Project Names

Project Title:

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.

Resources:

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 [R1] web site.

Project Title:

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:

Project Title:

A Roadmap for Implementation of a Product Responsibility Program for Selective ICT Equipment in Canada

Project Team:

Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC), Environment Canada and Industry Canada

Objective: 

To define the steps necessary to implement a national electronic waste recovery program, including options for a national roll-out; costs; roles for industry, municipalities and consumers; regulatory barriers; and greenhouse gas implications.   

Description:

In January 2002, ITAC (Information Technology Association of Canada) commissioned Enviros RIS to develop a Roadmap that would serve as an overview of a National Action Plan for End-of-Life Recovery of IT and Telecom Waste in Canada.  The envisioned National Program would be a shared responsibility model (i.e., roles for municipalities, consumers and industry).  This Roadmap, and the feedback that has been received on it, will provide the foundation for the development of a more detailed business plan and eventual roll-out of a National Program.

Resources:

Keep up-to-date with the latest news about Canada’s electronic waste at Electronic Product Stewardship Canada[R2] . 

Project Title:

By-Product Synergy – Greenhouse Gas Reduction Analysis Project

Project Team:

Hatch Associates with in-kind contributions from companies participating in the project, specifically Dofasco, Petro-Canada and Columbian Chemicals

Objectives: 

To develop a life-cycle analysis approach for estimating the greenhouse gas savings potential of by-product synergies or industrial eco-efficiency projects.

Description:

The tool that has been developed to illustrate the By-Product Synergies (BPS) approach identifies the key issues and factors that should be considered when evaluating the potential GHG impacts of eco-efficiency efforts. Use of this approach and further development of the tool represent a significant opportunity for increasing understanding of the impact of eco-efficiency efforts across the Canadian economy.  The synergies investigated are in the Golden Horseshoe BPS project:  (1) By-product carbon black fines from activated carbon process to be used as a substitute fuel in a cement kiln; and (2) By-product steel slag from the steel-making process to be used as a raw material in producing asphalt. 

Resources:

Find more information at Hatch’s Golden Horseshoe By-Product Synergy Project[R3] .

Project Title:

Regulation of Computer Recycling in Canada and the United States: A Comparative Review

Project Team:

Legwork Environmental Inc.

Objectives: 

To define the regulatory environment governing the recycling of electronic waste in Canada in support of a parallel initiative by the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) to design and implement a national electronics recycling program.

Description:

This project provides a comprehensive review of the current regulatory environment for IT equipment and its components, as well as recyclable metals, at the federal, provincial/state and territorial level in Canada and the United States.  Specific attention is paid to the rationale for including or exempting specific products or recyclable metals and to the identification of proposed legislation affecting recyclable products, components or metals that are not currently regulated.  The project also identifies differences in the regulatory environment among Canadian provinces and territories, as well as regulatory differences that may exist between Canada and the United States. 

Resources:

Regulation of Computer Recycling in Canada and the United States: A Comparative Review§

Title:

Status of Metal Recycling Technologies in Metal Processing

Project Team:

Natural Resource Canada, with in-kind contributions from international recycling associations and the Canadian metals industry

Objectives: 

To identify and review the major recycling and refining technologies used in the ferrous and nonferrous industries, such as steel, magnesium and aluminum, and to develop a detailed database on energy savings and GHG emission reductions resulting from the recycling of steel, aluminum and magnesium.

Description:

The following issues are being reviewed and evaluated:

• Scrap management, sorting and classification in primary and secondary metal industries of steel, aluminum and magnesium;
• Refining technologies used in primary and secondary metal processing, removal and reduction of impurities in steel, aluminum and magnesium, and detection of trace elements in liquid metals;
• Design of recyclable products in transportation, construction and energy, particularly the reuse of by-products and the production of alloys that are easy to recycle;
• Energy efficiency and energy savings related to recycling.

