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Home My WebLink AboutSUS 07-23Report to Council Report Number: SUS 07-23 Date: June 26, 2023 From: Kyle Bentley Director, City Development and CBO Subject: Enhanced Blue Box and Green Bin Availability - Council Resolution #143/23 - File: D-7001-024 Recommendation: 1. That the City of Pickering staff continue to work with the Region of Durham, and be authorized to take the necessary actions to enhance residents’ access to blue and green bins as outlined in this report, including to enable the sale of blue boxes, blue box lids, kitchen containers for food waste, and curbside green bins from the Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex; and 2. That staff be directed to report back to Council in Q2 2024 with an update on actions taken to address blue box and green bin availability. Executive Summary: At the Council Meeting of March 27, 2023, staff were directed to meet with the Region of Durham’s Waste Management Services staff to explore opportunities for more local and convenient locations for residents to have access to new blue and green bins for purchase, as well as to exchange old broken bins (Resolution #143/23, Attachment #1). Accordingly, Regional and City staff discussed options to advance this initiative including viability of using Regional or City facilities for bin sales/exchange; Regional attendance at City/community events; use of the Region’s 311 phone service; and, partnering with commercial/retailers. Subsequently, City staff from City Development, Community Services and the Operations Departments met to discuss these opportunities and identified various potential short, medium, and long-term actions that would improve resident access to recycling and green bins. Subject to Council’s approval of Report SUS 07-23, staff will work with the Region of Durham to facilitate the sale of new bins from the Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex (CHDRC) on a cost recovery basis. CHDRC has convenient operating hours for residents, and the ability to store a small inventory of bins. Regional staff were also invited to attend City events to sell/exchange bins and/or to coordinate a standalone event in a municipal parking lot but have since advised that they have insufficient Regional staff resources to participate. That said, Regional staff indicated that they will review the matter in an effort to identify medium- term solutions to address this gap. Financial Implications: There is no net cost to the City of Pickering. The City of Pickering would purchase blue and green bins from the Region of Durham and sell them to residents on a cost recovery basis. Any unsold units would be returned to the Region of Durham and therefore there is no cost to the City. SUS 07-23 June 26, 2023 Subject: Enhanced Green Bin and Blue Box Availability Page 2 Discussion: As per Resolution #143-23, staff have investigated more local and convenient locations for residents to access new blue and green bins (see Resolution #143/23, Attachment #1). Based on discussions with City of Pickering staff from City Development, Community Services, and the Operations Departments, and staff from the Region of Durham, a number of short, medium, and long-term actions were identified and explored. Short-term Actions: 1. Pending Council approval of this report, staff will facilitate the sale of blue boxes, blue box lids, kitchen containers for food waste, and curbside green bins, at CHDRC. CHDRC offers residents convenient operating hours, cashless (credit/debit) purchasing options, and there is an ability to store a small inventory of new bins on site. The opportunity to purchase bins at this facility would be promoted on Regional and City websites. This service is not expected to impact City staff resources to a great extent. At the onset, staff would purchase 30 of each unit, and reorder from the Region of Durham as the supply is depleted. The units would be sold on a cost recovery basis so there is no net cost to the City of Pickering. All sales would be subject to a 3 percent charge to cover processing/transaction fees. Per unit pricing as of 2023 (HST included): i) 23.5-gallon Blue Box (for containers or papers) - $11.00 each ii) Blue Box lid made from recycled tires - $13.00 each iii) Kitchen container for food waste - $4.00 each iv) Curbside green bin - $19.00 each Due to safety concerns associated with handling broken used bins and storage constraints, staff determined that it is not feasible to offer an exchange program to collect broken used bins. 2. The City of Pickering will continue to host the Region of Durham’s Annual Community Compost Giveaway event, at which residents can purchase new, and exchange broken, bins. Over 800 guests (vehicles) attended the recent drive-through event on May 27, 2023. Medium-term Actions: 1. The Region of Durham staff were asked to investigate using a closer Regional facility to offer bins sales/exchanges than the 600 Garrard Road North site in the Town of Whitby. One particular location City staff requested be considered is the Regional Depot at 2020 Salem Road in Ajax, which is closer for Pickering residents. Regional staff will review and advise. 2. Regional staff were invited to attend future City events, and/or to set up a pop-up event in a municipal parking lot or facility to sell/exchange bins. At this time, limited Regional staff resources restrict the number of events they can attend outside of the Community Compost Giveaway. However, Regional staff indicated they would review this opportunity and advise. SUS 07-23 June 26, 2023 Subject: Enhanced Green Bin and Blue Box Availability Page 3 Long-term Actions: 1. Region of Durham staff advised they were currently exploring the opportunity to sell bins through an E-Commerce platform, on which residents would be able to purchase and have bins delivered to their home. Long-term, Regional staff committed to reviewing how their 311 phone service platform could benefit this objective, as well as the potential to collaborate with commercial retailers to sell/exchange bins. 2. Durham Region is set to transition to Extended Producer Responsibility for residential collection as of July 1, 2024, and will no longer be responsible for blue box services. Regional staff noted that this process is still in development, and as such, how residents will access bins in the future has not been finalized. Nevertheless, the Region of Durham will still be developing a long-term plan to address resident access to green bins and kitchen catchers. As directed by Council, Regional and City staff undertook steps to explore opportunities for more local and convenient locations for residents to have access to new blue and green bins. Subject to Council’s endorsement of Report 07-23, staff will take the necessary steps to enable the sale of blue boxes, blue box lids, kitchen containers for food waste, and curbside green bins from CHDRC. Attachment: 1. Resolution #143/23 SUS 07-23 June 26, 2023 Subject: Enhanced Green Bin and Blue Box Availability Page 4 Prepared By: Original Signed By Kristy Gagen Coordinator, Environmental Engagement Original Signed By Chantal Whitaker, BESc (Hons), CSR-P Manager, Sustainability & Strategic Environmental Initiatives Approved/Endorsed By: Original Signed By Kyle Bentley, P. Eng Director, City Development & CBO KG:CW :ld Recommended for the consideration of Pickering City Council Marisa Carpino, M.A. Chief Administrative Officer Original Signed By Attachment #1 to Report SUS 07-23 Legislative Services Division Clerk’s Office Directive Memorandum March 30, 2023 To: Kyle Bentley Director, City Development & CBO From: Susan Cassel City Clerk Subject: Direction as per Minutes of the Meeting of City Council held on March 27, 2023 Enhanced Blue Box and Green Bin Availability Council Decision Resolution #143/23 Please take any action deemed necessary. WHEREAS, the current closest blue and green bin exchange/purchase location is the Durham Region Depot in Whitby; And Whereas, the blue and green bin exchange in Pickering has been limited to the compost pick up day at the Chestnut Hill Development Recreation Complex; And Whereas, Pickering residents have expressed that more convenient arrangements for blue and green bin exchange/purchase would be desirable; Now therefore be it resolved, that the Council of The Corporation of the City of Pickering directs City staff through the Office of the CAO to: 1.Further work with the Region of Durham Waste Management staff to explore opportunities for more local and convenient locations for Pickering residents to have access to the blue and green bin replacements; 2.That staff consider options that include but are not limited to the following: i.introducing local pick up location(s) such as a Region or City facility, ii.coordinate with City/community events, such as compost giveaway, Artfest, etc., iii.use of 311 to arrange drop off, and, iv.arrangements with commercial/retail partners; 3.That staff report back to Council by end of second quarter 2023; 4.That this motion be forwarded to the Commissioner of Works, Region of Durham. Susan Cassel Copy: Chief Administrative Officer