Executive Summary Over the last several years, significant progress has been made within Newfoundland and Labrador in the area of progressive, sustainable solid waste management. Beginning in the mid-1990s with the establishment of the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB) and progressing with the issuing of the Province’s Waste Management Strategy in 2002 and an accompanying 2007 Implementation Plan, the Province has led the way to commission environmentally sustainable landfills and develop infrastructure and programs to reduce the quantity of materials requiring disposal. But in order to meet the Province’s 50% diversion target, a more intensive analysis of options to effectively segregate and manage compostable organics must be completed. In December 2012, with the objective of identifying a practical 30 year organics management strategy for the island of Newfoundland, the Department of Municipal Affairs (DMA) issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) entitled Study of Options for Organic Waste Processing in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Following the completion of the proposal review process, Dillon Consulting Limited (Dillon) was selected by DMA as the preferred consultant, with the project initiation meeting being held in St. John’s on July 3, 2013. Early in the assignment, several guiding principles were established to serve as the foundation for the remainder of the project; key principles included the following: (cid:120) The study area included the eight established waste management regions on the island of Newfoundland; 1) Discovery Regional Service Board (DRSB), 2) Burin Peninsula Regional Service Board (BPRSB), 3) Central Regional Service Board (CRSB), 4) Coast of Bays Waste Management Corporation (CBWMC), 5) Eastern Regional Service Board (ERSB), 6) Green Bay Waste Authority Inc. (BVGB), 7) Northern Peninsula Regional Service Board (NPRSB) and 8) Western Regional Service Board (WRSB). (cid:120) While the study was to incorporate the assessment of organic feedstocks from the industrial, agricultural and resource sectors, the focus for the identification of candidate organics processing programs within the eight management regions will be the diversion of traditional MSW organic materials from residential and industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) generators. (cid:120) The provincial objective of reducing the amount of waste going to the landfill by 50% is an overall target (by weight) for Newfoundland and Labrador and is not to be applied on the individual regional, municipal or community level. (cid:120) In order to be considered a proven organics processing technology, for the purposes of this study, the following criteria will have to be met: 1) a minimum of five years of continuous, reliable operation; 2) use of similar MSW feedstocks and at a similar proposed throughput tonnage (e.g., within 25%), 3) confirmation of an ability to effectively control odour and leachate, 4) operation in a Page i climate similar to the proposed application location(s) and 5) reliable generation of a minimum Category B (restricted use) finished compost, as defined in CCME’s Guidelines for Compost Quality. (cid:120) Forecasting of future island populations and associated waste and organics tonnages using available data from Statistics Canada, the Government of Newfoundland and Labardor, the MMSB and the study team’s information resources. Consolidation of current conditions information on Newfoundland’s waste management programs involved direct engagement with representatives of the eight management regions. As part of this effort, a GIS-enabled base map of the island of Newfoundland was developed, to allow for the efficient identification of current and proposed facilities, the provincial road network and service area boundaries and to provide a foundation for the development of candidate management scenarios. Beginning with the background information presented in MMSB’s 2012 document The Management of Organic Waste in Newfoundland and Labrador and augmented with a significant amount of information held by members of the Dillon team, a “long list” of candidate organics management technologies was assembled. Following the preparation of the long list inventory, the next step was the definition of screening criteria to develop a “short list” of viable technologies relevant to the context of Newfoundland and Labrador. In consultation with DMA, a methodology was developed to identify a short list of preferred organics processing technologies for three sizes or scales of composting operations (from largest to smallest); Level I – Centralized/Regional, Level II – Sub-Regional and Level III – Community. With reference to Dillon’s original proposal for the assignment, the next step was to develop three candidate organics management scenarios with the following characteristics; 1) Use of regional, centralized processing facilities (e.g., Norris Arm and the St. John’s Area), 2) Use of regional facilities augmented by sub-regional, multi-community processing operations and 3) A hybrid of Scenarios 2 and 3, including community-specific, small scale facilities for remote areas. Following the initial presentation of three draft version of these scenarios at a committee workshop meeting in September 2013, DMA requested that two more scenarios be included for analysis; 4) Use of a single processing facility for the island situated in Norris Arm with a maximum four hour one-way trailer transport haul distance and 5) Use of two processing facilities for the island; one located near St. John’s and one in the Deer Lake area with a maximum three hour one-way trailer transport haul distance. Following the draft report presentation at a Committee meeting on December 16, 2013, DMA requested that two additional scenarios be included for analysis; 6) Scenario 4 expanded to accommodate 99.7% of the island’s population, and 7) Scenario 5 expanded to accommodate 99.7% of the island’s population. With the boundary conditions and performance