RRFB Nova Scotia Hosts Depot Day RRFB Nova Scotia is always looking for new and exciting ways to communicate with stakeholders, and on November 22, we hosted a one day event in Truro for ENVIRO-DEPOT™ owners/operators. With approximately 68 people, representing over 50% of the depot network, the event provided an excellent opportunity for depot owners and operators from across the province to connect and network with each other. In addition to providing an overview of RRFB Nova Scotia operations, sessions focused on improving efficiencies in the beverage container network (compaction trailer pilot project); infrastructure funding available to Enviro-Depots; results from 2012 stakeholder and public opinion surveys; as well as best practices in managing Enviro-Depots that showcased innovations initiated by owner/operators. Feedback on Depot Day was very positive. Of the 56 evaluations submitted by participants, 43 rated the event as excellent and 13 rated it as good. As for attending a future Depot Day, 48 participants indicated they would be very likely to attend and seven indicated they would be somewhat likely to attend. Reps from over 50% of the ENVIRO-DEPOT TM network attended Depot Day in Truro, Nova Scotia. ENVIRO-DEPOT TM owner/operators see the RRFB Nova Scotia compaction trailer in action at Depot Day in Truro. RE CAP RRFB Nova Scotia news and events - Working to improve Nova Scotia’s environment, economy and quality of life by reducing, reusing, recycling and recovering resources. THE Table of Contents Survey Says pg. 2 Energy Efficient Lighting Beneficial for Environment, Morale and the Bottom Line pg. 3 RRFB Nova Scotia Welcomes New Director pg. 3 New Compaction Trailer Pilot Project Introduced pg. 4 Nova Scotia Celebrates Waste Reduction Week pg. 5 RRFB Nova Scotia Presents at National Compost Conference pg. 6 Over 8,800 Ballots Submitted for the 2012 ENVIRO-DEPOT™ Contest pg. 7 2012-2013 Trends Year to Date pg. 8 PAGE 01 // Winter-Spring 2013
Transcript
RRFB Nova Scotia Hosts Depot Day
RRFB Nova Scotia is always looking for
new and exciting ways to communicate
with stakeholders, and on November 22,
we hosted a one day event in Truro for
ENVIRO-DEPOT™ owners/operators.
With approximately 68 people, representing
over 50% of the depot network, the event
provided an excellent opportunity for
depot owners and operators from across
the province to connect and network with
each other.
In addition to providing an overview of RRFB
Nova Scotia operations, sessions focused
on improving efficiencies in the beverage
container network (compaction trailer pilot
project); infrastructure funding available to
Enviro-Depots; results from 2012
stakeholder and public opinion surveys;
as well as best practices in managing
Enviro-Depots that showcased innovations
initiated by owner/operators.
Feedback on Depot Day was very positive.
Of the 56 evaluations submitted by
participants, 43 rated the event as excellent
and 13 rated it as good. As for attending a
future Depot Day, 48 participants indicated
they would be very likely to attend and
seven indicated they would be somewhat
likely to attend.
Reps from over 50% of the ENVIRO-DEPOTTM network attended Depot Day in Truro, Nova Scotia.
ENVIRO-DEPOTTM owner/operators see the RRFB Nova Scotia compaction trailer in action at Depot Day in Truro.
RECAPRRFB Nova Scotia news and events - Working to improve Nova Scotia’s environment, economyand quality of life by reducing, reusing, recycling and recovering resources.
TH
E
Table of Contents
Survey Says pg. 2
Energy Efficient
Lighting Beneficial for
Environment, Morale
and the Bottom Line pg. 3
RRFB Nova Scotia
Welcomes New Director pg. 3
New Compaction Trailer
Pilot Project Introduced pg. 4
Nova Scotia Celebrates
Waste Reduction Week pg. 5
RRFB Nova Scotia
Presents at National
Compost Conference pg. 6
Over 8,800 Ballots
Submitted for the 2012
ENVIRO-DEPOT™ Contest pg. 7
2012-2013
Trends Year to Date pg. 8
PAGE 01 // Winter-Spring 2013
Survey Says! In early 2012, RRFB Nova Scotia solicited
information from stakeholders and the
general public through a series of surveys
and focus groups. The purpose of the
research was to get an understanding of
how well stakeholders and the general
public understand our organization.
