, and in the Northwest Territories, and are still entering landfills. Further, it is likely that the volume of metal landfilled will increase, not decrease with time, if the market remains depressed. The key issue facing rural areas of Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador and the entire region of the Northwest Territories is the cost of freight to transport materials to recycling facilities. Improved metal and mineral recycling cannot be expected if 1) the cost of transporting the material to a recycler is more than the cost of landfilling that material locally, and 2) if that material remains legally acceptable to landfill. Improvement in the volumes of metals and minerals recycled in remote regions will likely require the subsidization of transport costs, landfill bans, and/or drastically improved market prices for the recycled materials.

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7.2 British Columbia and Yukon Prepared by: Recycling Council of British Columbia, March 4, 2003 7.2.1 Introduction The Province of British Columbia and the Yukon Territory have both implemented waste diversion strategies in an effort to direct metals and some minerals away from landfill and towards recovery and recycling. Implementation of these programs has varied across different regions of the province and territory due to several factors including density of population, distance to market, and attitude of individual communities towards waste diversion. In areas that have adopted strict guidelines and bans on what materials may be disposed of in municipal or regional disposal facilities, these bans have helped to divert waste and lessen reliance on landfill space. In other areas, recycling activities have been minimal and room remains for improvement. In 1990, the Province of British Columbia implemented a 50% waste reduction goal by the year 2000. This waste reduction goal has played a large role in the implementation of waste diversion strategies in BC, especially in remote or isolated areas where access to markets was previously extremely limited. Recovery of materials has also been promoted through the establishment of stewardship programs covering lead acid batteries and all types of beverage containers, including all aluminum and bi-metal beverage containers. Over recent years, there has been a growing acknowledgement of electronics waste as a major contributor to landfills in British Columbia, the Yukon, and around the developed world. The problem of safe and environmentally responsible recycling of this waste is becoming pressing as the volume of electronics waste going to disposal increases exponentially. This will be a future area of opportunity for expansion of recovery and recycling programs. 7.2.2 Municipal and Regional Recycling Program Data British Columbia data presented below was gathered in the 2000 MSW Tracking Report prepared for the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection. In 2000, the provincial disposal rate of garbage was 0.618 tonnes per capita, and the provincial per capita recycling rate was 0.452 tonnes per capita. This figure under-estimates the amount of recycling occurring, as it only reflects government and industry stewardship collection and does not include all the materials recycled by private firms. It should, therefore, be assumed that the recycling figures are minimum estimates. These numbers include all types of recycling collected and not just metals and minerals. In 2000, 39,599.2 tonnes of white goods were reported to have been collected through municipal and regional recycling programs in BC. These same programs also reported collection 31,923.9 tonnes of other metals for recycling. In total, 71,523.1 tonnes of metal were collected through those programs reporting data. It should be noted that 5 regional districts submitted no data to the 2000 MSW tracking report, and that one

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regional district, where a significant recycling effort is occurring, reported only data for co-mingled collection. In 2002, 21.6 tonnes of metal were collected through municipal recycling programs in Whitehorse. Most of the recycling activities in the Yukon are centered in this community and data from other areas was not available.

7.2.3 Stewardship Programs 7.2.3.1 British Columbia The BC Beverage Container Stewardship Program Regulation was introduced in 1997. This regulation greatly expanded the number and type of containers included in the deposit refund system in British Columbia. Containers are collected by a stewardship agency and then transported to recyclers for processing. In 2002, Encorp Pacific Canada, the agency responsible for collecting non-alcoholic beverage containers, collected 5,163 tonnes of aluminum and 248 tonnes of steel through this program. Over the same period, the Western Brewers Association, the agency responsible for collection of beer containers, collected 5,484 tonnes aluminum beer cans. The Western Brewers Association ships their collected aluminum directly to Alcoa for recycling. In 1992, the Province of British Columbia implemented a stewardship program for lead acid batteries. Under this program, consumers are charged an ‘enviro-levy’ when they purchase a new battery. The money collected through the program is distributed to haulers of used batteries to encourage collection of these materials. Most landfills and transfer stations in BC now accept lead acid batteries free of charge for recycling. Many private retailers also accept these batteries and some pay a fee when large volumes are returned. 7.2.3.2 Yukon

The Yukon Beverage Container Regulation was introduced in 1992. This regulation imposed a deposit on all types of beverage containers and outlined a system for returning them to a depot for refund. Currently, there are approximately 25 registered recycling depots in communities throughout the Yukon. Non-profit groups, liquor retailers, and private operators operate these depots. In 2001/2002, 152 tonnes of aluminum and 4.38 tonnes of steel cans were collected through this program. This material was then shipped to southern markets for processing. 7.2.4 Other Policies and Programs 7.2.4.1 British Columbia In 1982, the Province of British Columbia passed the Waste Management Act. This act set out guidelines for collection and disposal of solid waste. It also set out a basic prohibition against the introduction of waste into the environment during the course of

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an industry or business activity. In the intervening years, the Act has been amended and additional regulations have been added as the original document does not address many of the new industry and business activities occurring in BC. In 1989, the Province committed to a 50% waste reduction from 1990 disposal levels by the year 2000. As part of this goal, each regional district was required to submit a Solid Waste Management Plan detailing how this reduction would take place in their jurisdiction. As part of these plans, many regional districts implemented bans on the disposal of recyclable materials, including metals. BC Hydro, the Crown Corporation in British Columbia responsible for generation and distribution of electrical energy, runs a fridge buy-back program on Vancouver Island. The goal of this program is to encourage replacement of old, energy inefficient fridges with newer models. Customers receive a free pickup of their old fridge from BC Hydro and a $30 rebate on their next bill. Freon is removed from the fridge and it is then recycled by BC Hydro. This program has been widely successful and customers in other areas of the province have requested that it be expanded to include them. BC Hydro is currently looking into that possibility. In the GVRD, all types of large appliances, including fridges, freezer, dishwashers and stoves, are accepted free of charge at landfills and transfer stations for recycling. This has resulted in a large collection of these materials in that regional district. 7.2.4.2 Yukon The Yukon Environment Act was established in 1991. The Special Waste Regulations were added to the Act in 1995, and the Solid Waste Regulations were added in 2000. The Special Waste Regulations define a variety of wastes as ‘special wastes’ and set up provisions for their safe disposal. One of the wastes included in this definition is lead acid batteries. The Solid Waste Regulations set standards for landfill construction and operation in the Yukon. 7.2.5 Commonly Recovered Materials The most commonly collected materials in both British Columbia and the Yukon are aluminum and steel. There are well-developed markets for both of these commodities in southern British Columbia and this has facilitated their collection and recycling. In British Columbia a significant volume of non-ferrous metals, including copper, brass and gold are also collected for recycling. These metals are not commonly collected in the Yukon. In British Columbia, the most commonly recovered and recycled mineral waste is gypsum. There are several companies that are receiving and processing this material. Gypsum has been banned from disposal in most landfills because of concern over the production of H2S gas when it is exposed to excessive amounts of water. Many landfills and transfer stations that do accept this material subsequently transfer it to a recycler for processing. We were unable to identify companies in the Yukon that were recovering, recycling or reusing minerals.

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7.2.6 Barriers and Opportunities 7.2.6.1 Barriers During the course of surveying, we identified five areas that presented significant barriers to metal and mineral recovery and recycling in British Columbia and the Yukon. Some of these barriers were common across the Province and the Territory, while others were present only in one area. These five barriers were:

a) lack of access to recycling facilities or collection programs b) lack of access to recycling markets c) lack of markets for certain materials d) lack of disposal bans e) regulatory restrictions on the use of recovered materials.

Barriers a), b), and c) were identified in both British Columbia and the Yukon. Barrier d) was mostly an issue in the Yukon, while barrier e) came up in British Columbia only. Many small or isolated communities lack access to recycling facilities or curbside collection programs. This lack makes it extremely difficult for residents and businesses in these areas to participate in recovery or recycling activities. In these areas, greater local or regional government commitment to recycling and waste reduction is needed to increase recovery of materials. In areas where recovery and recycling programs have been implemented, the second barrier, that of lack of access to markets, was most often identified as the reason more materials were not taken. In British Columbia as well as in the Yukon, many communities are located far from markets. Markets exist in southern British Columbia, mostly in the Lower Mainland, but also in the Capital area. These markets are well removed from interior and northern communities, and often the costs of shipping collected materials from these communities to market are so high as to be prohibitive. Many communities have needed to restrict materials collected based solely on the cost of transportation. In both British Columbia and the Yukon, we identified materials for which no significant market existed. These materials were typically minerals such as beryllium, bottom ash, lime, or stone. The Yukon was also lacking markets for many of the metals that were typically collected in British Columbia, such as steel, iron, and white goods. While disposal bans have been implemented in many regional districts and municipalities in British Columbia, this is not the case in the Yukon. Implementation and enforcement of disposal bans diverts a significant amount of metal and mineral ‘waste’ from landfill. Implementation of these types of bans in the Yukon could result in collection of more materials, however they would need to work in conjunction with a plan to locate new markets for these collected materials. There would be little benefit in collecting materials if no market for them was accessible.

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The issue of regulatory barriers came up only in British Columbia. In an effort to standardize construction guidelines in municipalities, a group of BC engineers have produced a document called the Master Municipal Construction Document. The document sets out guidelines for maintenance and construction work in municipalities. Adoption of the guidelines is voluntary, but over 65 municipalities and regional districts in British Columbia now use the Master Municipal Construction Document as their standard. Under the guidelines in this document, asphalt cannot be reused in the construction of roadways. This has presented a significant barrier to companies in British Columbia that would like to participate in asphalt reuse or recycling. There is currently a petition in front of the Master Municipal Construction Document Association to remove this restriction. 7.2.6.2 Opportunities Four opportunities for further recovery and/or recycling of metals and minerals were identified during the course of the survey. All of these opportunities exist mainly in British Columbia. These four opportunities are:

a) upcoming review of the lead acid battery stewardship program b) the Ecosmart Partnership c) adoption of zero waste goals by some regional districts d) possible electronics stewardship legislation.

As part of a plan to consolidate all stewardship programs under one legislation, the Province of British Columbia will review all of its existing stewardship legislation within the next few years. A program coming up for review will be the lead acid battery program. One of the aims of this review is to find a way to make the program more successful, and to provide new opportunities for collection and recycling of batteries. According to their website, The EcoSmart Partnership is an industry-government initiative that is working to develop the potential of EcoSmart concrete through demonstration projects and applied research. EcoSmart concrete is produced by replacing up to 60% of the cement with ‘supplementary cementing materials’ such as fly ash, blast-furnace slag, rice husk ash, and silica fume. This material has been used in construction of several structures in BC, including housing and new skytrain stations, and is being shown to be a cost effective and safe alternative to traditional concrete. Manufacture and use of this type of concrete presents an opportunity for increased reuse and recycling of these industrial mineral by-products that would normally be disposed of. Two regional districts, the Regional District of Nanaimo and the Kootenay-Boundary Regional District, along with one municipality, the Town of Smithers, have adopted or are in the process of developing a zero-waste action plan. Zero waste policies provide extensive opportunities for recycling and reuse, as the goal is to divert all materials from landfill. The spread of these initiatives to other areas of British Columbia and the Yukon could open up a range of opportunities, and hopefully encourage new markets to be developed where such are currently lacking.

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The possibility of establishing a new electronics stewardship program has been a widely debated topic for some time now. Electronics waste contains a large amount of lead and valuable rare metals, such as gold. Recovery of these metals is both environmentally beneficial and economically lucrative. Whether such a program was established on a national or a provincial level, it would undoubtedly offer many new opportunities for the collection and recovery of electronic items. 7.2.7 Conclusions There is no consistent recycling strategy between British Columbia and the Yukon. Each jurisdiction has taken a different approach suited to its own unique situation. In the Yukon, one group, Raven Recycling, has been placed in charge of collecting and sending to market all of the metal received through municipal recycling programs. A small number of private companies also collect metal, but the majority of the volume is handled through Raven. The main barrier to expansion of current programs in the Yukon has been their geographic isolation, which limits access to southern markets. Implementation of material bans may increase the volume of materials collected to a level where it would become cost effective to transport new materials to market. In British Columbia, metals and minerals are collected by an assortment of municipalities, regional districts, and private companies, however most of the materials end up at one of a handful of processors in the Lower Mainland. This centralized processing set-up again provides challenges for geographically isolated areas of the province. We have found that a distance to market of only 3 or 4 hours driving time can mean that materials will not be collected. In some areas, landfill bans and a strong commitment by the local community to recycling efforts have overcome this barrier. Implementation and enforcement of more such bans throughout the province would lead to increased collection.

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7.3 Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island Prepared by: Clean Nova Scotia 7.3.1 Introduction The Maritime Provinces have all implemented waste diversion programs and policies within their respective provinces. These programs and policies are tailored to the specific requirements and regional social economic conditions. Through increased regulation the Maritime Provinces have adopted waste diversion programs and have set policies for waste handling, transport and disposal. These programs have illustrated that aluminum and steel are the most common recoverable minerals in the waste streams. The current programs have achieved a reasonable level of waste diversion but still have room for improvement. 7.3.2 Common Recoverable Minerals The most common mineral wastes throughout Nova Scotia, PEI and New Brunswick are aluminum and steel. These resources are used for food and beverage cans with 3487 tonnes of aluminum and 69.1 tonnes of steel produced in Nova Scotia and 2,026.95 steel (1,752 tonnes steel material and 274 tonnes of steel cans) produced in New Brunswick. New Brunswick does not have accurate records on aluminum while PEI has no available statistics on mineral recycling and recovery (see table “Volume Information for NS, NB and PEI”). The current recovery programs illustrate that aluminum and iron products are the main component of mineral waste; however, there are other metals that contribute waste into the Maritime Provinces’ waste stream. Although it is known that white goods and secondary fabrication and construction industry also produces large amounts of mineral waste these resources are not accurately tracked in any of the Maritime Provinces (B. Kenney 2002. Pers. comm.; W. Flinn 2002 Pers. comm.). There currently are no province wide programs to address these alternative sources of minerals. 7.3.3 Policies and Programs 7.3.3.1 Nova Scotia In 1995 the Nova Scotia Environment Act was legislated and the Waste Management Strategy of Nova Scotia was developed. This strategy outlines a series of disposal bans, a system of industrial stewardship, defines the needs and requirements for regional cooperative disposal sites, and defines the establishment of the Resource Recovery Fund Board. This strategy laid the foundation for curbside recycling and compost collection in Nova Scotia. The creation of the Resource Recovery Fund Board (RRFB) provided a resource organization to track waste reduction and diversion in Nova Scotia. The RRFB also administers several aspects of the NS waste strategy including

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industry stewardship, deposit / refund system for beverage containers, education, value added manufacturing in the province and waste diversion funding. 7.3.3.2 New Brunswick New Brunswick has developed a drop off deposit / refund recycling program for beverage containers. For other metals the Clean Environment Act established regional commissions, which outline a region’s approach to solid waste management. Many recyclable drop off points and private depots exist throughout New Brunswick for the collection of scrap metal and other recyclables. Each region has different solid waste priorities. Some regions have provided separate landfills for construction debris while in some areas this is incorporated into the regular landfill. In the fall of 2001, New Brunswick developed a waste reduction action plan. This ten-point plan outlines the actions that New Brunswick needs to take to make their waste resource diversion and collection more efficient while considering the regional requirements for waste collection and diversion. These actions include the legislation of waste diversion standards to the consideration of landfill bans. No specific items were named for banning and many of the actions have not yet been implemented. 7.3.3.3 Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island has established the Island Waste Management Corporation (IWMC), a crown corporation, which oversees the Waste Watch Program as well as other waste diversion programs. The Waste Watch Program focuses on the main population areas and was expanded to include the entire island during the fall of 2002. The Waste Watch Program is a mandatory composting, recycling and refuse collection program. The IWMC’s mandate is to provide cost effective environmentally responsible provincial waste management systems to both the residential and commercial sectors of PEI. In addition to this program there are several private scrap metal depots throughout the province. Also, sites have been designated for construction debris and items such as tires and white goods. Prince Edward Island has also implemented a series of landfill bans including all recyclable metals. Materials that have been banned from landfills can only be disposed of at designated sites. 7.3.3.4 Concluding statement The Maritime Provinces have all adopted the use of crown corporations and agencies to oversee the management of waste diversion. PEI and NS have fully implemented previously developed action plans for waste resource collection. NB’s action plan was developed in the fall of 2001 and is now being slowly implemented. The provinces have not developed an effective system of resource tracking and monitoring diverted waste. 7.3.4 Barriers and Opportunities Each of the provinces has barriers to waste diversion which stem from an adopted policy (such as the reliance on drop off recycling depots for waste recovery) or the lack of proper facilities to implement a chosen policy (lack of accessible construction and

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debris sites). The four predominant barriers to effective waste diversion and resource recovery are:

1. the lack of access to recycling facilities (i.e. curbside recycling); 2. inconsistent waste separation; 3. no implemented/enforced disposal bans and; 4. the lack of a consistent monitoring system within each province.

