Transcript: Blue Box Transition Data Concerns - Waste Management Sub-Committee - March 30, 2026 | Summary 557

Blue Box Transition Data Concerns - Waste Management Sub-Committee - March 30, 2026

three. Sound check. 1 2 3 for a minute. So, I guess we're experiencing some technical difficulties here with the feed. Oh, well, we've got life now. Yeah, we're good. Okay, we are good. We were going to recess, but uh it looks like we're up and running here. So, take it away, Ryan. All right. Thank you. I will uh start today with item 7.1, the blue box transition with a few updates for the group. Uh first item to talk about is non-eligible sources. So, as a reminder to the group, um council has approved the uh collection of recycling from non-eligible sources uh across the city until the end of 2026. And a reminder of a non-eligible source, those um include businesses within our BAS and outside of our BAS, uh places of worship, city facilities, uh special events, and other uh property types. Um there have been some issues with uh collection due to the change of collection days. So, as a another reminder, uh when we did get the approval of servicing non- eligible sources in 2025, uh that approval included changing of collection days uh to reduce the cost to the city of Hamilton. So, because of these change of collection dates, there had there was obviously some uh confusion with some of the businesses uh at the beginning of that service. Um for the most part, that has all been rectified. Recently, staff released a communication update summarizing how the change in service delivery has been received and related issues, including summarizing some of these uh issues with the non-eligible sources. Uh this the point on on the slide says staff are updating the business waste web page. I'm happy to say that that's now been accomplished. Now there are resources for uh some of the businesses including uh private companies that they can use for collection services at the curb as well as some uh private transfer station that uh they can go to to provide this service after 2026. We also will be uh sending out letters to all the affected addresses. Um uh and we are scheduling those to go out April, July, and November of this year to give them several notices. Uh we do recognize that uh last year we had a few properties that didn't get this. However, uh through the collection ending, we've vetted that list and we're pretty confident, staff is pretty confident that there won't be the same issues uh moving forward and we'll be able to notify all these properties in enough time. In addition, we we want to work a lot with our BAS um and hopefully uh maybe with some of the the word counselors um in case they have any properties in their specific address, specific wards to make sure that there is notification given to those properties. Moving along to the next item which is recycling and garbage. So, with that um transition to the provincial bluebox program on January 1st of this year, um obviously there's a little bit of a concern with how much recycling will actually be in the garbage um that the city of Hamilton manages. Uh and this is a concern that not only Hamilton has, but other municipalities. So, we did do a single family waste composition study in September of 2025 and we also did one in February 2026. Uh we do seasonal audits here. We'll also have one in the spring and we'll also have one in the in the summer. Um, this is kind of our first look at single family garbage and how it has been impacted pre and post transition. Uh, as you can see from the table on slide four, uh, the garbage audited uh, is about the same amount. Recycling containers uh, no real change in what is in the garbage. So 10% in September as well as 10% in February. Uh in recycling fibers, we actually saw a slight drop from 7% to 6%. So this is it's we haven't seen a a large issue so far, which is good news. Um we know that there are some concerns with uh communication out to the residents by the the provincial operator of circular materials. We also know that there are some concerns with the accessibility of blue boxes here in Hamilton and that being a barrier to residents. However, we haven't seen that as of yet. At least in the sample that we uh did. And just so that everyone understands what that sample size is, it was a little over 200 properties in both uh September and in February. And then the last item blue box related um just to give this group an update about bulky rigid plastics. If you remember um dur uh just before April, so April 1st of 2025 when we transitioned um blue box uh the blue box program, bulky rigid plastics were taken out of community recycling centers for residents to drop off. Um staff have secured that service coming back to the community recycling centers. Um it was restored at the beginning of this year. Um it gives the city a few different um advantages. one, any recycled or uh returned damaged carts, we can we can recycle those items. And residents have the ability obviously to do what they did before, which was recycle any large plastic items to keep them out of landfill, such as large plastic toys. Um the contract for the operation of the community recycling centers will be revised to add this service and uh there will be a report that goes to council later this year to secure that. Our staff at the community recycling centers have been updated to notify residents of this service change. We have some social media posts scheduled uh coming up to promote this and we'll promote it throughout the end of the year so residents are aware of that service coming back. Um unfortunately this service was secured after the waste guide went out so it hasn't been included in the waste guide. And that is the end of item 7.1 and I will stop sharing to take any questions on blue box transition. Thank you. Manager Kent, do we have any questions by members? Councelor Tatis, just clarification on the bulky plastic. Uh that has to be brought to the community recycling center. It's not picked up at the home, right? And and there's no way you can call into waste management to have anything picked up that's even large stuff. Thank you. So to answer your question for bulky plastics that is to be dropped off if you want it to be recycled. There are some larger items obviously we do have bulky garbage service at the curb that you residents can call in and get that service but for those large plastic items they can be dropped off for free at the community recycling centers to be recycled. Thank you councelor Tassson. Next up I'm seeing member is that Heather up there? That's Heather. Okay. Go ahead, Heather. your microphone. Thank you. Yeah, I I think it should be Can you hear me? We've got you now. Go ahead. Right. So, I'm wondering is um now that the recycling is picked up by another entity um if there's contamination in the recycling that ends up in a landfill after the fact, does the city still have a way to capture that data or will we have kind of um like a skewed view of how well we're actually doing with diversion? So, through the chair um any contamination that's in the blue box is not managed by the city. it it's managed by the um by the contractor which in our area is uh GFO. So it's been maintained as GFO. So uh they have the contract um to collect for the provincial program here in the city of Hamilton. So previously um with our own material recycling facility that the city owned and operated, all the blue box material would go there. we would be responsible if the city would be responsible for that contamination and it would go to the Glenn Brook landfill. That's not the case because that recycling is no longer going to our city facility goes to a private uh facility that we don't uh deal with and it would go to a different landfill, not Glenn Brook landfill. And to answer your question about data, we do not have