The research was completed by MQO
Research in the spring of 2012. It included
three separate phases: stakeholder focus
groups, a stakeholder telephone survey and
a phone survey of over 700 Nova Scotians.
Some of the main findings of the
Stakeholder Research included:
• Stakeholderssaid“trustworthy”,
“expertise”,“leading”and“innovative”
best describe RRFB Nova Scotia.
• StakeholdersfeltRRFBNovaScotia
should focus on innovation opportunities
through research and development.
Highlights from the Public Opinion
Survey included:
• 77%ofNovaScotians‘always’or
‘sometimes’bringtheircontainerstoan
ENVIRO-DEPOT™.
• Only4%ofthegeneralpublicknew
that RRFB Nova Scotia was responsible
for waste management programs on a
provincial basis.
• 69%ofpeoplelivingincommunitiesthat
require clear bags for garbage either
supported or strongly supported the clear
bag for garbage program. In communities
that did not require clear bags for
garbage, only 33% of people supported
or strongly supported the program.
Stakeholders: Rate how effective RRFB Nova Scotia is at meeting its five mandates (using a 10-point scale)
Public: Support for Clear Bag System - those living in a community that requires clear bags vs. those living in a community that does not require clear bags
Operating a deposit and refund system for beverage containers
Developing education and awareness programs
Funding municipal waste diversion programs across the province
Developing and implementing voluntary industry stewardship agreements
Promoting the development of value-added manufacturing
Strong oppose Oppose Neutral Support Strongly support
58%
55%
35%
35% 13%
13% 15%
3%
In Halifax Regional
Municipality, educators
visited seven major office towers, including Queens
Square, Alderney Gate,
and the Maritime Centre.
A total of 76 individual offices,
including federal, provincial
and municipal locations,
were visited as part of this
initiative. The offices were well
equipped for sorting, with the
exception that several offices
had not been collecting
‘non-refundable’ containers.
PAGE 02 // Winter-Spring 2013
Education Highlight
Energy Efficient Lighting Beneficial for Environment, Morale and the Bottom Line
Last summer, RRFB Nova Scotia partnered
with Efficiency Nova Scotia to install new
energyefficientlightingatitsKemptown
Processing Centre – and it is paying
off big time with energy savings for the
environment, a boost to staff morale, and
reduced lighting costs.
Through the Business Energy Solutions
program, Efficiency Nova Scotia conducted
a free energy efficiency assessment of
the 30,000+ square foot warehouse
and proposed new lighting to cut energy
consumption and costs. They then installed
energy efficient lights, covering 80% of the
cost. Annually, this project is expected to
save RRFB Nova Scotia over $8,000 on the
warehouse lighting bill.
“Ithasmadeanunbelievabledifference
- night and day. The warehouse is much
brighter, employees are happier, the work
environment is safer, we are saving money,
andtheenvironmentwins!”saidJerome
Paris, RRFB Nova Scotia’s Director of
Operations.
For more information on the Business
Energy Solutions program, RRFB Nova
Scotia encourages all our partners and
stakeholders to visit www.efficiencyns.ca or
call1-877-999-6035.
RRFB Nova Scotia Welcomes New Director
Andrew Murphy joined RRFB Nova
Scotia’s Board of Directors in October
2012. Andrew holds a BA in Economics
and a Masters Degree in Development
Economics. He has worked with Nova
Scotia Environment in various capacities
since1996,becomingdirectorofthe
Air Quality and Resource Management
branch in 2011. In this role he provides
leadership related to air quality, solid waste,
contaminated sites, hazardous waste, etc.
Welcome, Andrew, to the Board!
