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1
The View from Ontario An Overview of
Environmental Stewardship Issues Chris
Benedetti, Principal Webcast Presentation
October 15, 2008
2
Sussex Strategy Group

• Established in 1998, Sussex prides itself on its
  client service, its broad knowledge base and
  depth of experience
• With offices located in Toronto and Ottawa, and
  with a close network of affiliates across Canada,
  Sussex provides comprehensive public affairs and
  communications services to a broad range of
  domestic and international clients
• Service offering includes
• Government relations and advocacy support Issues
  management and strategic communications
• Political audits and public affairs measurement
  Procurement facilitation/submissions and briefs
• Grassroots mobilization strategies and crisis
  communications
• Environmental stewardship practice one of the
  largest GR/PR offerings in the country focused
  on policy support for new and evolving federal
  and provincial stewardship programs.
• Chris Benedetti currently Chair of the Recycling
  Council of Ontario.

3
Whats New

• Provincial election in October 2007 refocused
  governments attention on the environment.
• Climate change
• Pesticides
• Toxics reduction
• Waste diversion programs (MHSW, WEEE, used tires)
• Provinces desire to promote greater extended
  producer responsibility
• Integrated waste management unclear on
  progress
• Waste Diversion Act and BBPP reviews
• Greater activism at a municipal level

4
New Diversion Programs - MHSW

• WDO directed in Dec 2006 to develop program
  Stewardship Ontario named in the PMR as the IFO
  for MHSW.
• Phase 1 designated materials include paints and
  stains solvents used oil filters oil
  containers of 30 litres or less single use, dry
  cell batteries automotive antifreeze
  pressurized containers such as propane tanks and
  cylinders fertilizers and fungicides,
  herbicides, insecticides and pesticides and their
  containers.
• Program approved by Minister Gerretsen on
  February 19th program formally launched on July
  1st (public launch being planned for WRW, October
  19-25)
• The MHSW plan aims to add 255 new collection
  events in year one of the program for a total of
  424 municipal collection events throughout
  Ontario. Other collection points are encouraged
  in the program plan through promotional and
  marketing efforts.
• Municipalities remain responsible for collection
  of MHSW. Industry responsible for diversion
  post-collection (transportation and
  processing). This results in an approximate
  80/20 split. Industry also responsible for
  achieving accessibility targets across the
  province.

5
New Diversion Programs MHSW (2)

• Projecting a baseline diversion rate in 2007 of
  28 of phase one materials, the plan targets a
  diversion rate of 56 by the end of 2012 (five
  years).
• Phase 2 and 3 PMR issued by Minister on July
  22nd, calling for inclusion of various other MHSW
  materials (including rechargeable batteries
  aerosol containers portable fire extinguishers
  fluorescent light bulbs and tubes switches that
  contain mercury thermostats and thermometers
  and pharmaceuticals, sharps and syringes.
• For a full list of designated materials, see
  www.stewardshipontario.ca
• PMR calls for stewards to take on full financial
  responsibility for Phase 2 and 3, as well as
  Phase 1 materials.
• Stewardship Ontario currently undergoing
  preliminary plan development.
• Phase 2 and 3 plan due to the Minister on March
  2, 2009.

6
New Diversion Programs - WEEE

• Designated in December 2004 very long program
  development process. Ontario Electronics
  Stewardship designated as IFO in June 2007 PMR
  program eventually approved by Minister Gerretsen
  on July 9, 2008.
• Phase 1 designated materials include desktop and
  laptop computers, peripherals, printers, fax
  machines, monitors and televisions.
• Plan will officially launch on April 1, 2009.
• WEEE plan targets an estimated 91,000 tonnes
  using an existing base of 167 collection sites.
  Collection locations will be expanded to include
  other municipalities, reuse organizations, second
  hand organizations, charities providing household
  collection of used items, waste management and
  recycling companies, as well as mobile events
  where required.
• Collection agents will receive a financial
  incentive of 165 per tonne for WEEE received
  from residential and ICI sources and prepared
  for OES transport. WEEE transportation and
  processing services will be provided through
  competitive procurement processes.
• OES must submit a plan for Phase 2 within a year
  of July 9, 2008.

7
New Diversion Programs Used Tires

• Originally designated in March 2003. First
  program plan withdrawn by WDO in 2005. New
  program request letter received on August 14,
  2008 currently being developed by Ontario Tire
  Stewardship.
• PMR calls for a program to be submitted to the
  Minister by the end of the year. MOE also
  currently undertaking a province-wide audit of
  all existing tire stockpiles (estimated to be 3-5
  million tires).
• Unlike original program plan, the current PMR
  makes clear that stewards will be brand owners
  and/or first importers.
• Plan will be designed to achieve a 90 diversion
  rate within 5 years of program plan inception
  (current market of used tires is approximately 10
  million per annum).
• The program should be consumer-focused and
  designed in a manner to ensure that the program
  and its return options are user-friendly,
  available across the province and accessible to
  all Ontarians. There shall be a single fee paid
  by the stewards that is associated with the
  program. Collectors of tires, including
  retailers, that are participating in the program
  shall not charge consumers an additional fee for
  the management of tires following the removal of
  the tire from the vehicle.

8
Existing Diversion Programs Blue Box

• BBPP in its 5th year of operation. Recovery rate
  has increased from 46 in 2002 to 63 in 2007
  (726,718 tonnes in 2002, to 902,498 tonnes in
  2007). Concurrently, costs have also doubled.
• Over the past five years industry stewards have
  paid municipalities more than 191 million to
  jointly fund the Blue Box, with another 51.8
  million being paid to municipalities in 2008
  alone.
• Since 2003 the Effectiveness Efficiency Fund of
  the Blue Box system has approved 20 million in
  funding for 72 municipally-led projects, designed
  to improve Blue Box material recycling rates and
  to lower program costs. In 2008 the Continuous
  Improvement Fund was established, with a doubling
  of the portion of the steward financial
  obligation to municipalities.
• 2009 fee schedule currently released available
  on the Stewardship Ontario website
• Province anticipated to soon ask the WDO to
  undertake a comprehensive review of the BBPP.

9
Existing Diversion Programs Others

• Bag it Back program now being joined by a
  plastic back reduction program at the LCBO.
• RCO recently launched the Take Back the Light
  fluorescent light program.
• More and more retailers and manufacturers
  launching independent collection and take-back
  programs.

10
New Developments

• Waste Diversion Act review is rumoured to be
  imminent
• Provinces interest in EPR broadening WDA to
  include litter/garbage abatement
• Including DfE and toxics reduction in stewardship
  initiatives
• AMO/AMRC calls for full industry financial
  responsibility for the Blue Box (NB would
  require a legislative change)
• Examine whether the Act and WDO/IFO framework
  continues to reflect existing government
  direction/policy

11
New Developments (2)

• Other provincial efforts afoot
• Ontario Toxic Use Reduction Strategy
• Packaging strategy though CCME
• New diversion initiatives for organics CD
  ICI etc.
• Plastics market development program
• Municipalities increasingly involved in diversion
  file
• Recent attention on bottled water public space
  recycling
• i.e. Green Bin programs Blue Cart in Toronto,
  etc.

12
Chris Benedetti, Principal Sussex Strategy
Group 101 Yorkville Avenue Suite 203 Toronto,
Ontario [phone] www.sussex-strategy.com