Policy and Data Analysis

Consultations on the Development of a Canadian Resource Recovery Strategy (CRRS)

Project Team

Natural Resources Canada, HATCH Associates

Objective

To gauge support from across the country for the development of a national resource recovery program and to define both national and regional recovery needs and priorities.

Description

A series of consultation sessions were held across Canada in the spring of 2002. Participants at sessions in Vancouver, Yellowknife, Edmonton, Toronto, Halifax, Montréal and Iqaluit represented resource recovery stakeholders from industry, non-governmental organizations, academia, and municipal, provincial and federal governments. Reports compiled for each session and key points of all sessions summarized in a Final Report are available at Natural Resources Canada's Recycling in Canada web site.

ResourcesReports

compiled for each session and key points of all sessions summarized in a Final Report are available at Natural Resources Canada’s Recycling in Canada web site.

Scan of Metals and Minerals Recycling Programs and Associated Climate Change Impacts

Project Team

Recycling Council of Alberta with in-kind contributions from the Recycling Council of Ontario, Recycling Council of British Columbia, Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council, Clean Nova Scotia, and Réseau des ressourceries du Québec

Objective

To identify policies and programs within Canada, as well as internationally, that address the diversion of metals and minerals from disposal.

Description

Using a number of factors, the effectiveness of the various policies and programs aimed at mineral and metal recovery in each province and territory has been evaluated. Effectiveness was correlated to program approach to assess the level of success of various program types. Data from each region were compiled into a master database with the capability to correlate programs by criteria such as material type and program characteristics. This database was used to update contacts in the NRCan Industry Framework and to provide additional information on companies and programs currently involved in mineral and metal recycling in Canada.

Resources

Executive Summary
Final Report

Development of a Guidance Manual for the Selection of Policies for Sustainable Economic Recovery of Municipal Waste

Project Team

Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada

Objectives

To prepare a guidance manual that will identify sustainable practices for the management of end-of-life materials and municipal waste.

Description

The broad range of waste management policies and infrastructure currently available make it difficult for community leaders to decide on the best course of action for their municipality. FCM has created a guidance document for municipal leaders and waste managers that will help communities identify and implement progressive and innovative approaches to minimizing inefficiencies in material and energy use. The manual has four parts: an overview, a review of waste policies, waste technologies, and a step-by-step workbook.

Resources

Access the complete guidance manual, entitled Solid Waste as a Resource: Guide for Sustainable Communities, at FCM’s Sustainable Communities Knowledge Network.

Characterization of the Stocks and Flows of Nickel

Project Team

Nickel Institute and the primary nickel industry, Center for Industrial Ecology at Yale University

Objectives

To characterize the life cycle of nickel in Canada.

Description

Flows of nickel in society are not well understood and, therefore, the recapture of nickel-bearing materials and products at end of their life is not optimized. The Center for Industrial Ecology at Yale University will characterize the stocks and flows of nickel-bearing materials and the resulting data will be used by the Nickel Institute to estimate material recovery levels and corresponding CO2 equivalent greenhouse gas savings. From this information, enhanced recovery initiatives can be appropriately targeted to increase recycling of nickel-containing materials from product source streams. The project was originally limited to Europe; however, Action Plan 2000 funding allows coverage to be extended to Canada.

Resources:

Final Report

Increasing Waste Diversion by Creating By-Product Synergy in an Industrial Park

Project Team

Clean Calgary Association, numerous Foothills Industrial Park companies/businesses, City of Calgary, Recycling Council of Alberta

Objectives

To demonstrate the impact of pro-active, direct contact as a catalyst for increasing the amount of industrial waste diverted from landfill.

Description

A coordinator, working under the guidance of a local steering committee comprised of industry representatives, is fostering collaboration between the businesses in Foothills Industrial Park of Calgary. Waste diversion and resource, energy and greenhouse gas savings are being tracked and a final report and a guidance document to assist in project replication will be produced. Upon completion of the project, businesses will be able to continue the activity through the Web-based exchange developed for the project.

Resources

Presentation at the Recycling Council of Alberta’s 2003 Fall Conference (www.recycle.ab.ca)
Project web site: Calgary Materials Exchange (www.cmex.ca)

The report

Updating the Legislative and Regulatory References (Appendix III) of CARI's Environmental Management Handbook for Recycling Operations

Project Team

Canadian Association of Recycling Industries (CARI), Legwork Environmental Inc.

Objectives

To update and disseminate a summary of all acts, legislation and regulations pertaining to recycling, both at the federal and provincial levels.

Description

CARI produces an Environmental Management Handbook for its 213 member firms to support their efforts to introduce environmentally sound management (ESM) principles. The Handbook is divided into two parts: the first part provides details on best practices, what to do in the event of a spill or how to reduce emissions (etc.); the second part of the book summarizes all acts, legislation and regulations pertaining to recycling, both at the federal and provincial levels. The last edition of this Handbook was distributed in 2001. Because the regulatory/legislative environment is continually changing, the information contained in the second part needs to be updated and the revised Handbooks need to be distributed to the member firms.

Resources

This information has been uploaded to the Recycling in Canada web site. http://www.nrcan-rncan.gc.ca/mms-ssm/busi-indu/rec-rec-eng.htm

Enhanced Recycling Program Evaluation and Wrap Up Workshop (2006)

Project Team

Natural Resources Canada, Kelleher Environmental, and GreenhouseGasMeasurement.com

Objective

  • Evaluate Enhanced Recycling (ER) projects
  • Disseminate the results of the five-year ER program and the workshop outcomes
  • Identify continuing issues and point towards actions for long term viability
  • Provide suggestions to stimulate related and ongoing activities

Description

The Government of Canada Action Plan 2000 on Climate Change, Minerals and Metals Program (managed by the Minerals and Metals Sector of Natural Resources Canada) contracted Kelleher Environmental to develop GHG estimates of the potential impacts of 36 projects which are part of the ER Program. GreenhouseGasManagement.com developed more detailed estimates of the GHG impacts of the remaining 4 projects in the ER Program.
The Enhanced Recycling Workshop: Lessons Learned and the Path Forward was held on February 14-15, 2006 in Ottawa to reflect on the performance of the ER program, and to consider potential future elements of a national resource recovery strategy and implementation plan. The workshop was attended by 65 professionals representing municipal, provincial, territorial, federal, industrial and non-profit constituencies.

Resources

Several reports were produced before and after the workshop. These are attached: