1. Waste Diversion Considerations for Northern BC
RCBC 2018

2. Outline Introduction – Tetra Tech Solid Waste Material Flow
Markets for Materials
Issues and Challenges
Options for Northern BC
Policies and Procurement

3. Wilbert Yang, P. Eng. Introduction
Senior Waste Management Engineer with Tetra Tech
Over 25 years of environmental and waste management experience
BC Ministry of Environment
Metro Vancouver
Solid Waste Management Consulting
Areas of expertise:
Solid waste planning
Waste diversion
Tetra Tech offers clear solutions made possible with sound science, understanding, innovation, and industry-leading approaches.
Employees: 16,000 employees in approximately 400 offices, 60 disciplines collaborating on interesting projects worldwide.
Over 500 professionals in the solid waste practice across North America. Our expertise includes solid waste system planning, facility design, and daily operations support.
Waste planning team with expertise in:
Organics management
Product stewardship
Diversion programs infrastructure
Behavior change

4. Tetra Tech – Solid Waste
Full service consulting firm with a dedicated solid waste practice
Services include solid waste planning, permitting, engineering, construction, operations services
Largest solid waste practice in North America
Over 500 professional across continent
Areas of expertise:
Waste diversion & master planning
Infrastructure planning & design
Construction & quality control
Environmental monitoring & remediation
From Yukon to LA County. Pennsylvania to Florida
After 10 years in SF Bay, have been based in Vanc BC for past 7 years

6. Markets are Everything
Markets are required for end products
Without markets – material would end up being disposed
The value of commodities are the prices at the door.
It’s All About the Money!

7. Issues and Challenges in the North
Transportation cost to get end products to market ($20 - $70/t)

8. Issues and Challenges in the North
Available quantities in the North are small and cannot affect markets
Larger communities generate more waste
Lower mainland has more than half of BC’s population and most of the markets
Process costs are high due to low quantities that are available for processing
What is the North? – Not the lower mainland or southern Vancouver Island

9. Issues and Challenges in the North
Higher collection costs:
More facilities spread out
Smaller collection facilities
Logistics to collect divertible materials is more costly

10. Diversion Options – Wood Waste
Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste accounts for 25% to 35% of the waste stream
C&D waste is mostly wood waste
Chipping and grinding can be viable if markets are available
Fuel (Cogen, wood boilers, etc.)
Animal bedding
Remanufacturing
Mulch
Landfill cover

11. Diversion Options – Concrete and Asphalt
Concrete and asphalt are heavy parts of C&D waste stream
Materials can be crushed and graded to produce:
Aggregate (for drainage)
Filler for road paving
Road sub base
Master specifications need to be modified to utilize this material

12. Diversion Option - Asphalt Shingle Recycling
Asphalt Pavement and Shingles are being recycled into new products across Canada
Municipalities are rewriting their standard specifications to use the materials stockpiled at their landfills while meeting engineering requirements
Pre-processing is required to incorporate materials into new mixes (i.e. mobile sort line as shown)
Ten agencies across BC, AB and SK have best practices for incorporating recycled materials into new mixes
Use this to discuss end use specifications and regulatory changes.
Tetra Tech conducted a study for the City of Saskatoon on recycled asphalt pavement and recycled asphalt shingles (RAP and RAS respectively). Fourteen agencies across Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC were reviewed for current practices on incorporating RAP and RAS into pavement mixes.
Regarding processing asphalt - note that although RAP and RAS are often considered together under the umbrella of “reclaimed materials” it is important to recognize that they are significantly different in properties and characteristics. RAP is a recycled material that was originally designed and produced for the very application for which it is being recycled, i.e. hot mix asphalt. In addition, RAP has been used by many agencies in North America in asphalt mixes for over 30 years, and there is considerable experience and information pertaining to the benefits and risks associated with the use of RAP. The incorporation of RAP in pavement granular layers is however a more recent application.
RAS was designed and produced for a completely different application (i.e., roofing material) and is generated from either shingle material from manufacturers’ waste (new shingles), or post-consumer shingles (often referred to as “tear-offs”). In addition, RAS has been less widely used and for a shorter time than RAP and could be still be considered an “experimental product”. For these reasons, RAS needs to be not only controlled and utilized differently than RAP, it must also be used with caution.

13. Diversion Option - Recycling Glass
Low value for recycled glass
Alaska created a market for crushed glass as a pipe bedding medium for the Water and Wastewater Utility
Solid Waste and Water and Wastewater Utilities worked together to write a new pipe bedding specification
Use this to discuss creating your own market.

14. Diversion Option - Organics
Organics (food and yard waste): largest material category of solid waste disposed
More and more communities are starting to divert organics
Processing options growing
End products:
Soil amendment
Final cover for landfills
Material for erosion control for road construction and repair projects
Use this to discuss local processing?

15. Instruments for Creating Markets
Regional District policies (e.g. SWMP) provide regional direction or commitments for creating markets
Policies enable development of programs and market demand for processed materials
Public sector can influence material selection
EPR can help make materials become more marketable

16. Diversion Considerations for Northern BC
Target material types that have or can have local markets
Develop local markets where practical and feasible
Use policy and procurement programs to support diversion of targeted materials.
EPR should help create markets.

17. Questions
Wilbert Yang, P. Eng. Tetra Tech Canada Inc