access to any of that data. that is uh something that municipalities do not have access to uh at this time and most likely will not in in the future. Can that be? Um, so I don't I don't know all the politics behind how hard it would be to get access data, but I think it's um important to um because I know it's not something paid for or dealt with by directly by the city, but if we're looking at overall waste reduction and our environmental impact as residents of Hamilton, that's still a really important data. And um so I'm just wondering if it could stay on people's radar and be a conversation at least to see is there a way that uh we could get that data so that residents know like when you put something in the recycling how often is it actually getting recycled? Yeah. So through the chair I I would say it's still an issue. We municipalities don't really have any leverage to get that data. we can advocate the province to try and allow us to get that type of data. Um but but right now that we we don't have any ability to get it. It is um staff from different municipalities are cognizant of this and have provided information inquired about it to get that information but we don't have access to it and and we most likely won't. Um but to say uh to use that as a measure of how the recycling program is being done, um I do think it's important for at least residents to know um the contamination levels and what's going in and know which items are most problematic and and um are still being thrown into the recycling that should be thrown in the garbage. So I agree with you that that is important information. Okay. Thank you. Thanks, Heather. And next up, we've got Peter. Go ahead, Peter. Um, just a quick question, Ryan. Uh, the um, recycling in the garbage stream. So, technically, there's been some change in what's collected uh, as of 2026. So, are you comparing apples to apples or is if you know what I mean? Right. So, we wouldn't have collected certain materials under the previous system. We are now. So yeah, I guess that's my my question. So through the chair, um obviously when we developed the scope of those audits, it was well in advance of us knowing the additional items that have been added into the blue box. So for example, toothpaste tubes, for example. So this is really the items comparing apples to apples from what we knew in September compared to um those other items. Um we do have a few items that we can look at. For example, alcohol containers. We can look at that and and you know we do have a good idea of that. Um in that particular item we haven't seen it really change that much. I think it went from 4.2 to 5%. Which is not a big change. Um we did not itemize in the scope to separate toothpaste tubes or hand creams, deodorant like all these things that have been added. So yeah, we that is a problem. Um obviously you can understand if we added that to the scope of the composition study, it would add cost and we don't have that. So um but it's certainly when we do it in the future we'll do that. Um our next round of multi-res uh audits when we do those we'll definitely add it. So it's apples and apples to what was accepted before to what was accepted now. Um but unfortunately no for those new items. Okay. Very good. Thanks, uh, Peter. Next up, we've got Lori. Go ahead, Lori. So, just to be clear, uh, alcohol containers were included as being part of the blue box because I, as I understand it, they don't want that. So, through the chair, um, they weren't necessarily considered, we kept track of that particular item, right? Um, they weren't accepted, they aren't accepted now under the blue box under the new provincial program. um because of their return to their deposit return items. Um but they were itemized previously so that we knew what they were. So to answer your question about whether or not we count them in recycling or not, we didn't have control over the recycling program September. Um but we included that to get an idea of what the what the items were, the composition, like how many there were. Okay. If that makes any sense. Yeah. Great. Thank you, Lori. See no further speakers to this. So thank you for that. We'll move on to 7.2 solid waste management master plan and uh manager of waste policy Ryan Kent will begin this presentation. residents really uh say that they supported 86% supported the improved and mandatory organic program in multi-residential buildings. uh 79% support uh anorobic digestion and mixed waste processing for our processing of um organics as well as garbage. Uh 70% support automated cart collection. Um 69% wanted clearer sorting instructions. Um that might be in relation a little bit to the blue box program transition possibly. uh 51% want small appliance reuse which is which is um something that I think is really great. Uh and then 44 to 45% um supporting textile and furniture reuse. That's the end of item 7.1. So I will stop sharing to take any questions or sorry 7.2 to take any questions. Thank you manager Kent. Is there any questions of this um presentation? Not seeing any. Thank you for that update. And we will move on to 7.3 organics management strategy. And manager Kent, you can begin this presentation. Thank you. Just working out on the delay here. All right. So again, another large project that staff have been working on for over a year here is um Hamilton's organics management strategy to look at options um for processing our uh source separated organics or our green bin material but also our leaf and yard waste. So this uh we do a report scheduled to go to public works committee on June 15th um to um get approval from council on the direction moving forward. Uh you can see on here the on slide 13 the the options that staff evaluated. It includes um you know continuing to process material at the central composting facility that the city uh owns and uses a contractor to operate. Um and then moving forward a few different options including looking at anorobic digestion which aligns very well with what we heard from residents in the solid waste man uh engagement. um whether or not that be you know whether or not count uh staff should look into uh building an anorobic digestion facility for the city or using an external one. Uh we did look at um see if there were any synergies with Hamilton's Woodward water treatment plant. Um and then external processing of all it. This slide just talking about um as a reminder of what for each technology what did the strategy actually examine including footprint infrastructure processing capacity um you know how much renewable uh renewable natural gas might be generated from the different technologies that could be used. um approvals and obviously a a big um concern for council would be operating capital costs and that is the end of item 7.3 and happy to take any questions. Thank you for the presentation. I'm seeing Peter. Go ahead Peter. Um maybe if I can ask two questions I guess. Uh so one just so I understand uh as it relates to this actually in the last uh item so technically I guess the mandate of this committee doesn't deal with any of the recommendations related to either one of these two items. Public works makes the final decision and then it goes to council or not the final decision but the decision and then it goes to council. Did you want to answer that Angela? Okay. So through the chair, yeah, that that would be public works committee. So the the reports to approve them the items within those um would be public works committee and and uh not the waste management subcommittee. Okay. And then if I could just ask how does the master plan and the organics management strategy fit together? Do they actually I would assume that they fit together. Uh so may maybe just provide if you could provide just a little bit more of an understanding how the two fit together as as decisions are moved forward. Sure. I