Councillor Glen Finstad

Alberta Care Spring Conference February 2019

High River, AB

City of Leduc

Extended Producer

Responsibility

www.leduc.ca

Outline

• EPR Overview

• Advocacy in Alberta

• Next Steps in AB

Thanks for your input:

- Christina Seidel, RCA

- Leah Seabrook, Strathcona County

- Sadie Miller, Fort Saskatchewan

- Tamara Shulman, TetraTech

- Kerra Chomlak, Leduc

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What is EPR?

“Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is an environmental policy approach in which a producer's responsibility for a product is extended to the post-consumer stage of a product's life cycle.”

-CCME, 2009

(Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment)

What does it address? ….anything in your blue bag

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EPR History

OECD Project 1994-2006

Objectives:

- minimise the municipal waste stream by reducing or ending the traditional local-government subsidy, while transferring substantial or complete financial responsibility to private sector enterprises for managing their products also at the post-consumer phase.

- Guidance manuals, evaluation of costs and benefits, etc.

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Phase 1 - 2015

• PPP, mercury containing lamps/products, electronics and electrical equipment, HHW, automotive products

Phase 2 - 2017

• Construction and demolition materials, furniture, textiles and carpet, appliances including ozone-depleting substances (fridge, freezer)

CCME Canada Wide Action Plan (CAP)

for EPR (2009)

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Status in Alberta

Across Canada extended producer responsibility policies, legislation and programs have grown in number, scope and scale over the six years... With the exception of Alberta, EPR has been broadly accepted by provincial governments as an effective environmental and waste management policy and regulatory instrument.

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Why should we move EPR forward in Alberta?

• Chinese recycling restrictions increasing recycling costs to municipalities

• Producers have already built the cost of recycling into products that are sold across Canada

• Stewardship items are increasingly more expensive to recycle – increases covered by municipalities

• HHW processing expensive item at Eco Station (no advanced disposal fee, stewardship program)

We are already paying, but not getting the benefit!

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Source: Recycling Council of Alberta, 2017

Support for EPR vs. Concerns

• Alberta Environment held a consultation in 2013

• demonstrated support for EPR for packaging,

printed materials and HHW – 2013

Concerns:

- Is it too complex and highly regulated?

- Is it too expensive?

- Will industry not want to participate?

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Simple – we only need high level “enabling legislation”

that states:

• EPR is allowed in AB

• A general definition of EPR

• Gives Minister power to designate materials

and set outcomes

All other components can be non regulated e.g.

industry can form a Producer Responsible Organization

on their own.

A multi-stakeholder group can have input for program.

E.g. recycling rates.

EPR – It’s Easy to Do!

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Cheap

- prices already include the recycling cost

- municipalities will save money

Supported by Industry

- Alberta Environment showed support by industry

(2013)

- Industry already participating in other provinces

EPR – It’s Easy to Do! (2)

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Examples to build from

• British Columbia implemented EPR

• Recycle BC is a not-for-profit organization responsible for

residential packaging and paper product recycling

throughout British Columbia

• PPP = Packaging and Printed Paper

• Similar models in SK & MB

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Options:

1. Opt out – maintain your own collection, processing contracts

2. Maintain own contract, and receive funding

3. Hand over the service (and the costs!)

Regional District of Kootenay Boundary

- $1M savings redeployed green bin and other organics programs*

*RDKB to RCA Municipal EPR Workshop September 2017

What it means for municipalities?

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How to roll it out in AB?

1. Need GoA to establish enabling legislation

If resources are an issue, option for GoA be “hands-off” by:

- Industry forms the “PRO” (producer responsibility organization e.g. Recycle BC)

- A multi-stakeholder group (including industry, municipalities and non profits) oversees the outcomes and report on progress

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EPR – We can do it!

• EPR can compliment existing stewardship programs

• Already existing in AB voluntarily

1. Pesticides, fertilizers – Clean Farm Program

2. Pharmaceuticals – take back to pharmacies

3. Cell phones – return old ones to manufacturers

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Advocacy

• AUMA Sept. 2018 – question to ministers, template letter to MLAs

• City of Calgary request for motion and letters of intent to join study, Dec. 2018

• Recycling Council of Alberta study

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ERWAC – Edmonton Region Waste Advisory Committee

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In your municipalities…

• Participate in the studies

• Talk to your elected officials

• Take a motion to Council

- To participate in the research study

- To “support EPR”

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Remember EPR Benefits

• Transfers cost and liability from municipalities and taxpayers to producers

• Provides incentive to producer to improve design

• Provides provincial program consistency

• Economy of scale provides market resilience e.g., China Sword market restrictions

Source: Recycling Council of Alberta, 2017

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Communicate: EPR is Easy to Do!

• can compliment existing stewardship programs

• already existing in AB (voluntary)

• we already paying, industry on board

• working in other parts of Canada, AB only one not regulated

• improves waste reduction!

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For more information

City of Leduc, Environmental Services

Kerra Chomlak Environmental Coordinator 780-980-8442 KChomlak@Leduc.ca

Glen Finstad City Councillor 780-493-1583 Gfinstad@Leduc.ca

Questions?