Feasibility Study of Waste Collection Programs for the Township of Langley, BC

As part of Metro Vancouver and as a partner in its Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management Plan (ISWRMP), the Township of Langley will review current waste collection operations and identify options to help it meet Metro-wide waste diversion targets: 70 per cent by 2015 and 80 per cent by 2020. The study will assess collection methods — from fully manual to fully automated — and examine collection frequency, large item pickup, container permits, collection limits and user-pay options. It will also look at single- versus multi-stream collection of recyclables and examine options for glass, packaging and printed paper. The study will present all of the options, with descriptions and details of their advantages and drawbacks, at a stakeholder workshop. The workshop will develop a short list of preferred options for detailed analysis. Short-listed options will be evaluated against triple bottom line criteria including labour requirements, capital and operating costs, participation rates, collected quantities, eligible properties, population projections, and fee schedules. A final report will propose a slate of collection options for the Township, and make recommendations on the extent and nature of public consultations to conduct during the next phase of the project. Following the public consultation, Langley will plan and implement a pilot of the preferred options, which is outside the scope of GMF funding. The analysis of the pilot results will directly inform the final implementation plan. Reducing solid waste is a key environmental and operational issue for the Metro Vancouver region, which generates three million tonnes of solid waste annually. Waste collection options identified through Langley’s feasibility study will help the Township fulfill its commitment to reduce demand on landfill, cut fuel consumption and reduce air contaminants. Changes resulting from this initiative are expected to help the Township continue to provide a healthy, economically vibrant environment for an urban and rural population expected to exceed 200,000 by 2041. Other regional municipalities, who face similar challenges, will benefit from knowledge shared through this extensive study. (Project description from original funding application)