so through the chair they do align from the standpoint of you know when we I said about the anorobic digestion and um residents wanting to use that as a technology. Um there are a lot of and I can't go into too much detail about what's included in either plan right now before it goes to council. um there is some alignment but I would also say that the organics management strategy um they they can also be done independently from the perspective of if you certain recommendations if they're approved in the organics management strategy would not necessarily conflict with the solid waste management master plan and some pieces can work independ uh good Morning, Angela Story, director of waste. Uh through the chair to Peter. Um so the other thing I would maybe want to note on this is some of the items that would come out of a master plan are really large and so thinking that uh some of these items like how we're going to handle our our composting facility in the future because it is coming up on 20 years old. So we knew we needed to make some either changes or upkeep or something like that coming up. So uh something like the organics uh master plan or the the organic strategy we already did some investigative work on that. So when the information comes through the strategy um it will say okay the master plan recommends that we look at some information related to our our organics program and look we've already done this we haven't de facto recommended anything but we already have a lot of the homework done. uh if we needed to wait until the master plan was fully approved and it said go look at this the go look at this portion would take another couple of years. So it's basically trying to we're always trying to align with our next contracts whether it's at the composting facility our collections program etc. So um that would be one example in the master plan where it's a large item let's look at it in advance so that we can be ready for it when council and public works committee determines which direction we want to go. Hope that helps. Thank you for that. Uh, next up we've got Kevin. Are is the committee going to be pro provided with more details about uh, you know, which of the you have like seven different items? Are you going to expand the scope and show us how the thought process is going for each project potential? Sorry for the chair to expand the scope of each one of those options for the organics management strategy. Yeah, right now you have an overview. Are are you going to actually provide our group with a more detailed analysis of which path you're thinking of? So the the detailed analysis is in so the organics management strategy obviously a consultant was hired and they did a so this is actually phase two. So phase one was identifying which options we actually wanted to include in organic expansion strategy and like in-depth that in-depth analysis is what has been accomplished now. So on the se on the slide that I showed which showed everything that was used in that analysis to understand like that was included in the feasibility study that included all those pieces. So, we have all those in-depth pieces. Anything that council would require to make it an in-depth decision on costs and those types of things, all that is in there. Um, your question about whether or not this group is going to see that, again, kind of going back to I think Peter's question about who makes that final decision. So, uh, that those are pieces that would be included in a report to council. And so that's when that information would would be made public as opposed to coming to this subcommittee first. So uh to answer that question, the information that I provided is probably as in-depth as it will get for this group prior to that um that being released as part of the appendix to the report. Yep. Great. Thanks, Kevin. Seeing no further speakers to Oh. Council Tatter, go ahead, please. Just wasn't sure of a when to raise this, but I have I do have a request, uh, for an update on food recycling at the Hamilton Stadium, and is this an appropriate time to raise that? Uh, through the chair. Thank you, uh, Councelor Tison. Uh, we did speak about it and I mentioned that the agenda for this item was pretty long. So, um, ma manager Kent uh, is working with the stadium to try to get some information from them. uh and we'll be bringing that back to the next waste management subcommittee meeting. Uh we may also do a communications update for that item. As you'll recall, it uh kind of came to light a couple of summers ago uh with the delegation at public works committee uh interested in the the waste uh diversion programs there. So, a lot of things have been implemented there in time for last season and uh we are continuing with that this year. So, we're just trying to get some data like we've seen some other stadiums share in other municipalities. Thank you for that update. And go ahead, Ryan. Sorry, just to add to that, we we actually have very recently received data from the stadium um which we're working on to include in some information that could be posted around the stadium or for us to have as well. So, we have that. It's just a matter of um getting that information more accessible and more public so people can see uh what's been happening there. So, we do have some of that data actually now. Yeah. Good. Councelor Tatis. All right. Now, I'm seeing no further speakers to this, so we will move on to 7.4. For this one, I will ask uh manager of waste collections, Joel McCormack, to begin the presentation. Okay. Good morning everybody. Uh through the chair, my name is Joel McCormack, manager of waste collections. So, we just wanted to give uh an opportunity to go over the waste collection service contract. So, it may seem like it's a it's quite a ways out, which it it is, but there's a lot of work that happens behind the scenes. So, this is something that staff are are looking into and starting at this point. Um, so just a bit of background, the waste collection service contract we have for the city, it's uh the city is basically a 50-50 split when it comes to collections. So mainly the lower Hamilton is collected by city staff and mainly upper mountain areas collected by the contractor, which is GFL at this point. Um, so there's a variety of different services that are provided listed there. won't go through them, but uh some details about our current contract. Our current contract is 7 years. It started in March 2021 and it is scheduled to end in April of 2028, but uh do note that in the contract we have the opportunity to extend it for one more year, which is April 2029. Um like I mentioned it does seem like it's a bit a ways out there but it's something that we have to look at and start building uh at this point. So we have taken the step to start to build the bones of the RFP which includes the specifications and the contract and whatever procurement documents are part of that. And so as time goes on with the review of the excuse me with review of the uh master plan items like that will feed into the RFP as well. So as mentioned we are starting the development of the RFP and we will be coming to council uh later on this year to discuss what should be priced in the RFP moving forward. Any questions? Happy to take them. Great. Um, appreciate the update there. Manager McCormack, I have some questions, but I'll look around to see if uh any of the members have questions first. I'm seeing councelor Wilson. Councelor Wilson, go ahead, please. Thank you. Uh, just trying to unpack that. What's going to be in councelor Wilson? Your feed has gone down. We will we'll wait a minute. We'll circle back. How about I look for further speakers and we'll circle back to council. Oh, I can hear you. Are you able to hear me? I can hear you. We just can't see you. Yeah, I just turned off my camera in case that was the issue. Just