For each of these barriers there are associated opportunities that can make the overall systems more effective. The lack of access to recycling facilities is mainly an issue in New Brunswick. New Brunswick’s recovery system focuses on a deposit system for the recycling of bottles and cans. This system relies on the drop off of these materials at designated drop off points, relying on residents to use the system. The lack of access to recycling facilities may exacerbate the problem with mineral recovery. In addition, New Brunswick has not yet implemented landfill bans at many of its landfills. The combination of a curbside recycling program and landfill bans would be effective for enhancing the recovery of waste stream minerals. In all Maritime Provinces opportunities exist for more efficient and effective waste separation through standardized collection and separation. As with data collection some municipalities and commissions have full waste separation (including separation and sorting of construction and demolition) at the landfill while some have no separation of construction and demolition from regular refuse. For curbside recycling PEI uses a system of source separation of curbside collection where the homeowner separates the material into paper products, cardboard, plastics, metals and glass. This is very similar to the curbside collection in Vancouver, British Columbia, where newspaper, paper, plastic and minerals are all separated into separate bags for pick reducing separation at the tipping stations. In addition, there are several opportunities to improve the current systems by developing a standardized method of data collection for each of the provinces. Currently, in Nova Scotia, each municipality is responsible for data collection. This information is then provided to the provincial government. The data is not collected in a standard format with some municipalities not collecting data. New Brunswick consists of twelve regional waste commissions that oversee waste diversion, recovery and recycling in their region. As with Nova Scotia, each of these regional waste commissions collect data in an inconsistent manner or not at all. Prince Edward Island created the crown corporation The Island Waste Management Commission, which supervises the collection of waste and waste resources for PEI. The Commission, as well as the provincial government, has not tracked the volumes of material that are being collected.

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The following table summarizes the barriers and respective provinces. Barriers by region

Barrier Province

Lack of access to recycling facilities New Brunswick

No implemented ban materials policies New Brunswick

Inconsistent waste separation New Brunswick, Nova Scotia

Lack of consistent monitoring and tracking New Brunswick, PEI and Nova Scotia

7.3.5 Conclusions In the three Maritime Provinces there were no consistent approaches to mineral recovery. Due to its small population and geography PEI has been able to implement a standard system province wide. Both Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have systems that rely on a regional approach making mineral recovery different in each region. All three provinces lack reliable statistical information. Ideally, each of the provinces would undergo a waste characterization study to fully analyze the composition of the waste that is now reaching the landfills. This would allow the provinces to reassess the goals set out in their waste management strategy and to determine if landfill bans and other waste diversion programs are working (or will work). In addition, the provinces will be able to reevaluate current and long-term waste diversion goals and to implement more stringent recovery programs if necessary. A waste characterization study would also provide a foundation for the provinces to create accurate standardized methods for long-term collection of statistics and tracking of mineral and metal recovery.

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Volume Information for NS, NB and PEI

Steel cans (tonnes)

Aluminum cans (tonnes)

Other Steel material

Total Aluminum

Total Steel

Nova Scotia Region 1: Cape Breton Regional Municiplaity 253 4.1 Invernes County 911 1 Victoria 8 Region 3: Colchester County 850 15 Cumberland County 24 Region 4: Halifax Regional Municipality 911 21 Region 5: Windsor Region 6: Lunenburg 226 8 Queens 74 13 Region 7: Yarmouth 230 7Total Nova Scotia 3487 69.1 3487 69.1 Prince Edward Island Statistics Not Available New Brunswick 274.8 1752.15 Total New Brunswick 274.8 1752.15 2026.95

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7.4 Saskatchewan, Manitoba Prepared by: Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council, April 24, 2003 7.4.1 Introduction In Phase I of the project we outlined a detailed work plan. In Phase II, we identified diversion policies through literature review, conducted a survey of metal and mineral recyclers, and created a database of our results. Phase III objectives included 1) quantifying data on the amount of metal and mineral reuse/recycling in Canada, and 2) searching for government acts, policies or programs that support or hinder metal and mineral recycling. A search through the Phase II database provided weights of materials being recycled and some destination information. Follow-up phone calls and Internet searches generated additional information. Very little data exists, and few statistics are kept or shared. Appendix I contains the available data. Both Saskatchewan and Manitoba governments have implemented waste diversion measures. Waste diversion measures have come about as a result of seeking new ways to protect the environment while extending the life of existing landfills, closing local landfills to create waste management regions, and encouraging the manufacturers and distributors of products to take responsibility for the products they handle. Some of the benefits from this have been an increase in education around sustainability, community awareness regarding waste, increase in recycling opportunities and greater economic benefits including employment for many people with disabilities. 7.4.2 Common Recoverable Materials Steel and aluminum are the most commonly recycled metals in both provinces. Most of the steel recycled in both provinces is processed at IPSCO in Regina or Gerdau Ameristeel (formerly Gerdau MRM) in Selkirk. The aluminum cans, and secondary aluminum scrap are shipped to Alcan Aluminum Corp. in the U.S., Wabash Alloys in Ontario or as ingots to IPSCO. Precious metals are commonly recovered as well through jewellery stores, goldsmiths, silver recovery (photography, x-rays), automobile scrap yards and so on. 7.4.3 Provincial Policies and Programs In Saskatchewan, the Municipal Refuse Management Regulations (1986) enacted under the Environmental Management and Protections Act (EMPA, 2002) brought about changes to landfills that banned disposal of automobiles and large metal items. The province further encourages municipalities to establish designated areas at landfills for items such as metals and concrete/bricks/rubble. The Beverage Container Collection and Recycling program is governed by the Litter Control Act

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(1978) and regulates the collection and recycling of metal beverage containers. The Used Oil Container and Filter Collection Program is governed by the Used Oil Collection Regulations (1996) under EMPA and governs the recycling of metal used oil filters. The Scrap Tire Management Regulations (1998) under EMPA regulates the collection and recycling of used tires that contain steel. In Manitoba, the Waste Reduction and Prevention Act (WRAP, 1990) regulates two programs for the collection of metal recyclables. The first program is the administered by the Manitoba Association for Resource Recovery under the Used Oil, Oil Filters and Containers Stewardship Regulations (1998) of the WRAP Act (metal oil filters). The second is Manitoba Product Stewardship Program (MPSP, 1995) — a statutory corporation that administers the collection and recycling of many products, including steel cans and aluminum beverage containers. The MPSP subsidizes recycling programs via a levy collected on beverage containers. Information on these programs and data are reported in Appendices I and II. 7.4.3.1 Saskatchewan Before aluminum cans were permitted for sale in Saskatchewan, the government insisted that a program be established to prevent them from becoming a litter problem. The result was a deposit recycling system under the Litter Control Act (1978). The Litter Control Act (1978) and the regulations pertaining to it set out a clear system for the collection of beverage containers. The Beverage Container Collection and Recycling Program is contracted to SARCAN by the provincial government. Deposits ranging from 5 to 40 cents and environmental handling fees of 3 to 7 cents are applied at the point of sale. All monies collected are remitted to the government who then pays SARCAN as part of the contractual agreement. SARCAN also funds the program through revenues from recyclables. SARCAN operates 71 collection depots in 62 Saskatchewan communities. The deposit on aluminum and metal beverage containers provides an incentive to consumers to return them. As a result, Saskatchewan has a very high return rate on aluminum cans (96% in 2002/03 – more than 117,000,000 cans). Asphalt is another commonly recovered product, but it is difficult to get a weight or volume figures since it is often cold planed, remilled and mixed on location with new asphalt. There are figures available for reclaimed asphalt product (RAP) that is stockpiled in some of the larger communities. RAP is used as topping for gravel roads, parking lots or back lanes. The Saskatchewan Department of Highways specifies that a certain percentage of the material in repairing roadways must be RAP depending on road surface and design specifications.

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Alberta and Saskatchewan Highways Departments and their corresponding tire stewardship programs have established a committee to test the feasibility of using of crumb rubber from tires in asphalt mixes. Concrete is reclaimed where possible and is used in road construction or as back fill. The city of Regina, removes rebar from its crushed concrete with a magnetic belt. Additional stewardship programs resulting in the collection of more steel products are the Sask. Scrap Tire Corporation and the Used Oil Container Program. Steel oil filters are collected under the Used Oil Container and Filter Collection Program as governed by the Used Oil Collection Regulations (1996) under EMPA. The Saskatchewan Association For Resource Recovery Corporation (SARRC) is the contracted administrator of this program. In Saskatchewan there is an 82% return rate on oil filters resulting in the return of 1.81 million filters in 2002. Work is being done to create stewardship programs for paint and electronics. We expect regulations in the next couple of years. A stewardship program for paint will lead to increased recycling of metal paint cans while electronic stewardship will increase the reuse of many metals. 7.4.3.2 Manitoba Manitoba took a product stewardship approach to help them meet a national challenge to reduce waste by 50% by the year 2000. Under the Waste Reduction and Prevention Act (WRAP, 1990), the Manitoba Product Stewardship Program (MPSC, 1995) was created to reduce waste by using a multi-material collection system. This act also oversees the Used Oil, Oil Filters and Containers Stewardship Regulations (1997). The purpose of WRAP was to reduce the production and disposal of waste using sustainable development principles that encourage individuals, governments, manufacturers, distributors and suppliers to adopt waste reduction programs, practices and policies. The Manitoba Product Stewardship Program objective of incorporating the cost of waste management into the product price is realized by a 2-cent levy applied to all designated beverage containers at the point of sale. With this money, municipalities that operate within the parameters of the program are returned a maximum of $152 for every eligible tonne of material collected. This represents 80% of the cost of the recycling program. Overall, the return rate for aluminum beverage containers is around 30% (1045 tonnes). But, the recycling of MPSC eligible materials by Manitobans rests at 50% (which is a more extensive recovery program than that found in Saskatchewan). On the other hand, the return of oil filters under the Used Oil, Oil Filters and Containers Stewardship Regulations (1997) is at 75% or (1.5 million filters). The Manitoba Association for Resource Recovery Corporation administers the program

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for the government. The collection of these filters goes a long way to increase the recovery of steel that exists in an already economically driven good recovery program for steel. The Manitoba Transportation department is reclaiming as much asphalt as possible. Currently they are in preservation status for the primary highways – they are applying a thin overlay to their highways and are therefore not reclaiming much asphalt. Typically, in previous years they have reclaimed more materials than the 2002 figures that have been reported. In general, as little as 10% and as much as 70% asphalt is reclaimed on their projects. The Automotive Recyclers of Manitoba Association claims that over 100% of the vehicles that come into the province are recycled “as it is necessary for vehicles to be imported into Manitoba to meet the processing capability”. Regulations on Household Hazardous Waste Stewardship are before the Manitoba Legislature for consideration and should be made law very soon. The products covered under this proposal that would be of particular interest to our study are; batteries, pressurized-flammable gas containers, consumer electrical and electronic equipment and products containing mercury. Manufacturers and retailers will not be allowed to sell these products unless the province approves a stewardship plan. Both the manufacturers and consumers are held accountable for the care of the product after the intended primary use. Manitoba also has a tire stewardship program administered by the Manitoba Scrap Tire Stewardship Board. Steel belts from tires are recovered and recycled by tire processors. 7.4.4 Municipal programs In addition to provincial stewardship programs, some municipalities have policies that provide incentives for recycling. These incentives include reduced tipping fees for clean gravel, concrete and asphalt grindings. Communities with user pay programs for garbage typically do not charge to accept recyclables. Some municipalities have or are considering charging a fee to accept white goods at the landfills to offset costs of Freon removal. 7.4.5 Concluding Statement Similar materials are collected, recycled or reused in both provinces. However, Manitoba has an overall greater rate of recycling than Saskatchewan, with the municipalities directly benefitting from increased recycling efforts. Saskatchewan has a greater return rate for the aluminum beverage container because the incentives for consumers (who are also the collectors) in the deposit return system. Stewardship programs and results for tires and oil are similar in both provinces. There has been a

