Waste of EnergyWaste of EnergyWaste of EnergyWaste of EnergyExamining Waste To EnergyExamining Waste To EnergyExamining Waste To Energy Examining Waste To Energy (WTE) in Whitehorse from a (WTE) in Whitehorse from a

Waste Management PerspectiveWaste Management PerspectiveWaste Management PerspectiveWaste Management Perspective

Y d idYou decide.

Should we invest in RECYCLING or BURNINGRECYCLING or BURNING

our waste?

WASTE MANAGEMENTWASTE MANAGEMENTHow Does Waste To Energy fit in?How Does Waste To Energy fit in?

WASTE MANAGEMENT WASTE MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICESBEST PRACTICES

d“Good waste management practice requires recycling to take q y gprecedence over energy recovery from waste ”from waste.”- Morrison Hershfield, “Waste to Energy Business Case Analysis Summary Report” presented to Yukon Energy Corporation, 2011

Waste Management HierarchyWaste Management Hierarchy

R d

Waste Management HierarchyWaste Management Hierarchy

Reduce

Reuse3Rs3Rs ReuseRecycle

3Rs3Rs

RecoverResiduals Management 

LandfillDisposal Options

Energy Use: Recycled & Virgin Energy Use: Recycled & Virgin //Content Products (MJ/kg)Content Products (MJ/kg)

300

200

250Recycled

Virgin

100

150

0

50

100

0

Source: Dr. Jeffrey Morris, Sound Resource Management

Energy Savings: Recycling versus Energy Savings: Recycling versus T /T /WTE Incineration (MJ/kg)WTE Incineration (MJ/kg)

250

200

250

Recycling

WTE Incineration

100

150

0

50

0

Alum

Can

sPE

T Bott

lesHD

PE B

ottles

News

pape

rCa

rdbo

ard

Tin C

ans

Glas

s Jars

P HD

Source: Dr. Jeffrey Morris, Sound Resource Management

#1 Myth: #1 Myth: We live too far North to We live too far North to make Recycling worthwhilemake Recycling worthwhile

FEEDSTOCKFEEDSTOCKWhat kind of fuel is Municipal Solid Waste?What kind of fuel is Municipal Solid Waste?

FEEDSTOCKFEEDSTOCK

Whitehorse Waste CompositionWhitehorse Waste CompositionWhitehorse Waste CompositionWhitehorse Waste Composition

OrganicsOther

Organics22%

E‐Waste3%

17%

Gypsum Wallboard

5%

Paper

Metals6%

p18%

dPl i

Composite8%

Wood Waste13%

Plastic8%

Competition for FeedstockCompetition for FeedstockCompetition for FeedstockCompetition for Feedstock

Current Diversion Potential DiversionCu e t D ve s o Pote t a D ve s o

~76% Diversion

11%8%

Recycled46%

24%Recycled

Possible

81%

CompostedLandfilled

46%

30%

CompostedLandfilled

Based on assessment of data from Whitehorse Waste Audit, 2009

Other CommunitiesOther CommunitiesOther CommunitiesOther Communities

Metro VancouverMetro VancouverMetro VancouverMetro Vancouver

45%

55%55%

Residual DivertedResidual Diverted

Recycling is a Growth IndustryRecycling is a Growth IndustryRecycling is a Growth IndustryRecycling is a Growth Industry

Tonnes Recycled at Raven Recycling

3,000

Tonnes Recycled at Raven Recycling

2,000

2,500

1,000

1,500

0

500

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

WASTE MANAGEMENTWASTE MANAGEMENTWhat are the future trends?What are the future trends?

WASTE MANAGEMENT WASTE MANAGEMENT PLANNINGPLANNING

What are our leaders saying?What are our leaders saying?What are our leaders saying?What are our leaders saying?“50% Waste Diversion by “50% Waste Diversion by 2015”2015” “Zero Waste by 2040”“Zero Waste by 2040”20152015 Zero Waste by 2040Zero Waste by 2040

Is Whitehorse Ready for WTE?Is Whitehorse Ready for WTE?Is Whitehorse Ready for WTE?Is Whitehorse Ready for WTE?

EITHER EITHER recycle recycle or or burnburnyyRecycling is supported in Recycling is supported in this this communitycommunityyyRResiduals management esiduals management vs. systems approachvs. systems approachIncineration most Incineration most expensive WM optionexpensive WM optionNot Not ““Green” Green” energyenergy

“Those who have set themselves the Herculean task of perfecting the art and science of incineration, have poured a massive amount of attention into the wrong end of the

bl d d d hi ti t d t f tproblem and produced a sophisticated set of answers to the wrong question. As we prepare to enter the twenty first century society's task is not to find a new place or afirst century, society s task is not to find a new place or a new machine in which to put the trash, but to find ways of not making waste in the first place.”g p

Connett, Paul PhD, Professor of Chemistry, St.Lawrence University, (speech) “Municipal Waste Incineration: A Poor solution for the twenty first century.” y

““Th d l d d h 3R l iTh d l d d h 3R l i““The study concluded that 3Rs alternatives were The study concluded that 3Rs alternatives were cheaper than incineration, had better longcheaper than incineration, had better long--term term economic and employment impacts conservedeconomic and employment impacts conservedeconomic and employment impacts, conserved economic and employment impacts, conserved energy, and did not entail the public health risks energy, and did not entail the public health risks associated with the incineration option.associated with the incineration option.””associated with the incineration option.associated with the incineration option.

Source: Source: ““Competition Between Recycling & IncinerationCompetition Between Recycling & Incineration”” by Jeffery Morris, 1996by Jeffery Morris, 1996

““““WTE facilities require a constant stream of WTE facilities require a constant stream of MSW, which may reduce regional governmentsMSW, which may reduce regional governments’’i ti t i di i t d ili ti t i di i t d ilincentive to increase diversion rates and prevail incentive to increase diversion rates and prevail upon the province to adopt new EPR upon the province to adopt new EPR programsprograms ”” RCBC WTE Background PaperRCBC WTE Background Paperprograms.programs. –– RCBC WTE Background PaperRCBC WTE Background Paper