Resources:

Final report on scrap management, sorting and classification in magnesium

Final report on scrap management, sorting and classification in aluminum

Final report on scrap management, sorting and classification in steel

Final report on refining technologies of magnesium

Final report on refining technologies of aluminum

 In March 2005, a final report will be complete that covers all aspects of the review and includes recommendations to stakeholders in recycling.

Project Title:

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[R4] . 

Project Title:

Improving Recycling Supply and Demand Data for Minerals and Metals

Project Team:

Natural Resource Canada

Objectives: 

To produce accurate and consistent statistics over a five-year period regarding the generation and characterization of solid waste in all provinces and territories. 

Description:

Primary project tasks include the identification and quantification of resource recovery opportunities (i.e., metals, plastics, glass, paper, etc.) and the projection of potential greenhouse gas emission savings that could be achieved if higher recovery rates were attained in each of the three sectors under review (residential; institutional, commercial and industrial; and construction, renovation and demolition).

Resources:

Project Title:

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 to be completed in January 2006.

Project Title:

R-NET Recycling Technology Newsletter

Project Team:

Natural Resources Canada

Objectives: 

To transform the R-NET Recycling Technology Newsletter into an information dissemination tool for the Enhanced Recycling program of Action Plan 2000 on Climate Change.

Description:

Information exchange, the development of joint research activities, and the adaptation of existing technologies and practices to accommodate cross-sector applications are key challenges that await all parties interested in recycling.  The R-NET Recycling Technology Newsletter is ideally positioned to contribute to these activities by increasing the level of awareness and networking among communities relevant to the Enhanced Recycling program.  The target audience includes those dealing with aluminum, magnesium and steel recycling, as well as those interested in the recovery of metals and minerals from municipal solid waste. 

Resources:

Access the latest edition and the archives.[R5] 

Project Title:

Pilot Program to Recycle Spent Computers

Project Team:

Electronic Products Stewardship of Manitoba Inc. (EPSOM), Thomas Sill Foundation Inc., Province of Manitoba, Manitoba Hydro, and many other in-kind contributors

Objectives: 

To establish a pilot recycling initiative for computers and other electronic equipment arising from the post-consumer sector within a regional area of Manitoba. 

Description:

Electronic Products Stewardship of Manitoba Inc. (EPSOM) was given a mandate to discover and implement effective means of collecting, reusing and recycling unwanted consumer electronics in the province of Manitoba.  The project assessed, in practice, the feasibility of collection, testing for reusability, disassembly where warranted, recycling and recovery of computers and other electrical equipment.  A “best practices” recycling manual was developed that has applicability to future recycling and recovery programs being initiated across Canada.

Resources:

Manitoba Consumer Electronic Products Stewardship: Research and Demonstration Project Report[R6] 

Project Title:

Assessment of Advanced Sensing and Monitoring Technologies for Efficient Metals Recycling

Project Team:

Natural Resource Canada

Objectives: 

To identify and assess the status of major sensing technologies for the separation of various materials (e.g., ferrous and nonferrous metals, glasses, rubber, plastics, etc.) from scrap metal and for the identification of impurities in molten scrap metal in order to produce high quality, value-added, recycled metal products through enhanced recycling. 

Description:

The refining step in both primary and secondary metals processing requires the monitoring and control of metallic and nonmetallic impurities in molten metal for improved product quality.  The use of chemical sensors for in-situ/on-line detection of impurities during both primary and secondary metals processing can lead to a reduction in production time, improve product quality, and lower energy consumption with a commensurate reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  Continued R&D efforts are needed to overcome certain technological challenges in order to make the metal production/recycling process more efficient.

Resources:

Sensors for Metal Processing/Recycling – An Overview

Project Title:

Development of a Municipal Position on the Management and Resource Recovery of End-of-Life Electronic Products

Project Team:

Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), Industry Canada, Environment Canada

Objectives: 

To develop a preliminary national municipal position on what the municipal roles should be in the management of end-of-life electronic products.   

Description:

A comprehensive national framework for the management of electronic waste in Canada was developed in four steps: design and preparation, obtaining input from across Canada through a survey and teleconferences, holding a national workshop,  and preparing a report on the preliminary national municipal position for possible approval by the FCM Board and subsequent consultations with other stakeholders.