asking about weekly versus bi-weekly. Uh maybe do you want to just repeat it again for the record because it it did break up there. Councelor Wilson just asking about weekly collection versus bi-weekly and what's going to be priced in the RFP. Gotcha. Thank you. Uh through the chair. Um what we will be doing is coming to uh public works committee uh later on this year to have that conversation and direction of what to price in the RFP. So there's the options of including uh weekly, there's the option of including bi-weekly. There's several different things that we can do, but we will be coming to council for that conversation and and and discussion. Is there an opportunity through you chair to ask vendors to um bid on both or like bid like give us price points if different vendors think there'd be different price points for weekly versus bi-weekly or is the intention that there's a political decision made and then we go out to the bidding. I'm just trying to understand how many quotes or what price points will be available um as actuals in the decision-m process or as potentials in the decision-m process. Uh so through the chair, it is absolutely possible to get multiple different uh scenarios quoted through the RFP. Yeah. And so what we found in the past coming to council to get an understanding of what council would like to see priced in the RFP is uh a positive movement forward. So that is why we include that step prior to the RFP being finalized and released for pricing. Thank you. Really appreciate that. Thank you, Councelor Wilson. Member Hunt, go ahead, please. Let's hear the chair. This is a question on the current contracts if um so economics are changing now. If uh are they fixed bid or do we get uh charged if say fuel prices go really out of the ballpark as they're happening? Uh the way the contract works is so there's a price that was originally provided. Uh we're priced per stop for collections. Um within the contract we have clauses of round escalation factors that take into consideration and the factors of fuel and the overall economic climate I suppose I could say. So, yes, there is there's the ability to uh you'll see that our contract prices go up and down depending on the year. Thanks, Kevin. And Lori, go ahead, please. Just wondering about carts. Are those going to be a possibility through the chair? Yes. So, that is definitely a possibility. Uh that would also be tackled in the conversation with council about service levels that we would like to or council would like to uh get prices on. Great. Thanks, Lori. I've got a question. So, I'm going to pass the chair over to councelor Tatison. Go ahead, counselor. Thank you. And mine's the first question I've got. uh with our contract with GFL. Um obviously GFL, they've faced some serious provincial fines related to their actions at the landfill in W 9. Uh does this factor in to our decision to extend their contract or to award them future contracts through you? Uh sure, sure. Uh through the chair. Uh so in a case like that um we probably would need direction from council and work with procurement on whether or not to include or exclude a vendor. Uh currently uh GFL is our contractor. They do a number of things uh in the waste industry. So it's not just our collection contract that we have with GFL. Uh we fully understand and um empathize with uh the situation going on at the Stony Creek uh landfill. Um at this point they're not connected. Um, but we would take direction and work with procurement if we needed to go in a different direction for the next contract. I appreciate that. And uh I guess we would probably also need uh some legal advice on that as well. Um and and certainly a conversation worthy of having with council at some point. Um and in my last uh I don't know that it's really a question, but just comment. You know, I've I've often heard and I while I'm open to hearing you every suggestion from staff when we look at uh renewing these contracts, including going to bi-weekly, I I certainly've heard um from many of my residents, particularly young families, on on if we did go to uh a bi-weekly collection, the impact that would have on them. I know for myself, I can only speak from my experience, but uh as a family of four, um two young kids, some weeks, you know, it's uh I'm putting I I'm limiting my my I'm pushing my limit with trash tanks by the end of the year. And I'm also making uh possibly one or two dump runs uh a year. So, I I think for families, they would uh have a difficult time with that. Although, I would be interested to see um what that looks like. I'm sure it would be a cost savings, but it's also a service reduction. And you know, we are hearing loud and clear from residents these days that, you know, our our taxes keep going up and our services go keep going down. So, um, well, I'd be interested to see what comes back with that. And I'll take the chair back with that. And seeing no further questions on this. So I move on to 7.5 leaf and yard waste pad and uh manager Rob Connley uh the manager of recycling and waste disposal will begin this presentation. Uh good morning everybody. Uh Rob Connley, manager of recycling and waste disposal. Thanks for the introduction. Um here to discuss the leaf and yard u composting pad that's currently located at the Glenn Brook Landfill site. And that um pad is actually located on in our stage three area, our undeveloped uh but approved stage three area. So it is a the that area has to be uh developed for a future waste filling cell. And it's coming to the point where we're going to have to develop that cell. So when we're developing the landfill site, we have to develop it a certain amount of years in advance to be prepared for when we go into our next our next cell. when the one cell fills up, we have to trans uh transfer into the next cell. So, um we have to relocate that pad. Currently, the pad is operated by our our operator at the landfill site, which is waste management of Canada. And uh it produces about or we actually process about 30,000 metric tons per year of leaf and yard waste. Um there is two pro composting facilities in the city. our source separator organics which is the central composting facility. This one is strictly the leaf and yard waste uh program that is taken at the Glamrook landfill site. So two different operations. So this uh will not impact the central composting facility. So, um, an RFT or request for tender will be going out this year and, uh, for the receiving of that leaf and yard waste, uh, material for processing and we're hoping that that will be, uh, the relocation process will beginning uh, Q4 of 2026. Um this will affect also our um our shipping of leaf and yard material which is currently done by waste connections of Canada from the transfer station. So that will be also affected and we're meeting with both contractors already to discuss how that's going to look in the future. Great. Thank you, Manager Connley. Is there any questions on this presentation? Uh Peter, go ahead, please. Thanks. Just a quick question on um so does this mean we're completely out of the game for processing leaf and yard waste? Um meaning we won't be processing it ourselves or or with a a third party contractor um and instead we'll send it to another facility uh through the chair. So um we were trying to have this really align with the organic strategy that uh Ryan Kent mentioned earlier. However, due to the operational um costs and impacts now, we have to relocate this pad. So, this could be a temporary solution while we go through the organic strategy and hopefully we can be able to process the city's uh leaf and yard waste in the future. But, however, it just doesn't align with how the organic strategy is going at this time. So, we have to take this measure in order to keep the landfill operating smoothly. Thanks, Peter. Next up, I've got Kevin. Go