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definite increase in the recycling of metals and minerals as a result of awareness, legislation and industry responsibility. With upcoming programs, especially in electronics in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and the proposed Household Hazardous Waste Products Stewardship Regulations in Manitoba, we are looking forward to seeing an increase in the recycling of metals in the near future. 7.4.6 Barriers and Opportunities A commonly perceived barrier in both provinces to the recycling of more materials within our study is the lack of a market base (quantity of material available from the population) and of a market for recycled products. An additional barrier for electronics recovery is the lack of legislation to provide a level playing field and to provide infrastructure. Another barrier is transportation over long distances to the market. This is particularly true in the northern half of both provinces. To alleviate some of the burden, Manitoba Product Stewardship Program offers a higher per tonne fee reimbursement to rural communities than it does for the Winnipeg collection program. The costs of recovering scrap steel from farms and other remote areas to get it to the mills may not be feasible. In some cases, farmers gather car bodies and farm equipment, stockpile it on their land, and then sell it when crops are poor or they need extra cash. However, it is really driven by the markets whether or not the farmer is able to get the crusher to come in to haul the material away. In the case of municipalities (and I suspect with some farmers), they have had to deal with unscrupulous scrap metal dealers that do not pay them for the shipment or pay them a fraction of what they were quoted. Rising energy costs are a barrier to the transportation and smelting of metals. In addition to this, in Saskatchewan, another barrier is the ability (or willingness) of municipalities to do more recovery work. If there is a way for people to recycle materials, many people seem to be willing to do it, but they must have the means as well. Some communities do not accept tin cans for instance, while others do. This barrier is also tied the convenience of recycling. Even in cities where there are recycling opportunities, you need to have transportation to the depots to be able to take advantage of it. Manitoba’s blue box system seems to address the convenience of recycling issue. Despite the convenience, the return rates could be higher so an educational campaign called “Communities Gaining Weight” was developed for the Manitoba Product Stewardship Corporation. This initiative was very successful in increasing the recycling of all materials and illustrates how effective educational campaigns can be. Other opportunities for the collection of more metals seems to be the central location that some of the larger companies have in the North American market place. For

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example, IPSCO in Regina or the rolling mills of Selkirk’s Gerdau Ameristeel have a geographical advantage to the collection and processing of a large amount of steel. 7.4.7 Conclusions Steel is one of the most commonly recycled metals. Most of the steel collected in Saskatchewan goes to IPSCO in Regina. In Manitoba, the ferrous metals go to Gerdau Ameristeel in Selkirk or to IPSCO in Regina. Non-ferrous metals are collected by large metal recyclers and are shipped elsewhere in Canada or the States for processing. No weight amounts for these metals are available. Apart from steel, aluminum is another commonly recycled material in both provinces. It was relatively easy to obtain recycling numbers on the beverage containers however, it would appear that aluminum associations do not track the recycling of secondary aluminum (siding, gutters, automobile parts and such forth). It is up to the individual companies to report this in their annual reports. This information is very difficult to obtain so is not available for this report. Product stewardship in both provinces is becoming more accepted as a way of managing consumer products. New legislation is being drafted in Manitoba for household hazardous waste materials. Paint and electronics stewardship programs are being examined and proposed for Saskatchewan. Asphalt and concrete are being reclaimed where possible, however, design considerations for roadways and transportation distances to stockpile locations seem to be an issue. Transportation, rising energy costs, attitudes, demographic and geographical considerations and convenience are some of the barriers to the collection and recycling of many metals and minerals. Stewardship programs have and will help with some of these issues but there is a long way to go to change attitudes and encourage thought about the end of life issues prior to the manufacturing and purchasing of consumer products.

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7.4.8 Appendix I Mass Data available for Metals and Minerals in Saskatchewan and Manitoba

Steel (tonnes)

Steel slag (calcium, magnesium) (tonnes)

Aluminum Cans (tonnes - 2002)

Asphalt (tonnes)

Concrete (tonnes)

White goods/tin (tonnes)

Saskatchewan 970,2261 40-50,000 2,045 87,3002 30,0003 5884

Manitoba 1,084,0865 1,045 123,6006

Canada 8,549,8047 49,174

1 2002 figure of scrap charged for the Regina IPSCO electric arc furnaces (all steel including white goods, automobile bodies

and cans are included in this figure). 2 This figure is a combination of Saskatchewan Highways (58,300 tonnes which assumes a 75% salvage of RAP), the City of

Regina at 20,000 tonnes and the City of Saskatoon at 9,000 tonnes. There are no other figures available. 3 City of Regina. 4 City of Saskatoon 5 Gerdau Ameristeel. 6 Manitoba Transportation 2002 figure for RAP (assumes maximum 70% RAP mix). 7 Stats Canada figure for 2002 aquired through personal communication with Lynne Ree of the Canadian Steel Producers

Association.

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7.4.9 Appendix II Summary of Provincial Programs for the Recovery and Recycling of Metals and Minerals Provincial Programs Governing the Collection and Recycling of the Stated Metals and Minerals

The Beverage Container Collection

and Recycling Program

(Litter Control Act

(1978))

Municipal Refuse

Management Regulations

(1986) (Environmental Management

and Protections Act (EMPA, 2002))

Used Oil Collection

Regulations (1996)

under EMPA

The Scrap Tire

Management Regulations (1998) under

EMPA

Used Oil, Oil Filters and Containers

Stewardship Regulations

(1997) from the Waste

Reduction and Prevention Act, WRAP, 1990)

Manitoba Product

Stewardship Program

(MPSP, 1995 a statutory

corporation governed by

WRAP, 1990)

Manitoba Scrap Tire

Stewardship Program

Proposed Household Hazardous

Waste Stewardship (Manitoba)

Proposed Paint and Electronic

Stewardship (Saskatchewan)

Aluminum SK SK MB Auto parts SK SK SK MB MB MB, SK Batteries MB Bi-Metal Cans SK MB

Concrete SK Electronic equipment MB, SK

Mercury MB

Steel SK (beverage) SK SK SK MB MB MB MB, SK

Tin Cans SK (beverage) MB

White Goods SK

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7.5 Ontario Prepared by: Russell Nicholson, Recycling Council of Ontario, August 8, 2003 7.5.1 Introduction The Province of Ontario has initiated a limited number of strategies in an effort to divert a growing number of materials from landfill. These strategies have been focused on the specific material recovery programs such as the municipal blue box recycling program, oil and tire recovery, consequently any metal and mineral recovery efforts have been isolated from any provincial government policies and programs. In the absence of provincial influence, there remains some recovery of many minerals and metals in Ontario; however, this activity has peaked due to economics and the growing cost of disposal. At the same time, other important minerals and metals are being lost to landfill. 7.5.2 Recoverable Metals and Minerals The relatively high market value and availability continues to make aluminum the preferred recoverable metal. All sub-sectors within the metal recovery industry, from the small peddlers to the municipal blue box operators, have made aluminum recovery a priority over the remaining available metals. For many, the continued existence of aluminum recovery at high market values will determine the ongoing success of their business. In some situations, the recovery of mixed metals is determined by the degree of presence of aluminum. The auto recycling and wrecking groups represents the largest component of the metal recovery industry in Ontario today. The high demand and availability for workable used auto parts along with the presence of both aluminum and copper parts has made many operators in these groups sustainable. Vehicles are dismantled for usable parts and valuable scrap metal, leaving the hulks containing low value tin, scrap iron, and non-metal parts to be further processed and included in larger metal refining operations. Factors including the costs associated with the need for better fluid recovery management, possible mandatory mercury switch recovery, higher operating requirements are having a negative impact on these groups. These factors appear to have affected the growth of the auto recycling and wrecking industries with indications that it is expected to decrease. These factors have also resulted in fewer opportunities to recover both usable parts and valuable scrap metal, thus making the value of the spent vehicle too low to justify any further investment. A number of auto recyclers and wreckers contacted mentioned that they know that their property to which they have operated for years is not worth the value they initially hoped. Their understanding and acceptance to the fact that their past and, still, present business practices have environmental implications on their property

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has convinced them that they now own a liability and that it has affected the value of adjourning properties as well. The scrap metal yard owners represent the next largest component of the metal recovery industry in Ontario. Accessible to the public and small businesses, the scrap metal operations will purchase specific or a wide range of metal types. After the metals are sorted and graded, the metals are sold directly, or through a broker, to larger mix or specific metal dealers who in turn will deal with refineries or other large volume brokerage firms. Metals handled by these yards could include the more common types such as ferrous and non-ferrous metals to the less common but high valued precious metals. As in the case of the auto recyclers and wreckers, there are growing pressures on this valuable material recovery effort that is forcing many operations to shut down its operations. Besides the pressures associated with the environmental impact that this type of business has on the property and surrounding land values, many yard owners have suggested that the ongoing low market prices for the collected metals is too low to continue. Used asphalt and concrete products are increasingly recycled in Ontario. A growing percentage of private and public construction contracts are specifying the recovery and, in many cases, the re-utilization of the recovered asphalt and or concrete into projects. The crushed concrete is easily incorporated into road construction projects as road-bed material. The recovered asphalt can be used either as a rolled hard-top material or added with fresh feedstock material to make quality hot-mixed asphalt products. In addition, the availability of asphalt and concrete recovery technologies and the high cost of disposal have made the recovery of these commodities very economical. The recovery of gypsum and asphalt roofing shingles has not experienced the same material recovery success as the above asphalt and concrete products. Despite the high cost to sending roofing shingles and dry wall waste to landfill, the higher costs associated with the special handling of separated gypsum and shingles makes landfill the preferred option to the construction sector, particularly the renovation industry that are more sensitive to costs due to its operating scale. Currently, New West Gypsum Recycling Inc. and Canada Waste Recycling Inc. are the only outlets available to accept dry wall waste and asphalt roofing shingles in Ontario. New West Gypsum and Canada Waste Recycling reported that they recycled nearly 36,000 and 20,000 tonnes of old dry wall and asphalt roofing shingles respectively last year1. Unfortunately, only large volume customers including the large real estate developers and contractors, appear to be using these facilities at this time. Due to economies of scale, the smaller contractors and renovators can not justify the cost to collect and deliver these materials separately. Until the costs to recovery becomes less than the costs associated with disposal, these materials, along with dimensional wood, metal, cardboard and even brick and stone, are typically dumped into large bins destined to landfill.

1 Provided by New West Gypsum Recycling Inc. and Canada Waste Recycling Inc. from survey. 2003

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7.5.3 Municipal Metal and Mineral Recovery Efforts In the early 1990’s, the Provincial Government adopted a series of regulations that addressed many material recovery issues. Specifically, the regulations included the establishment of mandatory material recovery programs that listed the minimal types of materials to be collected and the expected level of collection service depending on demographic factors. Glass and plastic food containers newspapers, and metal food and beverage containers, are listed as designated materials that had to be included in municipal blue box curbside or depot collection programs. Below is an excerpt for the Waste Diversion Act that speaks to the issue of establishing designated materials.

“The Waste Diversion Act empowers the Minister to designate a material for which a waste diversion program is to be established. Once the Minister has designated a material through a regulation under the Waste Diversion Act, the Minister asks Waste Diversion Ontario to develop a program. The Minister may designate the Industry Funding Organization which will work with the WDO on the program for the designated material. The Minister may also include other matters in the request and may establish timelines for the program development process and for delivery of the plan. Following approval by the WDO Board of Directors, the plan will be submitted to the Minister, who will cause it to be posted on the Environmental Bill of Rights Registry. Following approval by the Minister, the plan will be available on this site.”2

In June 2002, through the Ontario Waste Diversion Act, Industry was required to support the cost to divert blue box and other designated materials by regulation. Taking on a “Product Stewardship” approach, the Act provides the producers of the designated (not just recyclable) materials with the opportunity to either implement a material recovery program for their particular material type or pay municipalities at least 50% of their cost to recycle the nearly 699,000 tonnes of material collected annually3. Presently the designate materials that are being incorporated into the act include blue box material, waste oil, and tires. Beyond the blue box program, the level of municipal material recovery service varies between each municipality. Today, attempts are being made by the upper tier municipal governments to control and standardize waste management programs that were once administered by the individual lower tier municipalities. Despite the fact that variations still exist in many waste diversion programs operating within the Upper tier municipalities, successful standardization variables such as bag and large item pick-up limits have been accomplished in the area of waste disposal. Controlling the municipal waste management facilities at the upper tier level allows for economies of scale to be reached. With regards to material recovery, programs 2 Waste Diversion Act, Ontario, June 27, 2002 3 Municipal 3Rs In Ontario:2001 Fact Sheet

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involving curbside collection and the recovery of materials such as metals, gypsum, and asphalt roofing shingles, municipalities are able to operate with greater control resulting in a greater return on their effort. In some instances, material bans along with lower tippage fees for separated materials have been implemented that have resulted in an increase in the diversion of these materials from landfill. Unfortunately, despite the nearly 100,000 tonnes of this material diverted annually, a large volume of this material was directed to private waste management facilities where equivalent restrictions are not in place4. A growing number of municipalities are implementing Household Special Waste (HSW), Re-Use and Curbside Treasure Hunt programs as a means to divert additional materials. HSW events or HSW drop off depot programs have been very successful in collecting old propane tanks and car batteries. In 2001, municipal HSW programs were responsible for collecting nearly 460 and 520 tonnes of car batteries and propane tanks respectively5. Utilizing local charity groups, reuse centres with metal drop-off facilities have made significant contributions to metal recovery. Safe to use but unwanted electronic waste are given second lives at these centres. By-laws have been written to allow for the easy recovery of metal from the curb during large item pick up events. Peddlers and residents are permitted to pick up unwanted material or “Treasures” left at the curb during designated pick up dates. 7.5.4 Future Trends It was recently reported that an estimated 86,161 tonnes of “End-of-Life” electronic waste will be available for disposal in Canada in 2002. The same report estimated that only 3% or 2,585 tonnes of this waste will be recycled. The same report estimated 414 tonnes of electronic waste was diverted through Ontario municipal programs6. The volume of electronic waste diverted through private channels is not available at this time. Currently, the diversion of End-of-Life electronic waste varies considerably in Ontario. Depending upon the type and material composition a percentage of electronic waste, is either recycled or refurbished and reused. In some cases, particularly with computer and television monitors, landfill remains as the preferred option.

4 Municipal 3Rs In Ontario:2001 Fact Sheet 5 Municipal 3Rs In Ontario: 2001 Fact Sheet 6 End-of-life EEE Baseline Study. Prepared by RIS International Ltd in association with Five Winds International and Electro Federation Canada. June 2003

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The level of electronic waste diversion activity has recently increased. Organizations such as the Electronic Products Stewardship Canada (EPSC) was formed to work with the major electronic producers to design, develop and implement “End-of-Life” electronic waste recovery programs. The opening of a circuit board smelter operation by Noranda and the initiation of computer take-back programs by some of the major IT manufacturers are just a start for an emerging diversion sector. 7.5.5 Barriers to Metal and Mineral Recovery In Ontario, participants of the metal and mineral recovery sector are experiencing a lack of return on investment. The constant increases in operational costs coupled with the instability and often low commodity market prices of recovered materials, have made it difficult for new ventures to emerge as well as existing businesses to survive. As a result of low profits, growth in this sector has been minimal or in some cases has declined. Three road blocks were identified that appears to have reduced or limited the growth of the metal and mineral recovery sector in Ontario.

1. Lack of stable commodity markets. a) The competitive global market for metals has affected domestic markets

considerably. Lower international prices for scrap and new metal products have had a devastating affect throughout the metal recovery sector. Survey contacts at all stages of the metal recovery network has identified low market prices as their major concern.

b) Market demand is limited to quality scrap metal. Primary metal recovery businesses, i.e. scrap metal yards and auto recyclers, are becoming more selective in the products that they will accept. Products that contain large amounts of non-metal components along with the absence of high value metal components will be turned away or accepted only with a fee to cover the cost of handling and eventual disposal. A number of auto recyclers and wreckers interviewed mentioned that they will turn away stripped auto hulks because of their low of value.