Resources:

Download the final report, entitled A National Consultation on the Management of Discarded Electronics, at the FCM Sustainable Communities Knowledge Network.[R7]

Project Title:

Support of CANMET-CARI-European Commission Joint Workshops

Project Team:

Natural Resources Canada

Objectives: 

To foster information exchange between the European Union and Canada in the areas of clean processing technologies to minimize emissions of greenhouse gases, enhanced recycling and environmental protection.

Description:

For almost two decades, CANMET-MMSL and the Research Directorate-General of the European Commission have organized a series of joint workshops for the exchange of non-confidential technical and program information. More recently, these workshops have included increased discussion on enhanced recycling techniques and associated project examples.  These meetings are organized and run by CANMET-MMSL and the proceedings will be available, as will a report highlighting the achievements of the meeting.

Resources:

Environmentally Clean Technologies for Sustainable Production and Consumption, Workshop Proceedings, Vancouver, Canada, August 27-29, 2003

Project Title:

Baseline Data and Tracking System for the Generation and Diversion of Obsolete White Goods From Residential Sources in Canada

Project Team:

Electro-Federation Canada - Canadian Appliance Manufacturers Association, Hanson Research + Communications

Objectives: 

To map current appliance recovery and recycling practices and to develop a reliable estimate of the environmental benefits of current and future practices. 

Description:

This project will compile an inventory of white goods recovery and recycling initiatives already in place in Canada.  Through interaction with representatives from various sectors, the proponents will estimate the flow of obsolete white goods and the corresponding flow of the constituent materials of these products.  An increased understanding of the dynamics of this product stream will help to determine gaps in existing approaches to effective management and beneficial recovery and recycling opportunities.  The environmental benefits (including greenhouse gas emission reductions) associated with current recovery statistics will be determined and the benefits of future scenarios will be estimated.

Resources:

PowerPoint presentation: Project Summary

To be completed Winter 2004/2005.

Project Title:

Let's Climb Another Molehill – Analyzing Construction, Renovation and Demolition (CR&D) Waste

Project Team:

Recycling Council of Ontario, New West Gypsum Recycling Inc., Rescom Projects Inc., Canadian Home Builders’ Association, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Public Works and Government Services Canada, City of Toronto, Region of Peel, Greater Toronto Home Builders’ Association, RENOVA Consultants, study site participating firms

Objectives: 

To provide insight into the magnitude, composition and fate of waste generated from the Construction, Renovation and Demolition (CR&D) sector through waste audits of various CR&D projects.

Description:

This project involves an in-depth analysis of 15 CR&D projects, specifically: low- and high-rise residential renovation projects and CR&D activity on commercial, industrial and institutional sites.  This study will engage owners, managers and staff who work on these sites daily for meaningful data and information input.  Project outputs include: detailed financial and composition audits of CRD site waste and development of a prototype design for "The Molehill Tool": a practical site-specific, handbook on job-site waste management, reduction and recycling. 

Resources:

To be completed Winter 2005.

Project Title:

Sustainable Design for Buildings: A National Standard

Project Team:

Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and members of the CSA Technical Committee

Objectives: 

To promote sustainable design practices and the efficient use of materials and resources in building construction.

Description:

During the course of the project, a new CSA Standard on Sustainable Design for Buildings is to be developed that will provide direction on methods to reduce construction waste and to enhance recycling through sustainable design principles and practices. The Standard will be applicable to new and existing buildings. The proposed scope of the CSA Standard is to include design approaches and criteria, guidance on material and system configurations, system-specific disassembly-conscious details, and specification clauses for building systems such as building structure and envelope.  The CSA standard will take into consideration life cycle concepts according to the ISO 14040 series of standards, design approach and design criteria to maximize material recovery and minimize the generation of waste.   The CSA has established a “Technical Committee” that will be responsible for developing the technical content of the new standard. 

Resources:

Standard to be released December 2005.