ahead, Kevin. Uh through the chair, are you looking at a permanent facility uh for the new location and could it include I'm just thinking uh like we have older landfills like Ottawa Street dump would it be capable of using say that facility like I don't know if it's compact enough that you could put permanent site would it be more centralized for you know organization? So through the chair, we did a search to see if we could actually relocate the current PAT operation on the Glen Brook landfill property as it already has an environmental compliance approval. Uh there's not enough room for under current regulations. Uh the pad was previously um approved and been in operation since 1996. Regulations back then were a little bit different than they are now. So in order to have proper runoff ponds and and proper processing area, we could not do it at that uh facility. In order to move it to another facility, whether it's a green field, brownfield, closed landfill site, they would have to go through that sort of environmental process to ensure uh that that that would be viable for a site like that. Uh within the city with our current closed landfill sites, I don't see that we would have a site that could host that. Plus, there's other operational issues when it comes to running a composting facility. As we know, there's potential odors, dust, um, things like that that could impact a neighborhood. So, probably not within the city boundaries of a current like Wendro type composting processing facility that we have right now. Thank you, Kevin. Next up, I've got councelor Tatison. My worry is that if we get out of the business, we're not going to get back in the business. Can you kind of tell us what the plan is possibly with our organics waste? Is there is that viable or is that just kind of like pie in the sky? Sorry. Uh so through the chair so just whether or not we can combine the leaf and yard waste with the source separator organics. I mean that that all depends on the central composting facility and the options that we have there moving forward. Um to answer your question I think Rob said that this right now is a just a temporary thing um because it needs to be done in the short term as opposed to um a long-term action item. So, um I don't think it necessarily precludes us from getting back into the business at a at a future time depending on the central composting facility and what decisions are made for that facility long term, what investment is made into that facility long term to meet any um uh any requirements of the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, which we have to meet certain requirements for them. Hopefully it answers your question a little bit better, councelor Tatison, but I kind of I guess my my one question is are we looking to ship the materials internally or externally or is there a limitation there? Uh through the chair. So we go for request for tender and and third party operators will be you know bidding on on the the processing of this material. So we don't know destination as of yet, but we there's not a to my knowledge a large leaf and yard type operation within the city boundaries at this point. So uh most likely it will be going outside of our city limits. And uh to probe a little further into that, are there um I guess leaf and yard waste facilities in neighboring jurisdictions through the chair? Yes, there are. and they and they would have capacity for us through the chair. Yes. Uh there's several that have capacity at this point that hopefully would be able to take this uh volume. Okay. My final question um goes to truck routes. So, with the truck routes that these neighboring jurisdictions, would that have them um I guess cycling down or or not cycling, but going through uh rural roads that aren't meant for this or would this be, you know, something that, you know, we could get from a central location and then the trucks stay on the highways uh through the chair where all the lo facilities that I'm aware of are, you know, they would they would have to follow regular trucking routes um that are established. So, uh I don't see a need to go through residential neighborhood only the where the transfer stations are located to get to those trucking routes. Obviously, they're using those routes now. Those wouldn't change, but yeah, every facility that I'm aware of are located on major trucking routes. And so I just would like to reemphasize that when you go out to say that I guess it's called an RFT that the truck routes are considered um in in terms of uh the bids that you receive. Thank you. Thank you, Councelor Tatterson. And we've got Kevin next up on the speakers list. Go ahead, Kevin. Yeah, through the chair. from what I remember that the um the waste product from that stream of those organics was actually like a positive aspect. Is this going to change now? So through the chair, yeah, right now you know through the process you get about a third of that which goes to market. So right now our contractor waste management of Canada markets that that material. However, we a certain amount of use that we use in in the city for compost giveaways and things like that. Yeah, right now that use as we we move on to another processor at this point it looks like we will not have the use of that material. Um but in the future that could be something that's going to be coming back. That's we're hoping for. Great. Thanks, Kevin. Seeing no further speakers to this. Yes, director. Go ahead. Sorry. Thanks through the chair. Just circling back to councelor Tatison's question, I just wanted to also mention that just like everybody else's job, there's never just one project going on. So, you'll recall uh we were working from a motion on per um potentially moving the Canora transfer station perhaps over to our waste uh management site down on Burlington Street. We're not sure yet what's going to be the future of the composting facility. there is an opportunity perhaps to process the yard waste down at the composting facility for for example if we ended up doing something else um with our with our grain bin material. So we we have to keep all of kind of the different things aligned so that uh we're making the best the most efficient and uh the e economically appropriate decisions for for our sites and our programs. May I respond? Yes. Go ahead. Councelor Datson. I just want to say I recognize there's lots of balls in the air that you're juggling with and um I just wanted to make sure that you know that that truck route issue if it's a temporary basis is really considered because we have continuing issues with truck routes on rural roads. Thanks. Yeah. And through the chair just it was more so about the you're afraid if we get out of the game we won't get back into the game. So just ensuring that depending on which way each of the projects go in the game is is not off the table. I appreciate that. Thank you. Thank you, councelor Tatterson. And now I've seen no further speakers to this. So, thank you, uh, manager Connley. And we will move on to 7.6, Methane Emissions Regulation, and Paul Mahalland, senior project manager, landfills, will begin the presentation. Thank you. I'm Paul Mahalland, senior project manager of landfills. As noted, I'm going to be talking today about the landfill methane emissions regulation that was recently introduced through the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to reduce landfill emissions across the country. This was put into effect as of December 2025. Uh it requires applicable sites to capture and control landfill gas. There's certain thresholds that active and closed sites have to meet in order to be applicable under these regulations. None of our closed sites at the city of Hamilton meet the thresholds. So there's no action required for our closed sites. The Glenn Brook landfill does meet the criteria. So the