Municipal Scrap Metal

Project Team

Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre (OVWRC)

Objectives

To determine if residential scrap metal can be added to “blue box” recycling programs in a practical and economical way.

Description

The OVWRC in Pembroke, Ontario, is conducting a pilot project that will assess the feasibility of adding scrap metal to an existing curbside recycling program in the municipalities it serves (about 5 000 households). The recovery of items – such as pots, pans, hangers, cutlery, etc. – will be assessed in terms of ease of collection from households and separation at the Material Recovery Facility. Waste audits will be used to ascertain the nature and quantity of scrap metal materials present in the waste stream and the marketability of certain product streams will be assessed with respect to available end-of-life processing options. If the pilot project proves that collection and recovery of scrap metal (and certain products/materials in particular) is viable, a regional rollout would likely ensue.

Resources

The report

Project Team

Association of Municipal Recycling Coordinators (AMRC), participating municipalities

Objectives

To conduct a survey of the 30 largest municipalities in Canada to determine if they recover residential scrap metal and, if so, how do they do it, how much do they collect, and how much does it cost?

Description

In this project, the Association of Municipal Recycling Coordinators (AMRC) surveyed large Canadian municipalities with respect to their residential scrap metal recovery practices. The survey forms the basis of a report that identifies progressive programs and refines the data on the extent and potential for scrap metal recycling in Canada. It allows comparisons between different programs/strategies and allows decision makers to identify barriers and opportunities to effective scrap metal recovery.

Resources

The report

Project Team

Government of Manitoba, Government of Nunavut, Gerdau Ameristeel Corporation/ Mandak Metal Processors Ltd., Canadian National Railway, Gardewine North, OmniTrax, Northern Transportation Company Limited (NTCL), and Natural Resources Canada (Minerals and Metals Sector)

Objective

The primary goals of this pilot project are: to clean up the scrap metal that has accumulated in the communities included in the study, to develop and test options for overcoming barriers to cost-effectively recycling scrap metal in northern and remote communities, and to demonstrate the job creation potential of establishing viable scrap recycling initiatives.

Description

This pilot project will collect, bale and ship to an end market the scrap metal that has accumulated in Gillam, Churchill and Rankin Inlet. The project will be carried out over the spring, summer and fall of 2004 and 2005. Tonnages of recovered ferrous and nonferrous metal will be recorded and the corresponding GHG impacts will be measured. This project will lead to the development of a longer-term initiative that will include expanding the collection of scrap metal to all major centres in the Hudson Bay area and establishing the Town of Churchill as a staging point for the region.

Resources

The final report (only in English) can be sent out upon request.

Project Team

Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre, Glenview Iron & Metal

Objective

To better understand the nature of municipal scrap metal (and subsequently its potential value); this project evaluated the metallic (and non-metallic) composition of a sample of municipal scrap material.

Description

Of the 16,500 pounds of material shredded and separated, 70.5% was ferrous, 7.1% was nonferrous and 22.4% was residue. Most of the 1,172 lbs of nonferrous was aluminum of which approximately 100 lbs were copper/brass. This metal represents about 10 tonnes of equivalent carbon dioxide (eCO2). The annual community wide impact of all scrap metal collection programs coordinated by OVWRC is about 500 tonnes eCO2 per year. This information should help municipalities that collect scrap to maximize their revenues. Following a market survey and armed with better information regarding metal content, OVWRC was able to increase their revenue for the scrap metal to $155 per ton from $29 (F.O.B.).

Resources

The Report

Project Team

Nova Scotia Department of the Environment and Labour, Cumberland Joint Services Management Authority

Objectives 

The purpose of this project was to develop the communications strategy as well as all the promotional and public education (P&PE) materials needed to support a pilot project to assess the feasibility of a province-wide curbside collection program for empty metal paint cans, empty aerosol cans, and scrap metal within the existing blue bag collection program. 

Description

Scrap metal items include small items such as kitchen utensils, metal baking supplies, old tools, small pieces of piping, etc., but does not include large scrap metal items such as white goods.  It is expected that the implementation for such a program will increase diversion and recycling rates for valuable metal materials such as steel and aluminum.  The pilot project will serve 15,954 households began in May and will run until August 2007.

The total amount of GHG emission reduction potential represented by all small residential metal scrap in Nova Scotia is 5,000 to 6,000 tonnes equivalent carbon dioxide per year.

Resources

The final report (only in English) can be sent out upon request.

Project Team

Recycling Council of British Columbia

Objectives

The objective of this project is to quantify the extent of metals stockpiled in remote and northern communities of B.C. and the Yukon, and to investigate potential market solutions that would see this material transported to recyclers.