Andrew Murphy, Director, RRFB Nova Scotia
Region 6 staff worked
with South Shore Health
to deliver education
within their three local hospitals. The initiative
included three days of
training sessions for a
large number of primary
health care staff. As part
of the efforts to improve
waste separation
programs, waste audits
were completed at all
three hospitals. Banana peels don’t belong in french horns. They don’t belong in garbage cans either. Almost half the garbage in Nova Scotia landfills is not garbage at all. It’s organics and paper that should have been composted or recycled. www.PutWasteInItsPlace.ca
Putting waste in the wrong place?
RRFB Nova Scotia anticipates a
47% savings through the installation
of energy efficient lighting at the
Kemptownwarehouse.
Lighting load estimates:
• Beforeinstall:42,672watts
• Afterinstall:20,001watts
• Savings: 22,671 watts
Lighting usage estimates:
• Beforeinstall:132,110.16kWh
• Afterinstall:61,943.96kWh
• Savings: 70,166.20 kWh
Annual lighting bill estimates:
• Beforeinstall:$15,853.22
• Afterinstall:$7,433.27
• Savings: $8,419.94
Education Highlight
PAGE 03 // Winter-Spring 2013
New Compaction Trailer Pilot Project Introduced
Last fall, RRFB Nova Scotia introduced our
new compaction trailer, which represents
the first significant innovation in the
beverage container recycling system in
the province since the inception of the
programin1996.
Over the last 16 years, the 10-cent
recycling fee has remained the same,
while costs to operate the recycling system
have increased. In order to maintain a
viable system, RRFB Nova Scotia looked
to innovative technology to improve
efficiencies in the system. The estimated
annual savings of the compaction trailer is
$158,000 for the pilot.
The compaction trailer is the first of its kind in
North America, perhaps worldwide, combining
a compaction auger on a 53’ tractor trailer.
This will allow RRFB Nova Scotia to compact
recyclable beverage containers at the depot
site and then transport them direct to the end-
market processor.
Under the current system, a regular trailer
fits approximately 78 bulk containers
of recyclables. So far during the pilot
project, the compaction trailer is fitting
approximately 500 bulk containers of
recyclables. Fewer trucks on Nova Scotia
roads is a great benefit to the environment,
and the cost savings will assist RRFB Nova
Scotia in supporting its other mandates,
such as research and development, value-
added manufacturing, and municipal waste
diversion programs.
ThepilotprojectstartedinJulyandis
expected to be completed within two years.
It is currently running at 14 Enviro-Depots
in Halifax Regional Municipality, and initially
includes PET Clear #3 only. RRFB Nova
Scotia plans to add another five or six
HRM depot sites to the pilot by the end
of February, and begin testing all PET and
aluminum shortly. Data from the pilot will
be analyzed to determine the potential for
broader implementation.
RRFB Nova Scotia’s compaction trailer loading PETClear #3 at the Kemptown Processing Centre
RRFB Nova Scotia’s compaction trailer
At Valley Waste,
education staff visited
every bank in the region to assess their waste diversion
programs. Staff was pleased
with most of the banks, but
did find a few without proper
source separation programs.
Educators also visited with the
cleaning contractor for
all the banks to explain
waste requirements.
PAGE 04 // Winter-Spring 2013
Education Highlight
Nova Scotia Celebrates Waste Reduction Week
To celebrate Waste Reduction Week (October 15 to 21),
RRFB Nova Scotia worked with our regional partners
to recognize eight model offices across the province who
go above and beyond on a daily basis to reduce their
office waste.
• NovaScotiaDepartmentofNaturalResources,Forestry
Division, Truro
• EmploymentDevelopmentCentre,Sydney
• S.W.Weeks,NewGlasgow
• DepartmentofNationalDefence,MaritimeAtlantic
Region, HRM
• Scotiabank,MiddletonBranch
• CommunityBusinessDevelopmentCorporation,
South Shore
• TransportationandInfrastructureRenewal,Yarmouth
Area Office
• BergengrenCreditUnion,Antigonish
In all cases, office staff committed to reducing waste in all
aspects of their work environment. Some of the outstanding
efforts implemented by the offices included default double-
sided printing, providing reusable dishes for green meetings,
and developing close relationships with haulers and cleaners
to ensure they abide by the office’s sorting policy. Offices
received blue boxes filled with prizes, an ad in their local
newspaper and a small plaque of their ad.