2. Landfill as the preferred option.

a) Low Tipping fees in Ontario have made landfill an attractive option. Today Ontario waste generators have many low cost options available to them to dispose their waste including public and private landfills along with access to out-of -province disposal facilities. In most cases, the cost of recovering materials far exceeds the cost of landfilling.

b) Some municipalities have established material bans at landfill sites and transfer stations that restrict mixed waste loads that contain recoverable materials such as metals and, some cases, dry wall and asphalt roofing shingles. Despite providing outlets and reduced tippage fees to the generators to separate and deposit the restricted materials, generators continue to switch to the private, lower cost disposal options where fewer restrictions exists.

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3. Escalating operating costs to recover metals and minerals.

a) Practically all costs associated with operating their metal or mineral recovery facility are constantly increasing. Specifically, insurance and labour related costs have experienced the greatest costs increases. When surveyed as to what it would take to recover more metals and minerals, the response “good, cheap labour” was common.

b) Similar to the quality issue mentioned above, the cost of preparing metal and minerals for actual recycling are high and are expected to rise further. At the primary recovery stage, metals and minerals must be sorted and cleaned of all contaminates. Asphalt roofing shingle and gypsum recyclers, for example, need to have much of the foreign material removed before passing the shingles and dry wall through the recycling system. This requires the building renovators to spend time or money removing contaminates, consequently causing them to resort to lower cost options. As a further example, the auto recyclers and wrecking businesses are now expected or mandated to remove mercury switches. Until just recently, these businesses were responsible for the removal of fluids only. All additional work required preparing the metals and minerals to meet the satisfaction of the auto hulk processors and government regulations has increased the cost of doing business.

7.5.6 Opportunities in the Metal and Mineral Recovery Sector While the road blocks faced by the metal and mineral recovery sector seem substantial enormous, there are opportunities to enhance activities with the sector. The following is the list of stakeholders and suggested description of the roles that they must play in order to improve the recovery and recycling of metals and minerals in Ontario. The Province of Ontario is moving in the right direction with the initiation and, eventually, the implementation of waste diversion programs under the Waste Diversion Act. The province must now extend the act to include, as designated wastes, end-of-life electronics, vehicles, and other products that are difficult and costly to recycle. A number of Ontario municipalities are implementing and developing waste diversion programs that fit their municipalities. Municipal disposal facilities have launched material bans along with, at times, diversion incentive programs. The City of Ottawa has been recognized for their “Take Back” program. Established in 1999, the city and businesses have worked together to provide an outlet for disposal of various household and household hazardous waste. The industrial associations that are linked with the metal and mineral recovery sector need to be more pro-active assisting their members to operate their business in a more cost effective and environmentally responsible manner. A greater effort is

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needed in the area of research and development with special attention to developing more cost efficient processes that will result in greater recovery of metals and minerals. In order to finance this effort, mandatory association memberships should be considered in order to raise the strength and credibility of the industry. The goals and responsibilities of these associations must complement both the provincial and federal environmental and resource management objectives and policies. Municipalities need to set a tippage fee that reflects the true cost of disposal and to provide reasonable diversion alternatives for recoverable materials particularly where material bans exist. Private waste management operations must take steps to be more diligent in recovering metals and minerals and simply not rely on landfill as an inexpensive, easy disposal solution to rid mixed waste. All Ontario waste sources should be mandated to have all recoverable metals and minerals removed before final disposal. 7.5.7 Conclusion The Ontario provincial government, municipal governments, and industries are all contributing to Ontario’s waste diversion efforts. The Ontario government, through the Waste Diversion Act, has the ability to maximize waste diversion in all areas of waste generation throughout the province. Currently, the Waste Diversion Act is being used to bring all stakeholders together to collectively develop a province-wide waste diversion strategy that will create a fair but equitable environment with the single objective to keep metals and minerals out of the landfill. The municipalities will react to the implementation of provincial waste diversion initiatives as well as develop other waste diversion programs such as bans and incentive programs that will work well within their municipal make-up. Industry is reacting to the ever-changing economic forces that are driving the various material recovery efforts. While disposal remains the cheaper preferred option, the various industrial associations have to continue to work with their members and the provincial government to demonstrate a better effort to reverse the disposal trend and to find alternative means that will make waste diversion more attractive. Meanwhile, rising costs and falling returns on investment have reduced the number of businesses in the metal or mineral recovery and recycling sector. Waste diversion standards, with best practices incorporated, have to be applied and enforced at all privately and publicly owned and operated waste management facilities. Once this fair, leveled playing field evolves, through possible provincial regulations, the greatest waste diversion will occur.

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7.6 Quebec Prepared by Résau des Ressourceries du Québec 7.6.1 Metal Ferrous and Non-ferrous Metals Can Be Recycled Indefinitely Technically speaking, our pennies could be over a hundred years old. We can’t tell by the date stamped on the coins, but we know that copper, like all metals, can be recycled indefinitely without loosing its properties. So, if coins were recycled, you could be holding metal dating back to 1858, year of the first Canadian dollar. The family of metals includes two different categories. Ferrous metals (steel and cast iron among others) account for a larger group. Non-ferrous metals are more diversified (aluminum, lead, copper, nickel, zinc, etc.), but are found in smaller amounts in end products. Steel covers nearly the full range of ferrous metals and its uses are virtually limitless. The Canadian steel industry generates 11 billion dollars in annual sales, with an increase of 14% in productivity every year, an estimated 20-30% growth in the years to come and a consumption rate of 8% per household. These figures stand well above the growth curve of the economy in general, which is at around 3.7%. Of all steel goods manufactured today, almost half didn’t exist a decade ago. Interestingly enough, in Quebec, the percentage of metal found in household waste has declined from 6.5% in 1985 to 3.4% in 2000. Waste Burial and the Environment: Quiet Majority, Turbulent Minority Only a few drops of water can lead to oxidation and go through ferrous metal like termites through old garments. Automobiles are a sad testimony to that fact. Landfill sites abound in acidity and humidity, creating a perfect refuge for corrosion. Large concentrations of iron oxide are obviously harmful to the environment, but this problem is so widespread around us that we fail to see the danger. Non-ferrous metals have a fragile balance. Copper, lead and aluminum products are stable and don’t decompose. However, exposed to a chemical environment with high levels of acidity, non-ferrous metals become toxic salts that constitute a real danger for human health and wildlife. In a landfill site, metal leachate destroys everything in its path. In the incineration process, it is important to remember that metals are not combustible, they melt, but don’t burn. Metals thrown in an incinerator take up all the heat, slowing down the combustion of other residual materials. Melted metal can also block disposal cavities and grids in the incinerator.

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Reuse: Less Garbage More Recovery In 2000, Quebec generated an estimated two million metric tons of scrap metal, including over 1.8 million metric ton from the industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) sector. Metal waste is recovered through three main channels. The selective collection in the ICI sector is operated by the private sector, whereas the selective collection of recyclable materials and single filing soft drink and beer containers is generally operated by the municipalities. The ICI sector generates the largest part of metal waste, however it also recovers the largest part of all metal waste collected: 98%. The remaining 2% come from the municipal sector, split equally between selective collection and single filing containers collection.

The type of metal recovered varies by sector. Aluminum cans from the single filing soft drink and beer containers collection account for 45% of metal recovered at the municipal level, whereas tins from the selective collection account for 50%. In the ICI sector, ferrous metals represent 89% of metal waste and non-ferrous metals (mainly aluminum) account for a mere 11%. Across-the-board, ferrous metal waste is by far more recovered than any other material (88%).

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Between 1998 and 2000 in the industrial sector, ferrous metal recovery increased by approximately 25%, from 905,000 to 1,127,000 tons; non-ferrous metal recovery increased by about 50%, from 95,000 to 143,000 tons. The recovery of more non-ferrous metal results in the manufacturing of more end products using this type of metal. Aluminum, being very light and easily recyclable, is on the rise in the automobile industry where steel used to reign. Steel is not so easily recyclable, but remains in the leading pack; 65% of steel products contain recycled steel. According to the Canadian Steel Producers Association, 58% of tins, 77% of household appliances and over 90% of automobiles were recycled in 1999. Metal recovered in the Quebec ICI sector since 1992 (tons)

At the municipal level, more tins were recovered in 2000 compared to 1998. Ferrous metal recovery, mainly through selective collection, increased from 10,500 tons to 11,800 tons over two years. Non-ferrous metal recovery is largely inferior, however

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non-ferrous household products are smaller in number. Household non-ferrous metal recovery material is limited to aluminum paper and plates that have to be pre-washed. Despite that fact, Quebecers throw over three times more non-ferrous material in their recycling bins (from 300 tons in 1996 to 1,100 tons in 2000). Recovery of single filing soft drink and beer containers shows a slight decrease from 1998 (11,200 tons) to 2000 (10,600 tons). At the end of 1998, close to 78% of tins sold were returned to a recycling centre. Two years later, that rate fell to 75%. In 2001, RECYC-QUÉBEC launched a major awareness campaign to give a boost to the recovery of single filing containers initiative in the population: “Tu rapportes, on recycle!” Metal recovered through selective collection and single filing containers collection in Quebec since 1992 (tons)

Quebec Residual Materials Management Policy Quebec Residual Materials Management Policy 1998-2008 identified specific recovery objectives:

• 95% of metal waste generated during normal operations in the industrial, commercial and institutional sector (currently below 70%)

• 60% of household ferrous and non-ferrous metal waste – this objective targets only 16% of tins and aluminum plates currently recovered through selective collection

• 80% of single filing soft drink and beer containers marked “consignée Québec/Return for refund in Quebec” (current recovery rate of 75%)

The Quebec Government is implementing measures to tackle the challenge of recovery and is asking that:

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• based on the principle of greater producer responsibility, concerned businesses recover and reuse packaging and printed materials they sell on the market or subsidize selective collection;

• the soft drink industry subsidize the deposit-refund system to recover single filing containers;

• corporate recovery measures as well as their results be recorded and reported to the general public.

Other objectives of the Policy include public education, awareness and involvement in the decision-making process, support to social economy businesses and motion to carry a government procurement policy related to products containing recycled material. These incentives will support local recovery and recycling business development. Metal waste generated, subject to the Policy and recovered in Quebec in 2000 (tons)

The Price of Recovered Metal The resale value of non-ferrous metal is generally higher than that of ferrous metal. That goes for recyclable and recycled materials, i.e. prices are relatively stable between what’s sold by the recovery person and what’s sold by the recycling person. Prices vary according to the demand of finished products, the exchange rate and exports, especially exports to Asian countries. Metal stock price is dictated by the London Metal Exchange and fluctuates based on international supply and demand. Price of recovered metal since 1986 (dollar/ton)

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Price of recovered metal since 1986 (dollar/ton)

7.6.2 Recycling Metal Recycling: A Good Source of Energy Recycling metal proves to be highly profitable because it is far more energy efficient than the production of metal from raw materials. Energy gains generated within one year in the international steel industry represent the energy consumption of 18 million households. As for copper recycling, it reduces by 25% the energy used in primary metal production. Recycling reduces the use of original resources like iron ore, and consequently reduces waste (up to 97%). One ton of recycled steel saves 1,125 kg of iron ore, 630 kg of coal, 54 kg of limestone and the equivalent of 475 litres of oil. We all agree this is a win-win situation! Ultimately, recycling slows down mining operations and helps preserve the landscape and the ecosystem. Careful separation and decontamination measures are crucial in metal recycling. Electromagnetic separation isolates ferrous metals from the bulk and eddy currents take care of non-ferrous metals. It is important to separate metals by categories (silver, gold) and to get rid of all foreign matter (hazardous substance or a small piece of food) to obtain quality recyclable materials. Current refining methods cannot eliminate all contaminants, so refineries have to be very meticulous when selecting recyclable materials. Quebec Metal Recycling Industry In Quebec, the metal recycling and recovery industry relies on about 145 “recoverers” and 30 “recyclers”. Few of them target hazardous metal waste like mercury and phosphorescent powder found in fluorescent and high intensity lights. This industry is predominant in the Montérégie region, with 21 recoverers and 6 recyclers.

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What’s at stake? Better Sorting for Better Quality Metal recovery and recycling require smart sorting to avoid mixing incompatible metals. For example, residual materials with high levels of steel in a batch of aluminum may be rejected at the recycling gate. Contaminants, like tin, may alter the purity of steel. Again, refineries cannot rely on current refining methods to eliminate all contaminants, so they pick and choose materials that meet their very high standards. Better Sorting for a Better Environment If metal waste hides any compound products (batteries, electric or electronic devices, etc.) containing heavy metals, it will generate highly toxic and biocumulative fumes threatening all living organisms around. Heavy metals transform into poisonous particles buried in ashes, gas and dust solidified in reusable clinker. Since the beginning of the industrialization era and the use of coal as fuel, solidified slag has produced the common clinker reused to make all kinds of bricks and agglomerates. Heavy metal toxic fumes found in clinker today push the industry to ban this material. As a result, recycling businesses must be extra careful in sorting and processing heavy metals to avoid the counter-effects of pollution. New Technologies – Improving Waste Management Today and Tomorrow Despite a high diversion rate of metal waste (over 90%), significant amounts are still lost in disposal. New technologies will help process combinations of metals or contaminated metals, and local or national stakeholders will provide new sources of supply. Development of new processing methods for electric and electronic delivery equipment will also provide valuable enhancement opportunities. A Look at the International Metal Boom in Europe Member countries of the European Union can rest assured they will never run out of metal! They can’t squeeze one more coin in their huge monetary reserves! The Euro launched on January 1st, 2002 discarded over 260,000 tons of metal, only in France: 147,000 tons of copper, 54,000 tons of steel and 43,000 tons of nickel, patiently awaiting demonetization in the land of Moliere. Close to 50% of France copper is already being recycled. How can you support metal waste management? Returning aluminum cans to the retailer is a small gesture that means a lot. If you want to help the recyclers, pre-wash the cans or at least, make sure there is no cigarette butts inside! If you don’t have selective collection in your neighbourhood or if the metal items you want to throw away are too big, accumulate them to sell to a

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scrap metal dealer. You can find one in the yellow pages under scrap metal, used steel, metal waste, recovery and recycling. Metal Waste Metals represent a significant part of the total waste generated and can usually be recycled again and again. Recycling metal reduces energy consumption and various gas, liquid and solid waste emissions in proportions as high as 97%. Obviously, a strong network of metal recovery businesses could provide significant economic and environmental benefits. Although it goes unmentioned in most reports on residual materials, the automobile scrap industry has an almost perfect score, recovering 400,000 tons of metal annually. High recovery rates for most metals result in a very small proportion in residual materials. Composition Metals are divided into two classes: ferrous metals (90%) that can be sorted through electromagnetic separation, and non-ferrous metals (10%). Ferrous metals include mainly steel and cast iron; non-ferrous metals include aluminum, lead, copper, nickel and zinc. Metal accounts for 5.9% of household waste (tins, tools, electric household appliances and electronic devices). In the industrial, commercial and institutional sector (ICI), metal accounts for a much larger proportion of total waste, with 37.4% (metal cuttings, obsolete equipment, frames and structures). Environmental Issue Ferrous metals stored in humid and acidic conditions – common to landfill sites – can release iron oxide (corrosion). However, nature already contains heavy concentrations of iron oxide, of no significant danger to human health and the environment. Incidentally, copper, lead and aluminum, in their common metallic state, are considered harmless non-ferrous metals, but under intense chemical conditions (high acidity levels), non-ferrous metals can release toxic salts in leachate and become quite harmful to human and aquatic life. Metals are not combustible. They capture all the heat in an incinerator and hinder combustion of other waste. They melt and block burning grids. Furthermore, metal objects like batteries and electric or electronic material contain hazardous heavy metals (lead, chrome, cadmium, mercury), vaporized during combustion and chemically transformed into biocumulative substances that pose a severe threat to all living organisms. Heavy metals end up in ash or gas filter dust. In the end, all metals mix in with incinerator ash, increasing clinker sent to landfill sites. For example, the environment can benefit from recycling lead found in car batteries. However, recycling, like all industrial operations, generates air, liquid and solid emissions, and poor management can result in poor public health. Several studies prove that environmentally (as well as economically) friendly recycling measures and system efficiency go hand in hand.

