Christina Seidel Recycling Council of Alberta

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Christina SeidelRecycling Council of Alberta

• Stewardship Updates From Alberta and British
  Columbia

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BC Regulated Stewardship Programs

• Beverage Containers
• Scrap Tires
• Used Oil Materials
• Electronics
• Paint
• Solvents and Flammable Liquids
• Gasoline
• Pesticides
• Pharmaceuticals

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BC Regulated Stewardship Programs

• On horizon
• Plan to add two new product categories every 3
  years
• Announced April 2008 intent to add
• Mercury-containing light bulbs and thermostats
• Expansion of electronics products category
• Next steps
• Recycling regulation will be amended
• Industry to develop plan and consult with public
• Programs launched 2009 - 2010

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Trends in BC

• The Province adopted OECDs Extended Producer
  Responsibility (EPR) model
• A management system based on industry and
  consumers taking life-cycle responsibility for
  the products they produce and use
• Shift away from government-managed,
  taxpayer-financed waste management programs
• Policy is implemented through the Recycling
  Regulation
• Results-based regulation
• Provides producers with flexibility to meet
  environmental outcomes

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Alberta Regulated Stewardship Programs

• Beverage Containers
• Scrap Tires
• Used Oil Materials
• Electronics
• Paint
• On horizon
• Changes to Beverage Container Regulation
• Construction Demolition
• Packaging
• HHW

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Trends in Alberta

• Programs delivered by Delegated Administrative
  Organizations (DAO)
• Multi-stakeholder organizations
• Focus on accountability and governance
• Desire to improve program outcomes
• Three studies of regulated programs
• Design for Environment Opportunities within
  Albertas Waste Stewardship Programs
• Benchmarking Evaluation of Albertas DAO
  Stewardship Programs
• Genuine Wealth Assessment of Albertas
  Stewardship Programs (full-cost accounting)

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DfE Conclusions

• Our programs are not structured to encourage DfE
  
• DfE opportunities most relevant for beverage
  containers and electronics
• No magic bullet
• Limited tangible successes, so far

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Benchmarking Conclusions

• AB programs rank highly in cost effectiveness and
  recycling rates
• AB programs have a high degree of transparency
  and public accountability
• Industry-led programs tend to be less
  transparent, and release less information
  publicly as compared to Albertas programs

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Benchmarking Conclusions - Opportunities

• Beverage containers
• Increase and harmonize deposit levels
• Expand to include milk containers
• Consolidate the beer and non-beer collection
  systems
• Tires
• Consider decreasing RD funding involve industry
  / manufacturers in defining solutions
• Include waste-to-energy
• Expand program to include off-the-road tires
  (OTRs)
• Electronics
• Expand the program to include additional products
  (e.g., stereos, VCRs, microwaves) to improve
  economies of scale and increase diversion

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Genuine Wealth Assessment

• Used Genuine Progress Indicator full cost benefit
  accounting tool
• Itemized the costs and benefits
• Monetary estimates assigned where data exists
• Estimates low, medium (average), high
• Net value then calculated
• Result relative return on a per unit recycled,
  per Albertan basis

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Genuine Wealth Accounting Framework for
Albertas Stewardship Programs

• Sales of recovered/recycled materials
• Program Administration and Operating Costs,
  Investment Costs, Amortized Costs and Aftercare
  Costs
• Alberta Used Oil Mgmt. Assoc.
• Beverage Container Mgmt. Board
• Alberta Recycling Mgmt. Authority
• Government spending on services and support
• Industry/retail sector costs (fee collection and
  other financial costs)
• Household costs (direct costs associated with
  cleaning, sorting, delivery, and transportation)
• Transportation costs fuel costs to transport
  wastes to collection points.
• Market disruption costs (due to reduced
  competition and costs incurred by industry)
• Savings (forgone operating costs) from extended
  landfills
• Avoided costs from siting and operational costs
• Financial Liabilities Debt and Accounts payable

• Time-use spent in cleaning, sorting, delivery and
  transportation of recycled materials.
• Direct and indirect employment (employees,
  contractors, suppliers)
• Full-time vs. part-time employment
• Productivity
• Creativity and entrepreneurship
• Workplace safety
• Training and professional development
• Personal self-development

Financial (Economic) Capital
Human Capital
100
50
0
Social Capital

• Health effects (raw material extraction and waste
  management)
• Civic pride and responsibility (e.g.
  participation rates as a proxy)
• Equity and fairness the equitable distribution
  of costs and benefits of programs amongst various
  stakeholders.
• Improved overall quality of life (e.g. perceived
  value of cleaner/healthier environments)
• Customer relationships (value, loyalty and
  commitment by customers)
• Supplier relationships (value and commitment by
  suppliers)
• Reputation
• Work place climate (e.g. Employee
  interrelationships, meaningful work, workplace
  stress, teams and team spirit)
• Workplace equity (incomes, age-sex distribution,
  women in management)
• Employee family quality of life
• Financial investment/giving/donations to the
  community

Natural Capital
Built Capital

• Reduced landfill and incineration
• Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• Energy consumption
• Reduction in pollutants to air, land and water.
• Environmental quality risk
• Ecosystem integrity/environmental protection
• Local disamenity (odor, vermin, traffic)

• Buildings
• Machinery and equipment
• Technology
• Patents
• Brands
• Intellectual property (ideas, innovations)
• Management processes
• Production processes
• Databases

Note Items marked with an asterisk and
italicized are items that are part of the Genuine
Wealth framework for businesses but which will
not necessarily be assessed for the Alberta
Stewardship Program evaluation due to data
limitations.
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Genuine Wealth Results

• Tires - average net benefit 6.18 / Albertan.
• Used oil - average net benefit 5.98 / Albertan.
  
• Electronics - average net cost 62 cents /
  Albertan
• Beverage containers - average net cost 16.67 /
  Albertan
• 4-cents / container recycled

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Proposed Alberta Construction Demolition Program

• Four proposed program components
• Provincial Government Leadership
• Require waste diversion construction standard on
  all government construction projects
• Develop demonstration projects that maximize
  waste diversion
• Province-Wide Disposal Bans
• Disposal bans for materials with established
  markets
• Pending bans to stimulate infrastructure
  development
• Deposit Refund Program
• Waste management plan and financial deposit
  submitted at building permit stage
• Refund based on diversion rate upon project
  completion
• CD Environment Fund
• used to facilitate increased reduction of
  construction waste and improved building design

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Alberta Future Developments

• Anticipated that full-cost approaches will be
  more common
• Focus on environmental goals and indicators
• Expectation of DAOs
• ARMA undertaking life-cycle assessment work
• CD program in implementation mode
• Packaging focus for 2009