There are waste reduction educators all across the province
that help offices Put Waste In The Right Place. Find out more
at: http://teachers.rrfb.com.
31257 RRFB Congrats Ad 8.indd 1
10-11-12 2:30 PM
Newspaper ad from 2012 WasteReduction Week, recognizingBergengren Credit Union, Antigonish, for their great efforts in reducingoffice waste!
In Colchester, staff is working closely with Dalhousie’s Agricultural Campus. Several classes from the
school toured the waste management facilities in Kemptown. In addition, the educator is part of a newly
formed Sustainability Committee, which has stakeholders coming together to implement waste reduction
programs that already exist at Dalhousie’s Halifax Campus.
Education Highlight
Education Highlight
Waste Check launched their “Leaders by Example”
video series at the Salle Père-Maurice-LeBlanc
Theatre in Tusket on October 15. These videos profile
local waste reduction leaders in various sectors,
including schools, institutions and offices. The videos
have been shared as a resource for all of the waste
reduction educators across the province and are
available on their website at www.wastecheck.ca/
resources_video_leaders.html.
PAGE 05 // Winter-Spring 2013
RRFB Nova Scotia Presents at National Compost Conference
RRFB Nova Scotia was pleased to present
on Compost Innovation in Nova Scotia at the
22nd Annual National Compost Conference
held in Montreal in September 2012.
Although organics have been banned
fromNovaScotialandfillssince1997,RRFB
Nova Scotia’s 2011 waste audit of provincial
landfills showed that 33% of the waste
from residents and 27% of the waste from
commercial businesses/institutions was
organics.BrennanGillis,BusinessDevelopment
Officer, presented on compost-related research
and development projects that were funded by
RRFB Nova Scotia, including:
• WasteGypsuminCompostforHigh-Value
Horticulture (Dr. Derek Lynch, Nova
Scotia Agricultural College)
• CatLitter&DogFecesinCompost
(Dr.JasonHofman,SoilFoodwebCanada
East Ltd.)
• PlasticCompostableBagStudy(Dr.Paul
Arnold, Acadia University)
• VermicompostingOpportunities
atDalhousieCampus(KitMilnes,
Environmental Sciences, Dalhousie
University)
• MunicipalCompostandFertigationin
Strawberry Plasti-Culture (Ben Thomas,
Nova Scotia Agricultural College/Dalhousie
University)
• CoatedWallboard&CompostingStudy
(Dr.GordonPrice,NovaScotiaAgricultural
College)
• DrywallandWoodFibreinDairyBedding
(Lise Leblanc, LP Consulting)
• CompostandWineGrowers(KyleGallant,
Nova Scotia Agricultural College and Dr.
Medhi Sharifi)
• EffectiveMicroorganisms&Compost
Maturity (Basanti Bandekar, Nova Scotia
AgriculturalCollegeandDr.GordonPrice)
To encourage the development of innovative
products and/or process improvements, RRFB
Nova Scotia offers financing for Research
&Developmentprojectsrelatedtosolid
waste diversion. The program provides
funding support to research projects that will
investigate, design and develop:
1. Materials or products that incorporate solid
waste-resources
2. Technologies that will facilitate the
separation and recovery of solid waste-
resources
3. Market opportunities for solid waste-
resources and/or recycled materials.
Pictou County educators
were busy working with owners
of fast food restaurantsto prepare for a new rule around
waste separation. As of January
1, 2013, customers will no longer
separate their leftovers; instead
the staff at fast food restaurants
will sort the waste to ensure
it is done properly.
Putting waste in the wrong place?