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Resource-based economy and emission reduction with relation to metal recycling

(%) Resources or

emissions Aluminum Iron

Energy consumption 90 – 97 47 – 74 Air pollution 95 85 Water pollution 97 76 Mine waste -- 97 Water consumption -- 40 Pollock, C., 1987. Mining urban waste = The potential for recycling. World Watch paper 76 : 59.

Ultimately, recycling metal waste generates important energy gains in comparison with the energy required to extract and process crude ore. It generates environmental gains as well by reducing pollution, preserving non-renewable natural resources and preventing landscape degradation due to mining operations. Recovery Systems There are at least three metal recovery systems in operation in Quebec. First, a deposit system for single filing soft drink and beer containers manages to recover about 11,000 tons of aluminum. The gross cost is 3.9¢ per container, or $2,000 per ton of recovered aluminum (current market value estimated at about $1,500 per ton).

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Municipal selective collection is the second system operated in Quebec, serving over 83.6% of the population. That alone recovers 11,000 tons of tins and other metal objects. The gross cost of selective collection currently stands at $150 per ton. However, an estimated gross cost of municipal selective collection considering matter density jumps to $366 per ton for steel containers. Finally, the ICI metal recovery is a system operated on an ongoing basis by the metallurgy industry and metal product manufacturers. Over 100 scrap metal dealers in the province of Quebec take part on a large scale in this system. The metal recovery network is very complex and so is the access to information on the volume of metal recovered. Based on data from the industrial sector, 1.5 million tons of ferrous metal and over 100,000 tons of non-ferrous metal are recycled in Quebec. That includes 11,000 tons of deposit aluminum cans and the same amount of steel containers recovered through municipal selective collection.

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This shows marginal amounts of recoverable residual materials at the municipal level in comparison with amounts already recovered in the industrial and commercial sector, accumulating residual materials valued at 238 million dollars. Market Recycling metals requires proper sorting to meet refineries standards. For example, a batch of aluminum must be free of steel. Also, tin or plastic in aluminum may alter its properties. The metal recycling industry, well established for many years, is relatively stable and includes around forty refineries and manufacturers. However, this industry faces significant price fluctuations affected by the demand for finished products, the exchange rate and the exports to foreign countries, including Asian countries. Metal stock price is dictated by the London Metal Exchange and fluctuates based on supply and demand in each metal category. Quebec Action Plan and Metal Marketing Strategy Despite the great diversity of metal waste discarded, part of it is always eliminated. Quebec Action Plan regarding residual materials management identifies four measures to increase household and ICI metal recovery.

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Actions Goals

8: Obligation for concerned businesses to recover and market packaging and printed materials and to subsidise selective collection.

Recover 60% of household discarded non-refundable containers.

14: Implementation of a program recording actions taken by ICI organisations to reduce and market residual materials (audits, policies on the environment, waste reduction plans), and public release of results achieved.

Achieve a 95% recovery rate of metal residual materials generated during regular industrial and commercial operations.

16: Continuation of project work related to Canadian packaging initiatives.

Promote the use of recovered metal in manufacturing processes and the design of recyclable and easily identifiable packaging.

17: Obligation for the beer and soft drink industry to subsidise recovery efforts through a deposit system for single filing containers.

Ensure that 80% of beer and soft drink containers are returned to a recycling centre.

Quebec Action Plan supports technology R&D, helping the industry to improve processing of mixed or highly contaminated metals. New sources of supply made available for metal waste marketing also represent attractive business opportunities for stakeholders in the industrial sector. For example, the development of processing methods for electric and electronic delivery equipment will create jobs in this industry. The Action Plan also identifies measures on public education, awareness and involvement in the decision-making process, support to social economy businesses and motion to carry a government procurement policy promoting the use of recycled products. The goal is to increase by about 100,000 tons the annual volume of metal recovered and marketed in Quebec.

Page 118


7.6.3 NRCan – Québec’s final report v.29-09-03 7.6.3.1 Introduction This report of the NRCan survey was prepared by the Réseau des ressourceries du Québec, a network of 48 community enterprises (not-for-profit or cooperatives) transforming waste into resources and into sustainable employment. In 2001, Québec’s ressourceries network and their partners transformed over 50,000 tons of waste into resources and created or consolidated over 800 jobs. The final report completes the data bank already sent to the main project partners, the Recycling Council of Alberta and the Recycling Council of Ontario. This report presents some survey highlight, some facts of interest, a translation of certain key information found on various internet sites and an article concerning the context of reuse and recycling in light of producer responsibility. Although this article is a few years old, it is among the best in pointing out the issues we need to address concerning the state of the art. 7.6.3.2 Some survey highlights The Québec portion of the NRCan survey took place during the Spring and Summer of 2003. Form the original list of 627 companies provided by the partners, 128 could not be reached (moved or closed), 44 did not recycle or reuse metals or minerals, 91 did not answer and 12 had declared bankruptcy or had definitely closed. Of the remainder, 152 answered the survey and only 44 respondents refused to answer. 156 respondents received the questionnaire but did not answer it, despite at least two follow-up calls. Another 44 companies surveyed refused to answer the questionnaire. Overall, we achieved a response rate of 43%, which is quite good for this type of survey. The research team also identified 506 additional enterprises that could potentially be considered through the yellow pages and the Recyc-Québec internet site. 438 of these companies did not recycle or reuse metals or minerals while 1 did not answer our calls. Of the remainder, 41 respondents were added to the data base, 22 did not follow through with their response despite at least two follow-up calls and 4 refused to participate. This is still a 61 % response rate. According to Recyc-Québec, the government agency responsible for recycling, there are 175 companies that recycle and reuse metals and minerals. Our 193 respondents means that this estimate must now be reviewed to include all enterprises that now are involved in this sector and not only those who identify themselves as recyclers. An overwhelming majority of respondents (93%) consider metal and mineral recovery, recycling and reuse to be a major part of their business. A snapshot of the other answers provided provides an indication of how they consider their business, how it works and what should be done in order to improve their efficiency.

Page 119


Aluminum and steel are the most important materials recovered, followed closely by scrap iron and copper. 65 companies recover automotive hulks account, 62 automotive parts, 35 radiators, 15 batteries, 12 truck parts and 4 catalytic converters, which means that auto and truck recovery is an important part of this business. The following two pages summarize the survey results. 7.6.3.3 Other facts of interest The car reuse and recycling industry is an important part of the industry. The Québec tire program, whereby each new tire bought includes a 5$ environment fee that is used to pay for collection and transportation of tires to recyclers (with a 70% recycling rate achieved in 2002), has mushroomed into a car industry – producer responsibility board. Not only oil but also other aspects of the car recycling and reuse industry are now being looked at. Information concerning this development can be obtained at Recyc-Québec. We must not minimize the at-source impact of the mining industry on the environment. According to diverse newspaper reports, there are now 377 mine tailing sites throughout Québec, taking up 13,642 hectares or 136 km2. 74 sites have been abandoned. The mining industry association estimates the cost of clean-up to be $100 million while in the past 10 years, the Québec Ministry of Natural Resources has been able to invest $14 million. The estimated clean-up costs per hectare is between $8,000 and $200,000. There is serious debate as to who should shoulder this cost. As for the Québec’s government waste management action plan, it is estimated that in order to reach the 2008 objectives, an additional 100,000 tons per year of reuse and recycling of metal will need to be done. In order to gain a better understanding of the situation, we have selected passages from the Internet sites of the Québec Ministry of the Environment and of Recyc-Québec, the government agency responsible for recycling. These translated passages should help explain the context and the actions that are now being examined. 7.6.3.4 Governmental information (translated – see references) The following presents translated excerpts of the Québec Ministry of the Environment and of Recyc-Québec, a governmental agency responsible for recycling which highlights certain aspects of metal and materials recovery as presented in the Québec government’s waste management action plan. This plan was adopted by the government and unanimously approved by all parties and sets 2008 as the target year for up to 65% residential recovery and up to 80% industrial, commercial and institutional recovery.

Page 120


7.6.3.5 The Ecologist article In conclusion, we present an article from the Ecologist magazine. This article highlights some of the key issues concerning producer responsibility and how this can impact on businesses and enterprises. There are references, for example, as to how the German car-producer responsibility programs actually favoured big corporations and ended small and medium businesses that had handled car parts and recycling until then. It is worth a read, in my opinion, because it makes a complex issue more understandable. Even though it is over 10 years old, it is still highly relevant for the issues facing us today. 7.6.4 Addendum – January 2004 – Michel Séguin The Halifax meeting in the fall of 2003 allowed the Recycling Councils and the RRQ to establish criteria to identify exceptional companies that excelled in the recycling of metals and minerals. A re-examination of the database pinpointed one company, according to the research associate, that stood out. This company was confirmed as being exceptional by the state agency Recyc-Québec as being an industry leader. It also suggested adding another one. Here are both of their coordinates: SNF (www.snf.ca) (SNF is a conglomerate. Most of its affiliates are in the database, but not the head company). AIM (American Iron & Metal – http://www.scrapmetal.net/corporate.html) (AIM was not part of the data base and is a new addition. It is recommended by Recyc-Québec although it is listed neither on their own database that we used to supplement phase one research, nor on the one provided originally). Unfortunately, the database does not allow us to reveal other exceptional companies (which does not mean that they do not exist). Other considerations are also in order. Some companies have begun environmental processes concerning their waste generation at source. Alcoa has a zero waste program in place and is looking for ways to reintegrate its wastes into the production process. The Alcan company is doing the same. One must not neglect the much smaller community enterprises active in one or another of the recycling of metals. In Québec, there are four families of these kinds of businesses. (1) The CFER (Centre de formation en environnement et recuperation) has 18 centres throughout Québec. They work with school boards and try to reintegrate dropouts into the workforce. The CFER Bellechasse is investing heavily in computer R&D, trying to find new life for old monitors, while repairing computers and reintegrating them in schools, homes and businesses.

Page 121

http://www.snf.ca/

http://www.scrapmetal.net/corporate.html


(2) The CTA (Centre de travail adapté) has 40 members, of which six are active in waste recuperation. They are mostly recycling transfer stations dealing with recyclables (including metals) from municipalities (residential) or businesses. (3) The Collectif d’entreprises d’insertion has 39 members of which a third are active in various aspects of waste management. Some are quite active in metal recuperation through household goods (electronics, white goods, etc.) while one community company specializes in the production of metal products. (4) Finally, the 48 members of the Réseau des ressourceries du Québec are all active in waste management, attempting to create sustainable jobs from the transformation of waste into resources. At least a dozen ressourceries collect household goods and, through this, the metal that lies within a number of consumer goods. Furthermore, two ressourceries, Option Métal Récupéré and Écho-logique, specialize in metal collection. The first does metal collection commercially while the latter collects metal (cans) from Montréal downtown (specially made bins on streets), in colleges and during special events such as the Jazz Festival. These four families of community-run enterprises distinguish themselves from other companies because of their not-for-profit status. Many affirm that this allows for a different kind of management and a more socially acceptable enterprise. Depending on the parameters of phase two of the NRCan project led by the RCA, perhaps we should reconsider part of the analysis in Phase 1 to ensure that the exceptional companies are rightfully selected. I do not believe that we necessarily identified all of the companies that are exceptional according to the Halifax grid in this exercise. As well, I think the exceptional nature of these companies, whether private, public or community, needs to be verified before we can point to them as examples. In any case, I assume these will be part of our discussions in the near future.

Page 122

Final Report – Appendix E March 2004

8.0 Appendix E: Effectiveness Test Cases from Halifax Workshop, August 2003

We went through test cases to determine ‘how we know a program is effective’ as opposed ‘identifying the program characteristics that make it effective’. We all chose programs we would describe as effective and explained why. 8.1 Test Case 1 — Deposit Refund in Alberta There is a high recovery rate (80%+) for metal beverage containers. They collect a wide diversity of metals (the program is not dependent on the type of metal used in the container). Problem: the program does not encourage materials reduction (3Rs): does not encourage refillables over recycling. Program characteristics include: financial incentives, social acceptance, regulation, material separation and processing (high quality material, clean material streams). The program is transferable (its good that it is transferable). The program has a wide catchment (whole of province –no excluded areas). 8.2 Test Case 2 — Saskatchewan IPSCO They close the loop on steel. They have a large volume of throughput. They try to eliminate wastes. They service a large catchment area (SK, AB, etc.). They accept a larger variety of materials than do some other mills (e.g. tin cans). 8.3 Test Case 3 — BC: New West Gypsum. Has high throughput / and they assume high volume. They recycle all gypsum material, even wet and painted wallboard. Therefore they collect a material that is not recycled in most of Canada. They have developed a technology that is new in Canada (innovative). The practice is transferable to other provinces. They close the loop > they produce new gypsum from recycled product. Program characteristics that aid effectiveness: there is a landfill ban on gypsum in GVA. The landfill ban is enforced. There is an extra tipping fee for landfilling gypsum that is too contaminated to recycle. 8.4 Test Case 4 — Ontario ADL They recycle e-waste. They take e-waste from municipalities, manufacturers, and distributors and dismantle the waste (including monitors – most other e-waste companies are sending monitors to landfills). Their biggest plus is that they are striving to innovate. They work with Noranda and are looking at a new technology to recover and increase material in electronics. They are really looking for opportunities to maximize recovery and create as little residual as possible. This is a public / private partnership. In this case political and public consciousness is raising the issue. This company has an arrangement with a city – which is paying for the service. That is the public sector is encouraging innovation in an area where there is no market or driving force other than political will. The company is accountable to Peel (city). The program is transferable anywhere there is the public push to pay for the program.

