Objective 6:
Improve The Department's Physical Stewardship

Building upon the federal government's Greening of Government Operations Policy (1995), the Department's efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its direct physical operations will focus primarily on three sub-objectives.

Sub-Objectives:

6.1 Reduce pollution and waste by:

• reducing gaseous emissions (greenhouse gases, acid forming gases, particulates, toxic substances);

• reducing liquid effluents (untreated process effluents, untreated sewage, contaminated surface runoff); and

• reducing solid waste output.

6.2 Reduce resource consumption by:

• reducing use of consumable items (paper and office supplies); and

• reducing energy use.

6.3 Incorporate Sub-Objectives 6.1 and 6.2 into the Department's existing environmental management system.

Reduce Gaseous Emissions

Reduce carbon dioxide emissions

The Department's forthcoming consolidation of many of its Ottawa operations in one main location will help reduce its carbon dioxide emissions.

These targets will be achieved by the following actions:

6.1 Make more use of electronic communications.

6.2 Support telework.

6.3 Combine the delivery of envelopes to the same location.

6.4 Encourage increased use of public transit.

6.5 Where feasible, increase the number of Justice-owned alternative fuel vehicles by purchasing electric-propane-or natural gas-powered cars whenever new or used vehicles are needed.

6.6 Decrease the time that vehicles spend idling by banning idling at loading docks.

6.7 Where feasible, change sources of heating and cooling, including using passive solar heating.

6.8 Where feasible, change sources of electricity, including photovoltaic power generation.

6.9 Where feasible, specify environmentally friendly "green" products and processes for cleaning, painting, maintenance, construction and furnishings.

6.10 Encourage the use of bicycle couriers.

Reduce emissions of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and other pollutants in on-going operations

These targets will be achieved by the following actions:

6.11 Improving printing and copying, practices, particularly for mass mailings.

6.12 Improving central heating, ventilation, and cooling systems (HVAC Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) which emit mainly carbon dioxide, but possibly also acid gases and particulates.

6.13 Reducing the use of paints and cleaning products which emit VOCs.

Minimize emissions of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and other pollutants in special projects

These targets will be achieved by the following actions:

6.14 Collaborating with Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) to ensure that construction, retrofits and repairs materials and work processes conform to the strictest environmentally responsive construction and renovation guidelines.

6.15 Ensuring that construction and renovation contracts include environmental clauses to deal with construction materials, construction equipment and the disposal of materials.

Reduce Liquid Effluents

Decrease Effluent

These targets will be achieved by the following actions:

6.16 Install low-flow faucets to minimize water discharge to sewer systems.

6.17 Segregate grey water from HVAC systems for storm sewer disposal or irrigation.

6.18 Where appropriate, hook-up roof drains to storm sewers rather than sanitary sewers.

6.19 Specify environmentally friendly "green" faucets for new construction and renovations that are being supplied on contract.

Send Liquid Effluent From Copiers For Proper Disposal

6.20 In addition to improving disposal practices, the Department will endeavour to replace liquid-based copiers with dry powder-based copiers wherever financially feasible.

Reduce Solid Waste

Reduce packaging and paper waste

6.21 Reduce packaging materials by specifying appropriate packages for the supplies ordered and by appropriately packaging materials sent out.

Reduce other wastes

6.22 Ensuring proper collection and disposal to approved composting/ recycling facilities of lunch waste, construction and demolition waste; and plastics, including video and audio cassettes, diskettes and compact discs.

Recycle toner cartridges

6.23 The Department will send all toner cartridges to reputable firms for re-use/ recycling of parts and will purchase recycled cartridges where available.

Recycle batteries and fluorescent light tubes

6.24 The Department will collaborate with PWASC to have batteries and fluorescent light tubes collected and sent to approved recycling facilities.

Reduce Use of Consumable Items

Reduce Paper Product Use

These targets will be achieved by the following actions:

6.25 Reuse packaging as much as possible (particularly shipping bags, packing materials, and boxes).

6.26 Inform employees of the procedures to have their name removed from distributions of unsolicited mail.

6.27 Printing by limited run and print-on-demand (to reduce the production of unneeded materials).

6.28 Increasing the use of diskettes and CDs to store and distribute information.

6.29 Reusing used-one-side paper for memos, draft reports, and working papers.

6.30 Re-using file folders.

6.31 Sharing newspapers.

6.32 Using e-mail to circulate memos and as an alternative to faxes.

6.33 Responding to correspondence via electronic means such as e-mail, the Internet (the Minister's Office, alone, receives 200,000 to 300,000 pieces of mail per year).

6.34 Encouraging double-sided printing of documents, including internal memos.

6.35 Using electronic forms (which may require acceptance of electronic signatures and other security measures).

6.36 Increasing the use of Canada Post's standard envelope size (which may require allowing for folding of documents).

6.37 Increasing the use of electronic reference documents, reports, and news.

6.38 Encouraging use of the Internet for research and communication.

6.39 Training staff to use electronic resources.

Reduce Energy Use

The Department will reduce building energy use by 10% relative to 1997 levels by the end of 1999 by:

6.40 Specifying automatically controlled lighting in new construction and renovations.

6.41 Specification and use of low-energy-demand light bulbs and capacitors in new construction and renovations.

6.42 Specifying low-energy-demand office equipment (e. g., Energy Star certified computers), particularly ones that can "sleep" when not in use.

6.43 Night-time and weekend setback of building temperature settings.

6.44 Working closely with PWGSC to encourage installation of innovative energy controls, including cost-sharing and flow-through of savings.

6.45 In order to attain its operational objectives in the most cost-effective manner possible, the Department will ensure that its existing environmental management system (EMS) contains:

• a green procurement policy for goods and services;

• a strategy to train personnel to recognise and discharge their environmental responsibilities;

• performance baselines;

• environmental performance monitoring and auditing processes; and

• an incentive program for good environmental performance.

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