regulations do apply to the Glenn Brook landfill. What is required is c collect methane, destroy it, flare or put it to bene beneficial use. This is already in place at Glenn Brook through Ontario regulations and has been there for quite some time. uh this is required for odor control and to mitigate migration of off-site uh landfill gas to make sure that that does not occur. So the what the landfill methane emissions regulation does introduce is new annual reporting requirements which will be beginning this year as of June 1st 2026. We are required to submit a report that includes methane modeling to environment Canada. We have the model from Environment Canada. We've attended a couple webinars from Environment Canada and internally with city staff will be able to complete that report. Uh there are two other reports that we currently submit to Environment Canada related to this but not they're not the same. There's the national pollutant release inventory report as well as a greenhouse gas emissions report. Uh so this is a new third report that we now have to submit as well. The new regulations also introduce new mandatory monitoring, leak detection and repair requirements in 2028. So, as of January 1st, 2028, we will now have to complete three surface monitoring events at the Glen Brook landfill, which is something that has not been done previously, as well as we'll have to enhance our current monthly monitoring that we do of our landfill gas collection system. Uh, so Tormmont Industries currently completes that monitoring for us as part of their agreement with Hamilton Renewable Power, Inc. What they do is monitor gas concentrations at our landfill gas wells. monitor pressure uh and provide monthly reports to us. So, the new regulations will now require a different way of completing that monitoring. If certain gas concentrations are viewed, there's certain follow-up actions needed. Could be as simple as adjusting valves, could be as simple as repairing wells or um simply reporting. Regarding the surface monitoring, the additional work that is required, as I mentioned, there'll be three events per year as of January 20 as January 1st, 2028. This will require either walking the Glenn Brook landfill or completing it by drone to measure surface concentrations of gas and take appropriate follow-up actions based on how much concentrations are there. Uh the follow-up actions could be as extensive as uh installing new landfill gas wells if major issues are there, but it could be as simple as repairing the landfill gas cover or simply just reporting and monitoring and following up. The new regulation is in place to support Canada's goal to significantly reduce methane emissions by 2030 and beyond. Uh next slide, please Ryan. So what we do currently at the site, as I mentioned, we have our landfill gas collection system. It consists of vertical landfill gas wells, horizontal trenches, and piping to convey the collected gas to our on-site generators as well as our flare, which has been in operation since 2008. That facility generates at its peak 3.2 megawatts of electricity. However, uh as a number of you are aware recently due to gas availability, the gener we've only been running one generator at the site for the last uh recent years. The flare is in place as the to m to ensure we maintain compliance with our collection system when the gas system is down for maintenance or repairs um to ensure that of course we are doing our as I mentioned the environmental uh controls such as control and gas migration we're controlling that so the system on a whole reduces our greenhouse gas emissions while providing environmental and economic impacts uh benefits and that is everything under 7.6 if there's any questions. Very good. Thank you for that presentation. Do we have any questions on this? And I'm not seeing any questions on that. So, thank you very much for that uh update for us. And we are moving on to 7.7 waste design requirements revisions. And I'd like to call upon Ryan Kent, manager of waste policy and planning to begin the presentation. Thank you. Yeah, for 7.7 um this is a project staff have been working on for for a little bit here uh which is our waste design requirement revisions. So, uh, just as a a little bit of an update, this, uh, policy is used to inform developers of how they must design, um, their buildings to receive municipal waste collection through the the city of Hamilton. So, currently, we've got a report scheduled to go to public works committee on May 25th to approve the revised uh, design requirements. Uh, the last time these were approved was back in 2021. We had significant changes in 2021. This time around we don't we don't have a lot but we have a couple of really important ones. U part of the consultation for this we did speak with the Hamilton Burlington Society of Architects as well as the West End Homebuilders Association as well as staff um and looking at you know municipal scans what's changed in other municipalities and these types of things. There are a number of uh minor revisions such as reclassifying development types. But the two major changes just to let this group know about is um the first is the design requirements allowing uh garbage carts for uh small multi-residential buildings and the second permitting uh developers to place dwelling units and parking directly adjacent to turnaround areas which is on private roads. Um most uh used turnaround areas. Some of them are called hammerheads. Um if that term is more familiar to you. So just to go in a little bit more in depth on uh the first revision which is the multi-residential garbage carts. So um what we've included is uh criteria for what types of properties would be uh using this type of a service um six to 30 dwelling units. Um, I would say just the picture that we do have that's up on slide 24 right now is from the pilot program that we did last summer. So, we had a pilot program that ran on a number of small multi-residential properties just to assess what we need for setout, uh, what we need for storage, what size of building makes sense, um, so that we have a good idea of what we could put into these design requirements. I would say that um it was wellreceived by those properties that actually were doing it. Uh some of these were just putting piles of garbage bags out on the curb. This obviously is much better from a from aesthetics, from collection, safety as well as uh pests. So set out areas have been defined in storage areas as just over one square meter per cart. Um and then we've also included that participation in the city green bin program. It um is required. Um and also participation provincial bluebox program. I get to that one a little bit further when I talk about the bylaw updates which I think is in the next item. So we're staff is pretty excited to roll this program out to these small multi-residential pro uh buildings. I'd also say um from all the feedback we've received from developers, they're pretty happy to have this program in place because technically all we have are front-end bins that can be used for these size buildings. So, um it's being wellreceived. The second one I I would also say is being received well by developers um because it provides a little bit more flexibility um to these to these uh private roads. So, um, previously or currently, I would say in in the requirements, um, we do have turnaround areas. We've, for, uh, different reasons, we did not allow for properties like houses to actually be put on the areas where the truck would be reversing and turning around. Um we've looked at that a little bit closer this time and and gotten input from groups like our transportation group and risk and um we have identified that this can actually be done um without any issues. Uh the municipal scan also showed that um it is not something that other municipalities are