Alberta Recycling Management Authority

1. Alberta Recycling Management Authority NAHMMA Hazardous Materials Management Conference Christine Della Costa September 22, 2005

2. Outline • Framework for Alberta’s regulated stewardship programs • Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA) • Electronics, tires • HHW

3. What’s the Problem?(Or … why are we doing this??) We need to: • Reduce or divert the amount of material going to landfill • Preserve non-renewable resources through effective recycling programs • Remove hazardous materials from Alberta’s air, land, water

4. A Viable Recycling Solution … Needs: • Competitive forces • Adequate capacity and market • Service to all regions of province/state • Value-added products Solutions can be market-driven, or driven by government regulation. Either way, the consumer pays … the issue is effectiveness.

5. The Alberta Approach(For electronics, tires, used oil materials, beverage containers) • Material designated under regulation • Level playing field; reliable funding for program • Dedicated fund • Accountability and transparency • Separate fund for each material type • “Stakeholder” management • Affected parties make decisions; arms length from Government

6. Framework for Alberta’s Regulated Stewardship Programs • Regulation under the Act • Designates the material: e.g., electronics, tires • Delegates authority to set and collect fees • To a “Delegated Administrative Organization” (DAO) • Prescribes use of funds • Recycling program, R&D, Communications, Marketing • Defines reporting and accountability requirements

7. What is a DAO? • Not-for-profit organization under the Alberta Societies Act • Three DAOs: tires & electronics; used oil materials; beverage containers • Arms length from government, but accountable to the Minister of Environment • Stakeholder governance • Board representation: municipal, environmental, technical, public, industry, government • Full management, financial administration

8. Electronics Program: A Brief History • 2002/03: Electronics industry develops a national program model • Focused on residential TVs and desktop computers • EPSC • Provincial realities: • Jurisdiction/revenue allocation/accountability • Readiness to implement • Enforcement (e.g., who ensures revenue compliance) • Desire to harmonize provincial programs as much as possible

9. Electronics Program: Brief History • 2004: Alberta program emerges • Input sought on proposed Alberta program • Ongoing discussions with industry; responded to industry’s priorities • Public stakeholder consultation: strong support in principle • Learned from Alberta’s voluntary computer recycling program • Draft Program developed, with core directives from Government

10. Electronics Program: Brief History Core Directives from Government: • CCME principles • Level revenue playing field • Reasonable access for all Albertans • Build on municipal partnership, infrastructure • Include commercial waste • Open program for recyclers • Fair access / Market competition • Accountability

11. Electronics Program: Brief History • Regulation passed in May 2004 • Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA) the managing DAO • Phased Program Implementation: • Oct 2004 – Collection and Processing initiated • Services established first, revenue second • Processor qualification initiated • Feb 2005 – Fees initiated on applicable electronics • Allowed industry more start-up time

12. ARMA Structure ARMA is run by a multi-stakeholder Board of Directors and is accountable to the Minister of Environment It has two divisions: 1. Tire Recycling Alberta 2. Electronics Recycling Alberta • Each material (tires, electronics) has its own separate fund • Each has an Industry Council, with each Council’s Chair being a voting member on the ARMA Board of Directors

13. Electronics Program • Revenues: Fee structure implemented • Computer Equipment • Laptops/electronic notebooks $ 5 • Printers/Printer combos $ 8 • Computers (incl. mouse, keyboard, cables, etc.) $10 • Computer Monitors (CRT and LCD) $12 • Televisions • 18” screen and under $15 • 19” – 29” screen $25 • 30” – 45” screen $30 • 46” and over $45

14. Electronics Program Fees can only be used for: • Collection, transportation and recycling of end-of-life electronics material • Public information and awareness • Research into better recycling technologies • Market development • Program administration

15. Electronics Program Revenues – Supplier registration and compliance • 1600 suppliers registered • Revenues ahead of projected budget • Completeness of revenue is critical • Comprehensive compliance processes established

16. Electronics Program • Collection network for Albertans • Municipal participation and infrastructure • More than 100 designated collection sites to-date • Landfills, transfer stations, eco-stations, recycling depots, round-ups • Communications support – education/awareness • Collection requirements and handling payment

17. Electronics Program Processing Four processors registered and operating • Are paid a per/tonne rate for processing, and for transportation (three transport “zones”) • Compete for municipal clients • End-of-life material only – no funding for reuse/resale of electronics equipment • Extensive environmental audit – first annual processor audit complete – April: • deficiency correction process, downstream verification process

18. Electronics: Recycling Results Approximately 1800 tonnes of e-waste processed as of August 2005, which translates to: • 43,000 monitors • 39,000 computers • 23,000 printers • 18,000 televisions

19. Tire Program: History • Tire program was created in 1992 • No recycling industry at the time • Fee: $4/per tire • Retail sales; no manufacturer involvement • Solutions were investigated inc. tire derived fuel – with public rejection • Early accepted solution was civil engineering applications inc. leachate layer for landfill cells

20. Tire Program: Current In Alberta: • Three million tires are bought, discarded, and recycled per year • 35 million tires recycled since 1992 • All tire stockpiles have been eliminated • Recycled product in 140 community projects • paving stones, blocks, roofing tiles, crumb

21. Household Hazardous Waste • ARMA has administered the HHW program (on behalf of AENV) for the last two years • Program is currently a cost share arrangement between municipalities and AENV • More than $1 million per/year to run the program • Treats & safely disposes of over one million litres of HHW materials each year • Majority of material collected is paint • About 200 communities participated in 2004/05

22. Questions?ARMA Website: www.albertarecycling.ca