requirements for the seven candidate organics management scenarios established, the Dillon team defined system details allowing for the analysis of a) diversion performance (e.g., the amount of compostable organic material diverted away from landfill and b) the associated annualized and net present value costs. While the extent of provincial curbside service varies amongst the seven scenarios, all are assumed to share some key common features (note Page ii that these assumed common features were developed as part of this study. It is acknowledged that Regions and/or Municipalities are likely to make refinements (e.g., container collection size, collection frequency, etc.); (cid:120) Only those communities currently providing or intending to provide curbside collection service were included in proposed organics service areas. (cid:120) Residential curbside collection of organics will be achieved through the use of wheeled 240 L carts, similar to those used in jurisdictions throughout Atlantic Canada. Again with reference to a proven approach in other Atlantic Canadian communities, curbside collection of garbage and organics will occur on alternating weeks, thus maintaining the overall weekly service model currently envisioned for most island collection systems. (cid:120) ICI organics generators will be obliged to coordinate their own contracted collection services. Costs associated with ICI services for long-distance transfer and processing at regional facilities will be recouped through tip fees. (cid:120) To address concerns regarding a “carbon deficit” in the overall compost feedstock mix, generators will be directed to place boxboard, portions of yard waste and select food contaminated fibre materials in their collection carts. An annual operating cost allowance has also been included for each identified composting facility to maintain a stockpile (equivalent to 10% of the annual forecasted process tonnage) of a carbon bulking agent (e.g., wood chips). (cid:120) Existing/planned waste transfer stations will also be used for the bulking/transfer of organics materials, where required. Transfer will be facilitated through the use of contract hauled walking floor trailers or sealed roll-off containers (trailers/containers owned by the regions). (cid:120) The siting of new compost facilities will occur at existing or historic waste management facilities where practical. (cid:120) To address the concern of an initial “overbuild” of system infrastructure, it has been assumed that a moderate level of organics “capture success” from residential and ICI generators will be experienced in the first 10 years of operation (e.g., 2015 – 2024), with an anticipated improvement in the overall organics capture rate beginning in 2025 (remaining stable through to 2045). Should an actual capture rate improvement be documented in the later part of the initial 10 years of operation, capital expansion to existing processing facilities can be completed. Scenario costing as presented in this report assumes that this capture improvement and associated expenditure occurs. Noting that costs for residential curbside collection remain relatively consistent whether or not an organics management system is established, a summary of the waste diversion performance and estimated NPV costs for the seven candidate scenarios (not including collection) is presented in Table E- 1. Page iii Table E-1 Seven Scenarios – Summary Results Total % Waste Diversion Achieved NPV Total % of Annual Cost Scenario (000s) @6%: 30 Population (000s 2015 2025 2035 2045 years ($2013) Served $2013) Scenario 1 $117,691 $5,902 8 12 12 12 86.8 Scenario 2 $139,020 $6,972 9 14 14 14 99.7 Scenario 3 $134,476 $6,744 9 14 14 14 99.7 Scenario 4 $154,986 $7,772 9 13 13 13 95.0 Scenario 5 $125,434 $6,290 9 13 13 13 91.7 Scenario 6 $162,508 $8,148 9 14 14 14 99.7 Scenario 7 $137,769 $6,909 9 14 14 14 99.7 An additional analysis was conducted to consider the greenhouse gas and avoided landfill cost benefits of establishing the organics management program described under Scenario 1. Through this analysis, and considering the complete 30 year planning period (2015-2045) for both the Norris Arm and Robin Hood Bay Landfill sites, it was estimated that (as compared to the landfill-only alternative) implementation of Scenario 1 would result in a GHG generation reduction of over 1.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO e) and a landfill capital cost savings of approximately $33 million. 2 Following the submission of this report, it is recommended that the Province, the eight management regions and their member municipalities use this document as a basis to define the preferred organics system components and implementation schedule. Page iv Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................... i 1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1 2.0 Project Methodology ................................................................................................................. 3 2.1 Objectives ............................................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Guiding Principles ................................................................................................................... 3 2.2.1 Study Area Scope .............................................................................................................. 3 2.2.2 Program Focus .................................................................................................................. 4 2.2.3 Organics Program Consistency .......................................................................................... 4 2.2.4 Achieving 50% Diversion ................................................................................................... 4 2.2.5 Candidate Feedstocks ....................................................................................................... 4 2.2.6 Proven Technologies ......................................................................................................... 