requiring at this time and that is item 7.7 and I look forward to any questions from the group on this particular item. Thank you manager Kent for that. Looking around to see if there are any questions on this. Not seeing any. So thank you and uh we will move on to 7.8 8 and you will once again do a presentation for us on the waste bylaw update. Thank you. Just waiting for it to uh there we go. Yeah. So item 7.8 as I mentioned in my previous uh presentation 7.7 um talked about the waste bylaw update. So, um this is yet again another report that's going to public works committee. This one scheduled for uh June 15th. Um there's not a lot of major changes to the bylaw. Um the one that I would speak to from this group that I did just mention a little bit was requiring multi-residential buildings uh to retain private recycling service um to receive municipal garbage. So, uh, as a reminder to, um, everyone here, the bluebox regulation, um, has deferred the servicing of recite, uh, providing recycling service to multi-residential buildings until 2031. So, there is no obligation for producers to provide that service um, until that time. One of the big concerns here obviously from City of Hamilton staff is that all that recycling material will be going into the garbage. Uh what we're hoping to include in the bylaw is a regulation that would require these building operators owners to retain private recycling collection before they could get our uh garbage collection to protect um that. Um now we do have requirements um right now in the bylaw including uh limits on how much garbage these particular buildings can set out, but we still think that um this helps by protecting the landfill. And so we think it's it's necessary at this time. Um it also includes the removing of recycling collection for non-eligible properties which I spoke to earlier as of January 4th, 2027. So uh that's just aligning the bylaw with a recent council decision. Um and then the last one here is we have had some issues with loose material such as sawdust being included in green bins and it's being loose. When it's thrown into the hopper, it blows back into collector's faces a couple of times. So we wanted to include that that material had to be uh bagged uh which was not actually in the bylaw. So just protect uh piece there to protect our waste collectors. So that's a overview on our waste bylaw update which will be going to uh public works committee later in June and happy to take any questions on that item. Great. Thank you manager camp for that update. looking around to see if there are any questions on this. And I see councelor Tatis. Sorry to bel labor this point, but when you say it's bagged, they're aware that it has to be a special biodegradable bag. Obviously, is that the is that stressed in the report? I I just have my summary here. Yeah. So, through the chair, yeah, for if it's going in the green bin, yes, it needs to be a paper bag or a compostable. Yeah, that that's included in the in the bylaw. Um, and then also we're asking that in the garbage that it would be bag as well in case it's loose in the garbage can. But the problem we've really seen is is with the green bin. Yeah, absolutely. Great. Thank you for that. And I'm seeing no further questions to this and we will move on to our final item which is 7.9 promotion and education update manager waste policy Ryan Kent. Thank you. Yeah. So promotion education update. Um we have a few items just to um come back to this group on um give an update on. The first one is um the 20th anniversary of our green bin program. So for those that uh don't know, 2026 is the 20th anniversary of Hamilton's green bin program and staff are planning to uh celebrate this milestone with residents hoping to get a little bit more participation in the uh in the green bin. So starting in the summer, staff will commence with a promotion campaign. That campaign will includes include advertisements on outlets such as uh Bell Media, advertisements on Weather Channel, these standard pieces that we've used in the past. Um, we want to provide updated messaging at our education booths that staff go out to um updating our website. um having some social media posts on our on our Facebook page, potentially on on the city's page and then um promoting conjunction with our fall facility tour which we happen which happens every year. Uh the next item to let this uh group know about is um the next textile event that the group will be organizing and coordinating that will be in May of this year on May 5th. Uh this year it'll be at the Dundas Community Recycling Center. We had a pretty good turnout at the one that we had last year. So we're hoping to get uh at least as much uh textiles um collected there. Um we partnered once again with the Salvation Army and uh we are going to promote this uh through mobile signs at the Dundes Community Recycling Center, the city's waste app um ads on the Hamilton Spectator website, radio ads, and social media posts. So we're again um really hoping that residents can participate in another opportunity to uh divert materials from the garbage stream for free and uh have it go to reuse. The next item is basically about uh staff really wanted to measure the impact of providing education to residents not participating in the green bin program uh and the impact of of educating them uh to see if there would be any change. So um if this group is aware we did a participation participation study in uh 2025 um we obviously didn't see the participation of the green in the green bin program where we would would have liked. So starting last fall um our waste outreach staff have been carrying out curbside green bin audits um on single family homes. So they've been working ward to ward. Um and the audits consist of an initial audit to determine the participating properties and then for those that aren't participating um leaving behind some education material um a little package of um compostable bags and then following up several weeks later to see if that provided any change if it if it increased participation. So, it was um it it is a fairly big um uh fairly big uh item or task for our outreach staff. So, as of now, four wards have been completed with uh 11 um to be audited by the end of the year. We have we've had one where we've done number one, but we haven't done number two. On slide 32, you can see the um initial results of of this. So um on the left hand you will see what the initial audit results were. Uh so we audited a wards 1 2 3 and 10. Um the participation rate is on the right hand side of of that first table. So it it varies greatly from 20 to 30% to 60 to almost 70%. Um the table on the right hand side is when staff went back. So you can see for example in ward one the initial audit was for 190 131 had the bins out. So in table two we went back we looked at those 59 houses that didn't have anything out. Um and after we did the education 12 of them or 20% participated in the green bin program after we provided some education we provided them with the uh free package of compostable bags. So we saw varying levels of um results there right from 808 sorry to 45%. So um some good results some some not great results but um um I think the the takeaway here is um well we'll get a better idea when we go through all 15 wards. Uh the takeaway here I would say is that it's um very resource there's a high level of resources required to rely strictly on education to make a change which we kind of knew but we wanted to go back and and see what we could what we could do and and help out residents. So uh yeah it uh is a very resource dependent um task. Uh last item I believe for promotion and education update is on our compost giveaway events. So we did speak to about this a little bit with our leaf and yard waste um pad that uh Rob was speaking about earlier. So our compost giveaway events um