Page 123


8.5 Test Case 5 — Ontario Noranda** ** Russ decided he couldn’t state this company was effective based on the information he had and the critique from the group. Russ was going to find out more details to scope this company in or out. Background This is a multi-national corporation that recycles e-waste and computers in Canada. They focus on copper recovery. They have smelters world-wide, but focus on copper and lead in Quebec. They accept dismantled material only (not unique in this way). They shred the electronics. In terms of effectiveness criteria: What is unique about them is that they are working on unique R&D recovery processes. Their business plan is the main driver > they are assuming that e-waste will be regulated. They put through a large volume of material although the quality probably isn’t there. The company has high throughput, can service a large area, is cost efficient, and competitive. The company is also unique in that it is the only e-cycler that is fully automated. 8.6 Test Case 6 — Deposit Refund in Quebec Have deposit refund on Soda Pop containers, but not on other non-carbonated drinks (e.g. iced tea, water, juices, etc.). On Soda Pop they get about a 76% return rate. The return rate for ‘other’ beverage containers is unknown. These containers are lumped in with all blue box metals (e.g. tin cans). In total the return rate on blue box metals is 16%. PQ has passed legislation (but no regulations) that state that PQ must achieve an 80% recovery rate by 2008 for deposit refund containers, and a 68% recovery rate for blue box metals. Deposit refund program is ‘more effective’ than the blue box in metal recovery. 8.7 Test Case 7 — Quebec Ressourceries These are not-for-profit groups in PQ that take in used goods / items, teach people to repair or refurbish the items, and then resell the items. The groups deal with more than metal products, but some are metal or metal containing products. They only deal with what has a market. For example: while 90% of a computer’s material can be used, only 10% of the material has any value. They try to do the 3R hierarchy but only with those materials that have value. They are effective in that they are teaching people a trade, they are using the 3R hierarchy where feasible (through repair first), and they are doing something that doesn’t happen often anymore: repairing items that are usually trashed or dismantled for recycling.

Page 124

Final Report – Appendix E March 2004

8.8 Test Case 8 — Manitoba: Chisick Metals. They deal with insulated wire (not very common), car batteries. 8.9 Test Case 9 — Ontario Post Car They strip as much material out of a car as they can before selling the hulks (this isn’t typical because most companies only take what is easy to strip –and leave the more difficult but valuable non-ferrous metals. This means that there is less metal that ends up in the residual fluff (once a hulk is chopped up, only the ferrous metal that is magnetic is removed from the ‘fluff’. Therefore more non-ferrous metal is recovered here.

Page 125


9.0 Appendix F: Effectiveness Criteria Matrix

Prov. Program / Company Has a high recovery

rate

Produces low residuals in end

product

Encourages Design for the Environment

Principles. Follows 3Rs

hierarchy Closes the loop Economically sustainable

Socially Viable (community

responsibility)

Relevance: puts through high

volume or toxic materials

Flexibility (program can be transferred

across jurisdictions, or

between industries). Notes

(rate out of 3) Beverage Container

Management 3 3 1 0 2 3 2 3 3 AB

achieves 80%+ no residuals in metal beverage

container recycling - metal from tetra-paks disposed of

self-supporting materials could

encourage DfE - no evidence shown

cans cannot be reused

metal cans become new metal cans

program is self sustaining

program results in employment as a by-

product, some handicapped support; social viability not a

clear directive of program

program could be used anywhere

Tire Management 3 1 0 2 0 3 1 3 3 AB program has

eliminated tire stockpiles, all

passenger tires covered by program

Metal residual currently hard to recycle due to contamination

program does not encourage DfE for

tires

tiered incentive promotes higher

order recycling; some focus in reduction

tires do not become new tires,

secondary products



product, social viability not a clear

directive of program

has recycled 30 million tires since

inception


Oil Filter Management 3 3 0 0 2 3 1 3 3 AB

program recovery rate was 90% in 2002

100% of the filters are recycled,

drained oil also captured

program does not encourage DfE

program only encourages recycling

metal filters become new metal products





program recycled 5.2 million kg in

2002


BC Beverage Container Management 3 3 1 1 2 3 2 3 3

Page 126

Final Report – Appendix F March 2004


rate


product





responsibility)






BC Community Household Metal

Recycling Programs 3 3 1 1 2 2 2 3 3

BC Gypsum 3 3 2 2 3 3 1 3 2 BC Lead Acid Battery

Management 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 2 1

BC Oil Filter Management 2 2 1 1 2 3 1 2 3

BC Paint Management 3 3 1 2 2 3 2 3 3

BC Tire Management 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 3 2

Beverage Container Management

(Manitoba Product Stewardship Corp.)

1 na na 1 2 3 na 1 3

Beverage container collection is managed through the Product

Stewardship Corporation. Municipalities receive funds from the 2¢ levy attached to all beverage containers with the funds being returned to

the municipality by the collection of all eligible

recyclable materials (alum., tin cans, glass, plastic,

paper etc).

MB

30% recovery rate produces no residuals

people are aware of the levy

recycle metal cans made into new cans

Program is sustainable

The municipality benefits by reduced landfill material and

are reimbursed for up to 80% of the cost of

the recycling program. Some

employment.

Does not handle toxic nor does it

put through a high volume.

Overall stewardship program can be

transferred to other jurisdictions.

Page 127



rate


product





responsibility)






Community Household Metal

Recycling Programs.

(Manitoba Product Stewardship Corp.)

1 na na 1 2 2 na 2 3

The recovery of household metals is likely higher as

charitable groups will collect aluminum cans to broker

themselves.

MB

~30% alum recov., tin cans about the

same

no residuals Responsibility placed with consumer

recycle tin cans to tin cans market dependent Community receives funds from the

MPSC. Transportation issues

in the north.

A model for recycling a wide variety of

materials

MB Oil FilterManagement

Manitoba Association for Resource

Recovery Corporation

2 na na 1 2 3 na 3 3 program in BC, Alta, Sk, Man, Ont

Page 128



rate


product





responsibility)






http://www.usedoilrecycling.com/html/why6

.htm http://www.usedoilrecycling.com/html/marrc_2002_web_rev2b.

pdf

75% recovery Collection volumes

for 2002 extending in all zones

• Used oil: 11.8 million litres (79% of

total recoverable) • Used oil filters: 1.50 million (75% of total

recoverable) • Used oil containers:

164,000 kilograms (18% of total recoverable)

everything is used Does not seem to have influence over

this

Recycle steel filters back to new steel

Many benefits derived from

recycling the used oil and filters.

Some employment from the industry.

Manitoba Transportation 2 na 1 2 2 3 na 2 3 MB

http://www.gov.mb.ca/tgs/ho.html Vic Weselak Special Projects Director

<10-70% RAP Every effort is made to use RAP where

possible.

According to road design they try to use

as much RAP as possible.

Reuse, recycle some new asphalt must be added to

RAP.

Saves the govt $$ Depends on road specifications

Very flexible and transferable.

Page 129

http://www.gov.mb.ca/tgs/ho.html%20%20Vic%20Weselak%20%20Special%20Projects%20Director






rate


product





responsibility)






Tire Management (Manitoba Tire

Stewardship Board) 2 1 na 2 2 3 na 2 3

Reliable Tire Recycling, Tire Recycling Corporation of North America, Phoenix

Industries Ltd. in January 2002, recycled 132,796

PTE's. Phoenix Industries Ltd. recycled 242,898

MB

http://www.skyweb.ca/~mbtirebd/annual0

3.htm

diverted from landfill in 2002-3: 1,082,823 PTE's or 7,993 tons

that did not enter landfills.

700 tons tire fluff landfilled annually

- $3 (2.80 to MTSB and 0.20 to gov.) levy

on new passenger tires, exempt

ambulances and fire trucks, lawn and

garden tires, farm tires. Retail Sales tax

exempt on federal vehicles.

Reuse and recycle Is all of the steel recycled? Can the rubber products be accepted back into the program? Do

any of these tires go back into making

new tires?

is the program self sustaining?

Saves landfill space, gives back to the

environment

Recovers additional steel,

but not necessarily the reason for

recycling the tires.

Beverage Container Management 3 na na 1 2 3 3 3 3 SK

aluminum http://www.sarcsarca

n.ca/sarcan.htm

96% return rate in 2002-3. 3.781m lbs/yr aluminum

baled, 26 000 lbs/yr tin and bi-metal

baled.

tin cans some residue which is

burned off at foundry.

consumer has a choice of beverages that has a refundable levy attached to it. On metal containers 5c EHC and 10c-20c

refundable deposit fee.

Recycle Very sustainableunder current

legislation

Employs people with disabilities. Will

accept other non-beverage materials at

their collection depots in Saskatoon

and Regina as a public service that

benefits the environment.

Puts through the highest volume of

beverage containers

(aluminum) than any other province

Very flexible and transferable - based

on legislation.

Page 130



rate


product





responsibility)






Community Household Metal

Recycling Programs

2 2 na 1 2 3 3 2 3

SK

Metal landfill ban on white goods and other large metal items (autos etc).

Auto fluff residue, mercury switches,

pcb concerns, plastic, rubber etc.

Does not encourage DfE

Recycling Concern aboutmercury switches,

most metal is recycled back into new metal. Ferrous

and non-ferrous metals.

Very sustainable. People with disabilities are hired. Transportation issues

in north.

Some mercury switch removal,

but uncertain what happens to that

mercury.

Flexible and transferable. Legislation

Oil Filter Management 3 na na 1 2 3 na 3 3 program in BC, Alta, Sk,

Man, Ont SK

82% return rate in 2002

no residuals Do not reuse filters, nor does it

encourage reduction. Encourages recycling.

steel filters back to new steel

Many benefits derived from

recycling the used oil and filters.

Some employment from the industry.

puts through a high volume of

filters.

very flexible program found in 5 provinces

Page 131



rate


product





responsibility)






Tire Management 3 1 na 2 2 3 na 3 3 SK http://www.scraptire.sk.ca/pdf/ar/2002_ar.

pdf http://www.ec.gc.ca/epr/inventory/en/DetailView.cfm?intInitiative

=100

72 % capture rate based on new tires

(~1.3m PTE / yr)Every year the SSTC allocates

surplus levy revenue to the cleanup of tire

piles at municipal landfills in order of

receiving their bylaw to ban tires from

landfills. In 2002 this is an additional 2.7

million lbs.

Waste (steel and fiber) 5 833 205 lbs and misc. waste 73

620 lbs. Fibre content (~5%) disposed of in

landfills

Retailers, consumers are responsible. Levy

applied to new tires$3.50 - $35 (per

tire depends upon the size of tire), tires must

be returned to tire retailer for collection. The program pays an

incentive credit to processors on the

proof of sale of new recycled product.

Does not encourage reduction but does

encourage reuse and recycling.

Steel back to steel, other tire parts back into other products (including extreme application tires).

The program is self sustaining through

the sale of new tires.

Municipalities save money by reduced

insurance, increased landfill space and

environmental benefits.

high volume of tires

Program is flexible and transferable.

Government ban on tires in landfills.

YK Beverage Container Management YK 3 3 1 1 2 3 2 3 3

YK Community Household Metal

Recycling Programs YK

2 3 1 1 2 2 2 3 3

Beverage Container Management 3 3 0 0 2 3 1 2 3 NF

recover over 80% of metal beverage

containers

no residuals in metal beverage

container recycling

program does not encourage DfE

cans cannot be reused

metal cans become new metal cans





put through high volume of beverage

containers, overall volume less than larger provinces


Page 132



rate


product





responsibility)






Tire Management 1 3 0 0 0 3 1 1 3 NF program new,

building collection tonnages

tires 100% recycled program does not encourage DfE for

tires

program only encourages recycling

tires do not become new tires,

secondary products





program just getting started


GFM Precious Metals Limited ? 3 n/a n/a 3 3 0 3 3 AB

would not provide details

only take in what they can use

are a recycler, not a producer or a

program, as a result cannot influence DfE on the products they

recycle

are a recycler of a non-reusable product, not a producer or a

program, as a result cannot influence 3Rs on the products they

recycle

metal recycled to new metal products

does not state social responsibility as a

goal

recycles dental amalgam -contains

mercury

could be used anywhere

Lafarge Canada Inc. ? 3 n/a n/a 3 3 ? 3 3 AB would not provide

details only take in what

they can use are a recycler, not a

producer or a program, as a result cannot influence DfE on the products they

recycle



recycle

metal becomes new metal, concrete

reused as concrete in constructions

long-term sustainable business


goal

recycles high volume -known in

industry, would not detail quantities

though


Page 133



rate


product





responsibility)






Exide Technologies (Calgary) ? 3 n/a 2 3 2 ? 3 3 AB



recycle

cannot influence consumer reduction

in use, do send batteries to a recycler that either recharges

the batteries if possible or straight

recycles them

lead reused in new batteries, or

recycled batteries


goal



though


Fish Creek Excavating Ltd. ? 3 n/a 0 2 2 ? 3 3 AB

would not provide details

only take in what they can use



recycle



recycle

metal becomes new metal, concrete

reused as concrete in construction


goal



though


Cabin Fever ? 3 n/a 2 n/a 2 ? ? 3 AB would not provide




recycle

specifically promotes reuse as an higher order option than recycling, cannot

influence consumer reduction

cannot 'close the loop' as only offers reuse --not involved

in recycling


goal

not known could be used anywhere

Page 134



rate


product





responsibility)






Navajo Metals ? 3 n/a 0 3 3 ? 3 3 AB would not provide




recycle



recycle

metal becomes new metal

long-term sustainable business


goal

recycles mercury switches, only

company in AB, also high volume -known in industry, would not detail

quantities though


Wearmouth Canada 1951 Inc. n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a AB

important forresearch into gypsum

recycling, not currently recycling

anything

important for research into

gypsum recycling, not currently

recycling anything

important for research into gypsum recycling, not currently recycling

anything

important for research into gypsum


anything



recycling anything



anything



anything



recycling anything



anything

these guys have worked with companies to develop

technologies to recycle gypsum, currently not being used because of economics,

and lack of regulatory support

City of Edmonton 2 n/a n/a 0 n/a 3 ? 3 3 AB high volume, divert

numerous metal products, program

not backed by landfill bans, could not

quantify tonnages of metal specifically

diverted

they are a collector of metals for

recycling, not a recycler, therefore not in a position to produce residuals

collect non-reusable metals for recycling,

not a producer therefore cannot

influence DfE

they ship all materials to recyclers, do not

separate any materials out for

public reuse

are a collector of metals, not a

producer, can not 'close the loop'

funded by taxpayers =secure source of

funding


goal

known to recycle high volume by

other cities - could not detail

quantities though


Page 135



rate


product





responsibility)