5 2.2.7 Waste Stream Forecasting ................................................................................................ 5 2.3 Project Tasks........................................................................................................................... 5 3.0 Existing Conditions and Future Needs Assessment .................................................................. 11 3.1 Overview of Provincial Initiatives .......................................................................................... 11 3.1.1 Background ..................................................................................................................... 11 3.1.2 Current Programs ........................................................................................................... 11 3.2 Existing Municipal Infrastructure and Services ...................................................................... 12 3.2.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................ 12 3.2.2 Discovery Regional Service Board.................................................................................... 13 3.2.3 Burin Peninsula Regional Service Board .......................................................................... 14 3.2.4 Central Regional Service Board ....................................................................................... 16 3.2.5 Coast of Bays Waste Management Corporation .............................................................. 18 3.2.6 Eastern Regional Service Board ....................................................................................... 20 3.2.7 Baie Verte – Green Bay Region........................................................................................ 21 3.2.8 Northern Peninsula Regional Service Board .................................................................... 22 3.2.9 Western Regional Service Board ..................................................................................... 24 3.2.10 Summary of Current Services .......................................................................................... 26 3.3 Regulations, Bylaws and Guidelines ...................................................................................... 28 Page v 3.3.1 Provincial Regulations ..................................................................................................... 28 3.3.1.1 Environmental Protection Act .................................................................................. 28 3.3.1.2 Waste Management Regulations ............................................................................. 28 3.3.2 Provincial Guidance Documents ...................................................................................... 28 3.3.2.1 General Environmental Standards for Waste Management Facilities (July 2010) ..... 28 3.3.2.2 Environmental Standards for MSW Compost Facilities (April 2010).......................... 29 3.3.2.3 Environmental Standards for MSW Transfer Stations (July 2010) ............................. 30 3.3.2.4 Municipal Solid Waste Management and Public Education Guidance Document (November 2007) ..................................................................................................... 31 3.3.2.5 Regional/Municipal Bylaws ...................................................................................... 31 3.4 Waste Stream Characterization ............................................................................................ 33 3.4.1 Definition and Assumptions ............................................................................................ 33 3.4.2 Composition and Primary Generators ............................................................................. 33 3.4.2.1 Overall MSW Stream................................................................................................ 33 3.4.2.2 Compostable Organics ............................................................................................. 36 3.4.2.2.1 Residential MSW Sources .................................................................................... 37 3.4.2.2.2 ICI MSW Sources ................................................................................................. 37 3.4.2.2.3 Industrial and Resource Sector Sources ............................................................... 38 3.4.3 Population and Future Development Trends ................................................................... 40 3.4.4 Future Waste Stream Forecast ........................................................................................ 40 3.4.5 Targeted Materials for Composting ................................................................................. 41 4.0 Review of Candidate Organics Processing Technologies .......................................................... 43 4.1 Anaerobic Processing Technologies ...................................................................................... 43 4.2 Aerobic Processing Technologies .......................................................................................... 43 4.2.1 Development of Aerobic Processing Technology “Long List” ........................................... 43 4.2.2 Technology Evaluation Process ....................................................................................... 46 4.2.3 Technology Evaluation Assessment & Results ................................................................. 49 5.0 Proposed Candidate Organics Processing Technologies .......................................................... 54 5.1 Overview .............................................................................................................................. 54 5.2 Scenario 1 – Two Regional Facilities – Central Region and Eastern Region ............................ 58 5.3 Scenario 2 – Two Regional Facilities with Sub-Regional Operations ...................................... 59 Page vi 5.4 Scenario 3 – Hybrid of Scenarios 1 and 2 .............................................................................. 