Description

Municipal and regional governments in both British Columbia and the Yukon have unanimously expressed interest in the recovery and recycling of scrap metals. In general, Northern BC has adequate systems to ensure the regular collection of scrap metal from municipal sites, whereas collection in the Yukon occurs sporadically and is typically subsidized by the municipal or territorial government. Freight costs have been identified as the main barrier to increased metal recovery in the North. Many communities in the Yukon do not have the volume of material necessary to make regular collection economically feasible. Several thousand tonnes of stockpiled metals have been identified at municipal sites in Northern BC (10,500 tonnes) and the Yukon (1,200 tonnes).

Creating opportunities for this material to reach recycling markets will result in GHG reductions of between 14,000 and 20,000 tonnes of equivalent carbon dioxide, by reducing the emissions associated with metals and minerals production. Potential approaches to promote increased scrap metal recovery and recycling could involve transport subsidies, a system for freight piggybacking or back hauling and extended producer responsibility for vehicles and/or white goods.

Resources

A copy of the final report (only in English) can be sent out upon request.

Project Team

Recycling Council of Alberta

Objectives

• Examine existing and related scrap metal recovery programs and associations
• Survey Northern Alberta and Northwest Territory scrap metal stockpiles
• Estimate greenhouse gas diversion potential from scrap metal recovery
• Hold Scrap Metal Recovery in the Northwest Territories Stakeholder Workshop
• Evaluate transportation and processing/market options
• Identify opportunities for financial assistance
• Make recommendations for scrap metal recovery in the Northwest Territories

Description

An estimated 627 t of auto hulks, 470 t of white goods and 3,703 t of ferrous/nonferrous scrap metal are presently stockpiled in Northern Alberta, while roughly 2,651 t of auto hulks, 68 t of white goods and 30,325t of ferrous/nonferrous scrap metal are currently stockpiled in the Northwest Territories.

Stockpiled quantities of scrap metal in Alberta and NWT represents a potential reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of between 49,000 and 65,000 tonnes equivalent carbon dioxide.

Resources

Final report (look under “Resources” and “Reading Material”)

Project Team

Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council, Saskatchewan Association of Northern Communities (“NewNorth”)

Objectives 

• To locate and quantify the extent of metals stockpiled in northern Saskatchewan communities
• To investigate potential transportation options, including transportation corridors and backhaul options, to move scrap metals from northern communities to southern markets
• To conduct a pilot to remove scrap metal from selected communities in order to determine the associated costs of scrap metal recovery in northern Saskatchewan
• To develop an implementation plan for the province that will include recommendations and creative ways of overcoming the barriers to increased recycling of northern/remote scrap metal
• To seek the commitment from partners to embrace the scrap metal recovery plan with a view towards ongoing support

Description

• A multi-stakeholder project steering committee was assembled to provide input and advice.
• A survey of 38 community scrap piles was conducted and 3,500 tonnes plus/minus 1,000 t was estimated.
• One consolidation site for scrap metal was prepared and 35 abandoned vehicles were brought in.
• An information flyer was prepared and distributed to northern communities to promote scrap metal recovery efforts.
• A detailed plan (with costs) was prepared for the removal of about 45 loads of scrap metal to markets in the south.

Of the piles surveyed, it is estimated that recycling and recovery would result in GHG emission reductions of between 4,000 to 6,000 tonnes of equivalent carbon dioxide.

Resources

Final report

Project Team

North Central Community Futures Development Corporation (Manitoba)

Objectives

• Quantify the extent of metals stockpiled in selected remote and northern communities of Northern Manitoba and Nunavut.
• Determine schedule of routine “build-up” of scrap metal in community landfills.
• Develop a plan of action for collecting scrap metal throughout the target area both in the short and long terms.
• Assemble a group of dedicated individuals (and organizations) to guide the project and to help recruit support for the scrap recovery initiative from the public and private sectors in both Manitoba and Nunavut.

Description

The removal of both historical and routine build up of scrap metal from the Nunavut Kivalliq and the Manitoba Bayline Regions is feasible, providing key factors are considered: 

• The provision of education and training to the end of identification and mentorship of community champions. 
• Regional coordination is imperative, as is the implementation of adequate programs - backed by legislation and funding. 
• Long-term partnerships with support and guidance from major stakeholders under the auspices of a steering committee are crucial components of sustainable scrap metal programs in the north.

The Action Plan outlines the specific steps towards recovery of the northern scrap metal. However, given high transportation, preparation and handling costs, it isn’t profitable for a business to perform these services in the north without extra funding to cover expenses.  Therefore, the government should consider an initial funding provision until a levy system can be implemented.  The levy system would transfer the expense of recycling to either the consumer or the manufacturer of the product, leading to sustainability in northern scrap metal removal.

From a previous project, if the amount of scrap metal in the north is 13,000 tonnes, this is the basis for a GHG emissions reduction estimate of 16,000 tonnes equivalent carbon dioxide.

Resources

A copy of the final report (only in English) can be sent out upon request.