Maxus Technology 1 2 n/a 2 2 1 2 2 3 AB material recycled into new products,

not necessarily computers

recycling not economically viable without significant

fee-for-service; results in low demand

1743285 pounds e-waste processed in

2003

cannot encourage consumer reduction,

does encourage reuse of computers

where possible, recycles where not

possible

ensure material not dumped in 3rd world

countries

goal is to recycle 100% of the

material they take in, currently some

residuals



though

work to educate government and

industry on DfE, but are a recycler, not a


recycle


The Recycle Systems Company

Inc. 2 2 n/a n/a 2 2 2 1 3

AB

has capacity to recover high

volumes, lack of regulatory support

allows public to landfill

recycles 100% of metal, gas is flared

off, paint is landfilled



recycle

metal becomes new metal products, oil to oil, gases flared

off because too expensive to use

sustainability is stable as long as there is

demand for recycling

does state corporate social responsibility

as a goal, but engages in school presentations on 'waste your world'


is a recycler of non-reusable product,

cannot influence 3Rs

recycles metal products that no-one else in AB

recycles (aerosol cans, pressurized cans, paint cans), only captures 2%

of market because in Alberta it is

cheaper to landfill, if regulatory backdrop to

recycle, volumes would be significant

Page 136



rate


product





responsibility)






Town of Edson 3 n/a n/a 2 n/a 3 0 2 3 AB are a collector of

metals, not a producer, can not

'close the loop'

funded by taxpayers =secure source of

funding

are a collector, do not produce metal

residuals

social viability not a direct stated goal

known to recycle a high volume of

material relative to the population

size. Also actively recycling all kinds of batteries (dry

cell disposable and rechargeable)

are a collector, not a producer, cannot

influence DfE


town encourages reuse through re-use

fairs, encourages recycling above landfilling, not

actively promoting reduction

goal to recover every recyclable product, recover as much a citizens will bring

them, have banned recyclable products from landfill, work in

conjunction with Edson Recycling

Society

BC Antrim Battery Co. Ltd 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 3 2

BC Columbia Bitulithic 2 2 1 1 2 3 1 2 2

BC Columbia Recycle 1996 Ltd. 2 2 1 1 2 3 3 1 2

BC Electronics-Recycling.com 3 2 1 1 1 3 1 3 2

BC Fraser Valley Metal Exchange 3 2 1 1 2 3 1 3 3

BC Kamloops Scrap Iron Ltd 2 2 1 1 2 2 3 2 2

BC Lafarge Canada Richmond Inc. 2 2 1 2 2 3 1 2 3

BC Martec Recycling Corp 2 2 1 1 1 3 1 2 3

BC New West Gypsum Recycling (BC) Inc. 3 3 2 2 3 3 1 3 3

Page 137



rate


product





responsibility)






BC North Shore Recycling Program 3 2 1 3 2 2 3 2 3

BC Nu-Life Industries Inc 2 2 1 1 1 2 1 3 2 BC Ralph's Used Auto

Parts 2 2 n/a 2 1 3 1 2 2

BC Richmond Steel Recycling 3 2 1 1 2 3 1 3 3

BC RMX Recyclers 2 2 2 2 2 3 1 2 2 BC Western Gypsum

Recyclers 3 3 2 2 3 3 1 3 3

Chisick Metals spoke with Mark Chisick in March

2004 0 na na 2 2 3 1 3 3

Would not provide details

everything is used no metals to landfill

All metal recycled back into new metal

Participates incommunity programs.

Program draws from 4 provinces and 1

territory.

MB

Reuse, recycle Batteries collected from Man, Sk,

NWT, Alberta, BC and shipped to

States for processing.

Process insulated wire.

Page 138

http://www.intlmag.org/







http://www.recycle.net/Minerals/carbon/

http://www.china-graphite.com/








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responsibility)






Environmental Control Systems 0 na 1 2 3 ? 3

Not sure if they process or sell the

equipment to process.

Details not provided Recycle silver flake into nearly pure silver (obtained from photo labs and medical).

Aluminum recycling.

not stated Is the amount reclaimed high in comparison to the rest of the industry.

Relates to recovery rates as all amounts in the precious metals are miniscule in comparison to

steel for example.

House Of Silver Ltd na na 2 3 na ? MB Details not provided

na naMB

0 1 3 not stated Is the amount

reclaimed high in comparison to the rest of the industry.

Relates to recovery rates as all amounts in the precious metals are miniscule in comparison to

steel for example.

Reuse and recycle new silver plating added once old

silver is striped and sent to refiner.

Other base metals are sent to scrap

dealer.

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Industrial Metals Processing Ltd. 1 na na 2 2 3 na 3 3 MB

They process and ship metal to

foundries

not stated Puts through a large amount of

steel and aluminum plus

other metals such as the precious

metals and brass / bronze.

steel 1000's of tonnes, aluminum

100's of tonnes

They purchase from scrap dealers and prepare the metals for shipping to the

foundries in the East and the states, so

they recycle metals

V S A Electronic Repair - 1 na 2 1 na 1 3MB 1 1

Advocates this as much as possible.

Does not encourage reduction, but reuse and some recycle.

This business is socially and

economically viable, but the price of new

product versus repair (if repairable) makes it attractive to replace

instead of repair.

He repairs electronics so encourages the long use of these

products. He thinks that the manufactures

need to take responsibility for producing better

quality, long lasting and repairable

equipment.

Electronics loop is difficult to close because of the

mixed nature of the products.

With the current electronic products

available, this business is not economically sustainable.

A lot of the electronics he gets has to be landfilled

because they cannot be recycled

or repaired.

Materials are being landfilled.

Many people choose to landfill their

electronic waste rather than pay for

the cost of repair - if it can even be

repaired.


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Westrock Battery Ltd 0 na na 2 2 2 na 3 3 MB

not stated Uncertain about the volume but

deals with toxic or hazardous materials

Difficult to say, no figures available

They sort and ship batteries

They send batteries for recycling where possible, they can remove and recase

laptop batteries. Batteries sent to the states. Lead acid, auto and industrial

batteries accepted do not accept nicad

batteries

partial closing of the loop by the reuse and recycling of some batteries.


The business is economically

sustainable, but not necessarily the

recycling aspect. They do not consider themselves recyclers,

but battery distributors.

NB Beverage Container Recovery program ? n/a 0 0 0 ? 0 ? 2

NB Regional Waste Commissions ? n/a 0 0 0 ? 1 ? n/a

NS Beverage Container Depot System 3 n/a 0 0 0 ? 1 ? 2

NS Curbside recycling/blue bag

program 2 n/a 0 0 0 ? 1 ? 2

NS Resource Recovery Fund Board n/a n/a 0 0 0 ? n/a ?

NS Tire Management 3 n/a 0 0 0 ? 1 ? 2 NS Valley Waste

Management 2 n/a 0 0 0 ? n/a ? n/a

NS Waste Check-Yarmouth 2 n/a 0 0 0 ? n/a ? n/a

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responsibility)






Accru-Shred 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 ON Activity Description:

10 year old business. Service IT and

electronic manufacturers.

Dismantle EEE to various degrees

(some are destroyed and sent to Lf) and commodities and market for further

processing. Monitors are dismantled and tubes sent to N.B.

EEE contain lead, copper and other “heavy metals” diverted from

landfill

Estimated Annual throughput: CofA

permits 300 tonnes per day; Average

93% recovery

Simple process, labour intensive, Tracking system.

average 7% Tier 1 recycler and certified destruction.

Dismantled parts continued to be

recycled.

Recycling. Energy recovery i.e. whole monitors smeltered.

Dismantled parts are recycled

Market reliant, no markets for

components no business. CofA

creditability.

Have C of A and Waste Generator No.

ADL Process Inc. 2 3 1 1 3 2 2 3 Activity Description: Dismantle EEE in

various commodities & market.

est. annual throughput: 210 tons;

average recovery rate 97%

average 3% 97% of material are reasonably marketable, recyclable

97% recyclable, part of the loop of life

cycle of EEE.

2 key factors: -proper, complete

sorting of material; - sustainable markets

for commodities

Located in TO highest concentration

of EEE. Provides outlet for Residential,

Municipal, Businesses. Lessen burden of landfills.

EEE contain lead, copper and other “heavy metals” diverted from

landfill.

Process is simple, crude, low tech., low

capital, easily transferable. -

Require willingness.

3 ON

Tier 1 recycler, comlete sort of

commodities that add value to

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Canadian Waste Recyclers Inc. 2 2 1 2 2 2ON 1 2 3

-landfilling asphalt shingles is an

opportunity lost. -high volumes of

shingles are buried each year.

-Hoping to expand operations where

urban centres of at least 500,000 people

exists.

Estimated Annual throughput: 30,000 -40,000 tonnes per year.; recovery rate

99%

-Recycling Asphalt shingles better than disposal. -Facility

controls odors, dust and noise. -Provides Municipalities with

road options.

Activity description: -Receive used

asphalt roof shingles. -shingles are cleared

of nails and contaminates and produced into a

powder. -Powder sold as an asphalt

product. -Only operation in North

America.

1% plastic tabs -Added value to used shingles that would

have been landfilled. -Finished product is easily marketable.

Recycling -Shingles back to asphalt products

-Need ban on the disposal of Asphalt

shingles. -Municipalities supply shingles and use the Finished powder in road applications.

City of Ottawa Take It Back Program

"New" 2 2 2 2 3 2 3 2 2

ON

Activity description: -finidng "Take It Back" partners; -Retailers

and other businesses promoted as

acceptors of specific spent products.

rate varies -Both toxic and high volumes of waste diverted.

-Transferable where economy of scale exists and where

there is “Buy in” from the retailers.

-Listing and promoting Take It Back

participants and the products that will take

back.

-Allows the community to work together to keep

material from entering the landfill. -

Promotes the retailers as

contributors to the solution.

Re-use and Recycling

Send off for recycling or

provided with a second life opportunity.

-Benefits associated with keeping both high volumes and toxicity out of the

landfill site. -lowering the risk and

extending the life of the landfill site.

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responsibility)






Computer Recycler Inc. 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 ON

Activity description: - currently dismantles CPUs; - Acts as a

broker to have computers an

monitors shredded and/or crushed; -

Uses Noranda's True End of Life Recycling

in Brampton; - Services IT and Municipalities

Estimated Annual throughput: 50 tons / year; Recovery Rate

90%

10% plastics - Sends more to Noranda; - CPUs are dismantled with plans to send to Noranda

recycling Dismantling andNoranda

-Linked and depended on True

End of Life Recycling at Noranda.

-Historically took computers at no cost;

-work with City of Ottawa to take

computers at cost; -Raise awareness

towards the importation of EEE

waste to Asia.

3 Activity Description: -

In business for 20 years; -Accepts

Electronic waste no Monitors; -dismantles

or donates usable equipment

Estimated Annual throughput: 100 tonnes per year;

recovery rate 70-80%

20-30% -dismantling addsvalue to sorted

components; -donates usable equipment

Re-use and Recycle 70% of dismantled parts are recycled.

-Labour rates drive the costs; -Market stability for further

processing is necessary; -City of

Toronto

-Assist Goodwill at no charge; -provide free

units to non-profit grous, i.e. schools,

Reboot

Provide safe processing of large

volumes of toxic waste. Divert from

landfill.

Simple, labour intensive service. Process can be

easily duplicated.

INCO 3 3 1 1 3 2 2 3 1 ON Activity description: -

Multi-natinal corporation; -mning

and smelting; -Process plate waste and recover nickel.

-processed 30 million tonnes of nickel plating waste in 2002.; -average

recovery rate 97%

-New smelter facility built with new

technology to captures more SO4 and uses

less energy. -Captured gases are used in other processes.

Recycling -Nickel platingwaste recycled and returned to Nickel

cycle.

-Always looking for feed to Nickel

recovery program. -continue to develop

benefits to using recovered nickel.

-Contribute to community’s

infrastructure, i.e. hospital and

university contributions.

-treat high volumes of highly toxic

materials. -Capture heavy metals

associated with plating waste such

as Arsenic.

-Highly capital and engineering restrictive.

-high volumes of potentially toxic electronic waste

diverted from landfill.

-Transferable; -Requires access to Noranda’s True End

of Life Recycling.

Hy Tech Recycling 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 ON

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responsibility)






International Marine Salvage 2 2 1 3 3 3 3 2 1 ON

Activity Description: -Raw Material

Company a div. of; -Break-up marine vessels, transport hazardous waste, recycle batteries of all types. -applies

Reduce, Re-use, and Recycling concepts.

Estimated Annual throughput: +2 million lbs. / month; recovery

rate varies

-Alkaline Batteriesrecycled into feed

stock for steel production. -Ship

breaking involves Re-use and recycling. -

Ship usable parts are sold or used in shoreline mgtn.

Reduce, Re-use, and Recycling

Batteries into steel that is recyclable.

-Leading edge in tech and process; -Meet

international standards; -Provide consulting services where labour costs

are high.

-ISO and MoE certified; -Community

shore line building with ship structures.; -Batteries kept out of

landfill.

-high volumes of toxic and non-toxic

materials recovered.

-Must meet U.S. marine standards. -successful where

labour costs are low; -Battery recovery

where large volumes of batteries exists.

Kings Auto Parts and Wrecking 3 3 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 ON

Activity description: -Receive and

dismantle vehicles; -Sell usable parts and prepare the rest for maximum metal and revenue recovery.

recovery rate nearly 100%

-New smelter facility built with new

technology to captures more SO4 and uses

less energy. - captured gases are used in other processes

recycling -Nickel platingwaste recycled and returned to Nickel

cycle.

-Always looking for feed to Nickel

recovery program. -continue to develop

benefits to using recovered nickel.

-Contribute to community’s

infrastructure, i.e. hospital and

university contributions.

-treat high volumes of highly toxic

materials; -Capture heavy metals

associated with plating waste such

as Arsenic.

-Highly capital and engineering restrictive.

Limpact International 3 3 1 2 3 2 1 2 1 ON Activity description: -

International, multifunctional company that

receives, refurbishes, and reclaims metal

cathodes.

1 -traditionally, spentmetal cathodes would be sent to scrap metal

handlers. -Limpact reclaims and

refurbishes used cathodes which is more economical.

Re-use -Allows thecathodes to be refurbished and

returned to original function.

-Providing a reclaiming /

refurbishing has been a real financial benefit to the

businesses that depend on them. -

Less costly to reclaim

-Process of refurbishing has a

low impact on environment.

-Making costly metal cathodes re-

usable and extending its life

-Very unique process that could only be reproduced if the

market and capital exists.

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responsibility)






New West Gypsum 1 3 2 2 3 2 2 3 1 ON Activity Description: -

In business for 18 years; -99% of source is cut off

wastes from renovations and new

constructions; -Waste boards are

ground and all contaminates are

screened out; -Paper waste is composted

Estimated Annual throughput: 18,000

tonnes / year

0% residuals -Enable to recycle off cuts of wall boards.; -service contractors,

municipalities and end markets.

recycling recycling andcomposting

-Follows building trends; -Mobile unit

available; -Environmentally

important to recycle as opposed to landfill

-Provide drywall diversion; -plant has tire wash units, dust

collectors and all necessary MoE and Labour Licenses; -Serves Corporate

Image to divert drywall

-High volume of gypsum recycled; -

high volumes prevents the production of

H2SO from being produced in

landfills.