60 5.5 Scenario 4 – One Regional Facility......................................................................................... 62 5.6 Scenario 5 – Two Regional Facilities ...................................................................................... 62 5.7 Scenario 6 – Expansion of Scenario 4 Service Area ................................................................ 63 5.8 Scenario 7 – Expansion of Scenario 5 Service Area ................................................................ 64 6.0 Assessment of Candidate Organics Management Scenarios .................................................... 65 6.1 Assumptions ......................................................................................................................... 65 6.1.1 Capture Rate ................................................................................................................... 65 6.1.2 Definition of Reference Facilities for Costing ................................................................... 67 6.1.3 Determination of Transport/Haulage Costs ..................................................................... 68 6.1.4 Residential Curbside Collection Costs .............................................................................. 69 6.1.5 Calculation of Annual and Net Present Value Costs ......................................................... 72 6.2 Scenario 1 Results ................................................................................................................. 74 6.3 Scenario 2 Results ................................................................................................................. 78 6.4 Scenario 3 Results ................................................................................................................. 81 6.5 Scenario 4 Results ................................................................................................................. 84 6.6 Scenario 5 Results ................................................................................................................. 87 6.7 Scenario 6 Results ................................................................................................................. 90 6.8 Scenario 7 Results ................................................................................................................. 93 6.9 Summary of Scenario Assessment Findings ........................................................................... 96 6.9.1 Scenario Assessment Summary ....................................................................................... 96 6.9.2 Implementation Considerations ...................................................................................... 97 6.9.2.1 Contribution to Provincial Diversion Target.............................................................. 97 6.9.2.2 Establishment of New Infrastructure ....................................................................... 99 6.9.3 Suggested Revisions to Legislation and Guidelines ........................................................ 103 7.0 Cost-Benefit Analysis – Landfilling Versus Composting ......................................................... 105 7.1 Assessment of Differences in GHG Generation ................................................................... 105 7.2 Assessment of Differences in Net Present Value ................................................................. 107 8.0 Next Steps .............................................................................................................................. 110 Page vii List of Figures: Figure 3-1 Map of Discovery RSB .................................................................................................. 13 Figure 3-2 Map of Burin Peninsula RSB ......................................................................................... 15 Figure 3-3 Map of Central RSB ...................................................................................................... 17 Figure 3-4 Map of Coast of Bays WMC .......................................................................................... 18 Figure 3-5 Map of Eastern RSB ...................................................................................................... 21 Figure 3-6 Map of Baie Verte - Green Bay Region ........................................................................ 22 Figure 3-7 Map of Northern Peninsula RSB ................................................................................... 23 Figure 3-8 Map of Western RSB .................................................................................................... 24 Figure 3-9 Study Area/Waste Management Facilities Map ............................................................ 27 Figure 3-10 Assumed Waste Stream Percentage Breakdown – Urban - Residential......................... 35 Figure 3-11 Assumed Waste Stream Percentage Breakdown – Urban - ICI ...................................... 35 Figure 3-12 Assumed Waste Stream Percentage Breakdown – Rural - Residential .......................... 36 Figure 3-13 Assumed Waste Stream Percentage Breakdown – Rural - ICI ....................................... 36 Figure 6-1 Map of Scenario 1 ........................................................................................................ 76 Figure 6-2 Map of Scenario 2 ........................................................................................................ 79 Figure 6-3 Map of Scenario 3 ........................................................................................................ 82 Figure 6-4 Map of Scenario 4 ........................................................................................................ 85 Figure 6-5 Map of Scenario 5 ........................................................................................................ 88 Figure 6-6 Map of Scenario 6 ........................................................................................................ 91 Figure 6-7 Map of Scenario 7 ........................................................................................................ 