again happy to have events at three different parks, Turner, Joe and Bayfront. Um Turner obviously with the most events that you can see there on the um left hand side. Um but happy to be providing what comes out of our leaf and yard waste um composting to the residents of Hamilton so they can they can um excuse me so that they can uh take some of that home. We um will be promoting it. We're we're just finalizing some of the graphics, but we will be doing some promotion um different media outlets, Bell Media, our website updates, and obviously the mobile signs um starting on um well, tomorrow to uh let residents know about the first events coming up. So, uh happy to to have that program continuing for this year. And that is all for those items. So, there were a few items that I t touched on there for promotion education. Happy to take uh any questions on those. Thank you, Manager Kent. Looking around to see if there are any questions. I've got Councelor Tatison. Go ahead, Councelor Tison. Just in terms of the green the green bin participation audits. Can you just tell me like what's the interaction look like? Is that a knock on the door? Is it just leaving materials? Is it an actual engagement um like verbally with people? the the standard would be leave something behind. Um there have been some cases that staff have come back and said, "Oh yeah, we spoke to these people or these people." It basically depends on if they're out on the curb. Sometimes they're wondering what staff are doing. Sometimes um they see the staff when they're actually leaving something behind saying, "Did I do something wrong? What happened?" Um but it isn't the standard um outreach that that we're providing. Um, obviously that would require a lot more um time and resources for staff. Um, but the standard is leave something behind, but obviously we staff love hearing from residents because that's that's great input that we get from them. Is there a possibility of just Okay, actually I shouldn't assume something here. Can you just share like are the green bins provided if there's interest or do the people have to actually go out and get the green bin themselves? Yeah. So through the chair uh the I guess the the big assumption is that the residents have the green bin uh in the first place which may not be the case with some of these residents. We do provide information on how to get a green bin for free at um our uh community recycling centers which is the standard. Um staff did look at what we could potentially do in in neighborhoods to make these cream bins more available. Um, I am happy to say that, well, not happy to say that blue boxes left our MSC's, but happy to say that staff are looking at maybe we can have green bins available in MSC's to make it more accessible for residents to get them. So, we have some conversations um with some with some staff to look at that as an option. Um, and then maybe also is it possible that we could have some sort of neighborhood giveaways for agreements as well. Um, so there's some planning going on in that. there are some discussions and we'll we'll see what comes from that. Um because obviously you can't use the green bin program if you don't have a green bin and we want to make it as accessible as possible and and and have those out to people and and um we have a a great supply of the green bins. So that would be great. And so we are looking at different ways of getting them in the hands of people. And just as a uh counselor, one of my greatest joys is actually or was delivering blue boxes to people that you know that couldn't get a blue box. and so good discussions and so forth. So again, my my ward office would be more than willing to um deliver those uh at a certain you know if if if that information was shared. So thanks. Thank you councelor Tatterson. Any other speakers to this update? And I am seeing none. So that concludes items 7.1 to 7.9. And I need a mover and seconder to receive all these items for information. And that is moved by Lori and seconded by Kevin. And all in favor? And that is everyone. Uh we will move on to notices of motion. Are there any notices of motion today? I have a a motion that I'd like to move u based on the conversation that we've uh had earlier today. So I'll pass the chair over to councelor Tatterson. Go ahead, counselor. Introduce your motion. Yeah. Could you could you I've sent it to the clerk, so I'll have the uh screen shared here, and it's just based on the conversation on I believe it's item 7.4, waste collection contract request for proposal. So, it's moved by myself, second by councelor Tatis, and that staff be directed to report back to the public works committee on the legal implications of renewing the current waste collection contract with GFL Environmental, including any risks associated with ongoing legal proceedings and the company's regulatory compliance history. So, if I could just for a moment, chair, um I'm just moving this motion to ensure council has a clear understanding of uh any legal risks before making a decision on extending the contract, including the city's current court action. Um you which public the public knows we are seeking a uh closure order on the landfill to address the ongoing public nuisance issue. So, uh, this, uh, motion seeks to, uh, get that clarity for councel. Okay. Thank you. Then, uh, any comments from the committee, Peter? I just I worry about the precedent of this. Uh, waste companies run into issues with compliance all the time. uh the city has run into problems with compliance itself. Uh so I think assessing uh a company based on issues that are outside of the realm of the service they're providing. I I just worry about the the precedent it sets. Um and also it impacts potentially pricing because you're potentially knocking somebody out of the competition. Okay, thank you, Peter. I'm going to have the uh counselor who moved the motion respond to that. Yeah, it's a great question. Some great points to be made there. And all this is really is just a report back for information to see uh we're not we're not making any accusations. We're not we just want uh more information when we make a informed decision on this. Okay. Thank you. Any further comments, Peter? Okay. Thank you for that. and we're going to go up to councelor Wilson who's on the screen. Thanks. Uh just echoing I think some of Peter's comments. I think we heard today that there's not really a relationship between these processes but what the motion is is a report back on the legal advice of that. So if that's what the you know the legal advice says is hey these are separate processes like I have no harm in getting that advice back but I I hear the caution. I also hear the mover sentiment saying hey I just I just want a memo to come from legal. Um so happy to support this today. Uh, but do appreciate the the concern that when we're talking about an open process, we don't want to exclude anyone. Um, I hear this is asking for a legal memo. I think some of us have heard heard what we anticipate that legal memo to say, but still happy to have that produced. Um, and that's that's where I'm at with this one. But thanks. I really do appreciate the kind of we want to make sure this is an open procurement uh with respect to this important contract. Thank you. Thanks for those points, counselor. At this time, I'm not seeing any other people that want to raise the issue. So, I guess we'll put it to the vote. All those in favor and opposed. Okay. So, that's uh going to carry with two opposed votes. Thank you, chairs. Back to you, sir. Right. Thanks, Councelor Tison. Are there any items of gender information or other business that anyone would like to raise? Seeing none, and uh there being no further business, uh this meeting is now adjourned at 11:17 a.m. Thank you. Have a great day.

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