-Mobile unit available; Patented

process; -Very costly to duplicate process

capital and knowledge.

Noranda True End of Life Facility, Brampton

2 3 1 1 2 2 2 3 1 ON

-3rd True End of Life Facility; -Accept all end of life electronic equipment; -minimal dismantling, removal of hazardous parts; -

shredding and mechanical

separation; -Quebec and New Brunswick smelters used for copper, lead and

plastics.

Estimated throughput: -Million

lbs./ month based on one shift; recovery

rate 100%

-cost effectivelyrecycle electronic

equipment. -Incorporate

mechanical where possible-Work with manufacturers of

electronic equipment to produce a more

recoverable / recyclable product.

Recycling and energy recovery

-Electronic equipment is

recycled through smelting process.

-Economic benefits associated with

recycling metals. -Landfill and export

are the largest competitors. -

Success requires: disposal and export

restrictions, free convenient public recovery program,

supportive Regulatory forces

-Environmentally friendly process; -

diversion of Ewaste; -Employee health and

safety concerns considered.

-High volumes of E waste and the

associated toxics diverted from

landfill.

-$6 million investment; -

Requires large constant feed; -Plant linked to companies

existing smelting system.

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responsibility)






PEI Curbside recycling/blue bag

program 2 n/a 0 0 0 ? 1 ? 2

PEI Island Waste Management Corp-

Waste Watch Program

n/a n/a 0 0 0 ? n/a ? n/a

PEI Tire Recovery Program 3 n/a 0 0 0 ? 1 ? 2

PEI Whitegoods Recovery Program 3 n/a 0 0 0 ? 1 ? 2

QC MRC des Iles de la Madeleine (centre de

tri) ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

QC Acier Bouffard Inc. 2 3 0 0 3 3 ? 3 3 aluminum cans QC Nova Pb Inc. 2 3 0 0 3 3 ? 1 3 spetial metals: tin, silver QC

Metalliage Inc. 3 3 1 3 3 3 ? 3 3spetial metals: titanium

spetial machine to clean and recycle

QC Allard Georges Inc 3 3 0 0 3 3 ? 1 3 spetial metals: zinc, titanium, nickel

QC Metaux Boni Canada Inc 3 3 0 0 3 3 ? 2 3 spetial metals: zinc, tin,

titanium, nickel

QC Lar Machinerie Matagami Inc 3 3 0 0 2 3 ? 3 3 reusing recuperated metals

QC Garage Potvin Valerien 2 3 0 0 3 3 ? 3 3

QC Récupéraction Centre du Québec

inc. 3 2 1 3 3 3 ? 3 2

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QC Récupération Centrestrie inc. 3 3 0 0 3 3 ? 3 2 spetial metals: titanium,

inox, econel, nickel

QC Pièces d'auto Provincial 2 2 0 0 3 3 ? 2 3 spetial metals: platinum

QC H K Metal Rebut Inc 3 3 0 0 3 3 ? 3 3 stripping and cleaning method

QC Jet Recyclage 3 3 1 3 3 3 ? 3 3

this compagny as a special scandinavian machine for

recycling QC Metaux Jp Gregoire

Inc 3 3 0 0 3 3 ? 2 3 spetial metals: iconel

QC Papineau Metal Inc., Division of Surplus

Outaouais 3 3 0 0 3 3 ? 3 3 cleaning electrical lines

QC Roland & Guy Vachon Enr 2 2 0 0 2 3 ? 0 3 spetial metals: maganese

QC Supermarche Du Metal 3 3 0 0 3 3 ? 3 3 spetial metals: iconel,

monel, stainless 310/410

QC Acier Century inc. 3 3 1 3 3 3 ? 1 3 QC Federal Commercial

Metals 3 3 1 3 3 3 ? 0 3

QC Globe Métal ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

QC Option Métal recyclé du Québec 3 3 1 3 3 3 ? 3 3

B N Steel & Metal 2002 inc 1 na na 2 2 3 na 3 3 SK

5-6000 tonnes/yr They reuse and recycle a wide variety

of ferrous and non ferrous metals


foundries

not stated

Page 148



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responsibility)






Blanchard Foundry (Harmond

International Industries)

0 1 na 3 2 3 na 3 3

SK

Unable to determine the rate

Some silica sand goes to the landfill

They depend on the machinery they build to come back to them through the recycling loop so that they can mfg products again.

They buy clean scrap metal to fabricate into

farm implements, municipal casting and

mine casting.


foundries

5 tonnes/night/200 nights

CMS Metal Products Ltd. 2 na na 2 2 2 1 2 3 SK

http://members.fortunecity.com/patcanadia

ns/id55.htm

5000 tonnes/yr, non ferrous 2000/yr

Reuse and recycle They process and ship metal to

foundries. They also buy new steel and sell it to fabricators.

The higher the metal prices, the better for their company. There

is a problem that companies are

moving away from copper tubing and

using pvc.

Regina Pats Handles ferrous and non ferrous

including batteries. Does not want to accept batteries, but because they accept the other

metals, they have to also handle

batteries.

Diamond Steel & Recycle 2 na na 1 2 3 na 2 3 SK

15,000 tonnes/yr steel, 700,000lbs/yr

(alum, copper, brass, bronze)

Recycle They process and ship to foundries.

not stated Batteries

Page 149



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IPSCO Inc. 3 2 na 1 3 2 2 2 1 SK http://www.amm.com http://www.ipsco.com

1 million tonnes /yr . Draws from N & S Dakota, Montana,

Minn., Mich., Idaho, Wisc., 3 provinces.

Electric arc furnace (dust) process

produces iron, zinc oxide and lead in

mill dust. They are waiting until there is

an economically viable way to deal

with the secure piles. Zinc content in white metal is sent off shore

(Japan) for market. 200,000 metric

tonnes of fine steel ash (as waste) is sold to the City of Regina to be used

as a filler in asphalt.

They purchase steel, scrap iron from

collectors

Recycle They have a policy to donate back to the community that is tied to company's

profit. At least 1.5% of after tax profits are

returned to philanthropic

activities.

Policy requires mercury switches

to be removed from vehicles

before processing. Incentive based with SkPower

Bounty Program.

Draws from collectors in TB, Wpg, S'toon, northern states, and

Calgary and Edmonton so it is

central

They are looking for a process to reduce their mill dust pile (zinc oxide). Ipsco and General Scrap have a

policy against mercury switches, but it is not a

guarantee. There is a pilot program to send it back to a

recycling facility in the States. Sk.Power funds the Bounty program for credits.

They piggy back on the disposal that is happening

from Ont - Alta.

McDonald Metals Mercury Switches? 2 1 na 1 2 2 1 1 3 SK

11 000 tonnes ferrous / yr and 5.2m

lbs/yr non ferrous.

Metals produces low residuals, but e-scrap produces high

residuals.

Recycle Price of metal varies so the collection or

sale of it varies. Domestic and

international markets.

Battlefords AAA Midget Stars

May handle mercury switches from automobiles and white goods

Deal with some electronic waste to extract gold.

Magnesium and manganese cones handled. Insulated

wire or cable, white goods, auto parts - mercury

switches?

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responsibility)






McDonald Metals Ltd. This is the same

company, just different location. This is the head

office.

2 na na 1 2 3 na 1 3

SK

Steel - 20 000 tonnes/ yr. Non

ferrous 600 tonnes/year. I don't know if this includes

the figures from North Battleford (ID

177).

Indicated from survey that no e-

scrap processed at this location.

Recycle International markets not stated May handle mercury switches from automobiles and white goods

Deal with some electronic waste to extract gold.

Magnesium and manganese cones handled. Insulated

wire or cable, white goods, auto parts - mercury

switches?

Mryglod Steel & Metals Inc.

2 na 2 na 3 na 1 3 na

Steel 3000 tonnes/yr, non ferrous 500

tonnes/year

all metal is recycled. Recycle not stated

R Powell Goldsmith Ltd.

2 na na 2 2 3 na 2 3

As much metal as possible is collected.

Reuse and recycle high volume of precious metals collected from

processes.

SK

SK

Precious metal sweeps, dust, filters

40 lbs/yr, filings 3kgs/year.

not stated

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responsibility)






Sarcan Recycling See Beverage

Container Management

program above.

3 na na 2 2 3 3 3 3

SK

aluminum http://www.sarcsarca

n.ca/sarcan.htm

96% return rate in 2002-3. 3.781m lbs/yr aluminum

baled, 26 000 lbs/yr tin and bi-metal

baled.

tin cans some residue which is

burned off at foundry.

consumer has a choice of beverages that has a refundable levy attached to it. On metal containers 5c EHC and 10c-20c

refundable deposit fee.

Recycle Employs people with disabilities. Will

accept other non-bevera

Very sustainableunder current

legislation

Puts through the highest volume of

beverage containers

(aluminum) than any other province

Very flexible and transferable - based

on legislation.

Sask Power International 1 na na 1 na 1 2 na 3SK

A wholly owned subsidiary of SaskPower

http://www.saskpower.com/aboutus/community/community.sht

ml

20% of what is produced is sold to

the road construction or cement industry. 80% is landfilled.

Reuse of fly ash and bottom ash

This rating relates to the percentage of

material recycled or reused.

Transportation costly to get the product to the users (bottom

ash). Fly ash sold in Alta, Sk and Man.

$1 million / yr to local Saskatchewan

events (~30 events /month).

SGI Salvage 1 na na 2 2 2 3 na 3 no permission to

publish information 1800 tonnes / yr not stated

ge materials at their collection

depots in Saskatoon and Regina as a

public service that benefits the

environment.

SK Reusable parts and Recycles auto and

auto parts.

May handle mercury switches from automobiles.

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REACT 3 na 2 na 3 na 2 3 2

Waste Management 208 000 lbs/yr bi metal cans, ? Steel, ?

Truck parts

Have a $2 / appliance recycling fee for white

goods.

Reuse and recycle not stated

Helping Hands 1 2 1 1 2 2 3 2 YK Raven Recycling

Society 2 2 1 2 2 2 3 2 3

SK

Region

YK 2

Page 153


10.0 Appendix G: References

Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation. 2003. ABCRC 2002 Annual Report.

Alberta Environment. Alberta Recycling Markets Study 1992: Metals.

Alberta Used Oil Management Association. 2001. 2000-2001 Annual Report: Sustaining Our Success. Available at www.usedoilrecycling.com/.

Armstrong, Barbara. Personal Communication. 2002. Inuvik Recycling Society.

Beverage Container Management Board, 2003. Personal Communication. www.bcmb.ab.ca/.

Beverage Container Management Board. 2001. Regulatory Review Report. April 25, 2001.

Beverage Container Management Board. n.d. Return Rates January 1, 2001 – December 31, 2001. Available at www.bcmb.ab.ca/.

Beverage Container Management Board. 2003. Annual Report 2002.

Canadian Association of Recycling Industries (CARI-ACIR). n.d. Overview. Available at www.cari-acir.org/.

Canadian Association of Tire Recycling Agencies. n.d. Terms of Reference. Provincial Information. Available at www.catraonline.ca/.

Canadian Steel Producers Association. www.canadiansteel.ca/

Casavant, Eve. Personal communication. City of Saskatoon.

Climate Change Solutions. 1999. www.climatechangesolutions.com/municipal/gap.shtml?o=intro

Container Recycling Institute, 2003. 45.8 billion Aluminum Cans Discarded in 2000. www.container-recycling.org/alumrate/cansdiscard.htm

Container Recycling Institute, 2003. The aluminum can recycling rate: 1992-2002. www.container-recycling.org/documents/UBC2003PressRel6JGgraph.doc

Department of Renewable Resources. Environment Act and Regulations. www.environmentyukon.gov.yk.ca/epa/enactreg.shtml

EcoSmart Partnership. www.ecosmart.ca/

Page 154

http://www.usedoilrecycling.com/

http://www.bcmb.ab.ca/

http://www.cari-acir.org/

http://www.catraonline.ca/

http://www.canadiansteel.ca/

http://www.climatechangesolutions.com/municipal/gap.shtml?o=intro

http://www.container-recycling.org/alumrate/cansdiscard.htm

http://www.container-recycling.org/documents/UBC2003PressRel6JGgraph.doc

http://www.environmentyukon.gov.yk.ca/epa/enactreg.shtml

http://www.bcmb.ab.ca

http://www.ecosmart.ca

Final Report – Appendix G March 2004

Encorp Pacific Canada. www.encorpinc.com/cfm/index.cfm

EnviosRIS. 2000. Information Technology (IT) and Telecommunication (Telecom) Waste in Canada. Prepared for Environment Canada – National Office of Pollution Prevention. Ottawa. Available at www.ec.gc.ca/.

EnviosRIS. 2002. Industry Roadmap – Overview of a National Action Plan for Management of End of Life IT and Telecom Equipment in Canada. Final Report. Submitted to: Information Technology Association of Canada. Toronto, Ontario. Available through www.ris.ltd.com/.

Environment Canada and ICF Consulting. 2003. Determination of the Impact of Waste Management Activities on Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

Environment Canada, 2003. “The State of Waste Management in Canada.” Presentation by Dennis Jackson to the Recycling Council of Alberta 2003 Fall Conference.

Environment Canada. 2002. Extended Producer Responsibility and Stewardship. Inventory of Waste Diversion Programs in Canada. Available at www.ec.gc.ca/epr/inventory/.

Environment Canada. 2002. Extended Producer Responsibility and Stewardship. Inventory of Waste Diversion Programs in Canada. Available at www.ec.gc.ca/epr/inventory/.

Ferguson, Garry. Personal communication. Wabash Alloys, Mississauga, Ontario

Flinn, Wayne. Personal communication. New Brunswick Solid Waste Commission Association. (506) 452-8921. www.nbsolidwaste.com

Folkersen, Allan. Personal communication. Saskatchewan Department of Highways.

Gaudin, Simone. Personal communication. Government of New Brunswick. (506) 444-4599. www.gnb.ca/

Government of Newfoundland & Labrador. 2002. “Provincial used tire recycling program launched.” News Release. February 6, 2002. Environment. Available at www.gov.nf.ca/releases/2002/env/.

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. 2001. “Government Changes Beverage Container Deposit Level.” News Release. March 12, 2003. Available at www.gov.nf.ca/releases/2001/env/0312n03.html.

Hallsworth, Gregg. Personal communication. Saskatchewan Environment.


Page 155

http://www.ris.ltd.com/

http://www.gnb.ca/

http://www.gov.nf.ca/releases/2002/env/

http://www.gov.nf.ca/releases/2001/env/0312n03.html

http://www.ec.gc.ca

http://www.ec.gc.ca/epr/inventory/

http://www.ec.gc.ca/epr/inventory/

http://www.nbsolidwaste.com






Humphreys, Doug. Personal communication. IPSCO.

Jardine, Don. Personal communication. Government of Prince Edward Island, Pollution Prevention – Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment. (902) 368-5024. http://www.gov.pe.ca

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