94 List of Tables: Table 3-1 Municipal Bylaws in Newfoundland ............................................................................. 31 Table 3-2 Compostable Organics Percentage Breakdown by Generator Type (Residential) .......... 37 Table 3-3 Compostable Organics Percentage Breakdown by Generator Type (ICI) ....................... 38 Table 3-4 Summary of Research on Non-MSW Organic Waste Generators .................................. 39 Table 3-5 Change in Population per Year for Each Waste Management Region ........................... 40 Table 3-6 Total Waste and Organics Generation Forecast for the Island of Newfoundland .......... 42 Table 4-1 Aerobic Processing Technology Options ....................................................................... 44 Table 4-2 Technology Evaluation Criteria and Weighting ............................................................. 47 Table 4-3 Preferred Level I Technologies ..................................................................................... 50 Table 4-4 Preferred Level II Technologies .................................................................................... 51 Table 4-5 Preferred Level III Technologies ................................................................................... 52 Table 5-1 Assumptions on Regional Organics Waste Management Programs .............................. 54 Table 5-2 Scenario 1 Composting Facilities .................................................................................. 58 Table 5-3 Scenario 2 Composting Facilities .................................................................................. 59 Table 5-4 Scenario 3 Composting Facilities .................................................................................. 61 Table 5-5 Scenario 4 Composting Facilities .................................................................................. 62 Table 5-6 Scenario 5 Composting Facilities .................................................................................. 63 Table 5-7 Scenario 6 Composting Facility ..................................................................................... 63 Page viii Table 5-8 Scenario 7 Composting Facilities .................................................................................. 64 Table 6-1 Organics Capture Rates – SSO Cart Programs ............................................................... 66 Table 6-2 Transportation Analysis Parameters ............................................................................. 69 Table 6-3 Collection Cost Summary – Select Jurisdictions with Three/Four Stream Residential Collection ................................................................................................... 70 Table 6-4 Select Newfoundland Curbside Collection Costs ........................................................... 71 Table 6-5 Summary of Parameters Used in Costing Analysis ........................................................ 73 Table 6-6 Estimated Costs for Scenario 1 ..................................................................................... 75 Table 6-7 Waste Diverted in Scenario 1 ....................................................................................... 77 Table 6-8 Estimated Costs for Scenario 2 ..................................................................................... 78 Table 6-9 Waste Diverted in Scenario 2 ....................................................................................... 80 Table 6-10 Estimated Costs of Scenario 3 ...................................................................................... 81 Table 6-11 Waste Diverted in Scenario 3 ....................................................................................... 83 Table 6-12 Estimated Costs of Scenario 4 ...................................................................................... 84 Table 6-13 Waste Diverted in Scenario 4 ....................................................................................... 86 Table 6-14 Estimated Costs for Scenario 5 ..................................................................................... 87 Table 6-15 Waste Diverted in Scenario 5 ....................................................................................... 89 Table 6-16 Estimated Costs for Scenario 6 ..................................................................................... 90 Table 6-17 Waste Diverted in Scenario 6 ....................................................................................... 92 Table 6-18 Estimated Costs for Scenario 7 ..................................................................................... 93 Table 6-19 Waste Diverted in Scenario 7 ....................................................................................... 95 Table 6-20 Summary Information for Seven Scenarios................................................................... 96 Table 6-21 Residential Collection ................................................................................................... 96 Table 6-22 Consolidated Island-Wide Waste Stream Characterization* ......................................... 98 Table 7-1 GHG-Contributing Material Tonnage Calculations .......................................................106 Table 7-2 GHG Analysis Results. ..................................................................................................107 Table 8-1 Recommended Next Steps ..........................................................................................110 Appendices: Appendix A Kick-Off Meeting Minutes Appendix B Interview Questionnaire Appendix C Technology Evaluation Appendix D 50% Project Review Meeting & Follow-up Meeting Minutes Appendix E Research on Non-MSW Organic Waste Generators Appendix F Population and Waste Generation Forecast Information Appendix G Reference Facility and Cost Estimate Information Appendix H Greenhouse Gas Assessment Appendix I Draft Report Review Meeting Minutes Appendix J Contacts Appendix K References Page ix