Egg cartons don’t belong in fishbowls. They don’t belong in garbage cans either. Almost half the garbage in Nova Scotia landfills is not garbage at all. It’s paper and organics that should have been recycled or composted. We
have to put our waste in the right place, to do right by our beautiful province. www.PutWasteInItsPlace.ca
Education Highlight
PAGE 06 // Winter-Spring 2013
Over 8,800 Ballots Submitted for the 2012 ENVIRO-DEPOT™ Contest
RRFB Nova Scotia’s annual ENVIRO-DEPOT™
contest was a tremendous success this fall,
with over 8,800 Nova Scotians entering their
name at their local depot for a chance to win
great prizes. The contest ran from October
15toNovember9.
The provincial grand prize winner was Sherry
Rice of Musquodoboit Harbour. Sherry
enteredhernameatKaren’sRecyclingin
Dartmouth and received a Family Beach
Break Package from White Point Beach
Resort, as well as a cheque to cover travel
and miscellaneous expenses. The total value
of the grand prize was over $1,000!
In addition, RRFB Nova Scotia gave away
seven NORCO mountain bikes, one in each of
the seven waste management regions across
the province. The regional winners, including
the location of the ENVIRO-DEPOT™ where
they entered their ballot, are listed below.
Each of the 81 Enviro-Depots across
the province also awarded a blue box full
of prizes to a winning customer in their
community as a thank you for recycling right.
Ingrid Skodje-Ross (left) from Karen’s Recycling presents Sherry Rice (right) with the 2012 ENVIRO-DEPOT™ Contest Grand Prize: a Family Beach Break Package from White Point Beach Resort.
Name Community ENVIRO-DEPOT™
KenMercer HowieCentre KelticRecycling
Melissa Baker St Andrews MacMillan’s Service Centre
Andy Dauphinee Valley Subway Bottle Exchange
BobAbbott Halifax YouthL.I.V.E.Recycling
DwayneStevens Kingsport Layton’sSalvage
David Harris Shelburne Harlow Construction
Eileen Harvey Deep Brook Webber’s Bottle Exchange
In Cape Breton Regional
Municipality, educators worked
closely with Cape Breton University. They hosted an
This new competition encourages entrepreneurs and small business owners across
Nova Scotia to submit innovative and commercially viable solutions to divert waste
from landfill.
Grand Prize• $35,000investment
• Consultationservicesfrom
GrantThornton
• Consultationservicesfrom
Patterson Law
Watch www.PutWasteInItsPlace.ca for details.
Runner-up Prize• $15,000investment
• ConsultationservicesfromGrantThornton
• ConsultationservicesfromPattersonLaw
Education Highlight
PAGE 07 // Winter-Spring 2013
About RRFB
The Resource Recovery Fund Board Inc.
(RRFB Nova Scotia) is a not-for-profit
corporation working in partnership with
Nova Scotians to improve the province’s
environment, economy and quality of life by
reducing, reusing, recycling and recovering
resources. Recognized globally as an
innovator in waste diversion solutions, RRFB
Nova Scotia manages a network of over
80 independently owned Enviro-Depots
throughout the province. As a leader in
Nova Scotia’s waste diversion efforts,
RRFB Nova Scotia delivers education
and awareness programs, partners with
municipalities and industry to develop
and implement stewardship agreements,
and promotes innovation through the
development of value-added manufacturing.
For more information, visit www.rrfb.com.
Questions or comments about this
publication, please contact Carolyn Pierce,
Communications Manager, RRFB Nova
Scotia,at902-897-3253.
Make art. Not garbage.
Nova Scotia
Recycles
Contest!Get creative and win $55,000 in cash, prizes and scholarships. Open to students P-12. colouring and design contests • video challenge • essay competition • visit rrfb.com for more information All entries must be postmarked by Friday, February 8, 2013.
In Antigonish, the educators staffed a booth for the town’s Street Fair. This was the first year for the event, which encouraged St.
Francis Xavier University students to learn more about businesses and
services within the town. The booth providing information on waste
diversion programs was fairly busy, despite uncooperative weather.
